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Pilonidal Sinus

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Long shot I know, but statisically there should be a few people.

Has anyone got one/had one? I had emergency surgery on an abscess and am now on a waiting list to have surgery done to get rid of it forever.

If you've never heard of it don't worry.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My boyfriend's had it - twice!

    Before I was with him, he had the first instance around Xmas 2002. Luckily for him, he was covered by his parents medical cover so had an op in a private hospital. He had the op where they cut the abscess out and pack the wound, but leave it open. Unfortunately, this didn't heal all that well and took over six months of follow up visits to sort out. He had started uni the Sept before the op, but had to drop out because he'd missed so much due to his lengthy recovery. Anyway, that sorted itself in the end.

    Last November, it came back. He "discovered" the abscess and within three weeks was back in the same hospital (unforunately not still covered by the health insurance, but lucky enough for his parents to be able to pay for the surgery). He had the op on 6th Dec and was back at work for the 11th January. This time, it was a form of plastic surgery he had - the most extreme method of surgery for the condition. Basically, the surgeon cut a lot more tissue out and stitched it all up. That healed well and at the end of March he got the all clear to start exercising again.

    Anything else you want to know, don't hesitate to ask! :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm hoping to avoid getting a second one, got too close for comfort already. I had an open wound after they drained the abscess which was packed and healed very well, but it seems they did nothing about the sinus that probably caused it. The surgeon I saw this time wants to do the plastic surgery type operation to try and solve the problem for good, in the mean time I'm never far from the antibiotics in case of the slightest twinge.

    It's good to hear that he had a recurrence and then the plastic surgery type operation fixed him properly.

    It's the lack of dignity that does my head in.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yeah, I think it did him too. He always refers to it as a problem with his "back"... ;)

    He never actually told me anything about it until he let slip the name of the condition after recounting a conversation he had with a nurse. I looked it up on the net and found out more about it.

    You wait til you can't change the dressings yourself... ;)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I assume you meant wait until you CAN change the dressings yourself, being unable to is truely horrid.

    My usual line is my sore back, over my coccyx or something along those lines. Just gets a bit irritating when people start telling you if you've got a sore back you shouldn't be doing x y or z. Seeing my boyfriend for the first time since this all started this week...... :eek2:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I assume you meant wait until you CAN change the dressings yourself, being unable to is truely horrid.

    No, I did mean CAN'T. Didn't realise you were already at that stage. (Dare I ask who's doing them for you?)

    It never really got in the way of *us* (apart from the 3-4 weeks after the op were a write-off!) I never saw the dressing and still very rarely see the scar (instead of a straight line, it's a bit S-shaped!)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    On the district I dressed a few pilonidal sinuses, one guy dropped his trousers infront of me, my mentor and his mum, and lay on the couch. Guess he was used to people seeing his bum...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I get the impression my next scar will be a funny shape.

    Couldn't do the dressings when I first came out of hospital, that lasted a fair while. District or Practise nurse was doing them for me mainly, tied in with a couple of trips to the walk in centre. It sucks but at the time I'd given up caring about who saw it, as long as they were medical people I didn't really know.

    Boyfriend however seems another matter, I know he won't care, but I know I do.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    adf
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sounds like it may well be a sinus. You should see someone about it (eg your GP) they are fairly common and can be well managed. Take it from me, see someone and get it routinely managed rather than ending up as an emergency, if you get to that point you will experience pain like you would never believe.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    whats a gp?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    General PRactitioner, your bog standard doctor. Guessing your not from UK. www.pilonidal.org has a lot of info on it, although do bear in mind that it's usually the worst cases.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    slydog64 wrote:
    I think I may have a small case of this disease. For a while now ive had a lump on the bottom of my spine that was kinda swollen something.

    Sometimes I noticed it discharging something.

    Ive never really thought to much about it because it never hurt much, i just kinda noticed it.

    its been sore for a few days, I just now figured out the name of what I have.

    I dont really have that big of a marking on my skin yet but there is a small red patch near where i feel it.

    I had this a few years ago. Turned out to be an infection caused by an ingrowing hair.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Full medical term Pilonidal abscess/cyst/sinus. Another girl, thats nice to hear of.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    General PRactitioner, your bog standard doctor. Guessing your not from UK. www.pilonidal.org has a lot of info on it, although do bear in mind that it's usually the worst cases.

    you mean they usually talk about the worst cases. Because mine doens't really hurt at all. I just have a bump below my tail bone and i can see a small red mark there also.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Indeed I meant they usually talk about the worst cases. If you've got a red bump for no obvious reason then you should see someone about it, end of story whatever it turns out to be. That way you will know what your options are, what the potential future problems could be for you and what to look out for.
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