Anyone else had an abscess?

[coffeeoclock]

Just found one tonight, randomly appeared within an hour. Called 111 as I had no idea what it was and was really painful (quite big behind my ear) they got me in to see the OOH GP who diagnosed an abscess and gave me antibiotics to use if it doesn't clear up/reduce in 24hrs.

What can I do to help reduce it? I have no idea how I even got it! I feel fine in myself.

Sorry no advice to give but I have an abscess on my tooth at the moment so can share your pain (but not your antibiotics because I've got my own 😩). Hope you feel better soon.

@ItsOurTime argh! That sounds awful, much worse than behind the ear, I hope you feel better soon!
Have you found the antibiotics help? What do you have?

Way to start the new year!

Yes I did. In reality a lot of abscesses do not respond to antibiotics as they won't permeate into the pus pocket, instead they need draining.

Don't be tempted to wait longer than 24 hours as you could develop a nasty infection.

I had one a few years ago and I saw many doctors and told them it needed lancing due to reasons above, but got fobbed off. Thankfully I saw a great GP who sent me straight into hospital where it was drained in theatre.

Heat can help to draw it out or magnesium sulphate paste.

@coffeeoclock I've had 2, both on my back. First one responded well to antibiotics. 2nd one I was 1st trimester pregnancy with DS and I kept being sick on the antibiotics so of course they didn't work. My brother also gets them and they respond to the antibiotics. Hope you feel better soon

@motherofmincepies Yeah I'll definitely take the antibiotics if it's not got any better by this time tomorrow (or if it looks worse in the morning!). I'm really scared to take them though as the doctor said they're not very pleasant and I'm emetophobic!

Hope it doesn't need draining, that sounds so scary how will I know if that needs to happen?

@dragonmummy17 Argh that doesn't sound good, glad you're all better now. Do you know what causes them (aside from bacterial infection) I don't want to get another one!

OP they are a bacterial infection. All it takes is maybe an ingrown hair or something to cause it. I'm surprised he told you to wait 24 hours before starting AB's.
Some people are more prone to staphylococcus infections. Many people are non symptomatic carriers. You may just be run down

@thesunhasgothishatontoday Thank you for explaining :) he didn't say too much about how I would have got it.
He said wait 24hrs just to see if it would go down as apparently the AB's are quite strong.

I'd be inclined to take the AB's sooner rather than later. Sounds like it's just localised infection but if it's getting into your bloodstream you'll feel pretty crap

I've had several abscesses over the years on my teeth. I would recommend taking the antibiotics straight away. When I have done this they have always cleared the infection up but one year I had abscess begin on Friday and didn't get to dentist until Monday afternoon and by the time I got to see the dentist the infection had spread into my jaw and it seized up (literally I couldn't open my mouth more than about 1 cm) . Antibiotics over a few days didn't work and I had to have teeth removed under GA to drain it. Probably completely different in your case but I still would take the antibiotics straight away.

Magnesium sulphate paste is excellent at drawing them out so they drain.

However, I had one deep in my perineum - where you would be cut for an episiotomy (eek). It was just a terrible pain somewhere inside me. It took them 4 days to work out what it was,a by which time I was vomiting and could not walk. Eventually, a gp saw me for the third time and I was admitted to hospital at night, saw a gynacologist who said it was not gynacological, a bowel specialist who said it was not digestive tract related and then someone else who diagnosed it.

It was huge apparently by then, so big that while I was waiting to go down to surgery just late at night, the surgeon brought 3 junior Drs to see it! I was past caring who looked at it.
I woke up from the anaesthetic and felt totally normal immediately, pain absolutely gone. It was packed for 6 weeks daily by a district nurse.
I was worried when I became pregnant some years later that the scare might tear but it was never a problem.

@shinynewapplesonachristmastree and @thesunhasgothishatontoday Thanks guys, I'm starting them first thing tomorrow morning. Definitely agree sooner rather than later! Doctor just said to wait it out but tomorrow morning is late enough I think!

@coffeeoclock I had misread and assumed your GP had said start the antibiotics immediately. I'm so surprised they said to wait!

How deep is the abscess? Magnesium sulphate will only work if it is not deep.

The surgery I had was a bit scary because I chose not to have a GA as pregnant. I had a spinal block and stayed awake. It was unpleasant but took 10 minutes! And I didn't feel anything. I then had it packed daily for 2/3 weeks which was annoying. But it's healed well.

I had mine as I was pregnant and naturally more immunocompromised. You may be run down more as it's winter therefore more susceptible to the infection.

How are you feeling today?

Abscesses are painful, I'm so sorry (and tooth abscesses are horrendous, those who have had or are currently having one also have my sympathy).

I had one in right armpit. It could have been from a hair follicle or a cut while shaving but I know I had a very small, mobile, painless lump there for a while and one day I decided to 'fiddle' with it. Well, that caused it to swell and become infected.

I put hot compresses on it day and night (basically torn up old towel soaked in boiling water, applied while still very hot), took antibiotics of which I had a supply and lanced it with a sterile blade after which I applied antiseptic. Eventually it burst, I cleaned it well and it cleared up. Was horrible while it lasted.

If I find a tiny lump again I will leave it well alone!

@motherofmincepies He wasn't my actual GP- just the doctor on duty at my local out of hours after being sent there by 111.
He said since the antibiotics were quite strong to wait a day to see if it gets better on its own.

I started the AB's late last night anyway as it was getting quite red and painful. So far I've had 3 (4 per day) and feeling fine, no adverse effects hopefully!

Not sure how deep it is, it's about the size of a 10p coin and very hard behind my ear.

Argh that sounds so painful! Sorry you had to go through that! The doctor said if it doesn't go away with AB's then they will have to drain it at hospital.😖

I feel good thank you! It's still a bit painful and I felt a bit rough this morning but perked up after some food.

@Bluerussian that sounds horrid! Glad it's sorted now- actually, thinking about it, I had been itching the area for a few days as it had been aching so maybe I irritated it and that's why the abscess came up?

I've had a horrid cold for over 2 weeks now so I'm definitely run down.

I was hospitalised with a nasty breast abscess whilst breastfeeding DC1! Wasn't nice!

I had to go to emergency dentist one new year. The Roman beside me wA called by the dentist and he was holding up her x-ray as they walked off I heard him say ‘you have 5 abscesses!’ Imagine the pain she must have been in...I live in fear of them after seeing the pain my mother was in once. I hope it resolves soon for you.

Update, been a few days now on the antibiotics and abscess has not got worse but still looks the same!
Also horrid side effect of D from the antibiotic which the doctor said would probably happen!

Visiting the GP tomorrow to have another look at it.

@coffeeoclock would suggest taking probiotic to help with tummy upset xx

I have cysts behind both my ears. One kept becoming an abscess years ago. Had it drained a few times and then eventually they removed the cyst!

@thesunhasgothishatontoday That's a good idea but I've tried probiotics before and they haven't agreed with my stomach for some reason, also quite expensive.

Might get some yakults to drink for a while though as they're quite good I think?

Thank you