Abdominal abscess

[Karajan]

Hi I am really struggling. I have Crohn's disease and have had lots of surgery. Large bowel was removed first. Had 2 refashioning of anastomoses as the join broke down. I have had 3 small bowel rejections and 2 division of adhesions. The last was 1 month ago. this has been the worst surgery to date. Surgeon told me when he went in the adhesions were stuck to all my abdominal organs ans had wrapped round my small bowel. I have had continuing burning pain. Whils in the hospital I developed a wound infection. The tummy skin was beet root red and tight. I was put on 2 antibiotics metronidazole and cotrimoxazole the wound started oozing but was sent home. My wound is from breast bone to pelvic bone it is the middle area that is the problem. District nurse was coming in daily to dress wound the every 2nd day. However the wound is hard and exudate is green and blood stained. The pain is awful. So here I am 4weeks after op in extreme pain despite gabapentin oxycodone 20 mds slow release 2 times daily and OxyContin 5mgs up to 4 times daily. GP has put me onto another antibiotic flucloxacillin thinks there is an abscess deep down. Got hospital follow up appointment first week in May. GP says that if this antibiotic doesn't get rid of this I will have to return to hospital to have it drained. I haven't even been able to put on clothes or socks as the tummy is so painful. Has anyone else had a wound abscess if so what happened with you. I look around 5 month pregnant, can't eat and have dropped from size 14 to 10/12 in four weeks. I am having ensure up to 3 a day only managing 2 if that. Someone please tell me what to do about this I really don't want to back to hospital. I also can't go back on azathioprine because I have this so that's 5 weeks off of this and I don't want the crohns to flair up as well. God I'm exhausted with this.:sign0085::sign0085::confused2::confused2:

 

[Grumbletum]

Oh my, you really are having such a tough time :-( I'm sorry I don't have any advice but I hope someone will come along who can help. I have had an intestinal abscess, but not a wound one. They managed to shrink it with Metrodinazole, Ciprofloxin and the meds in my signature. I'm just hoping and praying that the ones you are on now will give you some relief soon.

 

[jlm]

I'm really sorry that your surgery didn't go well. May also seems like a long time for your doctor to do anything. Ive been there before. After my last resection I ended up with an infection 3 weeks later. I was in a lot of pain and went to the emergency room where they were going to send me home. But they admitted me did some tests. Saw some fluid and started antibiotics. The night before I was to be released it burst open and I ended up staying for an extra week on bowel rest and TPN. My infection was actually a fistula that took about 6 months to clothes with humira, Cipro, flagyl, bowel rest and TPN. Took a long time but it did get better. I also dropped a lot of weight. In total I've dropped 70 pounds from my prednisone weight. And I'm currently under weight just by a tiny bit.

 

[Jim (POPS)]

I know what you mean. I've had 3 operations in the last 1 1/2 years and each time I got an infection/abscess. One time it went on and on for over 7 months but it did heal. Just keep your head up and you will be fine soon.

 

[Karajan]

Thanks guys this is what I am scared of it bursting especially over a weekend, how would I know when to return to hospital.

 

[Grumbletum]

Keep a close eye on your temperature. I would say any sign of fever would be the time to head for A & E or put a call in to your GI.

 

[Karajan]

Thanks grumbletum that's useful thank god it Monday tomorrow and the nurse will be back.

 

[annawato]

Hi Karajan, I'm in a similar position to you. Had surgery in Nov for removal of adhesions, small bowel resection and ileostomy. The wound got infected in hospital and burst open in two places so I was in there for 3 weeks after surgery ( was in for 4 months pre surgery on tpn). I was sent home on vac therapy where you are attached to a vacuum to help heal the wound. This continued for 12 weeks and the bottom wound healed. We continued with daily packing and dressing changes for the top wound and finally it healed about two weeks ago only to have the bottom wound flare up again. It had a large abscess under it and cellulitis all around. Antibiotics healed it but it has again become infected. Its just one thing after another and I'm worried that htere is an infection down deep that the antibiotics aren't healing. So very similar position to you.
Its now 4 months since surgery and my wound is still not healed.
I think for you the only thing you can do is insist that you see your surgeon as soon as possible as the amount of pain you are having suggests there is something going on other than wound infection. Do you have a stoma or j pouch?
I agree with the others that you should go to the ER if you have a temp. But if you are worried perhaps you should go straight away as they will be able to do scans etc to see what is happening.
Good luck with it all, and know that you are not alone in your troubles.

 

[Karajan]

Thanks annawato nurse came in today not happy that I wound is still exuding pus. Still hard round middle section of total wound, pain not as bad as last week but finished 3rd course of antibiotics yesterday lunch time. Nurse calls GP not my one but another from the practice. He is referring me for ultrasound probably won't get it for weeks (truly) and have no choice but to wait. Wound to continue being dressed every 2nd day. I am really fed up. Still unable to get clothes on for the pain and swelling. I don't have a colostomy as I have an illeo rectal anastomoses which is a fancy name for the join made from the remainder of my rectum to the small bowel. I had motility probs where the nerves died in large bowel then showed granulomas in large bowel at pathology I still have crohns in ileum and around the anastomoses.

 

[annawato]

Oh you poor thing. You really have been through the wringer. I hope it all clears up soon or at the least the pain becomes more manageable.
:ghug:

 

[Jaano711]

Oh Karajan
I do hope things are improving. If you are concerned and have a temp you should just go to a&e and be seen. I know when you feel terrible it is the last thing you want to do, but I you get admitted, they can do the ultrasound and start treating the root of the problem.

Thinking of you
Janette