ok,this is insane

i had to call my nurse back out here tonight...ben was changing my packing,and when it was pulled out,guess whats all over it??yep..nasty green puss,again....my lump is also back,and getting bigger and bigger...she immediatley phoned my do,and she then told me its abcessed again..now i have only been home since friday night,and had the surgery on thursday,so im bside myself to say the least right now!!the doctor said,he is more than likely ging to have to take me back into the or to lance some more areas,and drain as much infection again as possible..im assuming since my incision is completley open,it should be easier this time...he and my nurse also dicused having a picline???inserted in me..the nurse said i can keep this pic line in for up to 3 months,then i could get iv antibiotics at home...i dont know where to turn or what to do at this point...do i need to see a specialist,is there something my doc isnt doing right..how much being a gyn has he actually dealt with abdominal abcess (abscess) ect..millions of things going through my head...have any of you dealt with abcesses that keep coming back??im on oral antibiotics now that im home,and they aparently arent working...they cultured the infection when i was in the hospital last week,but they havent told me what type of infection it is.....i told my doctor,hes going to have to think outside of his little medical box,and figured out quick soemthing to stop this,or im going to die.i dont think he liked that much,but i dont like the situation im in,and i refuse to go throug dsurgery after surgery...any advise at all??

[AnotherKatie]

OH MY GOD you poor girl. Did anyone suggest that maybe you should get back to the hospital? Like tonight? I am just concerned that you may have some very resilient strain of infection and they are not addressing it nearly aggressively enough.  I think you should be getting IV antibiotics,and I mean the ones that work on superbugs. Obviously the oral are not working. You need to know what it grew and if you are on the correct antibiotic, for starters. Sorry but this is really scaring me, what do the rest of you think?
Praying for you Sonie, Love Katie

[MickeyVicki]

You poor thing!  Unfortunately, I have no experience with chronic absesses in humans.  I know the IV antibiotics sure do the trick on animals, though.

[birdbath]

I'm so sorry you've having such a difficult time! My roommate several years ago had a C-section and developed a terrible abcess (abscess). She was in the hospital for a week or so, and then a nurse came to the house several times a day to change the pads, etc. She, too, had an open incision. It took a lot of persistence and patience, but the infection did eventually leave. Once the infection left, her wound started healing fairly fast. It was tough going at first, but please don't give up. You should probably call and find out what type of infection was diagnosed by pathology. Then you'll know your options. It sounds like you're being very honest with your doctor about everything - good for you! If you don't feel comfortable with him, get a second opinion by all means. Hang in there, we're here for you.
Robin

[vixen28]

You must be so sick and tired of it all! It sure sounds like you need to really knock this thing of the head, and maybe the only way to do that is to try the IV ABs. I know that here is Australia (if distance isn't a problem, and your dr agrees) that in some instances, the cannula can be left in and the patient goes into Casualty (or ER) for the 4 hourly ABs (or however often needed), rather than be put into hospital (viscious circle!!! - hospitals are a wonderful breeding ground for bugs!!!). Hope you and your drs can get on top of this asap!! Good luck, I'll be thinking of you and praying that you finally get this under control so that you can get well again!

[xrayu2]

By any chance could you be a diabetic.  I know diabetics ususally have terrible time in healing.  It is probably just bad luck on your part that the incision is not healing correctly.  I feel for you!!  I hope the next week is better for you.

[soniek]

hey there...thanks ladies...my nurse did suggest me going back to the er tonight...however,i would like to wait honestly and try to speak to my doc tomorrow morning...i just dont understand what would keep causing this abcess (abscess)..my god,all i do is cry and groan and complain now...i just feel..sick...im def going to find out tomorrow what the culture showed..they took a sample of the infection itself....then they also cultured my blood...i just keep wondering exactly how much expierience a gyno would have with abcesses....not that i dont trust him,i just wonder if this is out of his field...i just wanna be me again

[DebiR]

Uggghhhh!  You poor thing.  You no doubt want to just get on with the healing.  I will say an extra prayer for you that this nastiness gets chased out of your body and you our on your feet very soon.  Hang in there and remember that you are not alone.

[soniek]

also..i was in the hospital last week mon-friday..the whole entire time i was there,i was on 2 diff iv antibiotics every 4 hours..thats a whole lot of antibitoics..im amazed there is any infection at all as much as ive had..ive also developed a yeast infection,my doc  said its from the meds,and he phoned in this one little pill..i took it,so im hoping that clears that part up

[soniek]

hey vixen..they talked about insering a pic-line in me,and having my nurse come to my home every 6 hours to give me the antibitoics iv...id much rather do that,than to go back in the hospital again...now i know why people with chronic or terminal illnesses get so depressed..this whole thing has got me down worse than i have been in a long time...its very depressing to sy the least

[vixen28]

I bet!! Hang in there - hopefully soon this will all be a dim memory ("DIM - YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN!! ha ha)! Sounds like everyone is doing all they can for you. When our immune system is low (and you've had a heck of a time since your initial surgery), we are very prone to picking up all sorts of infections and not being able to battle them too well. You'll get there. I'm so sorry your experience has been so hard going. Wish we could help.

[Gatsby]

Oh girl, what to do??  Between you and Dawn, I don't know what is going on here.  The two of you have had the worst time of it.  I am sure that when this is over (and it will be) you are never going to want to see the inside of a hospital again:-)  Hang tough Sonie, you will get through this.  You are in my thoughts and prayers.  Godspeed
~Tascha

[Raynbow]

Bless your heart, I know you're wanting to get better and nothing seems to help....As you know, this is one of the risks of surgery....I wonder if this could be a staph infection?? I wonder how your hospital scores on the number of patients that get staph?? When my son was in the NICU, he had a pic line to deliver all his meds. They probably tested your blood to see if you are septic or not. I had a uterine infection after my c-section and was on 2 antibiotics via IV, it took 4 days to get better and then took some meds at home. This infection of yours needs to be cultured to see which antibiotics are going to get rid of it, I'm assuming that's what they've already done. I hope you feel better soon!
Take care,
(((Raynbow

[birdcarver]

About the PICC line - it's not all that bad. I have had many because with my cystic fibrosis I am on IV antibiotics at home and in hospital 3-4 times a year. If they do decide to put one in, insist that they do it in radiology - the radiologists are usually very good at it and they will use ultrasound to find the vein. They will inject local anesthetic and you hardly feel a thing. The IV is sewn in place and coverd with a dressing, which needs to be changed weekly, ususally by a homecare nurse. You will not feel the IV at all inside you, but as time goes on it does get itcy around the sutures. It is definitely better than having a peripheral IV in your arm or hand and having to have a new one every couple of days. Only downside - you can't golf with one in! Since it is above your elbow, having baths and not geting it wet is quite easy, just wrap in saran wrap and keep that arm out of the tub. Anyway, good luck, I really hope things turn around quickly for you.
Michelle