I'm wondering if there's anyone out there, like me, who ended up with a rectovaginal fistula in between step 1 and takedown? I had step 1 on 2/28. Soon afterwards, began having unbelievable watery discharge from my vagina and ended up wearing poise pads. At first my surgeon thought it was a bladder spasm problem and put me on medication - no help. Then he did an EUA, found the fistula and did some kind of muscle repair. That was the beginning of June. Since then, I've had no discharge whatsoever. My takedown was scheduled for 10/1. A couple of weeks ago I went for a geffen enema. Got a call from my surgeon's office yesterday that he wants to see me for an exam. The girl who called said my enema report said no strictures (good!) but continued evidence of rectovaginal fissure with improvement. I have a feeling that's not so good and may interfere with my takedown. If it's still there, though, I don't understand why I'm not having any discharge. I'm passing quite a bit mucous from my bottom, which I hardly did when I had the fistula. Any suggestions are to what might be going on or what the next step might be? I'm trying to be patient, but to actually have the takedown scheduled and then possibly the rug pulled out from under me is really disheartening. Thanks for taking the time to read this and for any input.

Vicki

I went through the EXACT same thing with having the same symptoms inbetween surgerys. They didnt listen to me, bc it kept coming and going. But then I allowed them to do the takedown when I knew something wasnt right, and it got worse. 2 weeks after takedown, I had emergency surgery bc I had so much stool coming out vaginally. And I had to get the ileostomy back again this time for almost a year. I would ask them to do a pouch o gram to see where and if you do have a fistula. Mine is now HUGE and attached to my pouch due to 6 years of stool. i now have to have my original pouch cut out and start all over again with a revision of a new pouch. and now i may have to have the ileostomy PERMANTLEY! And I am only 25, and a mother of a 6 years old son ( who also had FAP and his colon removed this summer)But before you have to deal with that, I would really ask them to do that test, it takes only a few minutes and its completely reliable!
Let me know how everything goes, I would like to keep in touch, if you would like to!
Rachael Denis

I went thru the same thing!! I didn't even know I had it till I got out of my bed at the hospital recovering from step 1 and it was like as if my water broke! Weird feeling but gross! They were able to fix it after 2 surgeries. The first one was with a graft something like that and then one week later someone pushed me down and I fell on my bottom and tore the fistula. The second surgery, they used part of my liba (sp?) skin to cover the hole and it worked! It's no fun wearing pads all the time and not being able to be with my fiance at all for more than a year. Yes you will see more mucus coming out of your bottom because the fistula is fixed. But it will get better. Also you may have some discharge for a bit longer as the fistula heals.