abscess which won't go away and looks like it's spreading

[willow1995]

hello everyone.

I'm looking for some advice and also if any of you have been in the same situation as me.
I have an abscess near my tailbone for around 2 years. it came up after I gave birth. it was 5cm deep and 8cm wide. I had an operation to have it out and things were fine until 3 months later it started coming back. since then every few weeks it fills up quite large and then disperses apart from this time. it's been dispersing gunk for about a week and a half and now it's turning a slight purple around the edges, also there seems to be purple looking veins coming away from it and growing larger every day. I am on antibiotics which I have been on for over a week and a half. but now I also have a lump on my spine as well which could also be a abscess.

I keep going to my GP but they just keep telling me to rest and that's it.

I don't have a temperature but my back is painful and I feel dizzy. no headache but my head feels achy and my neck feels achy too.
I'm getting concerned but unsure what to do. I do have an operation in the next 3 months to get rid of the abscess again but they haven't given me a date yet.

I'm concerned about the purplish veins coming away from the abscess.

if anyone has been in the same situation as me then can you tell me what happened to you and what you did?
also any advice would be great. thanks.

So pleased you are going, definitely needs looking at.

Another nurse who is very glad you are going to A&E, hope all is ok. X

I really hope you have been seen and are getting help .

People go to A&E for far less, I promise. Definitely go and get assessed and tell them your symptoms!

How are you doing this morning?

@willow1995 hopefully you got taken care of at hospital

apologies for not replying sooner. I've been given heavy duty antibiotics and antibiotic cream. I've been told to keep an eye on symptoms and if nothing changes or I get worse then to go back. they said the good thing is that the abscess seems to be discharging so hopefully the antibiotics will sort it. unfortunately the NHS are so over run at the moment, they are going to try and fit me in for it to be taken out. there was so many people in there when I went,
I'm worried because I don't want this to get worse- can oral antibiotics mask sepsis symptoms?
thank you for everyone replying to me x

Hopefully having stronger antibiotics and a cream will help , how miserable for you x

Ah, pleased to see that you were seen. And that you have been told to go back if it doesn't improve, it should give the confidence you need to seek help again if you need it. I felt so sorry for you having been fobbed off before.

I don't know if oral abs can mask sepsis, but presumably they did check for sepsis?

Hope the stronger antibiotics kick in nice and quick and you feel better soon.

It’s also possible that the antibiotics are what are making you feel awful. I had that with flucloxacillin after a cat bite. I felt flu like and really not with it.

I was not checked for sepsis. jittery pulse but temp ok.
the abscess is infected but they said the antibiotics should hopefully sort it out. I did tell them that I've had many types of antibiotics for this abscess and nothing is helping it. problem is if someone isn't dying or has a broken bone then I don't think people are checked properly. not saying it's the NHS fault but I think they are so understaffed that things can be easily missed.
I just want to feel better and not feel like crap anymore.

Did they take any bloods for testing?

Hopefully this antibiotic will help. I’m sorry you are not getting good care. If you don’t improve hugely in the next 24 hours, or if you feel worse then go back again to the hospital.
I hope you get well soon.

Glad you got looked at OP and hope for a speedy recovery.

Good to hear from you, OP. I think you should tell the practice manager at your GP surgery that you had to go to a&e to get care. Give them hell. In writing.

Have you looked up the symptoms of sepsis? Know what they are. If you change, if you feel worse, if you have sepsis symptoms, you'll have to go back.

I really feel for you, sounds like your going through the mill. And don't forget how much being poorly can take it out of you, as well as how the antibiotics can knock you about. You're likely exhausted, very under par, and fighting a nasty infection. You have to take it as easy as you can.

Is there anyone with you? Any other adults that could come and watch the kids and make you a cuppa?

Sepsis can develop very suddenly - fever, nausea, disorientation, rash, shivering et al . Please make those around you aware so they can keep a look out for you. Hopefully the abs will sort it but do go back if concerned.

Really feel for you OP, I have an abscess that is somewhere similar but not half as bad as how you have described. Let us know how you are xxx

Can I just add - I had an abscess in my groin a few years ago. One of the things the GP did was check me for diabetes as this is one of the symptoms of diabetes.

Sepsis is the body's immune system going into overdrive - instead of just attacking the infection it starts attacking your own body. Typically people with sepsis start feeling very unwell, and will have an infection + some other symptoms like new confusion/slurred speech, fast pulse, low blood pressure, poor oxygenation, high temperature. I am not a clinician - logically I can't see how antibiotics could 'mask' sepsis but I know you can get sepsis even if you are taking antibiotics. So as PP have said, make sure someone keeps an eye on you and if you start feeling very unwell then shout for some help.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/sepsis/

I am a surgeon. If there is an abscess there it needs properly draining and cleaning out under general anaesthetic. They will only be able to do the operation to remove the pilonidal sinus when things have calmed down and the infection has gone.
If the lump is still present and discharging pus go back to A and E and ask to be referred to the surgeons ( or get an emergency GP appointment and ask to be referred to the surgeons) .

Antibiotics will not treat an abscess by the way ( because the infection is within a capsule of inflammatory tissue) . It may just stop it getting worse. An abscess needs surgically draining

I should say - antibiotics alone are usually not enough.

ah that is why the antibiotics are not working. the abscess is still discharging gunk (yuck) and its bleeding at the moment. the pain is bearable but I'm getting quite agitated by it. I still have the achy neck and pain in between my shoulder blades. and my head is still feeling quite achy and fuzzy. I'm going through bouts of dizziness but then it subsides after I sit down. I have no rash but the abscess is quite warm, red and purple (turning more dark purple) and squishy. it's an open wound at the moment and I can see two holes. the purple veins are still there and I'm marking them with a pen to see how much its spreading. (quite slow). and I'm still feeling sick but not sure if that's the antibiotics.
I have a very demanding job and a lot of manual labor and it's getting harder to bend down

do you have to work?
can you not take sick leave?
are you under your practice nurse
i would suggest contacting your surgeon, or the surgical ward