Abscess drains, so terrible!

[hurla31]

I have just had surgery to help heal a perianal abscess that has been around for months. I have been on prednisone since January and Imuran since February. My GI figures the next step for me right now is Remicade, but in order to start that process he wants to make sure that I am in the best health possible, meaning getting rid of my big ol bad abscess. I had surgery under general anesthetic and when i woke up, the pain was just terrible. I did feel however the pressure that i had before was gone, it was a different pain!
Now my question is, I have these rubber drains hanging out of me, has anyone dealt with this before? They are so uncomfortable. They stick to my dressings and makes it quite difficult to use the toilet.....I have been told not to bathe or get them wet....Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Sailorluna]

I've had them twice! They are terrible and I am so sorry you are dealing with them. The first time I didn't realize what it was and, thinking it was part of the gauze stuck to me I pulled it. Oh the pain!

The only good thing is they don't leave them in long. 1-2 days for me. I never found a good way to deal with them. Sorry I am not more help, but know you are not alone.

Hope you feel better soon and the get rid of the drain and the abscess both.

 

[eclektick]

What are the rubber ones? I have 6 setons placed and have had multiple surgeries for the same issue but have never heard of rubber. Hope you are feeling better, abscesses are a literal pain in my... You get the drift!

 

[Sailorluna]

temp drains sewed in sometimes after an abscess is drained. They are like soft rubber tubes. At least mine were.

 

[eclektick]

Yikes!! Every time you think things couldn't be worse with this disease! I feel for you folks and best wishes on a speedy recovery!

 

[KWalker]

I had abscess surgery in December 2011 and I'm still draining today! Not nearly as much as it was but its definately still there. I'm going to have a pretty large scar from this one

 

[Sailorluna]

Hey KWalker did they sew one of those nasty rubber drainage tubes in when they drained that giant beast you had or did they just pack it after cleaning it out?

 

[KWalker]

They just packed it. After both surgeries. I think they packed it for like 6 weeks and then let it heal the rest by itself

 

[hurla31]

oh my god....i hope my ol abscess drains quicker than yours kwalker....i have less and less drainage everyday.Going to the surgeon tomorrow and hopefully they will take those rubber tubes out! Is the removal of drains bad sailorluna?They need to go!!
how about healing time afterwards?

 

[Sailorluna]

The removal is not a big deal. Snip snip and done. Hard to say how long it will take to heal...I think everyone is different and it depends on how bad it was. Hope you heal quickly!

 

[KWalker]

Yeah don't freak yourself with mine. I left mine for a few years without getting anything done because it wasn't giving me problems but then it seems like overnight things got much worse. I had two surgeries for it within a 3 week period, spent 11 days in the hospital and now have a giant heart shaped cut that will be a scar soon. The longest side is 7.5" long and it you could put a lot of your finger into it deep. Mine was pretty extreme though because of my own neglect. Have a look at my thread called "lots of blood/pus". Its all about the stuff I dealt with. Mine doesn't drain a whole lot now but I do have to wear girl pads just in case it leaks through my shorts/underwear while at work. It seems like mine drains when there's pressure on it (biking, driving at work, etc). When I'm at home I don't wear the pads and have no drainage at all.

 

[robbo87]

I had one in my back for about 2 weeks last year whilst I was in hospital. "supphrenic drainage" i think it was reffered to as. I had it inserted under a local aneasthetic though. They basically shoved a needle into my back and then put what i believe was a rubber tube/coil which was then stitched to my back and I had like a bag with a tube going into my back which drained it out. I think it has since returned and im awaiting more scans etc but this may be in a different place. Having the carry the bag full of gunk was a bit of a pain, but like you say, you certainly feel the pressure has gone.

Because of where mine was it meant that I couldnt lie back properly in bed etc but it wasn't to painful, until they took it out that is. Boy it hurt then, It was stitched but there was a plastic kind of connection that was glued to my back and that hurt like hell when the nurse took it off. hope you are feeling better soon.

 

[ontariomom]

i have never had a rubber drain. They dont sound very fun. I had an abscess rupture in March 2011. I had it drained in April, then a seton put in June. I hve a plastic seton for a year now. I also have another fistula on the other side--both peri rectal.

My fistulas both drain faily regularly more so when i am active or have really active BMs. I do still get some aching and pain from them as well. But generally only during weeks when the D is really bad.

I had it packed when they first drained it and i refused to continue. The girl that came and did it basically told me i was a baby for complaining it hurt. And i refused the packing. And it healed well, until the fistula formed. I dont want anything packed ever again. I think that pain is worse then anything else. The drs have told me as long as it is draining well on its on, then i dont need it packed. And i am going with that thought!!! lol I feel like a wimp but there is enough pain involved with all this and darn it i need something i can control!!!!

Good luck with your fistuala!! heres hoping it heals quick

 

[elizamt]

I had the rubber drain 2x for four days and a week, respectively. Mine was right over my hipbone, making it nearly impossible to wear regular clothes, as everything hit right where the drain was. Worst part was that they inserted both of mine while in Radiology. The first time, they gave me a few lidocaine shots around the area and it hurt more than anything going in. The second time, I refused to sign the consent unless they guaranteed that they'd give me meds. They gave me some sort of pain medicine, but it still hurt like hell. I've got a pretty high pain tolerance, but I think being water-boarded would've hurt less than having those drains put in.

 

[hurla31]

The drains are out, been on heal mode now for almost 2 weeks. The drain removal was pretty uncomfortable, the tugging of the sutures was the worst, but then the drain slipped right out. Since then i have been doing my dressings myself, the wound is still very open but is healing well. I go to see a nurse now twice a week just to make sure everything looks ok. I am draining a lot still, i imagine until i start Remicade it will be like it for a while....until then..

 

[TheyCallMeRC]

I had these with my first abscess removal and it did indeed make cleaning up with tp next to impossible. I finally just outfitted my toilet and gave myself a sitz bath after every bm. It was a pain in the butt (TADA, LOL), but at least it did also help keep infection away while the newly opened abscess was healing.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

I have the rubber drain in and the doctor said it may be months before it can be taken out. It is so painful and I require constant pain killers just to function a bit.

 

[barkbbdog2]

I can remember when they cut my abscess, they didn't put me out. I am a grown man, and cried like a baby. I have a seton in my fistula now. Remicade works okay but not as good as Humira did at first. Now my doctor put me on Amitriptyline,,,,anyone else on this?
I hate this disease, can't stand how it eats away at you.

 

[upallnight]

oh dear god I can no longer read anymore...... im actually scared to death!! I just wanna break down and cry!!! I have my 1st abscess inside my left butt cheek and it hurts so bad, its being treating with a antibiotic at the present time. I see my surgeon next wed.... He said he is sure we will probably go to the OR!!! After reading all this stuff I'm so scared!!!!!! I thought in June the Anal fissure was bad!! This sounds worse!!! Will this ever end!!! what is wrong with me????

 

[Jordinary]

oh dear god I can no longer read anymore...... im actually scared to death!! I just wanna break down and cry!!! I have my 1st abscess inside my left butt cheek and it hurts so bad, its being treating with a antibiotic at the present time. I see my surgeon next wed.... He said he is sure we will probably go to the OR!!! After reading all this stuff I'm so scared!!!!!! I thought in June the Anal fissure was bad!! This sounds worse!!! Will this ever end!!! what is wrong with me????

There is nothing wrong with you! All this yucky stuff is unfortunately a complication of this disease.
Stay positive, we often underestimate the human ability to adapt and our psychological coping mechanisms. Sure it sucks, but you will get through it.
All the best. :hug:

 

[upallnight]

Thanks so much for your kind words..... they did a colonoscopy back in may and told me I didn't have Crohn's disease. I'm now finding out there is more then one kind of Crohn's disease. I'm thinking I need further testing or could this Abscesses be something that occurred due to the anal fissure? :eek2:

 

[upallnight]

Well I had the surgery August 15. It went well, they packed it, sent me home and told me to remove the packing the next day. What a horrible thing, my husband helped me do it, he removed over 2 feet of packing while I cried and screamed like a baby. The abscess still is draining and oozing and still is causing some discomfort. I go back to the doctor in a few days. So we will see what he says.....