Anyone around... scared

[DarkSuitsSadSongs]

I'm home alone with my 12 year old twins as my husband is working away and not due back until tomorrow evening. He's about 6 hours away.

Over the last few days I've had a painful boil under my boob. I saw the GP today as it doubled in size overnight. There is a red circle around it. She prescribed doxycycline (2 a day) and said to phone back if it gets worse.

I've been getting more and more unwell. My left arm has started tingling, I'm sweating with cold hands and feet, the pain is indescribable and I'm exhausted. I slept for 6 hours this afternoon and I'm still utterly exhausted and all my joints hurt.

I've had to phone my father in law who is an hour away to come through to sit with the twins. I'm on hold to 111 but a 45 minute wait to call answer as a minimum they said.

I'm not sure whether just to call a taxi when FIL gets here to go straight to accident and emergency.

I'm a little freaked out at how unwell I feel.

I don't know if anything like this has been posted on your thread OP but

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/study-finds-women-less-likely-to-be-prescribed-pain-relief-than-men

Doctors don't seem to treat women in pain the same as they do men; we're underdiagnosed, our pain is underestimated and dismissed and it's undertreated. Partly cost saving, partly time saving and partly ingrained misogyny.

I'm so sorry for what you're going through.

💐💐💐💐really hoping you feel better soon OP, it sounds awful.

I'm so sorry that this happened to you, I actually feel a bit teary on your behalf, the lack of drapes leaving you so exposed is unforgiveable too...

Oh blimey, that sounds painful, poor you.
when do you next see someone?

I see the nurse at my GP surgery on Thursday for a check. I'm dreading it. The thought of anyone touching it makes me feel sick and very anxious.

Ddad has been having wound dressing changes at the local GP with the nurses twice weekly for a few months now (big post surgery injury) and he has found them to be gentle and brilliant with him. His wound is healing brilliantly under their care.

Not sure I blame you for being nervous though. Take care.

I hope you're ok darkssuits. You’re being really calm and brave and are no wet blanket I can tell you.

This! And it’s such a let down when the nursing care you’ve received was so good.

@DarkSuitsSadSongs I have actually never heard of betadine being used that way into an open wound! It was always previously used to clean an area of the body in theatre prior to the scalpel being used!! is the remaining hole big enough to be packed??

Good God, I've been quietly following just because I'm invested in knowing a stranger is getting better after a scary time - and they tortured you with betadine. Your poor thing.

I won't add to the already excellent advice but I send you my sincerest good wishes for a speedy recovery.

Good God, I would have been beside myself with shock, pain and the feeling of exposure and vulnerability. You are not a wet blanket and they should have fully explained what they were going to do, offered you any pain relief that would help and bloody well looked after your dignity. My only experience with an abcess is quinsy which was bloody agony and ended in a hospital admission and as I am allergic to penicillin the IV antibiotic they used was erythromycin which stripped the linging of my vein and after 24 hours of it, I was sobbing with pain. I was also on a fluid drip as I had not been able to eat and drink for days, it was a rough week and they whipped my tonsils out as soon as I was fully recovered. Being really unwell is so horrible, it's not just the pain it is the vulnerability and feeling helpless. Hope this evening finds you feeling a little better

The nurses at my surgery are absolutely brilliant - hopefully yours are too! 🌺

I hadn't either. When I saw the bottle I assumed he was just going to swipe it over the surface. Then I felt the pain and saw the brown stuff in the syringe and realised what he had done.

He said not to be alarmed if the dressing is stained brown as some may leak out over the day/night.

It's still burning almost 12 hours later. If it's still sore in the morning I might just give the GP a ring in the morning for advice.

The hole was very small. Too small for packing sadly.

I'm sorry this is dragging on so long OP. Hope it feels better in the morning.

OP it may be worthwhile giving NHS 111 a call if you're still in pain to get it flushed out with saline.

I am actually really puzzled at what they did to you. My mum was a nurse years ago (long retired) but always tried to keep her knowledge up to date as much as possible. When I was little she would use betadine on little grazes (as it says on the NHS website) and would always say how strong the stuff was. The pain must be hellish. So sorry OP... hope you get out of this waking nightmare asap...

I’m so sorry that happened to you, I would complain as soon as you feel able.

Gosh Dark I'm sorry to read these updates. Def give your gp a call in the morning if you're still in pain. Or 111 tonight if needed as pp suggests too. I'd also heard about iodine sols no longer recommended for some wounds.

I had an internal scan once by a man with no bedside manner, who didn't offer me any coverage, it was awful. They received lots of complaints about him, and had to recall some patients to have their scans done again. I hope you'll feel strong enough to speak to Pals at some point.

Too late for you sadly, but I now always take a towel with me for any personal exams, as the excuse was there was no tissue left on the roll 🙄

The only word to describe you is BRAVE. You have undergone so much pain. For myself, whenever a medic uses words like nippy, stingy, might feel it, I ask them if that is medical speak for sore, and what is it on a scale of one to ten.That has prompted a fuller explanation from them.
Nurses are usually much,much better than doctors at dressings etc. Their training focuses on this area a lot.

I do hope you feel so much better soon.Very soon. Xx

@DarkSuitsSadSongs I think the doc has laid his own trolley instead of the nurse. we always put the correct things on the trolley for use in the treatment being done. I kid you not I have had to query what a doc was mixing with an antibiotic for a drip because it was not the usual colour!

All the medical sites are saying NOT to use betadine inside the abscess cavity. Quite honestly I’d be ringing the surgical team/hospital ward for further medical advice.

Please absolutely provide feedback about this. Consent is vital. So is maintaining your dignity during procedures.

I cannot believe he used that to flush your wound, I thought they'd use a saline solution? That doctor needs some retraining.

I'm so sorry that you're in so much pain x

Please please please raise this with PALS. I’m wondering if you were treated by a new doctor or one on a rotation to a new department, bearing in mind what day last Wednesday was… I hope you can sleep, rest a bit and be gentle with yourself - you’re going through a LOT and if I were nearer I’d be bringing you treats and a medal x

Yes I can’t find any evidence to say this has clinical benefit and would hurt like hell! If it gets any worse overnight, I’d be calling for advice (111?) or GP in the morning. Please tell the nurse about your experience when you get it reviewed so she understands why you’re apprehensive. I’d complain about the ‘washout’ too, when you’re ready.

You poor thing! That sounds absolutely horrific.
I’d definitely call the surgery tomorrow and explain what happened. If they brush you off, put a formal complaint in.
I’d also ask a different dr about why that go used betadine and if it’s safe to do so.