Fistula opitions

[Iwanthertoloveit34]

I have crohns currently managed with immune suppressants. I had a colonoscopy yesterday and it showed that the crohns was active and that I had a fistula in the sigmoid colon. Is the management of this always surgical?

Are you on Infliximab or Humira? They help to close fistulas. I had a perianal for 10 years which we allowed to drain itself gently as it was causing no bother - it closed within 6 months of being on Infliximab and had no further issues. Now on Humira.

Also had an internal bowel/bladder fistula and that was sorted surgically, but this was way before the days of Infliximab etc.

I've been on infliximab for approx 4 years . The fistula is not causing me any probs but I suppose that may be the meds masking symptoms. I guess I will have to wait to hear from my consultant ,but I'm impatient!

I suppose it depends where it’s fistulising between - if it’s two parts of bowel I wonder if they might just leave it if it’s not causing any bother, like my perianal one.

Gobbin did they decide to leave your perianal fistula?

Is it painful or you, draining etc?

I hate the thought of a seaton

Youmatter after the abcess burst which created the exit hole for the fistula, it just quietly drained, just a small amount of liquid a day. I had two consultants over the years that I had it and both agreed to leave it.

However, I was due to have it looked at under anaesthetic in 2013 and expected to wake up with a seaton but a different, more experienced surgeon decided on the day to leave it as I’d just started the Infliximab and he said that it would probably close because of the drug. He was right and I avoided a seaton. I will be eternally grateful to his wisdom (he retired literally the following week!) as I’ve never had a problem since.

Humira has kept me in the best health of my Crohns life. I started running last year and did a half marathon this autumn (I am not running-shaped - this is a genuine miracle 😂)

Hahaha I am not ‘running shaped’ either.

Hey that’s really good though! So has yours completely closed now?

My abscess never actually burst. It kinda burst inside and formed the tracts and drained via the anus. Gross, I know.

Anyway.. had the fistula laid open at the end of October, had my mri last week and I find the results out on Christmas Eve. Praying for good news.

My tummy has been given me some trouble though. I haven’t had a ‘firm’ stool since the op. I have no appetite and I sometimes get pain after eating.

Last night I had pretty bad constipation which is entirely new for me I think it’s maybe the codeine pain relief.

I just want a break from it all.

Yep closed now. Sorry you’re having a rough time, people don’t properly understand the unpredictability of it and how each day can be so very different.

Hope you have better news for Christmas x

Iwanther how did your appointment Xmas eve go?

I have Crohns also. Diagnosed with a perianal fistula in 2017, seton placed July 2017 and finally removed August 2018 when surgeon performed a fistulotomy.

Also on infliximab