Coping With Fistulotomy

The moral to my story is - when you’re having a pain that is not normal - go to the doctor.

Last Fall, I started having some pain and burning after every bowel movement which would usually go away in a short time. Embarrassed to go to the doctor, I kept dealing with it thinking it was hemorrhoids and started with the usual wipes and creams. Nothing worked, in fact, it started getting worse. It got to the point where I couldn’t stay at work all day because of the pain. I went to a hemorrhoid specialist who informed me that I had a fistula and needed to have surgery. I was flabbergasted. I had no idea what that even was.

Within less than a week (praise God), I had an appointment with a colo-rectal surgeon At that point, I had a huge abcess that he drained in the office. The four weeks of healing time for that was horrendous with terrible pain after each bowel movement. I dreaded going to the bathroom.

After a second appointment with the surgeon he determined that I did indeed have a fistula that needed surgery. I had my surgery last Friday morning. I was scared to death, but everyone said, you won’t feel a thing…

They gave me whatever it is that puts you in that “twilight” state (that I swear I never quite reached) and then the local. I’m sure it’s probably just me since I have a hard time taking anything to get me to sleep, but I know I felt some, if not most, of the procedure. The nurses even remarked that I came out of the anesthesia crying. Beware the “twilight zone”.

Even though I would never want to have that done again, I am glad that I had it done. It’s been a week now and I’m doing pretty decently I think. Sitz baths 3 times a day, stool softener and fiber daily and I’m finally up to eating normal foods. It still kind of aches when I “poop”, but I haven’t had the terrible burning and pain I had before the surgery. I have another follow-up appointment with the surgeon in 10 days and I’m looking for a good report.

I didn’t like the surgery, but I’m believing that it is what I needed to get this problem gone.

I pray for those of you who have had much worse times dealing with this issue than I have and wish you the best!