Yeast infection or RVF or both? OR did surgeon damage me??

Hi Ladies....Havent posted in a couple of weeks. Just trying to plow through. I'm in tears most days....and in pain/discomfort every waking hour.....

So I've seen 5 doctors and know one knows what to do about my symptoms regarding RVF. I'm either burning or itching or feeling the fistula poke me. I'm taking percocets and MJ. Using Replense, coconut oil...apple cider vinegar. Anything to get my lady bits back to normal....it's been 8 weeks of agony.


My GI wonders if when that surgeon did the local torture drainage in July of the perianal abscess if she damaged my vagina. My rectum was swollen with a huge abscess plus ongoing d......she injected at least 4 freezing needles with me screaming and thrashing around....Is it possible she inserted the needle into my vag?

I'm still passing gas rectally and vaginally at the same time.....sometimes it's hard to tell as those areas are so close. I've cupped my hand over my vag when I pass gas and I think it comes out.....there is no smell, odor....My symptoms eased a bit when I was on my period. Otherwise I'm beyond dry. I also burn rectally and vaginally after a poop.

Could this "just" be a crazy/chronic yeast infection? After the 5 ABX I took in June/July, then had the abscess drained....2 weeks later I got that yeast/thrust infection. Took Monostat 1 day which burned like the dickens for 2 days.....then a week later it came back in hospital and was given nystatin oral and vag. Was fine for 2 weeks. Then Aug 10th I started passing gas vaginally and it's been hell ever since. Also during this 2 month period I was wearing diapers and pads because I was incontinent. During July and Aug I spent most of the day sitting in a sitz bath because of the recurrent abscess. I think this dried me out and could contribute to yeast.

I finally saw a gyne yesterday. I wasn't impressed. I was burning so badly I couldn't sit down. I was crying when he examined me. He couldn't see a fistula and therefore concluded (rather abruptly) that I don't have one. Until he can see it I'm to think I don't have one. I'd rather NOT have one but these symptoms are painful and emotionally upsetting. He wasn't sure if the Bartolin's cyst was in fact a cyst. He couldn't identify what a new and deep bump was at the base of my vag. I'm just to leave these things but use coconut oil after I pee. He did prescribe Terconazole for a yeast infection and a vaginal probiotic to use in a week. No more sitz baths. I was sent on my way.

He did say that women pass air in their vag frequently....without fistulas.

When he did the internal I felt my rectum. It's like a big lump pressing into my vag.
Guess my 3rd question is: if my rectum is still really inflamed could it be pressing against my vag causing referral pain? Maybe that's why when I sit I burn more.

I applied tea tree oil to the bump last night and it seems a bit smaller today. Who knows. But from my research ecoli causes the cyst.

I feel like I'm on my own with this. My GI's have no solutions and gyne just gave me yeast cream because I don't think he knew what else to do.

For so many years I've been robbed of life because of my bowel....now I can't leave the house because of my vag. I don't feel like a woman. I can't express myself sexually. Can't give or receive love. I've been at the depths of depression contemplating ending my pain through suicide. Canada now has assisted suicide ...but of course IBD isn't included. I just want my pain to go away. It seems so cruel that I survived PG only to get a RVF....I'm so humiliated and in pain. I can't wear underwear or clothes and have given up ballet. NO way I could wear a leotard. I've burnt out my only support person.

Regarding Humira......had my 2nd loading dose last week. Struggling today with vomiting and nausea, likely because I also had IVIG this week. As far as bowel....now going 3-4 times day, which is worse than after the 1st loading dose when I was going 1-2 times. Still urgency and lots of mucus. No mucus before Humira.

My GI seems hopeful that the Humira/IVIG will close the fistula.....if that's what I have.

I'm eating but not regularly. It's hard to keep up with supplements....when I've lost hope. I'm trying to hang on hoping one day I'll wake up without a burning vag.....but I've isolated myself even further due to pain.

I have no answers but want you to know I am thinking of you and believing you can get through this.
You haven't given up and will find a way to get relief. It may be small and gradual but while there's life there's hope.

No doctor has all the answers because they have likely not seen anything like what you have.
15 years ago I had an un diagnosed fibroid, just a simple vaginal fibroid, that kept me bleeding to the point I was clinically anemic but no one could help me. i went to 5 (FIVE!) gyn's and each of the first four could not diagnose why I was bleeding but wanted to do various operations because they had no answers. Finally #5 felt it manually (mind you I had ultrasounds and all other types of tests with nothing showing) and removed it surgically. No more bleeding!
This nightmare went on while I was flaring horribly with UC (also no help for my UC from THOSE GI's).

This explains my attitude toward medicine and doctors. "Question authority" and keep looking for answers. I believe most doctors only have enough knowledge to treat the average patient. if you are not average they have no clue.

Courage! and keep looking for answers.

Have you had an MRI?

Though my fistula does not show up on one for whatever reason, but it is very much there... You could request one through your GI and get in pretty fast.

Might give them something to go by.

Sorry your still going through it...having your undercarriage in total disrepare is a frigging nightmare..hang in there.

So sorry to hear that the things aren't getting better. There is a doctor out there who can help but you haven't found him/her yet. Have you consulted with a gynecologic surgeon. I think they may are better suited than gyns at dealing with issues like you are describing. Could be worth finding a palliative specialist to come up with some ideas on pain management. Hang in there. Don't be shy about asking for help.

Thank you all for your compassion & encouragement. I'm still in a bad way. Had a melt down on Sat. Despite being on Humira/Ivig I'm flaring. Passing yellow, foul smelling water. Thankfully, it's not coming out of vagina.

My cyst is growing. Now I have a deep, painful lump at the base of my vag. It burns when I poop, pass gas. All I can think is that ecoli is passing through vag.

I had a little discharge last week. I guess with the itching/burning the gyne just didn't know what else to do so he suggested yeast cream. I'm using nystatin. I need a proper examine with a gyne surgeon. I can't wear pants/undies

Mentally I lost it on Sat. I'm staying with my mom for a couple of days. It's great but it doesn't solve anything.

Dark thoughts persist. I just want my pain /RVF to go away. It makes me sick to be passing gas from where I shouldn't.

I asked my GI for mental health support & palliative pain support. He said there's nothing he could do.

I'm on my own, literally crying for support, physically & mentally. I believe I was damaged by that surgery.

Veruca---yes we'd be friends. After all we're practically related!
I have no plans for the High Holidays...obviously.

Hey U B Tough, glad to hear you are staying with your mom, you shouldn't be alone right now.

I'm sorry your GI was so indifferent, jeez, at least he could give you referrals. Perhaps you may hav better luck with your general practitioner, they may be in a better position to refer you to services you need.

Take care, hang in. Sorry you're having such a terrible time. 😕

U B--

You may have already explored this path, so my apologies in advance if I am treading old ground. My friend who is a medical professional in NY who worked in a gynecology/oncology surgery suggested, if you haven't, that you consult with a urogynecology surgeon. I have been googling around for Toronto-based docs. (I vaguely recall that is where you are located) It looks like Harold Drutz is the "godfather" of urogynecology and pelvic reconstruction surgery from Mt. Sinai.

The attached is from a recent presentation given in Toronto. It's got lots of Toronto (and other) uro / gyno / gi surgeons in your area. If this isn't an area you have explored yet, it may be worthwhile.

Hang in there!!!!

https://www.mountsinai.on.ca/education/continuing-education-and-professional-development/medical-education/obstetrics-gynaecology-education-program/advances-in-female-pelvic-medicine-and-reconstructive-pelvic-surgery/2016-advances-in-fpm-and-rps-program-and.pdf

I know how debilitating, and isolating, women's health issues can be and there are communities of women out there who can provide support and help -- the challenge is finding these people! I googled "chronic pelvic pain in Toronto" to see if I could find a support group. It looks like Mt. Sinai has a pain management centre that deals with women's pelvic pain issues. Also found a private Proactive Health Center. If you have the mental stamina, you might luck out by calling one of those places and seeing if they know of any support groups. Sometimes you luck out and find a sympathetic receptionist who can help make the connections.

If the yeast cream is working, see if you can get some more. Also, people suffering from butt burn have reported that calmoseptine is a good ointment. Can you get some of that? Or desitin in the interim?

Can you tolerate sitting in a warm bath?

Sorry to hear you are flaring too. Hope the Humira gives some relief.

While I hate to recommend going to an emergency room, and I don't know how things work in Canada, if you are at wits end, then crawl over to the Mt. Sinai emergency room (they have right docs for you) and make them admit you!

Hey U B Tough, sorry to hear you're still having such a rough time but I'm glad you are going to get some help. I know, "hanging in" is very difficult at this point but you can do it, things will get better.

Take care, (((hugs)))