I can tell you, when I seem to get this narrowing (like now, that we talked about in the other thread), my fistula BARELY drains, because it's so swollen in there, or else blocked off by the stricture or something. When things have been better/open, it drains more.

Wow, just goes to show how different we are. Or maybe our fistulas are in different places. Mine seems to be very low down in my vagina. When I have cuffitis I get these spasms and they seem to force a gush right out of my vagina.

Can't tell you how gross and discouraged I feel these days.


C-jay

Mine is not even near my anal anastomosis. It's below it, just a simple perianal fistula. Has no connection to my pouch.

My fistula originates at the dentate line, so very near the anastamosis. I've had non-stop cuffitis, but I don't think it affects the fistula, although that's hard to say, as my fistula has a constant, mild discharge of yellow-green stuff. I don't have much pain with cuffitis.

What affects my fistula the most is if I hold my poo too long, or have more gas than usual, or if my poo is too watery.

Are you still using mesalamine suppositories? Dr. Shen had me taking both canasa and anucort suppositories to calm things down. I don't recall specifically, but for awhile I was on canasa and 2 anucort/day.

In addition, the anucort thickened things up a bit so there wasn't so much discharge. It really was helpful. I'm now back to 3 or 4 canasa per week, unless things take a turn for the worse, then it's every night.