Hi everyone.
I don't have Crohns, but have recently developed a perianal abscess. It's not close to the skin (can't see that it's there if you just look), but it's worsened in pain over a week or so. Initially it was just uncomfortable, but for the past three or four days it has been painful. Saw my doc yesterday who put me on antibiotics, and said if it gets worse to go to ER. It's about 3 inches long, I think.
I've basically resigned myself to the fact that it's not going to go away with antibiotics and that I'll need to have it drained - he said it would be incision and drainage surgery? If I have to have it done, so be it - I'm not ashamed and just want to be able to sit down again!
I was wondering if anybody else has had similar abscesses drained? (especially size and depth). I'd like to know roughly how long it took to heal, and how painful the recovery process was. I know from reading around here (which is a goldmine of information and support by the way) the pain from the abscess should normally go as soon as it's been drained. So I am more specifically wondering what pain is like after the surgery, while it's healing from the inside out. Is the pain during this period just during the repacking of the abscess? Or is that a bit optimistic? And do they have to make an incision that's as long as the abscess itself, or can it be drained through a smaller hole?
Thank you very much in advance. Never had something like this before, and I'm really frightened. Doesn't really help that it is happening in the middle of my college finals! I'd really really appreciate some advice <3
I don't have Crohns, but have recently developed a perianal abscess. It's not close to the skin (can't see that it's there if you just look), but it's worsened in pain over a week or so. Initially it was just uncomfortable, but for the past three or four days it has been painful. Saw my doc yesterday who put me on antibiotics, and said if it gets worse to go to ER. It's about 3 inches long, I think.
I've basically resigned myself to the fact that it's not going to go away with antibiotics and that I'll need to have it drained - he said it would be incision and drainage surgery? If I have to have it done, so be it - I'm not ashamed and just want to be able to sit down again!
I was wondering if anybody else has had similar abscesses drained? (especially size and depth). I'd like to know roughly how long it took to heal, and how painful the recovery process was. I know from reading around here (which is a goldmine of information and support by the way) the pain from the abscess should normally go as soon as it's been drained. So I am more specifically wondering what pain is like after the surgery, while it's healing from the inside out. Is the pain during this period just during the repacking of the abscess? Or is that a bit optimistic? And do they have to make an incision that's as long as the abscess itself, or can it be drained through a smaller hole?
Thank you very much in advance. Never had something like this before, and I'm really frightened. Doesn't really help that it is happening in the middle of my college finals! I'd really really appreciate some advice <3