what is the recovery time for anal abscess surgery

buttgirl · Newbie Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 31

Hi,

Does anyone know how long I can expect to be in pain? How long I should expect to take to heal after my anal surgery? Also, how long can I take mineral oil to keep my stools soft--I suffer from IBS or possibly a mild crohns.

I had an anal fissure that partially healed over the course of about a year. The reason that it only partially healed was that it was infected. Last, December it abscessed to the point where I could push on a hard nodule just outside the hole and puss would ooze out of the unhealed area of the fissure. Gross, I know.

Since then, I have had a surgery to open and drain the abscess. The surgical cut is from the remaining portion of the fissure inside to the outside nodule.

It has been 11 weeks since my surgery. The bleeding and pussing have stopped. Now it just hurts when I go #2, similar to the way in which the anal fissure hurt last year. Some days there is intense burning, some days just a faint reminder of my wound's continuing presence.

Since I have been diagnosed with a very mild case of Crohn's, or IBS--dr.s are unsure which--I have been taking sulfazine and am scheduled to be fully evaluated later this year. Aside from the fissure turned abscess, my only sympom of these conditions is constipation, which is exacerbated by my very stressful job. I have been taking Milk Of Magnesia or mineral oil (never together) to alleviate this symptom. Does anyone know how long can I continue to take this? I couldn't bear to have the wound reinjured and not heal again.

any comments, stories advice would be appreciated.

buttgirl · Newbie Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 31

just so you know, it takes over 6 mos to heal a, inch or so long incision from the inside to of the anal canal to the outside--or at least that's how long it has taken me to begin to feel better.

Tham · Newbie Joined: 28 Jul 2006 Posts: 45

An abscess takes some time to heal, after drainage.
I had surgery to drain an abscess caused by cellulitis on
my left toe in Dec 2004.The wound had to be left open,
and it took two months to close up. I still have some pain
from the scar there which has formed a corn.

I'm not sure if anal fissures should be left open to heal or
stitched up, but did the surgeon give you some antibiotics ?

If not, you should go back to him, or consult another
surgeon for another opinion.

You should also take fiber. I would prefer cellulose fiber,
or some of those mixed formulas with probiotics and enzymes
which you find in health food stores. I would not advice
psyllium, which has a rather harsh peristaltic action on the
intestines and is not good for people with IBS (like me) and
Crohn's, like you.

Otherwise, take a good probiotic with lots of bifidobacterium,
which is the predominant bacteria in the anal region.

buttgirl · Newbie Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 31

Thanks fo the advice. Through trial and error, I have come to many of the same conclusions (cellulose fiber instead of psyllium and the benefits of good probiotics).

Tham · Newbie Joined: 28 Jul 2006 Posts: 45

This guy who opens a newstand told me he
had a fissure, but it healed after drinking aloe
vera concentrate juice over time.

He didn't even see a doctor.

buttgirl · Newbie Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 31

interesting, though aloe verra concentrate is auposed to be a potent stimulant laxative.

Tham · Newbie Joined: 28 Jul 2006 Posts: 45

Yes, that is why you should find out if the aloe
vera product contains the laxative compound
called Aloin.

Many of the good products on the market have
the Aloin removed.

what is the recovery time for anal abscess surgery

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