Hi Minnieoty, I am sorry you're going through this awful experience with a fistula. From what you describe it sounds like the fistula has reopened. This is not uncommon for people on Remicade. I...
Hi everyone who is reading this thread, Barring any developments down the track, this will be my last post on here. I am 13 weeks past my third Advancement flap surgery (and a failed LIFT). It looks...
It was the usual 4-6 weeks before I knew the LIFT had failed though in hindsight I had weird pains and discomfort after 2-3 weeks that were probably a sign surgery had not worked. Also, drainage from...
Ah okay, they are two quite different operations! I had a LIFT too, which failed. From all my reading, the flap and LIFT have a similar success rate, though I think flap is still seen as more of a...
Hi Taca, I know drainage after surgery is common and I wouldn't jump to any conclusions just yet. However, if the drainage doesn't decrease after 5-6 weeks then it's possible the flap failed. One of...
Hi Dimitri my friend! It's been a long time. It's nice to see you on here again. Is your recovery almost complete? Any lingering symptoms? How long did the yellow drainage from your rectum last for?...
Do they not do repair operations in Canada? I’m sorry to hear you don’t have the option. If it’s any constellation, I’m not sure repair surgery is the relatively successful undertaking the stats...
November 20th 2019 update: 5 & 1/2 weeks ago I had another advancement flap. The surgeon wanted to try again, even though my last flap and LIFT both failed. He said the internal area appeared in a...
Hi ktseatac, Sorry I've taken a while to reply. I had to step away from online stuff as it was making me depressed and obsessive. I'm really sorry to hear about your flap experience. Please take my...
Wow, thanks DChrons, I’ll have a listen to that. I’m thankful to be part of a public health system where I get all this free. God knows what I would do if I had to pay. My surgeon said he’s performed...
Hi Dimitri, thanks for that information. It actually looks reasonable, the success rates! Ive also read that glue isn’t the best option though, but it’s used with the stem cell treatment, so I’m...
Hey all, I have been battling a complex perianal fistula for about 2 years. Lots of drainages, 3-4 setons and a failed flap and failed LIFT. I don’t have chrons, so my surgeon isn’t sure why the...
Thanks Dimitri, I have an appointment with specialist in two weeks. The original external opening of the fistula seems to be healing up. It’s not painful and only discharges a very small amount of...
I’m in Australia. I just figured that once a fistula is closed off that the infection would quickly burn out? Or is that naive? I guess the fact it was okay for 2 weeks and then started up with pain...
Hey Newmommy26, Thank you so much for replying. These fistula are insidious things. So hard to get rid of. An update, for the past couple of days I've had that too familiar ache for about 2-3 hours...
Hey everyone, A quick summary - developed perinatal ancess about two years ago. A few drains, then a few failed surgeries to close fistula. I just had a LIFT op following 2 months with a draining...
Hi Missjjellybean, Sorry to hear what you're going through. I've had a rectal fistula for two years now and let me say, it sounds like you may have one too. If discharge is coming from your vagina...
Hi PITA123, Firstly, let me say that I have great sympathy for your situation. I've been battling for fistula for two years. Since I posted the above, I've had another draining seton inserted. This...
Hey all, I've had a perianal fistula for about a year. I've had an advancement flap operation, which closed one internal opening but didn't close another, which was found on an MRI. After that, I had...
I agree! Even just a short reply from people out there who are experiencing similar pain and worries is a god send. Thank you so much to the people who reply, especially those who are on the up and...
Hey all, I would love to hear about people's experiences with anal fistula post surgery. In particular, how long did the external site drain for while it healed? To cut a long story short, I had an...
Hi Shana, Thanks for your kind words. It's been 4 weeks and two days since I had my advancement flap surgery. It's been a tough journey, that's for sure. First of all, if the plug doesn't work and...
So the past 24 hours have been a real downer. I had a bowel movement last night, a pretty minor one, andI got quite achey down inside my rectum for a few hours afterwards. This morning I woke to a...
Ha ha, all those life issues seem to pale in comparison when your health is at stake! It's been three weeks today since my advancement flap operation. I'm still experiencing an ache after a bowel...
Thank you so much Dimitri, you don't know how much your support has meant to me since I started coming on this forum. Even just your calm words of wisdom after you healed yourself were much...
Thanks Dimitri, your encouragement means a lot to me. I am now 2 weeks and two days post op and things are looking brighter. My posts above show how despairing I became when symptoms very similar to...
I’m not sure exactly but I do know it’s quite high in the rectum and goes through a lot of muscle. Thanks for your advice, it means a lot. I’ve had three ops, not including two seton ops and I just...
Thanks Dimitri, but I’m all but certain it’s failed. I get a couple of hours of pain after a bowel movement, plus it drains more yellow discharge too. Basics feels like the exact same symptoms as...
Thanks DCChrons, you’re absolutely right, patience is tough. I’m so used to pain down there and drainage that I associate it with fistula. I need to realize that the fistula will still drain for a...
Day 10 Update - I don't want to get all doom & gloom but I think my flap has failed. Yesterday and today I got a familiar ache inside my rectum after my morning bowel movement, which lasts for about...
Thanks Octobergirl, and keep me up to date with what happens your way. It’s a long process, these damnfostula, but it WILL end. Stay positive. Badger your CRS too. My CRS is a good guy and knows his...
Hey Octobergirl, I should say first up that I don’t have chrons. However, pretty certain I’m an undiagnosed IBS. My advice to you is to talk with your CRS. I had a draining seton inbefore my...
Thanks Dimitri for your quick reply. Even though the inside of my rectum feels very sore, it's not fistula sore, if that makes sense. More like bruised and battered sore. I guess my spirit just...
Day 7 - UPDATE: I was about to finish work today and I checked the guaze between my butt cheeks, to help with the drainage post surgery. Up to now it's been mostly clear, with a slight pink hue...
Day 7 - today my butt aches a bit (from the inside). It doesn't feel like fistula pain, feels more like the inside of my rectum is bruised or something. Nothing terrible, just soreness. I've taken...
Thanks Dimitri, I really hope it's a good sign. Just taking each day as it comes so far, not getting ahead of myself (I learned not to do that after my last surgery!). Octobergirl, yes I have a high...
Day 5 - I think I’ve underestimated how tough the flap procedure is on your body. I am not experiencing much, if any pain, but the inside on rectum feels very uncomfortable, like I have a half...
Day 4 - pain isn’t so bad today. In fact it’s minimal at best. However, have a strange sensation inside my anus, where I’m constantly feeling like I have to poop a bit. It’s all from my anus, no...
Hey hulahoops 1974, That's awesome news! Having the tracks and opening identified is the first step, the next big step is the setons which you now have. They will help keep things draining and mature...
Thanks Dimitri my friend, It's awesome you still come on this forum and offer advice and support. Your success is a real inspiration and I imagine a lot of people who come onto this forum and reads...
Hey guys, I want to document my experience with the advancement flap surgery I had two days ago. From what I can tell it's one of the more common operations for high fistula, but there's not a lot of...
Hey all, Tomorrow my CRS is going to perform an endorectal flap operation on my perianal fistula. I’ve had this thing about a year now, and after a few i&d and a draining seton which came out by...
Hi Shana_S, How have things gone since your wrote this post? I'm crossing my fingers things are looking okay. I've read that the glue method for fistula has a relatively low success rate, though...
Hey hulahoops 1974, I'm sorry to read about your recent experiences. It sounds rough. I took a lot of comfort in reading messages on here from people in the same boat, so I'll share my experience...
Hey U B Tough, That's really rough they don't do fistula repair. I know there's a lot of failure with fistula surgery but equally, if not more so, there's success. it's just a long term journey....
Thanks Dimitri. Your own success fills me with hope! I ended up at the doctors and she said it was a flare up but thankfully drainage was still good, so there was no abscess forming. Gave me Flagyl...
Hi all, I recently got a draining seton for a high anal fistula. That was a month ago. Doctor said he would let the seton calm the infection down before he did a follow up operation. Everything was...
Interesting. I don’t want to have a long term seton. My crs didn’t say “burn out”, that’s my phrase. He said he wouldn’t operate till it had settled down. I’d rather try a flap or lift as I’ve read...
Hey Steve :) They put in a seton because my fistula is high and involves a lot of muscle. You're right, usually they just cut the fistula out and let the butt heal, but in my case if they did that it...
Hi, thanks for your reply. I think Dimitri had a cutting seton, whereas I’ve got a draining seton (for now). Thanks....