I Have Poop Coming from Where?!

“I never thought something like this would happen to me...” is a phrase that often comes to mind on my journey with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). I’ve been living with ulcerative colitis (UC) since February of 2011 and have been blogging about my experiences since 2014. Somehow, it never ceases to surprise me… usually in the worst of ways.

The many different surprises from living with UC

I was shocked by my initial diagnosis. The side effects of prednisone also shocked me. I was dumbfounded when I realized that the treatment of my disease wasn’t going to be as simple as I had hoped. I never thought that I would have to have my entire colon removed. That whole situation left me with meltdowns of varying degrees because, again, I never thought that something like that would happen to me.

Dealing with kidney infections and urinary tract infections

Once you’re diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, you will feel extremely betrayed by your body. I had been doing great since my last surgery in 2014 with the takedown for my j-pouch. And suddenly, I kept getting the most random kidney infections and urinary tract infections. It was extremely frustrating. Even though I’d dealt with health issues previously, it didn’t make these new ones any easier. In many ways, due to medical PTSD, you come to expect yourself to panic on some level.

Unusual symptoms and a call to my surgeon

There is no easy way to say what I’m about to say, so get ready for some mega TMI (guys, turn back now if you know what’s good for you). I noticed some really strange things going on with my “lady bits.” I had unusual discharge, spotting between menstrual cycles, difficulty keeping my lady bits clean after having a bowel movement... that sort of thing.

Then one day, I had the oddest sensation. I was lying on the floor with my 14-month-old and my j-pouch was churning as usual. Then suddenly I thought I felt a gush of discharge, and my j-pouch stopped churning… did I just pass gas out of where I think I did? Then, I noticed several times that poop would come out of my lady bits. Are you kidding me!? Over the next few days, I felt a burning sensation “down there” that I never felt before. That’s when I decided it was time to call my colorectal surgeon.

It was a result of a fistula

About a week later, I found myself being put under general anesthesia for an endoscopy and a flex sig. My surgeon put me under just in case he found a fistula that needed repairing. And he did! When I woke, I was informed that there was a small fistula and that he put a few stitches in it. I was surprised about the discomfort and slight pain I experienced afterward since I wasn’t really in pain beforehand. It was also an outpatient procedure, so the fact that I was down for the count for about a week after was another shock.

Hoping for a smooth healing process

I’m doing ok right now and am thankful that the hole didn’t seep fecal matter into my abdomen. I’m thankful that the fistula ended up being below my j-pouch. I haven’t read my surgery notes yet, but I’d be willing to bet the fistula came about because that area was weakened by UC and the fact that I had a prolonged childbirth. I see my surgeon again in about a week to assess the situation. Sometimes fistulas can be a difficult thing to repair. So until then, I hope and pray that everything heals up the way it should.