What on Earth is this?

[Wtafis]

name changed, you guys are my only hope on a Sunday noght

had a swelling at the top of thigh for a week or so but today it’s really painful had a look and it like tbis

any ideas what it is or how I treat it

Although it is draining, it looks like there might be some badness left inside. Depending on how deep it is, sometimes wounds like that need packing with special dressings.

on v strong antis for a week , I felt like I had flu

I felt like I had flu when I had an abscess.

@Wtafis you relly do need to talk to your GP tomorrow about this.

I’ve made an appointment with an online GP service for tomorrow.

Good. It looks like it runs the risk of infection.

How painful is it? Can you bear to bathe it?

The pharmacist is an option if you’re online service still means a wait (mine would). They’ll have a space for a consultation and they’re pretty good at dressing advice.

I would sterilise a needle with hand sanitizer and have a poke around in there for a large ingrown hair. Plus give it a good squeeze.

The thought of poking a needle in there makes me two faint.

online isn’t nhs so there’s an appointment available tomorrow

Please don't squeeze / poke / prick etc at this point OP - it does look like it may be infected and depending on that and also where it's placed, you need a medical professional to make suggestions re next steps.

Where there's any chance of infection (and I'm afraid it looks like it may be) it's best not to touch at all until you've had it looked at.

Pharmacy first thing tomorrow would be my go to, in case the GP doesn't get back to you.

Cover it with a non lint dressing, the sort you use for burns. Bathe it with salt water ,lots of cream and then cover.

What happens if you squeeze it with tissue covered fingers?

I’m talking to online gp at 11am

will leave as is for now

This is great news OP, well done. And definitely think it's sensible to leave it alone completely in the meantime. Really hope they can get it sorted for you asap

Best of luck OP! Hope the GP can find a speedy solution to clear it up.

Oof I would absolutely cover that overnight

Glad you've got GP appointment

I could give it another hot compress and then dab it with savlon or any antiseptic you can find.

For future reference - you can buy Magnesium sulfate on Amazon, and it really does work

Online GP says I need to see one in person. Let’s see if I can get an appointment

I also have Hidradenitis Suppurativa. I haven't had a problem for about 9 months now, but the abscesses look like that photograph. The only thing that ever helped was antibiotic cream from the GP

I said that! Urgent care is a good idea imo. I

I doubt you'll get an appt but if you can't go to urgent care as you been specifically told to.

Online doc telling you to be seen is not surprising. You needed to go to urgent care a couple of days ago.

Im all for some good diy sporner action, but it looks like you have a large abscess that may need to be drained.

just bumping this... this is what you need(ed) to do and don't hang about as now it's open...

I'll put money on it they won't drain it because they don't like doing it, it'll be antibiotics first
For draining as well they can't numb infection so it's usually a GA
I had one the size of a golf ball in my armpit and had two courses of antibiotics, 2 a&e visits and a wait for a referral before they drained it. Then 6 months later the hole hadn't healed and I had surgery to stitch it

Not saying don't go! Because if you need antibiotics then definitely. But people's expectations on this thread are very different to reality - I've lived with this condition for 25 years and have had ONE abscess drained. All the others have been refused and I've had hundreds by now from my groin to my breast to face to armpit...

No GP appointment until Monday

Keep it clean, I would cover it with a dressing if you're wearing clothes that goes near it then air it out at home. Salt baths/soaks won't do any harm or any form of antiseptic wash or spray you have (I use hibiscrub)
Try and avoid any clothes rubbing. I would imagine it will start healing if it's still leaking it's a good thing

OP please go to urgent care / nearest walk in today or, at the latest, tomorrow.

Infections aren't something worth fucking about with and it looks like you may well have one.

Waiting another 3 or 4 days is madness, and when it comes to infections potentially dangerous, so you need an alternative to the GP if they can't see you today.