A couple years ago I had a couple abscess between my vaginal and anal area checked out, cut open, cleaned out and was put on antibiotics. This was by a temp surgeon who I was seeing while between GI doctors. They healed and I had no further problems out of them until recently when a flare put me with full blown watery BM's and I noticed I was pushing air then feces was passing through. I have since changed GI's because I have had no luck with the one I had been with since being diagnosed in 2006.no remission, nothing but steroids and pain killers which are temporary fixes.Anyone experienced a vaginal fustula before? What can I expect as far as being examined, determining if surgery is the only fix and healing time? Very nervous. I haven't even spoken to my husband about me finding this or assuming that's what it is. Embarrassed&afraid!
I have a recto-vaginal fistula and have lived with it for almost 3 years. It certainly changed my intimate relationship with my husband. I am lucky enough to have a wonderful understanding mate but this is not an easy thing to acknowledge to begin with. Now I realize that I can tell him anything. He cannot however begin to imagine what this does to your womanhood or how you feel about yourself.
I remember that when I began to suspect what the problem was. I was mortified. Now I joke about it because what else can you do? Surgical repair for this type of fistula has a low success rate. Now there is reason to believe I also have one going to my bladder, waiting for the MRI results.
When the recto-vaginal fistula first occurred,I was not aware that there was such a thing. I was having so much D at that time it took me awhile to even suspect such a thing. To make things worse, my GI was scoffing at me because he was convinced I had UC, not Crohn's. It soon became very obvious what was going on, to be blunt, I had acquired an extra rectum with no sphincter. Did not show in a CT Scan, gynecologist could not find it, even an MRI and two colonoscopies could not pinpoint it's location, preventing any attempt at surgery. Have since changed GIs and am on REMICADE but after 11 months of infusions, no sign of healing.
Sorry to go on in such detail. This is one demoralizing disease.
Suni