NJK, in my own experience, fistulas sometimes open up a tiny bit and can mostly remain closed until something causes the need for another escape route for stool. If you have any particular pressure between your pouch and your rectum, such as from bearing down or from some measure of constipation (relative) that differs from normal consistency, it might cause a fistula that's present but not normally needed to open a bit more such that you have the symptoms you describe. At your period, you may have have slightly engorged tissues (internally) that exert slight pressure on the bowel and result in your symptoms. You could have adhesions, scar tissue, or partial obstructions that have resulted in the fistula but are not otherwise causing you difficulty, and either of the above sources could then result in the tract opening slightly. Prior to my permanent ileo, I had two vaginal fistulas, one very small and sometimes open and sometimes not. the other resulted in sufficient pain from fecal waste in a place it didn't belong that I was in misery. I hope that's not true for you - sounds like an inconvenience and something all of us would rather not deal with but not one that would force you into surgery. I had no choice, and when I did have surgery, many many adhesions had caused a partial bowel obstruction, painful in itself, and caused the fistulas to open to solve the obstruction. There's a perverse way in which a fistula is an incredible solution to obstruction, a means of survival, though of course they sometimes form in the absence of obstruction. It was months before a very small amount of drainage opened into a full fistula for me, so it can be hard to diagnose, but gas and fecal matter vaginally are NOT normal, and like me, I"m sure you know what you're finding and are not confused about your anatomy. To be told it's nothing is insulting. I didn't check to see where you'd had your surgery, but again, from my experience, most surgeons have an interest in reassuring themselves that their work is perfect, and less interest in either non-surgical solutions or other docs' work, or in much beyond Cipro (and I"ve had lots of surgery). I went to a gynecological surgeon (who obviously had NOT done any of my G I surgery), and would suggest that to you particularly if you are near a teaching hospital where such a person has seen complicated cases. The colorectal surgeon who did my permanent ileo also repaired the fistulas at that time. Maybe you'll hear from other women who've had vaginal fistulas.
