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Well its been a long time since I have done more than lurk around the board since I have been doing so well. I started experiencing increased rectal pain and pressure along with draining about three weeks ago. I do not have a j-pouch anymore but I do have a very short rectal stump left. I have never opted to get a Barbie butt as it was always too permanent for me.Occasionally the remaining bits flare up and i bleed or have some discharge. I have Protocort that I keep around for such occasions. This has been working for the past 8 years (WOW time flies).

About two weeks ago the pain ramped up and the discharge went from clear and odorless to yellow/green-ish and smelly. A few days later I felt a marble sized lump on the anus. It was on the right side and my pain definitely centered there. So i made an appt to see my surgeon. Saw him Monday and he could not get a look internally as with no use for 8 years my bottom is not willing to let anyone poke around. Combined with the major pain i was in and he couldn't get a good look. He gave me cortifoam and he didn't see an abscess at the time.

Today the small marble because a large marble and the pain is through the roof. Just an hour ago while trying to examine things it appears the "marble" has popped. More mucous and blood have since drained. The pain has reduced a lot although just from an 8 to a 5. I have an appointment for Thursday for an examination under anesthesia. Never having an abscess before I am pretty sure that is what I have but thought I would check in with all my "experts". I have been sitting on a heating pad constantly but is there anything else I can do for relief? I have 6 days to wait. Is there anything I should look out for that would indicate something serious?

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Hi Tricia! Good to hear from you, but sorry it is because of this. Sure sounds like a perianal or perhaps perirectal abscess (since your surgeon was not able to visualize). The fact that it ruptured and is now draining is a good thing, as incision and drainage is what your surgeon would have done, if he could have done the exam uner anesthesia sooner.

The heating pad is fine. I would not use the cortifoam until further notice. The other thing you can do is sitz baths or soaking in he tub. The object is to keep this open and draining.

You should be feeling better soon. But, this may recur or extend to a fistula, so you need to stay on top of this.

Good luck!

Jan Smiler
Jan Dollar
I will be sure to rinse in the shower multiple times a day. Man this pain is a special sort of pain - ouch. I am taking my Tylenol 3 every 6 hours to help the pain but it only takes the edge off. Overall I am tired and feel blah. I have been really tired lately and I wonder if this is why. At least I am on vacation starting Friday so I will be able to rest and heal after the exam.
AyrishGrl
Is there anything else in between rinses/soaks you can do for the pain? Jan - you mentioned avoiding Cortifoam - any reason why? I take it preparation H cream or Tucks pads or anything else of the sort should be avoided? Anytime I move around it hurts. Its a combination throbbing, sharp, stinging and sometimes a itching pain all rolled up into an incredibly uncomfortable location. Would it hurt to take a cloth and make a warm compress and literally stick it in between the cheeks? I don't want to do anymore damage but dang its sore.
AyrishGrl
hey tricia.
If its an abscess, which it does sound like it is, I don't think you shold put anything up there or on it other than plain water. But I don't think you could hurt anything with a warm compress.

I have a chronic unhealing sinus tract going into an abscess area from when my jpouch was removed. Into 9 months with it. My docs want no cremes, etc.. anywhere near there. Sitz baths help a bit. But I know it is incredibly painful. Also yes, it could overall make you feel blah and flu-like even. Do you have any leftover pain drugs from previous surgeries just to get you until you have your EUA?
hang in there.
L
Had my exam yesterday and it was an anal abscess. My surgeron was able to drain it completely. Since he sees such high occurances of fistulas post abscess drainage he went ahead and opened a tract from the abscess to the anus and removed the anal gland that was infected. He also put a cellulose plug into the rectum. He said by doing this I will not develop a fistula. He typically does this on any absecess patient that is healthy enough at the time of the drainage. This is how Suzan explained it to me. I have a bandage in between my cheeks for drainage that I will remove for my first sitz bath post procedure this morning. He also took about 10 biopsys to check for cancer. I have been in quite a bit of pain since the procedure and am taking 2 percocet pills every 4 hours to keep things sort of comfortable. He expects a full recovery.
AyrishGrl
Sounds like a good, proactive plan. Avoiding a fistula is a very good goal! The pain should get better with each day. Of course, it would be expected to increase right after your procedure because of the manipulation there. For whatever reason, our maker decided to put a LOT of sensory nerve endings in the anal canal. Doesn't seem like the smartest thing to do....maybe God's little joke on us. (Not funny God! Thanks for nothing!)

Hopefully, by Christmas you will be feeling much better.

Jan Smiler
Jan Dollar
I am taking 1 Benadryl with my pain meds since Percocet makes me itchy in general but the anal itching is an entirely new torture. At times it actually has me squirming in an agony of itching sensations. I wish I had thought to ask my surgeon yesterday for something when he called to check on me but it wasn't real bad at that point. We have some Calmoseptine but I don't know if that would help or if it would be a good idea.
AyrishGrl
A couple days later and I'm still improving. Pain is reduced more every day. I finally tried some Preperation H wipes for the itching and they helped a little bit. When the major itching spells hit though there was nothing I could do but writhe and cry until they passed. My only saving was taking my Percocet every 4 hours and sleeping most of the time. I will take pain over that any day of the week! I am still draining from the biopsys but it is getting less. I switched to the Vicodin today to see if I could not sleep the entire day away. It takes the edge off the pain but if I move around too much it hurts. My body feels well enough to resume normal activities but my butt says otherwise if I do too much.

That's it for now.
AyrishGrl

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