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Perianal Abscess Struggles

I'm a 19 year old female, who was diagnosed with Crohn's in early May, but my specialist suspects I've had it since I was a child. I've dealt with "stomach aches" all my life, but at the beginning of 2013, things really took a turn for the worse. Anyways, long story short, my Crohn's got bad pretty fast, and I ended up in the hospital having an appendectomy because that's what the doctors thought it was. When they cut me open to remove my appendix, they then discovered that I most likely had Crohn's. Tests later confirmed that I did infact have the disease, and now I'm probably going to be trying Humira within the next couple of weeks.

The point of this entry though, is to talk about the perianal abscess I just had drained in the OR a couple of days ago. After trying to ignore the pain of the abscess for a couple of weeks, it got to the point when I just couldn't anymore. I had tried antibiotics for a couple of days prior to visiting the ER, but they didn't seem to be helping, which didn't surprise me. The abscess had gotten pretty big by the time I made myself go to the hospital, the skin was a reddish/purple colour and the lump was pretty apparent. It was so sore I couldn't sit down anymore.
Anyways, the surgeon drained the abscess (he said it was bigger than he originally thought it was) and I went home the next day. When the nurse removed the packing from it, that was the worst pain I've ever experienced in my life, since there was 3ft of packing tape stuffed up inside that open incision that needed to be pulled out. OMG I hope I never have to go through that again. So horrible. Anyways, now I'm just taking sitz baths 3 times a day for 15 mins each with some Epsom Salts, and I'm still on the antibiotics from before the surgery. (Thats what the surgeon suggested I do.) I'm in way less pain than I was before the surgery, except that every time I have to take a bowel movement I have to sitz bath after to keep it clean, and when I go in the shower it just kills. I don't like the idea of having an open incision down there, because it can start to sting if something gets in it. I try my best to keep it clean. However, I was noticing that it still feels hard around the incision, and where the abscess used to be.

Is this normal? Has anyone else dealt with this, and did the abscess come back? I know complete healing is unlikely because of the Crohns and the fact that the abscess was so big, but has anyone completely healed from something like this? I'm not packing and re-packing it, the surgeon just wanted it packed once and that's it. Is there anything else I can do to maybe increase my chances of it healing better?

Any advice would be super helpful! This is the last thing I want to be going through at a time in my life like this. I had to take time off my job at the dairy farm, and I would really like to go back soon! This seems like such a stupid problem to be struggling with, I'm really just hoping it will go away and not come back.
Thanks :)
 
Hi Isla, abscesses are awful! I really feel for you, especially having had it drained in that way.

I had a giant abscess about 2 years ago, and my surgeon drained it with a depazzar drain... It's not the most comfortable thing in the world, as it stays in for about 4 weeks, but you can still do everything you need to during that time. It definitely seems less painful than what you're going through with yours, so if it happens again, it might be worth asking about getting the drain inserted instead.

Try not to be too concerned about the open wound, as it will heal and you are taking good care of it. I know it is painful and annoying, but that's part of the healing process. Keep looking after yourself the way you are - your body will thank you soon enough :)
 
Hi, just to share I had perianal abscess around 10 year ago, I was 6 month pregnant when it started, I have never experienced pain like it in my whole life, I could only take paracetamol tho for the pregnancy factor. 3 operations later, seton stitch placed, I have had no repercussions. At this stage Crohns was never mentioned to me. I have had no issues until June this year when I was diagnosed after major flare and hospitalised. But touch wood.....no more abscesses please!!!!!!
I used to be meticulous with cleaning everywhere with the shower head off, hopefully it will heal really well!!! x
 
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