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.

I did think of doing that.

the abscess is still an open wound at the moment and doesn't look like it's going to close anytime soon.

so hopefully the doctor will now see how much the abscess has changed and will do something about this time.

Has it been diagnosed as a pilonidal sinus? All the people I knew who I’ve spoken to who were “cured”, including me, and had no recurrence had surgery. Antibiotics will not resolve a large abscess?

Is there a way you can be treated as an urgent case and moved up the list for surgery?

so update.
I was seen by a paramedic and my doctor. the paramedic was concerned about my symptoms (some of the symptoms linking to blood poisoning) but my blood pressure, oxygen etc were normal.
I have to go back in tomorrow to have blood tests done to see if the infection from the abscess has gone into the blood. the doctor wanted to drain it but apparently couldn't find anything to drain even though its still leaking.
he wasn't concerned about the red rash or purple veins and said he could hardly see it. (there was no light on 😒)
so I'm seeing the paramedic again tomorrow for another check up and blood tests.

yes it is a pilonidal sinus

Well at least the paramedic sounds clued up. Your doctor sounds bloody awful, are there other GP's at your surgery you could see? Get a second opinion if you need to?

Reassuring that your obs are currently ok. Very poor that you are left in such poor health though. I hope you get thorough treatment soon, OP.

I can see another doctor on sight but I have to wait weeks for an appointment. I can ring up on same day for an appointment andit depends who the duty doctor is on call on the day. and when I ring up I always seem to get that same doctor so he must be on duty alot

Ring up, ask who the duty doctor is, and book if it's someone different. Or specify you need to see a female gp.

On my gp surgery website they have a list of who is on duty on which day. I don't know if yours does @willow1995 but might be worth a look.

Good idea I will do that

had my bloods taken tuesday.

how long does it take for them to come back?

I'm hoping that my blood sample will tell me abit more about what is going on inside my body and if anything is wrong. I've been worrying about them since Tuesday

I don’t know how long they take but your doctors surgery should be able to give you an approximate answer.
I really hope you get some answers and some better care.
Please keep pushing for better care for yourself. I bet you’d do it for some one else.

My bloods and my husbands have always been back next day different surgeries but same area.

so the receptionist said bloods are normal and no further action required.

guys to be honest I think I might be feeling like this because I'm just utterly exhausted.

I think my immune system is trying to get rid of this abscess which is just not giving me any energy to do anything else.

I have so much going on- kids who want constant attention 24/7, house to keep together, chores, working, trying to stay sane. lack of sleep (haven't had proper night sleep since my second son was born, 2 years ago)
I think it's just too much on my body.

anyone else just feel utterly exhausted with daily life?

Normal bloods are a red herring. You still need to see a surgeon to get it dealt with adequately

patient.info/doctor/anorectal-abscess

Having an underlying infection like that one is enough to make you feel ill and exhausted.

You need to rest. You need someone to support you with your dc and take sick leave from work.

And you need surgery on the abscess.

Please prioritise your health- you can't do anything about the delay- unless private is an option? But you have to take it seriously and put your recovery first.

Infection will be making you feel ill and exhausted. Is private care an option?

Remember what they told you at the hospital - go back if it hasn't improved. Pester your useless doctor for a referral, or get online and find out the number of your consultant's secretary, and start there. Start making noises about making a complaint. Demand a second opinion. The abscess needs treating and if your useless doctor can't do it, he needs to let you see someone who can. If you are too ill to kick up a stink, take someone with you who will do it for you.

thank you everyone

I have finally got a date for the operation

25th September

closest one they had so atleast I know when it is

I think my body is trying so hard with trying to get rid of the infection its leaving me little energy to do other things

private is not really an option as its quite expensive

problem is my partner works alot and is away from 6.30am until 6pm which leaves me with everything to do
I can't even go to the toilet without having company from the kids
it's all starting to weigh on me and I think you are right- an infection really does take its toll on the body.
I've demanded to have my blood test printed off so I can have a look myself but the receptionist has said that it has to go through to the doctor first before I'm allowed out and to call on Monday which I find odd.
I want to check myself incase a few vitamin levels are lower etc so I can boost my immune system

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That's a good call on the bloods- my guess is the dr wants to check they are normal before giving you a chance to find something which is not. My last 'normal' results were actually still pretty low on vit D. Not desperately low as they had been, but still lower than optimal. They recommended increasing my dose when I questioned it.

Something to bear in mind- in addition to the infection, you have back pain. Back pain is depressing because of its proximity to the spine, I've been told. As in, in addition to the pain, you are brought low by the impact on the central nervous system.

Make sure you keep up the painkiller regime- on schedule, not when it hurts. I need to alternate ibuprofen and paracetamol when things are bad, and keep it up for several days. Ditto when stringer painkillers are prescribed. It needs to be steady levels throughout your system, not taken as and when you think about it.

Great to hear you got your date, waiting lists are terrible here. I hope September flies round for you.

God I've had this 3 times, it's horrific and you have all my sympathy! Dr told me that antibiotics are pretty useless with these kind of abscesses but when I was really ill I did end up on iv antibiotics. Please make sure you still go to the hospital if it gets worse at all! The surgery is a long time away and you need to make sure everything is ok. Don't feel guilty for pestering the dr if you need to, it's better than getting worse wishing you a speedy recovery x

@willow1995

thank you everyone

I have finally got a date for the operation

25th September

closest one they had so atleast I know when it is

I think my body is trying so hard with trying to get rid of the infection its leaving me little energy to do other things

private is not really an option as its quite expensive

problem is my partner works alot and is away from 6.30am until 6pm which leaves me with everything to do
I can't even go to the toilet without having company from the kids
it's all starting to weigh on me and I think you are right- an infection really does take its toll on the body.
I've demanded to have my blood test printed off so I can have a look myself but the receptionist has said that it has to go through to the doctor first before I'm allowed out and to call on Monday which I find odd.
I want to check myself incase a few vitamin levels are lower etc so I can boost my immune system

Get the nhs app and ask for the details to access all your records.

I always get my test results on the app before they've even rang to tell me results!

So glad you've got a date for the op, but like minesalargegin said, don't hesitate to go back to the hospital if you get worse or can't cope as you are.

No wonder you're exhausted, I would be if I had to do everything you do with no decent sleep, and that would be even without the abscess! I'm pleased you've got a date, will you be able to stay in hospital afterwards to recover fully? It sounds like you need that

@willow1995, how did you get on with getting your blood test results?