Starting to wonder what I have

Lately, I've been focusing on whatever it is I have on my butt. I thought it was a fistula, but after reading some different articles I get the impression a fistula looks like a hole in the skin. That's not what I have. I have a rather large (about 2" long I think) bump with what seems like bumps on top of that in spots. I could put pressure, squeeze, hit, whatever you could think of on that bump itself and not even feel a thing, but probably a few CM away I could barely touch it and the pain can get pretty significant at times. It feels as if theres a terrible bruise there, but theres nothing. Do you think the two are related? Do you think it could be an abcess I have instead of a fisutla?

It does drain although I can't pinpoint the spot exactly, and it is puss like people describe.

Could be an abcess. You should have your GI look at it and ask him/her whether you should see a colorectal surgeon.

Do you have to get them removed or can you live with them? I have for a few years now, I just get pain down there every once and awhile. Will it keep getting bigger if I don't do anything? Is there medicine you can take for it?

If it's an abcess from Crohn's, it will get steadily worse and possibly develop into an obstruction or spread throughout your abdomen and potentially cause involvement of other organs. It's best not to mess with it.

There are antibiotics you can take to shrink it, but they need to be prescribed and the instructions followed to the letter. In the past I've been given Cipro and Flagyl in high doses for a month or more at a time.

Hmm... okay. I wish I could remember what it looked like when I first got it back probably about 3 years now. What would the surgery be like for this? Would it require a seton or would they just put me under and cut it open? Are Cipro or Flagyl bad? I've never had to take either so I don't know too much about them.

Surgery depends on where it is and the shape/size of it. You might just need antibiotics. What meds are you on for your Crohn's? Remicade might help with this.

Cipro and Flagyl have some bowel side effects for me, namely they mess with my stool patterns and I either get diarrhea or really constipated. I eat a lot of yogurt and that seems to help. I also sometimes feel a little nauseous or sweaty on them, but it's not terrible and it's MUCH better than letting an infection go unchecked.

3 years??! Do you ever get dizzy/sweaty and not know why?

Nope, Never. I used to get bad night sweats about a year ago, but they seem to go away on their own. I'm not on any medicine for my crohn's right now, and haven't been for about a year. I was on Remicade before I got whatever this little guy is lol but was switched to Humira after it stopped working.

Diarrhea wouldn't bother me. I don't think I've ever had a "hard" poop in my life lol. Like I said, it's probably about 2" long, maybe a little smaller, but it's definately more than just a pimple sized bump, and it's in the area where you have to spread the cheeks to be able to see it.

I would take a picture, but nobody wants to see that lol

For what it's worth, it was after a long period of not being medicated that I got MY fistula, which is now permanent because it got bad and I let a general surgeon work on me (DO NOT use a general surgeon, use a colo-rectal surgeon!!) I had it for years before I realized what it was, and the reason I found out was that it created a bowel obstruction so bad that I ended up in the ER in some of the most severe pain I've ever experienced in my life.

I would really advise that you get this looked at and also that you reconsider not being on meds.

Well it wasn't my choice to not be on meds. I have some methotrexate I have at home I could take, but I dont know how smart that would be without speaking to a doctor. I have an app. November 22 that was the soonest I could get in with a new doctor. I'm too far from my old one now so I had to get a new one. I hope it's a good one.

I actually have had it looked at before. I went to just a walk in clinic when I first got it and the doctor was really persistant on calling an ambulance for me to go to the hospital for it. I could function fine, and I could drive myself lol. (which I did).

When I got to the hospital, I waited for way too long only for a doctor to try and bend me over and "make a small incision" and it should be okay. Yeah that's not happening. Since then, I haven't really got it looked at. When I go to this new doctor though, I definately want him to look at it, but I don't want him to be pushy on something if I'm not ready for it.

How different is a fistula then an abscess? You say yours is permanent now. Does it bother you? How big is it? (if you dont mind) Is there anything you do differently because of it?

That's a lot like what happened to me, only I was in so much pain I let him make the incision.

He made 8 more incisions over a 3 month period on subsequent office visits. My insurance paid him a lot of money. The fistula (no longer an abcess) is now inoperable and permanent. I'll have it for the rest of my life.

Please see a GI/colo-rectal surgeon as soon as you can.

A fistula is just an abcess that's permanently open at both ends. It does bother me. When I flare, it hurts just like my intestine does. It drains fluid, pus, blood, and feces. I have to wear a gauze sponge in my pants every day to catch whatever comes out.

It dries up during remissions, but never heals.

That's interesting. Mine was always like it would build up pressure and get really sore, then all of a sudden it would "pop" and relieve pressure, drain, and feel so much better. Lately, starting a few months ago I had to start wearing pads to catch the draining.

Which is worse? A fistula or an abscess? in your opinion. My app. on the 22 is with a G.I. so we'll see what he has to say. I hope he's not an idiot.

I would say an abcess is usually worse, but a fistula that connects your bowel to some major organ is bad news.

I hope your GI is not an idiot, too. Sadly, I've run into more than a few.

Well thanks for your help. I'll make sure to post the details after I talk to him.
How do they determine what it is? Can they tell just by looking or do they tests?

They may do a cat scan of your abdomen and pelvis.

ok thanks. As long as its not a colonoscopy again lol. Phew.
I'm just about to head out to the best chinese buffet in the world. Definately doesn't help our bodies, but man is it ever worth it lol