Hello, verol65, yes, this is an old post and to pick up sort of where this left off, that surgeon was not able to find the fistula. Also, by my second visit with him, I no longer passed stool vaginally. He wanted to refer me to a facility which would perform some sort of test to see if I would be able to pass stool rectally when and IF the colostomy were reversed and fistula is repaired. He also admitted that he didn't really know what to do with me and would be consulting some experts (I thought that's what HE was). When I asked who that would be, he said "the people who taught me". This left me with an unsettled feeling so I restarted my search and found a well-credentialed colorectal surgeon in Madison, WI. He was located at a Colorectal clinic and did his surgeries at UW Hospital. Students accompanied him into the exam room. His digital exam assured him that I would be able to pass stool myself but he also was unable to detect the fistula. So he also ordered an exam under anesthesia, which did NOT prove a fistula still existed. He ordered barium studies which also did not show an open fistula. He studied the scans and concluded that he would do the reversal of the colostomy and did not believe the fistula was still open. He did also say though that if indeed it had healed, it could reoccur.

My ostomy was reversed and I am passing stool daily, rectally. I am dedicated to eating foods that are high in fiber, try to drink plenty of water, exercise daily and keep a regular schedule. In other words, I have to work at it and so far it has been successful. It can be a chore and I don't often leave the house before 10 a.m. because things can take awhile but every day I thank my lucky stars that I don't have the colostomy or an open fistula! And I was SO fortunate to have found the doctor who was not afraid of my bungled up system. He assured me he had done a lot of reversals and was confident of a good outcome for me. It pays to keep looking to find a doctor who truly excels at what he does!

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