Hey folks.
I'm new to these forums, but have been following as a guest since 2012. Was a bit of a stick in the mud about
actually joining and conversing about
my ordeals and finally took the plunge after my most recent surgery. Like an idiot I replied to an old forum from 2011 not realizing the dates and so now I'm posting my own topic in hopes of getting some folks to relate and commiserate with!
The brief timeline is as follows:2011 - Development of thrombosed hemorrhoid that resulted in anal fissure
2012 - Lateral internal Sphincterotomy for treatment of anal fissure (success)
2014 - perianal abscess (likely formed due to blockage from excess scar tissue from the prior procedure)
2015 - Fistula formation following surgery to express the abscess
2015 - 6 surgeries addressing Fistula including 3 drainage seton placements, 2 L.I.F.T. procedures (failed), and one Advancement Rectal Flap Surgery (partially failed - shifted/shrunk fistula but did not close it)
2016 - Cutting Seton placement following shift of fistula after the flap surgery
Quite a resume, right? From what I continuously research and read through forums, NCBI published trial studies and clinics, even wikipedia--fistulas are TOUGH to be fully rid of. Thankfully I was semi-prepared going into this, so I knew (even though I approached each surgery with as much hope and positivity I could muster) that I could be starting a trek down a very long road. I've had 7 operation in a 15 month stretch now, and there's a POSSIBILITY I might be done, but that's only if I can endure -que dark and tumultuous soap opera music- the cutting seton.
The Advancement Flap Surgery was performed in late 2015. While not entirely successful, it shifted the fistula tract closer to "surface" I guess you could say--meaning it didn't tunnel through as much muscle tissue as before. While still a "high" fistula as the terminology labels it, it's out of the woods in "complex" territory, and so after my most recent EUA, I woke up with a cutting seton. I did not expect that, as the discussion I'd had with my surgeon prior to my being unconscious was that we were going to place a
draining seton to keep the fistula tract
open while my body took time off to heal more after all these surgeries over the last year-ish. I was more than happy to do so. I'd had draining setons before and they really aren't too terrible to handle. I was very surprised to wake up with news that my surgeon had excised a tract of skin between my anal
opening and the fistula's exterior
opening, and laid a cutting seton in that tract, tying it off. I understand her reasoning, truly I do. After examining the fistula tract she saw a potential for me to no longer endure surgeries, and just get this fistula gone and over with. I get it. But my mental capacity was, "I'm going to have this little seton that doesn't bother anything and I can get back to normal life for the rest of the year."....and a
cutting seton doesn't fit into that capacity whatsoever.
Once the numbness wore off I was in terrible pain. My surgery was performed on a Thursday (last week actually) and I had taken Friday off of work anyway, thinking I'd just need the weekend to recoup and then I'd go back to work good as new on Monday.
WRONG
.
I
just came back to work yesterday, but it's still SO hard. Laying on my stomach is the only position I can be in that doesn't cause pain. I don't understand the "trench" that was carved out of my flesh, nor the seton being placed right over that raw, goopy skin as it tries to heal. I'm supposed to go for post-op eval on 3/22 and they may even do the first tightening then
....and I'm over here thinking....omg can I even HANDLE that? Will I be able to keep working? Will I have to take a couple days off after each tightening just to try and adjust? What will my work say? I've used up all of my FMLA from all the surgeries (it's granted in a rolling 12-month period so it doesn't renew at the start of each year like some assume), so I could lose my job over this if I'm not careful. I do the baths, the fiber supplements, the water intake, and use pain meds only when necessary, but it's difficult. Much more than I was prepared for, and I'm seeing all my "hopes" of having a normal year dissipating because it looks like I'll be managing constant pain with this seton until it's over with.
I'm only 28, will be 29 this year. I've not been diagnosed with Chrohn's. I've never birthed children. I'm of decent weight and health but yet I continuously have problems regarding my colon. I don't know why, but it's finally taking its toll on me. If anyone out there can offer their intellect, experience, support, encouragement, tips, etc....I would be most appreciative. Trying my best not to sink into the big black hole of despair over here
