Is it possible to have a fistula with only a fever as a symptom?

I had an abdominal fistula that opened up on my old hysterectomy scar. Other than the low grade fevers I had no pain there. How I found the fistula was I kept smelling this fowl odor and could not for the life of me figure out where it was coming from. Then I spotted this small opening on my old scar and got a good look at what was going on there. I was started back on Remicade and Flagyl and got it cleared up. I am getting ready to try Cimzia and I am very excited. The Remicade is making me pretty sick for several days after the infusion and running a fever as high as 101. Susie

Hi Jill, I had a fistula but it was to my bladder. I never felt pain and from what I understand is that you won't feel it until it lets itself me known. Either by it popping through your skin or causes an abcess. I would assume that a fever would be an indicator of it.

I was running a low grade fever for about 5 months earlier this year but felt okay other then that. I don't know it I had something brewing and just chaulked it up to the ebbs and flows of this DD. Good luck and let me know what you find out.

What test do they do to rule out a fistula?  I dont have anything obvious anywhere.  My fever hangs between 99.8-100.8  all the time.  It never peaks or seems to break.  It has been 9 weeks and I am going crazy.  My other typical symptoms are as good as they can get, so this is my last mystery.  There only comment is that this could just be the way its going to be, and the result of having an autoimmune disease, or to go up a level higher to methotrexate.  Seems dramatic just for a fever with the side effect risks.  The others in that family all gave me reactions, Pneumonia with Remicade, and severe joint pain with 6mp, so I am hesitant to go that route again.  I just feel like I am missing something.  I have eliminated wheat and dairy, rarely ever drink soda, working on eliminating coffee and moving to teas, and I drink so much water I spend the day in the bathroom.  I added Monavie (for the glucosamine) to my regular routine.  Anyone taking that or ever have any problems from that?  Its just jiuce fromt he acai berry, but I can't imagine it could cause anything, its just an antioxidant.  But with my luck, if there is a side effect, i will get it.  Since I still have pain and cramping, I still take vicodin to control it, and that seems to be the only thing to allow me to function with the fevers, but I don't want to rely on that.  All its doing is masking the symptom.  HELP!

Well...what I can tell you of my fistulas...I didn't know they were there. I knew I was sick (didn't know I had Crohns back then). I was down to eating a piece of bread with honey on it at night (I was still working). I noticed some stuff in my urine and tried to explain it to my doctor who didn't listen. He put me through a billion and one tests that showed all sorts of abnormalities but nothing definitive. My gyno sent me to a GI who had me get two tests done. A CT with contrast (gag) and a SBFT. The CT was so bad they didn't even bother with the SBFT. I went home from that CT and got called two hours later to come to the hospital as an emergent case. My internal organs were slowing to dangerous rates or something b/c of the massive infection (never did learn which caused it...either a perforation of the appendix or a burst abscess) that was eating holes in my intestines. I was peeing fecal matter (fistula from intestine to bladder). I had two other abscesses that were found later during exploratory surgery. Get the CT scan. It tastes like crap but I swear...if they had done something as simple as that when I first started explaining what was wrong with me...I wouldn't have the issues with fertility I have now. The infection ate my R fallopian tube. The Crohns set up two more abscesses behind my uterus (required draining). My other fistulas went from a JP drain to intestine and from L to S intestine, with one other fistula that led from intestine to what I call innerspace. It was just unconnected to anything and whatever went through it went into the empty cavity of my lower abdomen. It's worth the irritating of CT scans...it was the only thing that showed the massive infection. Who cares about hot flashes when your internal organs are shutting down? :-P