Hi, I have a colo - vaginal fistula. This was diagnosed by MRI scan. It means I have faecal discharge through my vagina. I've had it for about 10 weeks now.

It appeared 4 weeks after I had surgery - a subtotal hysterectomy for advanced endometriosis together with two really massive ovarian cysts.

I'm fairly sure both my body and mind reacted very badly to the surgical invasion. The surgeon had to do quite a lot of messing about - my colon and bladder were both fused with other organs and had to be separated.

I was recommended a second op to close the fistula. I really didn't feel like going thru' another op. Especially as I was sure the fistula was a result of the first op. I didn't seem to be recovering too well from the first one, at least, not as well as I was led to believe I would. I thought I'd take my chances, at least for a while, and see if the fistula would heal by itself. The surgeon whose remit this would have been, to his credit, was happy to go along with it.

I know some fistulas do heal by themselves, but there seems little information of what one can do or refrain from doing to aid the process. Or even the likelihood of self-heal in percentage terms.

I have started taking Silica Terra 200c once a week. For the previous month I was taking Silicea 6c twice a day. I am pretty sure I'm a Silicea person. However I am not sure of the dosage I should be taking for this colon tear. What dosage makes sense to you?

When I first had the symptoms of faecal discharge, I had them everyday, periodically throughout the day, but always worse at night.

These days I can have 2 or 3 days when I'm convinced it is almost healed cos I have practically no discharge. Then, I'll have a couple of days where the discharge is on the increase (quantity and frequency) and then full scale discharge for another 2 or 3 days, though not with the original frequency. Then it will be better for a while.… etc Still always worse at night than daytime, whether it’s a good or bad day.

I can't tell if the fistula is healing or not. I suspect not, because although overall they are less frequent, the fact that I can still get the bigger discharges must mean the hole is still the same size? No?

Also, everytime the symptoms get worse I need to sleep for long periods of time. I can sleep like a log for up to 16 hours, waking briefly maybe twice just to pass water and change underwear or whatever.

I have also been taking Argent Nit 6c twice a day for sugar cravings, (I can really eat a lot of sugar - sweets, fruit, juice, anything, so long as it's sweet) and Arnica 6c for general healing and bruised body feeling.

I have also just taken my first dose of Psorinum 200c (fortnightly) for a bad outbreak of psoriasis which appeared shortly after the fistula, and was getting worse. Two days after taking it, the psoriasis seems better. So I may not take another dose.

Both Silicea 6c and Psorinum 200c were previously prescribed for me by Royal Homeopathic Hospital (London, UK) for a bad bout of psoriasis five years ago.

I have cut my smoking down from 30 odd to 6-8 cigarettes a day.

So, may I have all your comments, please? I really would prefer to not go the surgical route. My memories of the first 4 post-op weeks are like remembering a nightmare. Thanks so much, in advance, for any help you can offer.

Best Regards, Star

Been there, done that. I totally sympathise. I have a total of 8 general anaethestic surgeries (and numerous local surgeries) to rectify these problems all stemming from what was originally considered a "minor" infection.

Last MRI scan showed three fistula running parallel to the bowel. They never seem to go away. Mind you my last scan was in 1999 after one fistula became infected. No, I did not have the surgery but opted for the homoeopathic route. The infection lasted three days. All previous infections had been met with "emergency" surgery.

I would suggest that you find a very experienced homoeopath (one who takes a classical approach preferably) who SHOULD be able to sort this out for you.

As I have not had any further infections since 1999 (but have been under very skilled homoeopathic care). I would go back and see if the fistula are still apparent, but as I no longer have any bloody discharge or "other" problems, I don't care.

Best of luck.

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Regards,<br /><b>Simone H</b><br /><br /><i>Aude Sapere</i><br /><br />"Never be a passive listener or learner" ~ Christian Gottfried Hahnemann

Well, for what it's worth...(everybody hates it when I prescribe only on only one symptom, so I apologize to everybody in advance) here's what the repertory says:

Rectum: Fistula, recto-vaginal--thuja.

It's the only remedy!

The main rubric is quite large--maybe 50 remedies and 10 of them are "3"'s, Silica being one of them.

An interesting choice might be Staphysagria(2), since on the mental level we have "anger and humiliation", which I imagine must be what you're feeling.

With regard to potency, I would say 30C in water with succussions before each dose (a sip) three times a day until you start to notice improvement, and then you should take less often.

If you don't see an improvement in 3 days, switch to another remedy. If it makes you worse, stop the remedy.

Do you know what succussions are? It's like shaking or stirring.

Of course, this assumes you can't find a good homeopath to see in person.

Snoopy

Hate to say, it, Snoops, but you knew I would. Thuja was the first remedy I was given for this problem. What did it do? Nada. In fact, I have know quite a few people with this problem (including my own Grandmother) none of whom did well on Thuja. Mind you, the rubric is rectal/vaginal not colo-vaginal, so that may have something to do with it.

Had staphysagria as well. Nada.

It turned out to be the snake family that cinched it for me.

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Regards,<br /><b>Simone H</b><br /><br /><i>Aude Sapere</i><br /><br />"Never be a passive listener or learner" ~ Christian Gottfried Hahnemann

Thank you, Snoopy.

10 succussions per dose?

Star

Thank you, Simone,

I'm going to see if my GP will refer me to the Royal Homeopathic hospital here in London. Classical Homeopathy, I'm fairly sure.

Star

Yes, 10 succussions; but like Simone says, we don't have a full case; but, it seems as though this problem was caused by surgery and not something the body did on its own; so, even something like Calendula 30C, a major wound and post-surgery remedy might be called for; and again, staphysagria...but, better to see a homeopath in person if you can. Let us know what happens.

Snoopy

Thanks for the info, Simone. I guess it never hurts to take Calendula after surgery--might prevent a lot of these problems from ever occurring.

Snoopy

Star1

Just so you are aware, taking Arg Nit, Arica and Psorinum the way you are currently taking them is not in accordance with 6th ed. Organon prescribing (nor what I would call classical).

One remedy, watch and wait is what I believe in, but then there are plenty of others on this board who would disagree.

Let's just say that I have seen polypharmacists and many others before finding the strictly classical approach worked - for me, anyway.

All the best.

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Regards,<br /><b>Simone H</b><br /><br /><i>Aude Sapere</i><br /><br />"Never be a passive listener or learner" ~ Christian Gottfried Hahnemann

simone- I was just about to point out what you said regarding taking all those remedies repeatedly.

I second your opinion and think most of the folks here would agree - star you need to find the remedy that will help and stop messing with the others. I hope you find relief soon - it sound like a horrible affliction.

barb

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Man, do not pride yourself on your superiority to animals. For they are without sin and you in your greatness defile the earth by your appearance on it and leave traces of you foulness after you. Dostoyevsky