Abscess/Fistula

So Worried
So Worried Member Posts: 111 Member
edited November 2013 in Colorectal Cancer #1

Old..

Comments

  • eliz31
    eliz31 Member Posts: 2
    #2
    same problem

    my husband is in the hospital now with a fistula and today we learned the fhe cancer had spread. he had surgery last year and we were told that they got all the cancer. he has had trouble with fluid building up in his stomach since then. has has had 6 or seven drains in his left side and thursday he had surgery  and removed a mass. found out it was cancer.

  • So Worried
    So Worried Member Posts: 111 Member
    #3
    eliz31 said:

    same problem

    my husband is in the hospital now with a fistula and today we learned the fhe cancer had spread. he had surgery last year and we were told that they got all the cancer. he has had trouble with fluid building up in his stomach since then. has has had 6 or seven drains in his left side and thursday he had surgery  and removed a mass. found out it was cancer.

    So sorry....

    Dear Eliz31,

    I'm so sorry to hear of your husband's recurrence! When they removed the new mass, were they also able to remove the fistula, or cure it?  What stage did your husband have last year when first dx?  Again, I'm so sorry to hear of this and I'm hoping for a speedy recovery for him. 

  • eliz31
    eliz31 Member Posts: 2
    #4
    So Worried said:

    So sorry....

    Dear Eliz31,

    I'm so sorry to hear of your husband's recurrence! When they removed the new mass, were they also able to remove the fistula, or cure it?  What stage did your husband have last year when first dx?  Again, I'm so sorry to hear of this and I'm hoping for a speedy recovery for him. 

    Thanks

    They were not able to remove the fistula. So for right, now, all of his feces is drain out of the surgical wound on his  right side instead  of his colostomy on the right. Last year it was a stage 3. which they thought they had got it all, but when his colon ruputured cancer cells when all through his system. Thanks you so much.

  • danker
    danker Member Posts: 1,276 Member
    #5
    fistula

    When I had my resection I required  a Ileostomy.  Six weeks later when my Ileo was reversed I developed a fistula where my stoma was. Probably a loose staple in the ileo reversal.  So I continued to need a bag over the stoma opening.  It was six weeks later when my surgeon scheduled the fistula fix..  When I showed up at her office I just had a 4x4 gauze pad where the bag was. She was truely surprised.  The fistula had healed itself from the inside-out.  So no more surgery !!! Hope you get the same results. Just be patient and hope for the best.  Good luck !!!

    PS

    I've been NED ever since. Over three years.

  • So Worried
    So Worried Member Posts: 111 Member
    #6
    eliz31 said:

    Thanks

    They were not able to remove the fistula. So for right, now, all of his feces is drain out of the surgical wound on his  right side instead  of his colostomy on the right. Last year it was a stage 3. which they thought they had got it all, but when his colon ruputured cancer cells when all through his system. Thanks you so much.

    Oh Geez.....I'm so sorry...

    Oh geez..I'm so sorry. What did they say about removing the fistula in the future? 

  • So Worried
    So Worried Member Posts: 111 Member
    #7
    danker said:

    fistula

    When I had my resection I required  a Ileostomy.  Six weeks later when my Ileo was reversed I developed a fistula where my stoma was. Probably a loose staple in the ileo reversal.  So I continued to need a bag over the stoma opening.  It was six weeks later when my surgeon scheduled the fistula fix..  When I showed up at her office I just had a 4x4 gauze pad where the bag was. She was truely surprised.  The fistula had healed itself from the inside-out.  So no more surgery !!! Hope you get the same results. Just be patient and hope for the best.  Good luck !!!

    PS

    I've been NED ever since. Over three years.

    Danker

    That's such wonderful news! I hope you are NED forever!!!! Just reading posts and articles here, there and everywhere....it really makes me wonder. Why do some abscesses/fistulas heal and some don't? Sigh. 

  • So Worried
    So Worried Member Posts: 111 Member
    #8
    So Worried said:

    Danker

    That's such wonderful news! I hope you are NED forever!!!! Just reading posts and articles here, there and everywhere....it really makes me wonder. Why do some abscesses/fistulas heal and some don't? Sigh. 

    Anyone Else?

    Does anyone else here have any experience or input on fistulas? Becoming so depressed and desperate. Thank you in advance.  :( 

  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #9
    A second opinion?

    This situation seems to have gone on for way too long.  Have you considered getting a second opinion from another group or specalist?

    Have they tested the fluid they are removing to see if it contains cancer cells?

    If this situation is affecting his eating, his body is not getting the nutrition needed and some action to give him at least a pain free life should be taken.

    Hoping that improvement by whatever means is soon to be his.

    Marie who loves kitties

  • lp1964
    lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member
    #10
    Usually with fistulas...

    ...some infection finds its way to the outside and pus keeps coming out. (whitish yellow smelly liquid). There could be peritoneal fluid coming out trough the opening they created the first time. The difference is important and it's time fir you to get a second opinion.

    i wish you the best possible outcome.

    Laz

  • So Worried
    So Worried Member Posts: 111 Member
    #11
    2nd Opinion

    We actually did get a 2nd opinion. The new surgeon did an outpatient surgery on him a week ago and he suctioned all of the fluid out and scraped out some scar tissue. He then sent my hubby to wound care everyday to get the wound cleaned and packed. He said my hubby should feel A LOT better, but he really doesn't :(   He can eat a "little" bit better, but he's still in a lot of pain and the pain gets worse when he eats, so he tends to eat very little (still)  The Dr. said "hmmmm, he should feel a lot better"  I don't think anyone knows what's going on. This new Dr. tends to think there is a good possibility that it's going to heal up, but that's hard to believe when my hubby never, ever feels better. I know the 1st Dr/Surgeon checked the fluid for cancer and it was negative. I am going to ask this new Dr. if he checked fluid when he had the outpatient surgery. I'm sure hoping he did....after all he suctioned out "a lot" of it according to him. I should have been proactive and  told him we wanted it tested but this surgery was kind of scheduled right away because he had a cancellation and we just went with it, so I didn't have time to think I guess. So, hoping he was responsible and had it tested. Someone mentioned peritoneal fluid and I believe that is where the fistula is. 

  • lp1964
    lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member
    #12
    So Worried said:

    2nd Opinion

    We actually did get a 2nd opinion. The new surgeon did an outpatient surgery on him a week ago and he suctioned all of the fluid out and scraped out some scar tissue. He then sent my hubby to wound care everyday to get the wound cleaned and packed. He said my hubby should feel A LOT better, but he really doesn't :(   He can eat a "little" bit better, but he's still in a lot of pain and the pain gets worse when he eats, so he tends to eat very little (still)  The Dr. said "hmmmm, he should feel a lot better"  I don't think anyone knows what's going on. This new Dr. tends to think there is a good possibility that it's going to heal up, but that's hard to believe when my hubby never, ever feels better. I know the 1st Dr/Surgeon checked the fluid for cancer and it was negative. I am going to ask this new Dr. if he checked fluid when he had the outpatient surgery. I'm sure hoping he did....after all he suctioned out "a lot" of it according to him. I should have been proactive and  told him we wanted it tested but this surgery was kind of scheduled right away because he had a cancellation and we just went with it, so I didn't have time to think I guess. So, hoping he was responsible and had it tested. Someone mentioned peritoneal fluid and I believe that is where the fistula is. 

    Dear Friend,

    You have to push harder for answers. If he had an infection with a fistula he would be really sick with a high fever. You can tell the difference between pus and peritoneal fluid from a mile. They have to really figure this out. This is no game.

    Best of luck,

    Laz

  • So Worried
    So Worried Member Posts: 111 Member
    #13
    lp1964 said:

    Dear Friend,

    You have to push harder for answers. If he had an infection with a fistula he would be really sick with a high fever. You can tell the difference between pus and peritoneal fluid from a mile. They have to really figure this out. This is no game.

    Best of luck,

    Laz

    Laz......

    When they first discovered this, they said it was a fistula/abscess in the peritoneum (sp?)  They said the "opening" which I guess is the fistula, which they described as a canal like thing that is not supposed to be there is very tiny. They call the fluid coming out "pus" This "fistula" thing is just so hard for me to understand. 

    So what should I ask the Dr? 

    How can we tell the difference between pus and peritoneal fluid?  (you  said can tell from a mile) 

    Which is worse? 

    Thank for your help :) 

  • lp1964
    lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member
    #14
    So Worried said:

    Laz......

    When they first discovered this, they said it was a fistula/abscess in the peritoneum (sp?)  They said the "opening" which I guess is the fistula, which they described as a canal like thing that is not supposed to be there is very tiny. They call the fluid coming out "pus" This "fistula" thing is just so hard for me to understand. 

    So what should I ask the Dr? 

    How can we tell the difference between pus and peritoneal fluid?  (you  said can tell from a mile) 

    Which is worse? 

    Thank for your help :) 

    Dear Friend,

    The fistula is like a tube through which the infection finds its way to the surface.

    Pus is a thick greenish, yellowish liquid that smells pretty bad because it consist bacteria and dead cells. This would probably cause fever and weakness. Peritoneal liquid I suppose is a thinner, clear liquid in larger quantity. Some people here had that so they could tell you more. 

    You have to ask the doctors to distinguish the two because the treatment is entirely different.

    I hope this gets resolved for you fast.

    Laz

  • So Worried
    So Worried Member Posts: 111 Member
    #15
    lp1964 said:

    Dear Friend,

    The fistula is like a tube through which the infection finds its way to the surface.

    Pus is a thick greenish, yellowish liquid that smells pretty bad because it consist bacteria and dead cells. This would probably cause fever and weakness. Peritoneal liquid I suppose is a thinner, clear liquid in larger quantity. Some people here had that so they could tell you more. 

    You have to ask the doctors to distinguish the two because the treatment is entirely different.

    I hope this gets resolved for you fast.

    Laz

    Thank you...

    Thank you so much for commenting. Hopefully some more people that have had this will come along and let me know of their experiences....

    By the way you are descrbing it, between the two kinds of pus/fluid, it's weird, but it seems like my hubby has either or both kinds...his fluid is yellowish, but not smelly,  it's kind of thick and it's a lot. I'll be sure to ask the Dr. which one he has....hopefully he knows. Sigh. Oh and he has fatigue, but no fever. I think the fatigue is from not eating much because afterwards he gets a lot of pain. Also the fatigue comes from just being depressed because he never, ever feels good and he's tired of feeling so much pain all time....... 

  • jane283
    jane283 Member Posts: 39
    #16
    Fistula healed

    My father had lot of fluid and feaces coming out and the fistula kept growing larger in size and burst one day.Then they did surgery and cleaned up his stomach.He was fine,next time the fistula appeared,we all were very worried but just some hot compress and anti biotics healed him completely.

    Hopefully your husband too will be fine.

     

  • danker
    danker Member Posts: 1,276 Member
    #17
    So Worried said:

    Danker

    That's such wonderful news! I hope you are NED forever!!!! Just reading posts and articles here, there and everywhere....it really makes me wonder. Why do some abscesses/fistulas heal and some don't? Sigh. 

    fistuls

    when I told a female bridge player my problems I  asked if she knew what   a fistula was.  She said she had crones disease, currently in remission, but that she had had vaginal fistulas, .  Ugh!! So others have had worse.  Hope all goes well!!!

  • So Worried
    So Worried Member Posts: 111 Member
    #18
    jane283 said:

    Fistula healed

    My father had lot of fluid and feaces coming out and the fistula kept growing larger in size and burst one day.Then they did surgery and cleaned up his stomach.He was fine,next time the fistula appeared,we all were very worried but just some hot compress and anti biotics healed him completely.

    Hopefully your husband too will be fine.

     

    Oh my...

    Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry that it got larger and bursted. I didn't realize that could even happen. I am so glad your father is ok now!!! That gives me hope. Thank you so much for writing. I need all the good news I can find. 

    You know, being dx with colon cancer is one thing, and then having this problem since surgery is one more thing to deal with. Just doesn't seem fair. I'm at my wit's end with it. It just goes on and on and on and on. I have read tons and tons of articles about patients having colon resections and they are fine from the surgery two months later. I am happy for them of course..but why has this happened to us? (him) I've read that it's not the surgeon's fault. Hmmm...then who's fault is it? The more I think about it, the stranger it seems. Should I get a lawyer?  I don't see many people around with this. I wish I had a crystal ball and knew what to do. So sad in Michigan :( 

  • lp1964
    lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member
    #19
    So Worried said:

    Oh my...

    Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry that it got larger and bursted. I didn't realize that could even happen. I am so glad your father is ok now!!! That gives me hope. Thank you so much for writing. I need all the good news I can find. 

    You know, being dx with colon cancer is one thing, and then having this problem since surgery is one more thing to deal with. Just doesn't seem fair. I'm at my wit's end with it. It just goes on and on and on and on. I have read tons and tons of articles about patients having colon resections and they are fine from the surgery two months later. I am happy for them of course..but why has this happened to us? (him) I've read that it's not the surgeon's fault. Hmmm...then who's fault is it? The more I think about it, the stranger it seems. Should I get a lawyer?  I don't see many people around with this. I wish I had a crystal ball and knew what to do. So sad in Michigan :( 

    If cancer can teach...

    ... us anything that life is not fair. It has never been, but when you are healthy and things are going well you don't notice. Fairness is a human concept expressing that if you do things right you will be rewarded. It not always so.

    We have to face and deal with the blows, but mainly concentrate on the good things in life, because life is still full of wonderful things, but the bad covers it up. We still have to try, because that's what makes life worth living. 

    Wishing you fast resolution and strength to carry on.

    Laz

Discussion Boards