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Original poster

Pilonidal Abscess experience?

16 replies

OooohShiny · 13/02/2011 20:40

Anyone here experienced this? I'm really just looking for someone to talk to about this as my poor DP although sympathetic must be getting bored by now :(

Please god, if you don't know what it is DO NOT GOOGLE unless you want to be faced with some rather yucky images

OP posts:
MavisEnderby · 13/02/2011 20:45

have had to redress wounds like this as part of job.

Much sympathy,poor you x

YourCallIsImportant · 13/02/2011 20:48

DH had surgery for this a couple of years ago and was off work for a month or so. It is a really unpleasant op and takes a good while to heal afterwards. Dressings need to be changed daily or every other day, but he made a full recovery.

Original poster
OooohShiny · 13/02/2011 20:51

ahhh Mavis, you know what I'm talking about then Blush

I woke up this morning with that tell tale pain in my tailbone

I've had 2 open wound surgeries in 5 years and tonight I just feel like crying :( although it would explain the few niggles I've been getting down there for the past few weeks and also why I've been feeling soooo tired and run down

OP posts:
Original poster
OooohShiny · 13/02/2011 20:52

sympathies for you DH YCII.....hope his stays at bay :)

OP posts:
thirtysomething · 13/02/2011 20:53

DH also had this about 10 yrs ago. Had the op under epidural but found the worst bit the constant dressing of the wounds and no showers for ages. Poor you, big bucket of sympathy heading your way. Hope you get it sorted and on the mend soon x

MavisEnderby · 13/02/2011 20:57

Oh you poor thingx

No wonder you are feeling miserable

Sending Wine or [tea]

MavisEnderby · 13/02/2011 20:57

Oh its a northern emoticon Brew

CPtart · 13/02/2011 21:03

I'm district nurse and see several of these a week!! They really do need dressing/repacking everyday and we advise you shower/bathe/remove old packing prior to this. Very painful though!! Poor you.

Original poster
OooohShiny · 13/02/2011 21:08

CP - those are the surgeries I've had in the past...open with daily packing etc

I'm not sure I want to go through all that hassle again this time though since it obviously didn't work the last twice (it's less than 2 years since I had the last one done and they took away twice as much that time)

OP posts:
Original poster
OooohShiny · 13/02/2011 21:09

oh....thanks for the drinks Mavis Grin

OP posts:
louvert · 13/02/2011 21:27

DP had this - had to have three operations to get it all. This was many many years ago - early 90s - and he's never had a repeat since.

He's just explained it to me a bit - sounds a real trial and really hope that you do get it sorted this time.

Evizza · 15/02/2011 20:28

Hi OooohShiny...

When I was 18 (am now 33) I found a huge painful lump at the top of my bum/bottom of spine and I didn't tell anyone as I was too embarrassed. When it got too painful to even sit down I went to the dr and told her I was convinced I had piles Blush as I though that was what that was lol !! Turns out I had a Pilonidal abscess. I had it operated on and thought that was that....

Sadly, at 33 and 10 operations later I still have it Sad. I know some people are lucky and don't get it again, but mine seems to flare up around the time of the month, which to me must show some connection to hormones ??

I don't mean to worry you as everyone is different, but I have just learnt to live with it.

One thing that I did notice though was that when I had the contraception implant in my arm, it never once flared up. I had to have the implant out though Sad I am considering the mirena and seeing if this helps with it...or a contraceptive pill?

Sorry I couldn't share a miracle cure...just keep cleaning with antibacterial soap and get to the doctors the minute you feel it coming.

Dianna x

ktwiltshire · 15/02/2011 20:45

i had them when i was 16, took me about 8 months for it to be properly healed in the end, mine was really high up, the base of my spine.

ever since then i very often have abscesses in the same area, all over my bum, legs, groin...its fun!

ktwiltshire · 15/02/2011 20:47

forgot to say i had my first really bad one was operated on, and i had a very bad one when i was pregnant with DD3 and had to have it frozen and hacked off as the anaesthetic was too dangerous for the baby

Olessaty · 15/02/2011 20:52

Ouchie, my sympathies. It's something I worry about a lot as I was born with a pilonidal sinus, which I have to take good care of to avoid infection, which would develop into an abscess.

AlpinePony · 16/02/2011 09:57

I had my first operated on at 15 and my second at 18. The packing of the wounds was the most awful part of it all.

I realised that these were going to keep coming back and whilst this is probably not in the "Nurses Handbook" I have dealt with them since by opening the wound myself using a sharp sterile object and bathing in salt water. Because the skin has now been opened either by myself, or by the abcess itself the skin is much easier to break if that makes sense so it never gets that bad anyway. When you have surgery it heals back "good and strong" which really doesn't help with the next one.

Not to everyone's taste I know, but I am a bit gung-ho in the old home surgery way of thinking! Grin

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