New here-first abscess.

[heretolearn]

Hi everyone,

I've been looking around this forum and everyone seems very helpful and nice. So glad to find this forum.

So Crohns runs in our family (my mom dx, my brother probably has it and my Grandfather had symptoms but wasn't ever dx).

I just recently had an abscess form. I didn't know what it was when I went to the doctor and was told it was an abscess then, but I had no idea that abscesses were related to Crohns.

So I came home to learn more about abscesses and I've stumbled upon a lot of information and now I understand abscesses are closely linked to Crohns.
I feel nervous and scared at this point because I feel that I may be facing a Crohns dx in the near future.
I hope I am wrong. And maybe this is just a random abscess but I need to be realistic.

Questions about my perianal abscess - at my doctors appointment the doctor did some squeezing on the abscess. She was trying to avoid needles, etc since I expressed a real dislike for them. She did get a little drainage out from squeezing. She told me it would be okay to continue squeezing at home and she also gave me oral and topical antibiotics.
I have been squeezing at home and did get quite a bit out so far. But the mass under the skin still feels like what they might call quarter sized hail or maybe even a little bigger than that.
I would be very surprised if I could actually get all the mass that I am feeling below the skin surface and what has built up, squeezed out on my own.
The antibiotics have reduced it some and it feels much better after only 3 days (the antibiotics are for 10 days) but will this mass I'm feeling actually disappear with just a little squeezing and antibiotic treatment?
Is it possible that it will be completely gone after 10 days on the antibiotics?

Or should I go back to the dr and ask them to do the drainage that I see everyone else talk about?

Thanks in advance for the support and help.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Welcome to the forum. Abscesses can happen to non-Crohn's people too but yes they are one of the manifestations of Crohn's.

If your abscess is superficial (close to skin) it may respond to antibiotics. Anything deeper requires an incision and drainage surgery.

 

[DJW]

Ive had a lot of abscesses over the years. Wish I could give you a definative answer. I've had some go away and some that needed draining. It's a pretty simple procedure. Nothing to worry about. Hope this is just a plain old abscess that clears with meds.

 

[MikeinBklyn]

Whatever the case, the are a PITA.

Hopefully it is only superficial and will resolve with antibiotics.

Be mindful of it and watch it.

Good Luck

 

[upallnight]

I'm new here too and I have my 1st perirectal abscess. I just got over a anal fissure which healed nicely. Why I got this abscess is unknown to me?! Anyway it hurts~ I have been to the surgeon and I'm now on antibiotic until he sees me next Wed 8/14/13. This morning I woke around 1145am to a rumble in my tummy. I was on toilet expelling nothing but air for about 15 minutes and then when I got up I had so much blood in the toilet. It was a bright red. I was scared and called surgeon. He has me now taking 2 Ibuprofen every 4 hrs for inflammation. Is this common to be passing so much blood, this has happened 3 times today?!?! Thanks for any input~

 

[Annie84]

Hi,
I'm Annie. I'm 28 and trying to figure out what I'm dealing with. In the end of May I got my first abscess? …when I got home from a 5 day trip to NYC with my husband to visit his family. During the trip we did a lot of walking /sightseeing and I also got my period. Well my friend (whom I'd be lost without ) did all kinds of research and ended up getting me: icthamol drawing salve,muprocin ointment and hot compresses with epsom salt. That abscess ruptured on its own and I thought I was all done. Nope. A few weeks later it came back with avengence. This time it was perianal but also spread into my vulva. I did go to the Dr that time. By the time I got to Dr the anal part had ruptured. But the Dr did lance and drain a little from my vulva. He also put me on Augmentin antibiotics and gave me Rx for pain which I didn't fill right away. So with the antibiotics that one also went away. That must have been June...had another flare up between then and now which I took care of on my own. With the compresses ect. But now,now I am living a nightmare. Thought it was just another flare up. But it became painful so I went back to Dr. This time I had done research and asked did they think it was a fistula? Could it be pilonoidal cyst? But since I dont have a GP was just going to my local walk in clinic they didn't have answers. They didn't drain it..said it was already draining on its own. Just put me back on antibiotics and gave me a referral to a general surgeon if I dont get better or if it comes back. Well that was Tuesday. I ended up also filling the Rx for percocet the previous Dr had given me. Its Friday night. Ive missed a week of work. I called the general surgeon have an appt Monday. But I feel miserable and confused and alone. I dont know what I have. Do I have Crohn's or a fistula or what? Mostly money is a huge issue. Like many my husband and I live paycheck to paycheck. These Dr visits have already set us back. I missed a week at both of my jobs. Id love to just go to a CR specialist but its not feesable. I was told this general surgeon Im meeting with Monday has a sliding scale for uninsured cash patients. Who knows if that means I can afford to go thru with surgery with him..or if I should. I'm at a loss do not understand how anyone can afford this. But my whole right butt cheek is a mass of infection. It's not really draining and every day I wonder how will I get thru the agony? I can't sit. I'm tired of lying around. I'm sooo over this PITA! My husband was sympathetic for the first few boils but now he's just resentful about the $. I feel like I need a miracle. Or that my life may as well be over. Hearing everyone else's stories kind of makes it better but also makes me sad for you too. Any advice on $ or treatments or what to eat vs what to avoid. Any advice at all would be much appreciated! Thank you

 

[kel]

See a colorectal surgeon not a general surgeon? And if you don't have insurance you need to get some. Otherwise your first surgery is going to bankrupt you.

 

[upallnight]

Annie, I'm seeing a bowel surgeon. I would recommend you do the same right away. This is my 1st one. I got it right after a fissure. He is treating with a antibiotic. But he feels we are going to the OR....... I wish you good luck!! I'm I have been having problems since MARCH!!! I feel like its never ending. I had a meltdown last night!!