Fistula

I'm not quite sure what to tell you. I know some people get pain on the opposite side because they are adjusting how they walk/sit/etc. and it puts more pressure there. Kind of like if you have a broken leg, your healthy leg gets a much bigger work out.

Almost six week's post op, I keep getting setbacks, this time it's the sore skin close to the fistulotomy site. This area of skin has been a constant problem with soreness throughout the fistula but I put it down to the exudate passing through the fistula tract. The fistulotomy has healed on the surface and is forming a raised scar but I think it will still be healing on the inside for a long time to come.
Has anyone had a problem with sore skin after a fistulotomy. Is it normal.

Hi
Thanks for the response , yes the feeling is something like a bruised feeling. I guess coupled with the sore skin feeling in the area of the fistulotomy it's easy to let panic build inside.
I am annoyed that my follow up was cancelled and I am waiting for another to come in the post.
One other worry is the skin seems to be gathering or puckering creating folds in the skin. Again, is this normal.

The one plus is the green mucus has stopped appearing which is a good sign plus BMs are getting easier to manage. Just got to avoid constipation so still taking Movocol and Lactulose I also take Naproxen. Not sure if the Movocol and Lactulose could be causing some of the irritation.

Hi
Got another worry, I decided to get away to the coast for a week, it's been ages since our last holiday. During this week I have had to do more driving and sitting on different seats etc. Although I have my trusty cushion it is apparent that I find it is still very painful to sit especially on the harder seats.
My question is, should this still be so painful almost seven weeks after my Fistulotomy.
Also does using alcohol based wipes agrevate or help the wound area, I ran out of my usual brand and have had to make do with the more popular brand.
I had hoped the operation would cure the problem but I feel no fu forward in many ways and I am thinking that I will never get well enough to return to work.

Yes I agree,this is a disability issue. I am thinking my work life is over and I will have to seek out benefits. It's very disappointing to feel this way after my Fistulotomy but I guess the that's the way it is.
Everything I have read tells me that by week seven I should be feeling well enough to return to work but I am experiencing a lot of pain in the wound area, I read that it could be the scar tissue but I can't see it being the answer.
I am probably being impatient but it's almost two years since this all began and I am thinking that I have wasted so much time and I really do not see any viable future for me.
My surgeon has not seen me since my operation, is this normal to wait for so long, I don't know what to think anymore.

Thanks for the advice, I had better get my application in now and be disappointed when I get turned down at my first attempt.
I am going to write to my consultant and let him know how upset I am by not allowing follow up and leaving me to guess what all the pain is about.
My skin is a bit like the skin on a uncooked chicken at the moment and the body hair seems to be growing in tiny clumps that makes the skin look darker. Weired

Hi
Still in a lot of pain when sitting, going to try to get some answers tomorrow from my Doctor. My wife mentioned that the skin around the anus is looking a bit purple, she is curious know if this is normal or not, she said it started about three weeks ago but did not say anything in case it worried me more.
If anyone has any thoughts on this we would be grateful.
Is there anybody that has had a fistulotomy about eight weeks ago or more and still in pain when sitting.
I am not sure if I can carry on with this pain, I am really depressed.

Hi Rockyman, I'm so glad the surgery was successful! I did not have surgery for the fistula I had for about 3 years but it healed while on humira in the spring of 2015. I am always extremely cautious though as to what I use to clean the area because I have even recently (over a year later) had issues where the area gets sore or will bleed a bit. My GI checked it out both inside and out during my colonoscopy and found absolutely no sign of a fistula any more despite still occasionally getting discomfort there, so in my case any bleeding would just be from irritation I assume. Are you in remission though? I'd still be concerned that you might have active inflammation there until you get an all clear from your doctor.

Hello again,
Still not sure what is going on down below, after a long drive today I found it hard to get out of the car due to bruised pain in groin and testicles.
This has occurred before a few times but I had hoped it would go away on its own.
Do you think it could still be the after effects from the fistulotomy last march or is it a separate illness/problem developing. I recall my consultant saying it could be painful for anything up to a year while the nerves knit back together but I thought the pain would be around the scar and operation site.
Any thoughts on this would be good

Sorry caught the wrong button.
As I was saying, started with stinging stabbing pain around the inside of left buttock.
The area is associated with the fissure scar that had been there about a year. I had a fistulotomy on the opposite buttock in March this year and that seems ok other than a bit of occasional acheing.
I have been leaving off my naproxen due to side effects.
Can anyone tell me if it is normal to get the stinging stabbing pain around scars and how long can it last.

Rockyman, when you have an abscess in the perianal region, it delivers heavy discomfort which often worsens with time; invariably the abscess continues to expand until such time that pressure is relieved, either externally to the skin, or internally out the anus. In some cases, a surgeon needs to induce the drainage when the discomfort is considerable. Abscesses in patients with CD often signal the existence of a tract which, dependent upon extent, are normally difficult to treat. I do not see your mention of CD, but if your fistula has not returned 12 months post-surgery, count yourself fortunate. Fistula recurrences are numerous in patients with CD, since surgery does not remove the cause.

If you have an abscess on the right buttock, the pain will be local to that region. The pain will increase with pressure. You may attain a mild fever.

There are numerous other causes to the pain you describe - the pain does not necessarily indicate something severe. The perianal region is a notoriously sensitive area.

Hi
Not feeling too good at the moment, I am awaiting an appointment with my Gi for further investigation into what is happening to me, I am hoping that an MRI will show what is happening. I had hoped my fistulotomy would have sorted this out but I think it has reformed.
I have been trying to find out if a fistula can reform without an abscess and if so would the Fistula give me the symptoms laid out below.
1. Perianal pain, bruised feeling near Fistulotomy scar
2. Anus feeling sore and looking red and inflamed
3. What feels like a tiny bead of liquid from anus , this has happened about three times in the past two weeks, although it may be sweat.
4.pain so bad unable to sit comfortably.
If anyone can let me know or offer advice I would be grateful, I am getting to a point in my life when I am getting dark thoughts and cannot see much of a future for me, I am not intending becoming a burden to my family. I have found out today this illness is about to cost me my job so I can't carry on much longer.

I am so sorry about it costing you your job. I can't remember if you've said it before, but have you applied for disability?