Hi thank you for sharing. It is very painful. I see Surgeon again on March 6 hopefully healed a bit more. On top of that I fell in the shower hurt my ribs and thigh. I just feel weak. Thanks again.

I had an infected fistula- (An infection created a tunnel and filled with puss at/near rectum anus) My fistula went from rectum to testicles. I had no idea what was making it horribly painful to just sit on a chair or sofa, and difficult to walk. After some exploration I discovered what I thought was a cyst and having been prone to cysts elsewhere on my body, I tried to burst it myself. I tried soaking in hot hot water, I used a hot wet washcloth to try to get the 'cyst' to form a head. It would not and the pain was only getting worse as it grew.
(This thing appeared and grew very large within 36 to 48 hours) I went to the ER.
Two Doctors lanced it open and put a drain in it- (A drain is packing the drained cavity with a lot of gauze and leaving a tail hang out). I was told it was the size of a grapefruit and was awfully close to damaging my urethra. I was informed later, after it had healed and was closed, that I needed to really examine that area every day when I showered to be on top of it if another one formed. This was a one-time event that occurred in 2000 or early 2001. Aside from it being painful and the embarrassment of having myself splayed out in the ER one Monday night for everyone to see, Afterwards I did exactly what I was told to do, and it has not reoccurred. (Fingers Crossed)
I honestly feel your pain. Once it is lanced and drained and you go through the round of antibiotics, do whatever they tell you to do in order to keep it from refilling.