Bianca Brandt, 22, took 10 months and consultations with seven to 10 doctors to diagnose a perianal fistula
“I have a hole between my vagina and mine…”. This is how the advertising producer Bianca Brandt22 years old, begins the videos in which she recounts her saga of symptoms, consultations and medical negligence until she discovers she has a perianal fistula, a sort of abnormal communication between the anal canal and the perianal skin, as summarized by coloproctologist and endoscopist Lívia Cardoso Reis.
Bianca’s journey began – knowingly – in June 2022, when she sought a medical emergency in the city of São Paulo after spending days with severe pain in her perineum, even suffering to sit or walk. Today, however, she believes that she previously already suffered from the symptoms that caused the disease.
“All I had was due to irritable bowel syndrome. This continuous process of irritation generated an abscess (ball of pus) that evolved into a fistula,” he tells in an interview with Earth.
Doctors heard through the portal confirm: abscess formation is the most probable way to develop a perianal fistula. It all starts with an infection in the anus, in the small glands that are found in the anal canal. As coloproctologist Bruno Werneck explains, this generates the formation of pus, which in turn is deposited near the anus: this is the abscess.
“The spontaneous or surgical perforation of the skin that drains this pus gives rise to a communication between the anal canal and the skin close to it and is called a fistula”, explains the doctor, a member of the Brazilian Society of Coloproctology.
Sufferers of the problem experience symptoms such as redness in the region around the anus or on the buttocks, associated with local pain, and discharge (pus, blood or feces) from the anus or an orifice near it, as also mentioned by coloproctologist Amanda Alves.
Fight for medical treatment and diagnosis
It was precisely this last symptom that alarmed Bianca. Initially treating a Bartholin’s cyst (which forms when there is an obstruction of the glands in the vaginal lips), which already occurred for the second time, the young woman ran to the shower and drained the secretion until she noticed that the liquid it was coming out of the vagina, as expected, but also through the anus.
“I cannot conceive for you the extent of despair I was,” he told his followers when he made the report.
Faced with the scare, Bianca got an appointment, but after a long wait, heartache and tears, all she heard from the doctor was, “I think you should seek out a gynecological emergency room.” As simple as that, no physical exams or exam requests.
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From there, the producer went to the emergency room and pointed out that she paid BRL 500 for a two-minute consultation. Again, no advance.
During this year in which the symptoms called her attention, Bianca estimates that she went through between 7 and 10 doctors until she found the specialist who followed her case.
“He listened to me, drew the anatomy, asked for tests. All the other doctors, without exception, did not give me the support I needed, neither technical nor emotional,” he complains. According to the young woman, the professionals were adamant that there was no problem and most didn’t even look into it. Their recommendation was that Bianca seek psychological help.
Without medical support, she investigated the problem on the Internet, which led her to a universe of tragic information. “It wasn’t just a scare, it was like my whole world fell apart.”
Her shock was even greater because research led her to suspect a rectovaginal fistula, a condition that can be even more serious. Bianca has come across cases of women who no longer had a sex life or friends, avoided leaving the house and could not even go to the bathroom in public spaces.
As coloproctologist Livia explains, unlike the perianal fistula which connects the anal canal to the skin near the anus, the rectovaginal fistula creates an abnormal connection between the anal canal or rectum and the vagina. The disease is usually due to obstetric injury during childbirth or Crohn’s disease (chronic inflammation affecting the intestines), but can also result from radiation or pelvic cancer.
“In rectovaginal fistulas, the patient mainly complains of the passage of faeces through the vaginal canal and, for this reason, the onset of recurrent urinary infections is frequent”, she points out.
Support network on TikTok
This bleak scenario and the difficulty in finding reports from those who have already experienced the problem was also what prompted Bianca to tell her story on social media. First, she posted a humorous video, which already has more than a million views on TikTok, about her visit to the proctologist, the one who treated her well, she drew the anatomy of her anus and her it still follows today.
Given the curiosity of people, he made other videos on his return to the doctor’s office and, in May of this year, he started a report divided into six videos – the last one shared on Monday (12) – on the fistula.
For the young woman, this was a way to bring information and support to anyone facing a similar situation. “As I started this journey, starting to realize something was wrong, what I did was start researching. [de quem já enfrentou o diagnóstico]. I needed to understand that there is life after fistula and everything is fine. People adapt, they manage to move forward.”
Impact on daily life
With that, Bianca hasn’t neglected her mental health. Previously she had been diagnosed with anxiety disorder, she remained in therapy, advice that she remembers hearing when she reported her case on her social networks.
“The girls who spoke to me said this: ‘Find a therapist.’ To think that our life as a woman is over is very real, at least to me. There are cases of surgery where the person has incontinence, so he needs to wear a diaper for the rest of his life. I thought I would lose my self-esteem, ‘maybe I’ll lose my boyfriend, my husband, because God knows I’ll have an active sex life again’ and then what’s left, right? A very sexist thought rooted in our heads, but is it real, what is my function as a woman, expected by society? “, she reflects.
In her case, her partner stayed by her side. “Sexual intercourse hurts, it’s uncomfortable. At the beginning it influenced my relationship a lot because I didn’t have the courage to tell Vinícius,” she adds, quoting her boyfriend with whom she has been living for about two years.
But that fear has passed. With the family inside her, it is Vinicio who accompanies her during her pilgrimage to the surgeries and emergencies, public and private.
Fortunately, Bianca’s physical problem is manageable. That hasn’t stopped her from skipping biology classes—which she does as a hobby—or laying off freelance work and postponing copywriting and marketing work when she’s in so much pain and discomfort.
gentle treatment
From June to last April, when the root of the symptoms was not known, Bianca faced anxiety and anguish. But anyone who thinks she’s a pure relief now that she can name her health problem is wrong.
Although perianal fistula is not as serious as rectovaginal fistula, surgical treatment is not the easiest. “The doctor asked me for an MRI to confirm, so they could figure out the route of the surgery, the best approach, the best technique. And I still haven’t done it out of fear,” she admits, noting that many women get MRIs. several surgeries in an attempt to fix the problem.
Coloproctologist Bruno Werneck clarifies that “even the best surgical treatments for fistulas do not achieve 100% cure”. He explains that this is due to the place, which is constantly contaminated and must maintain its evacuation function during treatment.
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Amanda Alves, also from the area, also adds the patient’s clinical conditions. “Other factors are ineffective surgery, patients with some type of immunosuppression that hinders healing, in the case of HIV carriers and diabetics, for example, and patients with inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease, where the patient is chronically inflamed”. .
Despite this, the traditional and effective way to treat fistula is surgery. What varies is the type of procedure, depending on the patient’s clinical situation and the complexity of the fistula, among other factors.
Until then, in Bianca’s case, care is basic. Swap toilet paper for a sanitary pad, high-fiber food, and common sense.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
