4th surgery for Anal fistula, may need 5th. help

[Giblett]

I am so over these surgeries.  I just had my 4th surgery for a fistula and this one did not work. The Dr. did an extensive flap repair and stiched the flap over the tract. Went yesterday for follow up.  Infection settled in the flap area and he is talking about a seton placement. This surgery was one week ago. I am getting very depressed as he said the tract is way up in the rectum.  I have had the 4 surgeries in 4 months.  Can ANYONE help me with this or direct me to a web site for me to look at.
I don't want to spend the rest of my life dealing with this. Thank you

[tcipress]

HI, I'm new here and thought I would tell my story since I found yours helpful.  I went in for surgery for an Anal Fissure and Hemorrhoids in late October 2002.  I'm 26 yrs old and male.  The surgery didn't go well for some reason and the doctor came out and told my wife I was going to have a tough recovery.  Boy was he right.  I had nothing but pain and bleeding all the way to May 2003, where I developed an abscess under a Flap the surgeon created over the anal fissure.  I tried paging the doctor, but he was on vacation, so I went to the E.R.  They were confused that my doctor didn't have a backup.  And assigned me to see a new surgeon the following day to take care of the abscess.  It was painful, pussing and bleeding.  At the new surgeons office, (surgeon #2).  #2 told me that I had abscess and that he would have never done the very extensive knife work that #1 did.  Nevertheless with tears in my eyes in face of worthless local anethestic he cut open the abscess.   2 weeks later I was back at surgeon #2 since the abscess was reforming again.  He told me I had a fistula as a result of the anal plasty (flap over the fissure) that was done.  So we went to the operating room for examination under anethesia and possible fistulotomy.  surgeon #1 had already done a full colonoscopy so there was no concern over other conditions.  #2 said that until the abscess clears, he could do no definitive treatment, so he put a loose seton through the fistula tract and we left it there for 7 1/2 weeks.  I worked from home and took sitz baths 4 times a day with my laptop and phone on a table next to the tub.  On tuesday 7/6/2003 I went in for surgery to try cure the fistula.  The surgeon #2 said if the fistula was simple he would just lay it open, otherwise he would use fibrin glue after cleaning out the tract.  Unfortunately it turned out to be a DEEP fistula, and he couldn't cut it without comprimising continence.  So he tried the glue.  I've been having pain and discharge still, so I'm really worried it didn't work.  Not only were things easier to manage with the seton, it was also not as messy.  This has been going on for 9 months and I'm really frustrated and anxious, since my job is suffering and its interfering with my life in a big way.  I'm ready to throw my hands up in the air and say "does anyone know what they're doing to me?".  Its 2003. And we're still referring to procedures figured out in 500BC.  Thats how old the seton procedure is.

[silk]

Hello, just wanted to say I though I had it bad, my heart goes out to you all. I wanted to pass along, that I too have had 4 to 5 surgeries and my last one my doctor, who is a colonrectal doctor, who listen, takes time to explain everything, also his staff. My last surgery, a Seton Placement was inserted, and althrough it has been in for two years now, and I have not any more lumps or boils come up, just every month I go in to have the seton tighten, now afterwards, it's sore, but nothing a little pain medicine can't take care of. At every visit to the doctor I'm asking when will the seton be removed, but reading someone else pain, last night I thought about the different things that you were going though and maybe I should let it stay in as long as possible. So just try the Seton

[silk]

Hello, just wanted to say I though I had it bad, my heart goes out to you all. I wanted to pass along, that I too have had 4 to 5 surgeries and my last one my doctor, who is a colonrectal doctor, who listen, takes time to explain everything, also his staff. My last surgery, a Seton Placement was inserted, and althrough it has been in for two years now, and I have not any more lumps or boils come up, just every month I go in to have the seton tighten, now afterwards, it's sore, but nothing a little pain medicine can't take care of. At every visit to the doctor I'm asking when will the seton be removed, but reading someone else pain, last night I thought about the different things that you were going though and maybe I should let it stay in as long as possible. So just try the Seton

[silk]

Hello, just wanted to say I though I had it bad, my heart goes out to you all. I wanted to pass along, that I too have had 4 to 5 surgeries and my last one my doctor, who is a colonrectal doctor, who listen, takes time to explain everything, also his staff. My last surgery, a Seton Placement was inserted, and althrough it has been in for two years now, and I have not any more lumps or boils come up, just every month I go in to have the seton tighten, now afterwards, it's sore, but nothing a little pain medicine can't take care of. At every visit to the doctor I'm asking when will the seton be removed, but reading someone else pain, last night I thought about the different things that you were going though and maybe I should let it stay in as long as possible. So just try the Seton

[silk]

Hello, just wanted to say I though I had it bad, my heart goes out to you all. I wanted to pass along, that I too have had 4 to 5 surgeries and my last one my doctor, who is a colonrectal doctor, who listen, takes time to explain everything, also his staff. My last surgery, a Seton Placement was inserted, and althrough it has been in for two years now, and I have not any more lumps or boils come up, just every month I go in to have the seton tighten, now afterwards, it's sore, but nothing a little pain medicine can't take care of. At every visit to the doctor I'm asking when will the seton be removed, but reading someone else pain, last night I thought about the different things that you were going though and maybe I should let it stay in as long as possible. So just try the Seton

[Cheryl74]

Hi, I am new here, I just was surfing and found this website. I wanted to share what I have been through in the past month.

I went to my GYN because I had an anorectal abscess. He sent me to a surgeon and it was cut and drained in his office. It was horribly painful.

After 12 days, I still had draining and some pain. My doctor found that I had an anal fistula and I needed surgery to fix this. I had my surgery almost 3 weeks ago now. I went to see him for a followup and he said it is healing the way its supposed to and he wants to see me in another 2 weeks. This was almost a week ago now.

I am doing OK, but I am still not comfortable all the way. I still have some swelling down there but most of the drainage is gone away. Its starting to close up. He said its healing from the inside out.

I am a 29 year old woman who never has health problems. This whole experience has freaked me out to tears. My quality of life has not been too good over the past month and yet I am still not feeling the greatest. I am in total fear that something is still wrong even though my doctor looked at it a week ago and said its doing well. I just wanted to share my story because it seems like some of you KNOW what I am going through because NOONE in my family or friends has a clue here as to how I feel.

I have been so depressed about this. Its been a month and its constantly there. Anyone that wants to comment I would greatly appreciate the support here. I hope and pray every day this goes away and that I am well again soon.