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General health

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Original poster

Bugger. Looks like dh will have to get his pilonidal abscess drained tomorrow. Happy bloody new year!

30 replies

nikki1978 · 30/12/2014 22:43

So we have several people coming for a party which dh insists I still throw so the kids aren't disappointed. It's very informal just me two friends and all our kids.

Dh had a few small cysts in this area which antibiotics sorted but he started feeling rough a couple of days before Xmas and this lump started growing and is not about the size of a tennis ball. They gave him fluoxicillian at a and e yesterday and said come back on 31st if no change and we will drain but it has to be under ga. It has got bigger so I will be taking him back. Bit worried about recovery time and the packing that I assume will be needed. He is supposed to go back to work on Friday which is unlikely but how long is recovery from drainage if it is so big? He rides a motorbike and i have the car so god knows how we will navigate that. I am also very squeamish so keeping that wound clean etc might cause me to pass out. Sorry I sound very selfish I will of course take care of him just wondering if anyone knows about recovery as I need to work out contingencies!

OP posts:

lemisscared · 30/12/2014 22:46

can he have it done inder sedation?

WerewolfBarMitzvah · 30/12/2014 22:49

Oh that's a shame. I think recovery is at least a good few weeks. And nurses come to pack it I believe. Not a fun thing at all. I hope he gets over it soon.

Original poster

nikki1978 · 30/12/2014 22:59

He did ask lem but they said it had to be a ga. A few weeks?! Fuck. I have to have an op myself in the next couple of months. 2015 is not sounding great :(

OP posts:

lougle · 30/12/2014 23:22

Sorry but it's going to be a while. They have to heal on their own -they can't stitch the hole shut.

Original poster

nikki1978 · 30/12/2014 23:29

How does it heal if there is packing in it? And why can't they just slit a hole, empty it out and sew it up again

OP posts:

IDontDoIroning · 30/12/2014 23:33

It has to be packed so it heals up from the bottom and doesn't just seal over the hole at the top leaving a space which will get infected again and again.
I had mine excised completely (overnight stay with GA) and was left with a small scar and 4 stitches but it was much smaller than this sounds.

lougle · 30/12/2014 23:33

It heals by what they call 'secondary intention'. basically, they pack it to stop the hole closing over and a new collection of nasties forming. gradually, the wound heals from the outside in. Each time they pack the wound it will be a little bit smaller than the last - a bit like if you scrape your knee; the wound starts off quite large then slowly gets smaller and smaller until a small scan falls off.

That process can take quite a few weeks.

EBearhug · 30/12/2014 23:34

It has to heal from the inside, rather than healing over the top, so it doesn't just refill. It does take weeks to recover. I wouldn't expect there to be much bike-riding for a while.

(Ex was v. prone to abscesses all over the place.)

But they should give you more info tomorrow about what the aftercare and recovery should be.

Good luck!

lougle · 30/12/2014 23:37

Actually, though, it depends. If they don't do the drainage and packing, recovery may be a bit faster.

LaurieFairyCake · 30/12/2014 23:39

I just googled what one was and realised I drained one from dh 8 years ago - the exact same spot, the exact same thing.

I got about an entire toilet roll of gunk out- it was amazing, best thing ever.

Sadly it never came back - and most sad it was before Mumsnet for me so couldn't 'SPORN'

God it was great.

MatildaTheRedNosedReinCat · 30/12/2014 23:44

When I was a teenager my dm did this for me. We thought it was a big spot . Be assured a GA is the way to go. Good luck to your DH, he will soon recover. You just don't want to be awake for the procedure. Trust me on this.

LaurieFairyCake · 30/12/2014 23:46

My DH said he couldn't feel a thing. And he's a total wuss and won't let me squeeze his normal spots. He said it hurt beforehand to sit down but not at all during the evacuation.

Original poster

nikki1978 · 30/12/2014 23:48

I am so very squeamish. I am going to throw up if I have to change dressings. New years resolution - man the fuck up.

Poor dh :( he feels so unwell already I don't want him to feel bad for months. Very worried about his job.

OP posts:

Original poster

nikki1978 · 30/12/2014 23:49

Yeah dhs was like that last year Laurie. Very satisfying to push all the pus out. This is a very different beast. I can see the hole but there is no head and the abscess is firm red and huge!

OP posts:

LaurieFairyCake · 30/12/2014 23:53

How are you keeping your hands off it

Does he say it's painful?

LaurieFairyCake · 30/12/2014 23:54

Sorry, just seen your post before the last one - it's too painful for him.

Hope he recovers quick.

Original poster

nikki1978 · 30/12/2014 23:57

Oh yes it's very painful. Not like a spot at all just a swollen red lump :( We have been together 13 years with no real health issues then we both need ops within weeks of each other (I had an op at end of Nov). It never rains...

OP posts:

HansieLove · 31/12/2014 02:22

You should buy a box of surgical gloves.

claraschu · 31/12/2014 02:40

He will go to the nurse for packing, every day fr a few days, then every other day. Once it is on the mend, you can change the bandage if you feel up to it, but they will give you surgical gloves.

I just had a smaller one drained, and felt better almost immediately. The worst pain was when they changed the bandage the first time, (and not getting it wet was annoying).

Annietheacrobat · 31/12/2014 08:22

Your practice/district nurse will help with the packing. You will not be expected to do this.

ClaimedByMe · 31/12/2014 08:28

My dp was off work for about 8 weeks after his op, he has quite a long commute and physical dirty job so wasn't feasible for him to go back until it was properly healed. He went to the his gp for the nurse to pack it with district nurses coming out at weekends, when it was almost healed I changed the dressing myself, the nurses gave me everything I needed, I didn't think I could do it, I'm very squemish but it was actually no bother.

He was also kept in overnight after the op.

WiIdfire · 31/12/2014 08:43

Pilonidals need to be drained under General Anaesthetic as they go very deep, nearly down to the bone, so local wouldnt work. This means he will likely end up staying overnight depending when it gets done. Best to get it done properly as they have a high rate of returning. You cant sew it closed again as it would just refill with pus straight away so it has to be packed regularly and allowed to heal up from the bottom. It can take several weeks if not months to heal up completely but he wont need to be off work anywhere near that long. Riding the bike might take longer though!!

Original poster

nikki1978 · 31/12/2014 14:12

Thanks ladies. We are in now. He is having iv antibiotics and waiting for the surgeon. The abscess is big and he has cellulitis too. He is feeling rotten I think :(

OP posts:

Shoegal0305 · 31/12/2014 14:14

Good luck Mr Nikki x

clam · 31/12/2014 14:25

I had one of these 20 years ago. Still remember it vividly! The first dressing change is the worst, as all the ribbon gauze is stuffed in to the wound under general anaesthetic. Getting it all out is a nightmare. After that, they don't put quite so much in.
Get a good supply of painkillers for those initial dressing changes!

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