@trishanna, I'm so sorry to learn that you have come no closer to the resolve of your complicated issues. Please don't give up! I wish I could advise you as to which way to turn from here and I know you feel you are at a dead end with no way out. I felt that way as well, even though my situation, though involved, was not nearly as complicated or debilitating as yours. I cried with relief when my surgeon said he was willing to reverse my colostomy. You asked me to report how I am doing and I am almost embarrassed to say that I'm doing quite well. I had the 'take-down' of the colostomy in mid-June, spent 2 days in the hospital and am overjoyed at not having 'the bag' anymore. My surgeon did the EUA procedure (twice) and a Barium enema study in an attempt to locate the fistula in the weeks prior. When all these efforts did not find one, he concluded that it had healed and proceeded with the take down. He did his exams rectally however and I wonder if a gynecologist would find it. I feel that I still have the fistula even though I have had absolutely no output from the vagina since early January of this year. I did feel that I occasionally passed gas from the vagina though and it seems that I still do once in awhile..usually when I feel there is stool coming down into the rectal area before a BM. I will not further pursue it though unless I begin to again pass stool from there. Things are not exactly as they were before all this began about a year ago. Instead of one a.m. BM daily, I now go several times a day. I have been able to control the BM's, which was a worry for me and my surgeon. I learned to recognize when I needed to go to the bathroom-the sensations are a little different now. Also, I have not been in a situation where a bathroom is not available within a few minutes time so I'm unsure how successful my control would be in that case.

I wish the best for you. Please don't give up! I was hesitant to seek out medical help away from my location but even though we had many trips over 1 1/2 hours one way and several overnights in hotels, in the end it was worth the effort and expense. I did extensive online research to find the surgeon who claims he "didn't do much" and I had to wait less than 3 weeks for my first appointment. He has been published for his findings in rectal/colon surgery, techniques, and one of the highlighted areas of expertise was take down of colostomy.

Wishing you the best-please don't give up!

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