Fistulas are more common in Crohn's than UC. Whatever you have, this surgeon doesn't sound like the right person to work through it with. Plenty of folks here will tell you he's just plain wrong about C. diff, though I don't know if you have it. You sure as heck should *not* take Cipro if you have C. diff. Can you find a good gastroenterologist instead of a surgeon?

Yup...you need a new doc. There are treatments for fistulas.

I thought to confirm Chron's, testing would need to be done of some type. I find it rather interesting that just by taking a look he can tell you it's Chron's Disease. I was diagnosed w/ UC in 1998 & went to a J-Pouch by the end of 1999. Bumps in the road, & my doctor has wondered on & off for years if there's some type of Chron's, but the blood tests & biopsies are not conclusive so we go along with "I don't have it." I would find another doctor as the others have stated, I wouldn't be comfortable with his diagnosis or bedside manner.

Thanks for the replies! I was really shocked at the way he acted because he is usually a very good doctor and I travel about 6 hrs to see him. I figured at least some sort of exam would have been done. He rushed me out of there pretty quick also and I had some other questions to ask. I have to go back to work so I felt I made the 6 hr drive for nothing and am currently laying here in pain not being able to do a dang thing about it. Next appt I can make with a gastrointeroligist is 9 days away.

What can they do for fistulas? The surgeon made it sound like I would just have to deal with them and they would just keep draining. He said if they close it would just keep getting abscesses. Also the one that he had cut that crosses the sphincter muscle just turned into a huge fissure that won't heal and makes it very hard to hold it in when I have to go. This was about 6 months ago and it is still painful and pretty much a huge gash in my sphincter muscle. The others are like small pinholes that drain and are an inch or so away from the anal area. My whole pelvis feels inflamed also and it feels like I'm passing sand when I go to the bathroom. I did make an appointment with a GI doc that is 2 hrs from where I live. He is about my only option here in Wyoming and I have heard it is hard to get any answers from him but hopefully I can get something figured out. What kind of tests should I ask for or procedures that should be looked into. I have a lot if discomfort and pain and would like to get it figured out!!! I also have been having lots of gas and gurgling which only adds to the discomfort. I have taken Cipro and Flagyl which don't seem to help much. I also take florastor probiotic daily since I am prone to cdiff.

Fistulas are a pain in the a**, and they often are a long-term unwelcome companion. Nevertheless there are treatments that can make them more tolerable or encourage them to heal. If you search the posts here you can read about setons (cutting and not) and fistulotomies, as well as a needle-knife technique that may be limited to Bo Shen at Cleveland Clinic. Not all of these are likely to be ideal for you, but it's best to consult with someone who is familiar with them. It's hard to predict what you'll get from your two-hour trip, but I'd suggest cautious optimism that he'll offer more than the surgeon did. Besides, in Wyoming isn't a two-hour drive considered "across town?"

Haha yes its two hrs to everything! And heavy traffic means a heard of antelope won't get out of the road! Hahaha its so unpopulated here its hard to find anyone knowledgable about this disease just because they don't see it often and the drs seem very out of date on technology and the latest treatments. When I was first diagnosed with UC the GI told me the only option available was an ostomy. He was shocked when I told him about the j pouch procedure the surgeon in Denver had told me about. No physician in town will take me as a patient because they act scared to treat me for anything. With my job I can't take extra days off so that adds to the difficulty because I have to schedule appointments on my 2 days off every other week. Sorry had to vent for a minute! Haha I will ask the GI about these fistula treatments when I go to see him and see what I can do to prevent more from forming. It feels like a ton of inflammation is behind the pubic bone also and feels like my insides are all swollen and the muscles not wanting to work without pain in my pelvic area. Urinating is getting difficult and when I'm done it feels like all the muscles cramp inside when the flow stops. Maybe prostate issues as well? It's like an intense puckering feeling inside which I'm assuming is due to inflammation in the rectal area. To mean it feels like a huge infection in my whole pelvis and I figured this was the cause of the fistulas.... Like the infection was trying to escape and release somehow. Also if I have a lot of scar tissue could this cause the feeling of inflamation and pressure in my guts and pelvis? One of my biggest obstacles is trying to explain what everything feels like. I wish I could just put them in my body for 5 minutes to feel it themselves! Haha... By the way I really appreciate the replies! Thank you all! There are so many things to figure out in the process of elimination it just gets frustrating. Seems like so many problems have the same symptoms its hard to narrow it down or even tell if maybe there are multiple problems feeding off eachother.

Did you see the GI? How are you doing?

OMG you can never take cipro again if you have c.diff. Fire that guy. I fire my doctors a lot lately.

love that Vanessa.
I've been firing some of mine too!

People need to remember the docs are working for you, no different than an auto mechanic, a hair dresser, or a contractor. If they aren't doing their job.. get rid of them. And find someone that will do the work properly.
After all.. this is your health! a bit more important than a bathroom renovation, car fix, or nice hairstyle.

Hey all yes I went to see the GI and he woul like me to start Humira. The doc that prescribed the Cipro told me that as long as I take Flagyl with it the c-diff won't reoccur :/ I have been taking it so hopefully I didn't mess up there! No one still has not done a scope or any tests to confirm that it is actually chrohns. They are just going off the basis that I have recurring fistulas and abscesses. The GI did say that it is not certain I have chrohns but since I am having the above stated complications he is going to treat it that way. I don't know why they just won't do a scope and some testing! It's like pulling teeth to get any answers around here! As soon as I finish this course of antibiotics I will be starting humira. My work schedule dictates that I can only see the doctor about once a month if that. I'm really hoping the Humira fixes everything! Thank u all for the help it is really appreciated! At the moment the antibiotics and painkillers make me feel almost normal but I can tell there is still
Some type of inflammation going on.

I've had 2 abscesses and don't have Chron's. Mine were not in the gi tract though, grew where rectum was removed.

My friend had a fistula and then they said Chron's but turned out she had bad c.diff! They scoped her and saw no evidence of Chron's so they are still on the fence if she has CD or UC.

Don't let doctors treat you with no scope and just hand out meds. I let some idiot do that to me for a year and I got c.diff from all the antibiotic usage for something I never had...