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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be crapping myself that my abscess is returning?

25 replies

mmmmmpus · 21/02/2013 12:32

NC as this will out me IRL.

Had an abscess in my armpit removed a few weeks ago after trying to get rid with ABs and good wishes, very painful, procedure to remove it made me cry like a baby. it felt like it took a thousand needles to numb it enough, in reality it was only 7. It should have been done under a general (I asked at first if I could have it under a local so I could go home and got Hmm and "no, you wouldnt want this done under a local" but I kept being shunted down the theatre list so was asked the next day if "I was feeling brave" - not much choice as it would have been nearly 2 fecking days since I had last eaten/drank anything and was fed up of being in hospital and just wanted to get home, plus how bad could it be??

Anyway, 30 mins of the WORST pain ever - and I have had a 37 hour labour with 4 failed epidurals, a 3rd degree tear and a section - I was on morphine and just happy to have it over and done with.

Been back and forth to the clinic to have the hole repacked, which is also a bit grim, and it started to look better. Until today. I think it is coming back, with revenge on its mind, but there again I may be imagining it? The hole looks like its reopened and looks a bit yellowy, its still oozing yellow/green stuff (sorry if TMI) and every now and then I get a whiff of something pretty awful smelling. Also my arm/the pit bit just doesnt feel normal IYSWIM - it isnt painful, but sometimes I'll move and think "uh oh, thats how it felt last time"

No pics to show so dont even think of a sounding the >>Klaxon

OP posts:
Original poster
mmmmmpus · 21/02/2013 12:53

oh come on!!! One of you must have had an abscess that came back?

or just come and stroke my hair or something.......tell me I must be mistaken, they never come back etc etc

OP posts:
FannyFifer · 21/02/2013 12:56

I absolutely can not comment without a photo to perv over.

Sounds sore as feck, mention to nurse who is dressing it, are you still on an antibiotic?

Kinnane · 21/02/2013 12:59

Did you have a course of antibiotics? This is really necessary!

CajaDeLaMemoria · 21/02/2013 13:00

I'd go back and speak to someone today...the smell and the yellow/greenness does suggest it is infected again, and you'd want to stop that ASAP.

It may be that oral antibiotics aren't strong enough but IV antibiotics will help.

Go back...honestly, it's so much better if you get abcesses treated faster.

I hope it's back under control soon.

Sleepflower43 · 21/02/2013 13:04

You really need to get this checked asap! I have suffered with abcesses for years, if you ignore your symptoms you end up feeling really poorly, and the pain is unbearable. These armpit abcesses are notorious for being very difficult to get rid of, and they can also spread to other parts of the body.

Kinnane · 21/02/2013 13:05

I had IV antibiotics. My boils and absesses never came back. The pain is very bad, so bad it ruins your life while you have them or even thinking they may be coming back. It's year ago now Thank God!!

RedHotRudieParts · 21/02/2013 13:07

If you put pics or it didn't happen up us professionals can letch advise. Smile

OooohShiny · 21/02/2013 13:08

Yep...I've had one on my arse. I've had it dug out more than once and gone through the agony of invasive surgery and daily packing only for it to come back again more than once...I feel your pain Sad

It sounds very like there's something going on - I remember getting an infection in my wound the first time after about a week and although it wasn't sore the smell was puke inducing. Get it checked out before there's a chance of it getting worse.

Original poster
mmmmmpus · 21/02/2013 13:09

Im due back on Saturday to get it redressed and checked, and the nurse said by then it will 'have made its mind up' Shock about what its going to do, and she'll then send me straight back to A&E if it still looks angry.

Was given ABs from the doc when I first went, which I finished, but was discharged with just paracetamol Hmm. I said surely I need another course ABs given that I just have a 5cm wide x 3cm deep HOLE in my armpit and they said no, it just needs packing.

Its hard to describe why I think its back, basically I have 'the green oozing pus hole' and then what looks like an uneven lump underneath it, the nurse originally thought it might be my skin healing outwards but now she is finally admitting that it might be coming back.

Definitely not going to wait as long as i did, I had it for about 2 weeks before I went, thinking it would just go on its own or that Id be able to pop it myself eventually but the weight of someones eyes just looking at it was too painful, I couldnt bear to squeeze it myself :(

OP posts:
morethanpotatoprints · 21/02/2013 13:11

OP my dh has suffered with this all his life and has constantly been on anti biotics, they don't work.

In the meantime after an awful xmas where he was in hospital and almost got septicemia he turned to the internet groups as medicine doesn't seem to help and docs don't really understand the condition.
It is called Hydrenitis surpritiva. (not sure of spelling)
He drinks a mix of turmeric and water 3 times a day as somebody advised on a forum. Early days yet but he hasn't had a flare up since and has hardly been without one for over 30 years. Please don't whatever you do put warm/hot flannels on as many docs/nurses suggest. It moves the infection around and may ease pain but makes it worse in the long run.
My sympathy goes to you as I have seen dh go through hell.

Original poster
mmmmmpus · 21/02/2013 13:14

I might take a pic later on. Not much to see now though. You all would have died with excitement though if I had only thought to take a pic when it was at its peak. It was about 4cm wide on the top and maybe 2cm high, the doc said underneath it was about twice the size Shock

Kinnane - I know exacty what you mean, every day when I had it I was just miserable, in a really bad mood, couldnt bear the thought of going anywhere. mine and DS's birthday was around the tie when it was at its angriest, I had loads of nice things planned for us both but couldnt do anything because of the pain. Felt like a right wimp and my pain threshold is normally pretty high

OP posts:
harassedandherbug · 21/02/2013 13:18

I had one on my shoulder blade done, like you under local. Bloody agony!

My gp, who did it in the surgery as he said it needed doing there and then, said I'd need another op in hospital to remove the sack lining. Have they done that? Apparently if they don't it can come back. Luckily mine hasn't.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

OooohShiny · 21/02/2013 13:21

Haha...I remember getting a pic taken of my wound...bleurgh. I also remember the district nurse gasping loudly when she took the dressing off my wound the 2nd time I had it cut out Shock

Seriously though, the surgeon who did mine the last time did tell me that success rate of not coming back is pretty much 50/50. (mine was a pilonidal abscess excision).

Agree with Morethan though - I also have Hidradenitis suppurativa and antibiotics are fairly useless for getting rid of the abscess but if the wound is infected you need something for that quickly.

fluffyraggies · 21/02/2013 13:30

I'm so sorry OP, but i actually lol'd at the weight of someones eyes just looking at it was too painful.

I had very painful something going on with my big toe a few year ago, and i used say it was so sensitive that someone slamming a door in the house would hurt it through sheer change in air pressure. I was only half joking. 'The weight of someones eyes' has tickled me. Sorry again.

I've heard much on MN about the sack lining of abcess' needing to be dealt with. I hope you get it sorted very soon x

morethanpotatoprints · 21/02/2013 13:39

OoooohShiny.

Hello there. I hope you are well atm. I am so glad you had a diagnosis. Not many GP's know about it and its not really their fault as its quite unknown. There seems to be an increase in sufferers or people being diagnosed.
Not sure what stage you are, but atm my dh is telling anyone who will listen about the turmeric, oh and he also uses tea tree oil, neat if it is coming up. Sometimes this in itself is enough to ward it off.
I hope you don't suffer too much, my dh reckons it seriously affects his life and is always aware of the condition especially at work. He is stage 2 and has had them at some time on most parts you'd imagine.

Cherriesarelovely · 21/02/2013 13:49

Urgh!!! You poor, poor thing. That sounds absolutely vile. Fwiw I think you have been incredibly brave and I don't blame you at all for feeling a sense of panic. I had 2 dental abscesses this year and those were not only hideous but made me feel SO ill. If the horrible thing does come back insist on a general. Massive but gentle hug to you!

Original poster
mmmmmpus · 21/02/2013 14:47

aww thanks everyone, dont feel so 'alone' with it now.

I will definitely insist on a general, no way is he coming near my armpit with that scalpel and his 7 needles again. TBH I did get the feeling he rushed it because I was in so much pain, just when I thought I was going to pass out he just suddenly stopped and walked off and left me with the nurse who LAUGHED at how much I cried. Cow.

OP posts:
sherzy · 21/02/2013 14:56

Poor you op. I had one on my arm while pg, the abs weren't touching it and it was massive so I took some scissors to it. The relief was instantaneous. The sack still remains but it's never come back.

Definitely get seen ASAP, don't wait till Saturday.

PessaryPam · 21/02/2013 15:06

Poor you mmmmmmmpus. I had a bartholin cyst many years ago over Christmas. It was absolute agony. It was operated on under a GA thank goodness. Also had the endure the humiliation of the condition being associated with SDIs and lack of hygiene, which was not the cause for me. I really hope it's clearing up for you.

hiddenhome · 21/02/2013 16:36

Bad nurse for laughing Sad

'Here comes the nurse with the red hot poultice,
Slaps it on and takes no notice,
"Ooo" said the patient, "that feels hot!"
"Oh", said the nurse, "I'm sure it's not" Hmm

thebody · 21/02/2013 16:42

Poor poor you. As an nurse many moons ago please can I say to laugh at someone else's pain is disgusting and disgraceful.

Go back as it sounds infected abc don't ask in the NHS demand.. It works.

Latara · 21/02/2013 16:53

Definitely get Antibiotics; maybe take yourself to an emergency doctor this evening?

Whatever happens, best wishes, hope it gets sorted & less painful this time, as soon as possible x

Original poster
mmmmmpus · 22/02/2013 16:20

Update

Thought last night it was in my head - hole closed over, looked fine, no smell

Today have leaked pus through the dressing and it smells again :(

Going to hang fire until I see the nurse tomorrow, hoping if she can actually refer me I'll be seen quicker and have it dealt with better than last time. Plus I promised Ds id play skylanders with him later and he's very excited. He was so upset when I didn't come home last time, he actually asked why I had gone away without saying goodbye :(

Fuck off abscess!!!

OP posts:
HansieMom · 22/02/2013 18:16

Do read up on Hydradenitis Supportiva. It occurs in armpits and genital area, under breasts or other places that are generally dark and damp. Tunnels can form to connect abscesses. I have mentioned turmeric before. You can drink mix of it as well as use it as poultice. Why not try it?

bungmean · 23/02/2013 09:15

If you get recurrent boils this can also be due to a type of bacterium called PVL-producing Staphylococcus aureus. This can be a bugger to get rid of, and will need a combination of wound care, antibiotics and topical antibacterials (the same sort of stuff that is used to get rid of MRSA colonisation).

When you next see your doc, ask if the abscess culture results are back, and if it is a Staph aureus, ask to see if they looked for PVL production.

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