FiLaC at IBI healthcare in Tampa procedure today

Sharing my experience since reading all of your posts have helped me tremendously in understanding my fistula and the best treatment options.

I got out of FiLaC surgery for a transphincteric and intersphincteric fistula a couple of hours ago at IBI healthcare in Tampa. I live in Boston and flew here alone, which was terrifying not having my wife or family with me for support, but I survived. I came to notice the fistula in 2022 after complications from a hemorrhoidectomy. The recovery from the hemorrhoidectomy was the worst thing I've ever experienced, lasted for months, and I always say I wouldn't wish that kind of pain on anyone.

Anyway after multiple mri's, denial from my hemorrhoidectomy doctor about the presence of a fistula (despite mri showing it - he couldn't find it in exam under anesthesia), and finally an abscess that popped up recently (had it excised in office a couple weeks ago), I had enough with this fistula. The pain and internal drainage was awful and the idea of having a fistulotomy or Seton placement was just too hard for me to overcome mentally. I'm a dad of two very young girls and feel I can't be lying around miserable for months again, so I searched many options and landed on IBI for the laser treatment.

All signs so far are that it went well but it's obviously way too early for anything definitive. Definitely some stinging pain worse than the fistula itself, but manageable. No pain meds besides the teradol and Tylenol so far. I'm supposed to fly out tomorrow so we'll see how sitting for 5hrs goes and I'll follow up here about my recovery after a week or two.

This office does a ton of FiLaC treatments apparently. I must've witnessed 4 or 5 other guys coming out of surgery before me. They're efficient, kind, and hopefully effective in their work and I would so far recommend them to other fistula sufferers. The cost was expensive and insurance didn't cover it so that stinks, but it's not crippling.

This is all I have for now since this is a fresh wound and I'm praying it heals and I'm done with this thing, but we shall see. Just thought I should put a mention about FiLaC in the US for now since it seems almost nobody does it.

Much love and well wishes to all of us fistula sufferers. It's a hell of a battle, but if you can sift through to find good advice on here for your situation and learn what to expect, it certainly can't hurt since we all need to be our own advocates with today's post covid healthcare mess.