Coping With Fistulotomy

My abscess was very painful. I passed two kidney stones in my mid 20s. They did not compare to the feeling of being ripped in half while sneezing. I am a 37 y/o male. Heathy and in very good shape. Some would even say I’m a looker (my mom).

It started the week after Thanksgiving 2007. I was up all night in a lot of pain. I would soak in warm water just to be able to go to the bathroom (#1). It was an ordeal to go #2. It hurt. I did not know if I was doing more harm than good using the toilet. I thought it was hemroids. Boy, was I wrong. I was shocked to learn that it was an abscess. I was also told I would have to wait for it to come to a head and drain. Finally, mid December 2007 it popped open. I was very please. I was told it could heal up in about two weeks. A month later I learned what a fistula was….

Well, it is now the 1st of August and I am into a full week of healing from my second fistulotomy The first one was February 21, 2008. I remember it well. It never seemed to heal the way all of the websites said it should. My doctor said the healing time would be 8 to 10 weeks. At the end of the tenth week I made an appointment for a follow up exam. I was told that the skin was healing over and the stains in my underpants were from the from surgery site. He went onto tell me that sometimes it just takes longer for some people.

I was on the right path!!! It was almost over!!! The next day, I felt something in the shower. It hurt… The puss was the same puss from the fistula. I was in shock. At first, I just cleaned it up and pretended it would just go away. I went back to the sitz bath 3x a day. I was scared. Why was it back? I did everything correctly. I contacted my doctor. He said it was just irritated from the previous exam. Then, I went to Europe the next day… all hell broke loose. The plane ride was torture. I emailed my Dr.. He fit me in the day after I got back. The whole trip was me finding a bathroom and being able to keep myself clean. I swear people thought I was doing drugs because I would go to the restroom so much and come back pale faced. Oh, I was on a cruise…

The surgery was scheduled in 2 days time… I was very upset. This healing is much different than the first time. I am much more uncomfortable than the first. The second surgery also brought the addition of stitches. They kinda hurt…

Now, we are at day 7 of recuperation. I am lucky I am a teacher. I have the summer off. The first abscess/fistula took up alot of sick time.

I did alot of research on this. That is how I found this outlet Recurrence is common. It has not been fun (at all).

I have 9 more weeks to go on my new healing schedule. My follow up appointment will be done in person 3 weeks from now, not through email. I hope this helps you. I know if you have found this site you are looking for answers. This experience has been very humbling to say the least.