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Original poster

Boil/abscess between breasts - large

140 replies

Becca19962014 · 02/07/2019 21:28

So I've had a boil for about ten days which over the last few days has got much worse. It's been growing and growing inward not outward because of the location. I spoke to an oncall GP who prescribed a days worth of antibiotics until I could see my GP today which I started yesterday as I was feeling seriously unwell (dizzy/sick/diabetes issues).

GP was very concerned because of location - it's literally between my breasts, I can't go without a bra as they're so big the skin between is very thin due to Ehlers danlos (EDS) rips open, and it's growing inward. They said to give it 3 days of antibiotics and go to hospital to get it "sorted out"

I am extremely phobic of hospitals/Drs/anyone medical even seeing GP is a massive problem. I had a panic attack at GP surgery and ended up locking myself in the toilet for ages sobbing in fear, eventually having to leave when staff came in to see if I was ok.

The only access I have in terms of mental health is the mindfulness group which made things worse, everything I tried to do to combat phobia has made it worse.

Is it likely to go away just with antibiotics? I can't have the ideal ones for it as I can't have penicillin so am on erithromycin. She was really worried but couldnt do anything in the surgery due to the location.

Local anaesthetic doesn't work with me at all due to my EDS so it'll have to be done without on top of having to actually go in without fainting (which I've not been able to do in ages) and I can't have any dressing on it due to the location as it just falls off because of my EDS.

Does anyone know about these things?

OP posts:
Original poster
Becca19962014 · 03/07/2019 16:20

loaf I wouldn't be able to manage that it'd be too hot. I wear minimal clothing all year round. It is similar to what the OT recommended but I found it was very uncomfortable and hot to wear.

I'll have a look at others.

Heat intolerance is a major issue for me - last weekend I had several seziures from the heat.

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Original poster
Becca19962014 · 03/07/2019 16:21

I've done that with a cloth. Thanks hma

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LoafofSellotape · 03/07/2019 16:21

I understand, it would be too hot for me too.

LoafofSellotape · 03/07/2019 16:39

If it's the clasps you can't manage I wonder if you could find a way to replace them with a strip of velcro- dry cleaners do all sorts of alterations very reasonably ime. You really need to find a away to stop this from happening again.

Original poster
Becca19962014 · 03/07/2019 16:42

Noticed a horrible smell so decided to remove the dressing and the boil is leaking green pus mixed with blood. So I've wiped it with antiseptic and put another dressing on. It looks smaller and when I stand it's not sticking out as much but I can definitely feel a lump there still. It wasn't leaking before. I've plenty of sterile dressings here and antiseptic wound washes.

Am hoping this means it's healing!

OP posts:
Original poster
Becca19962014 · 03/07/2019 16:44

It's unstable joints that are the problem, they sublux when trying to get them on/off and it's horrendously painful. I do struggle with clasps as well due to hand problems but the main difficulty is joints being unstable - which physio made worse, not their fault just nature of the condition!

OP posts:
LoafofSellotape · 03/07/2019 16:46

Keep a very close eye on it.

picklemepopcorn · 03/07/2019 17:25

That's productive, Becca! And now it's draining, it may be easier for the practice nurse to help. She may even come out. They can dress it with a special ointment soaked dressing which is marvellous for healing.

Original poster
Becca19962014 · 03/07/2019 17:42

They won't visit at home, it's only allowed if medically housebound 100% of the time and I'm not.

I've been told categorically a&e is the only option if it doesn't go away or gets worse. Other than that I'm to use antiseptic wipes and dress it myself.

There is literally one nurse and when asked for them to see me they said no. When's she's off on leave/ill people get sent to hospital.

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picklemepopcorn · 03/07/2019 18:10

That's a bit rubbish Becca!

Sounds like you are a bit trapped! So phobia and trauma don't classify as you needing extra care then? What a shame. Maybe the GP can prescribe suitable dressings over the phone. I can't remember the name of the mesh, but they used it on my dad when he was very poorly and it worked wonders.

ahumanfemale · 03/07/2019 18:34

Becca I'm so so sorry that they foisted mindfulness on you. There was a time it was twiddly thought of as a kind of elixir to everything, if only you tried hard enough and did it long enough. But that has been disproved in people with trauma.

That you lost your (religious) community too makes it even worse.

I'm glad the antibiotics seem to be working!

I was raped by a male nurse and sexually assaulted on other occasions by doctors. There's a special place in hell waiting for medics who do that to patients. It alters your access to health care for the rest of our lives.

ahumanfemale · 03/07/2019 18:35

*twiddly should be "widely"! Grin

Original poster
Becca19962014 · 03/07/2019 19:10

I do have appropriate dressings, my GP is aware of my phobia and prescribes dressings for various types of self harm which from googling includes what I think you mean.

They view phobias as being, and I quote "silly little anxieties a patient lets get out of control" and the abuse I've been through isn't recognised - because they weren't prosecuted.

ahuman I spent ages trying to work out what twiddly thought of meant Grin I'm so sorry you've had similar experiences to me.

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picklemepopcorn · 03/07/2019 21:53

I'm glad you have good dressings, at least. And I'm sorry that the care for someone with complex health needs is so poor.

MEgirl · 03/07/2019 22:11

I don't have any ideas about the boil but with regards to your bra, would you be able to manage a front opening one instead of a back closing? I find sports bras are quite constricting but post surgery bras are much more forgiving. I'm a 38 G and find my post surgery bras give enough support albeit not as much as my wired bras.

Original poster
Becca19962014 · 03/07/2019 22:34

I've changed the dressing again and drawn around it with pen and measure it. It's 3cm but that's going over the bump according to the NHS website that's normal size and I'll have another look at it tomorrow as it'll be a full three days then since I've been seen. It still feels hot though it's leaking. I'm going to redress it before bed.

Praying it's getting better. Just in my panic can't tell. NHS website definitely says it doesn't need looking at being the size it is right now. It's confusing though as the bump disappears if I'm flat Confused

megirl I can't manage the front fastening ones, I did try but pulling it meant my shoulders subluxed.

Thanks for all the support, I really appreciate it!!

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MEgirl · 03/07/2019 22:35

That's a shame. I have a DD with subluxing shoulders so know how difficult it can be to manage sometimes.

Original poster
Becca19962014 · 03/07/2019 22:35

I definitely don't want to be in a position of being sent back and forth like I was over mental health (hospital and GP in opposite directions and costs a fortune in taxis!)

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chickhonhoneybabe · 04/07/2019 00:20

I’m very sorry to hear about your difficulties and the lack of support that you have to deal with all of this.

Re the issue you have with the hospital contacting your family/ect partner that is probably because they have those details as your next of kin, so I’d ask them to remove the details from your hospital file.

Re the Ehlers Danlos you really sound like you need some support and help so you can look after yourself properly, i’d start by contacting this support group to see if they can help support you or at least point you in the right direction

www.ehlers-danlos.org/support/helpline/

Original poster
Becca19962014 · 04/07/2019 10:12

chick the problem with next of kin is they MUST have someone's details. Literally they won't proceed without them, so though they were deleted they got put back.

Also my family are exceptionally manipulative - despite me saying I didn't want them visiting or to know the details of my admission they were able to get those details and the nursing staff said they sound so
lovely and caring there was clearly a misunderstanding..

I'm already in contact with EDS support groups. I live somewhere very rural with zero services for most things never mind something rare like EDS which people lie about knowing about anyway and assume it's something it's not - mostly assuming "just" bendy joints ignoring the pain and injuries.

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Original poster
Becca19962014 · 04/07/2019 10:19

It appears to be smaller. Weather hot here again (which triggers other health issues for me). Was thinking about going this morning but the hospital website says not to go if vulnerable to infection(!) I rang and they said a&e currently packed with over 20 people waiting and inside department full with Drs rounds this morning. Am thinking I'll see what it's like this evening.

Still feeling unwell. I've something else which might be causing that though (dental issues due to severe phobia - wait for dentist here is 18 months and community service discharged me after it turned out social worker lied about supporting me through treatment (they decided it was a waste of time and I should go with family instead) so they said I wasn't phobic enough. Despite it taking over half an hour to go in and spending appointment struggling to breathe from panic as I'd been told it would be a woman and was a man who insisted on flirting with me the whole time trying to trick me into opening my mouth it was horrendous) anyway one of my diabetes meds causes teeth to rot and most of mine have now, most completely.

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Original poster
Becca19962014 · 04/07/2019 10:22

Just to explain the Drs rounds, the a&e/MIU is split into two areas, one is a&e/MIU, the other is where they keep you before sending you elsewhere for treatment if necessary, or for observation, you can be there for days, meant to be two hours but not enough Drs so people can stay in much longer.

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picklemepopcorn · 04/07/2019 10:58

A&E and MIU are in a shocking state. My Df spent a lot of time in various 'watch and wait while we find you a bed' wards in the last year of his life. Every bay was full, there were poorly people on hard chairs and people on drips in big soft reclining chairs in the middle of the room. There were no chairs for visitors (ie people who stood alongside their loved ones for hours while waiting for news/to be moved somewhere more suitable).

I had a trip to a&e after a car accident. It was like the game logjam. Trolleys were packed in rows down the centre of the room, and had to be untangled to be seen by a doctor.

Anyway, none of that helps you- it just reminded me.

LoafofSellotape · 04/07/2019 11:10

20 people doesn't sound a lot,I would go if you can.

Original poster
Becca19962014 · 04/07/2019 11:44

20 people means sitting on the floor waiting. It's a lot for a small department. They're advising to go to another one instead (which means four hour round trip) as there's currently ambulances waiting outside as well.

It probably doesn't seem a lot if you live in a city but for a small rural hospital it is.

I still can't decide if it's the same or better. It's still discharging, bit by bit. I don't want to end up in a row about wasting their time and people needlessly dying because I've gone there, my mental health just couldn't take that right now (close friend ended her life in that department) and they are extremely strict about only seeing one issue only which given mental state currently that's a problem.

Bugger.

At least if it was cooler I could go and take food/a book but it's far too hot here right now for me to do that.

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