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Abscess Question
Hi Ladies,
I remember reading (I think from Jo) that there is a 2 day time window to get an abscess drained from your doctor. Why is this? When is this? Etc, etc, etc????
My docs have never mentioned this and I have just always had mine burst on their own. I usually take care of the wounds myself, though I did just find out that one of them I should of had packed. My hubby and friend really thought I should go to the doctor but I said it was ok. I had a large, round open wound almost the size of a quarter that eventually closed all on it's own. But now I know I shouldn't be taking care of that one on my own.
I just went to my PCP yesterday for a different reason and had him check my latest and it is looking good with no reason to pack at all.
Anyway, just curious what I need to do on further abscess'.
I remember reading (I think from Jo) that there is a 2 day time window to get an abscess drained from your doctor. Why is this? When is this? Etc, etc, etc????
My docs have never mentioned this and I have just always had mine burst on their own. I usually take care of the wounds myself, though I did just find out that one of them I should of had packed. My hubby and friend really thought I should go to the doctor but I said it was ok. I had a large, round open wound almost the size of a quarter that eventually closed all on it's own. But now I know I shouldn't be taking care of that one on my own.
I just went to my PCP yesterday for a different reason and had him check my latest and it is looking good with no reason to pack at all.
Anyway, just curious what I need to do on further abscess'.
Hi - famous boobies
I think we are all different, all our breasts are different too, so I wouldn't be beating yourself about it too much, or second-guessing yourself.
Many ladies have chosen to manage their abcesses by themselves, I don't know if it is recommended anywhere - but it is the reality, they have taken holistic, eastern approaches and some have success. They do it quite deliberately and with a good deal of information.
In my opinion, the biggest thing to worry about is infection - but once my abcesses had broken through and were draining, other than taking a prophylatic antibiotic to prevent secondary infection, I did not have them professionally dressed or packed, just drained. I just kept things very clean and dressed myself - but again, GM symptoms vary widely - some women will have five or six large sinuses on one breast, others have very small drainage sites.
Some doctors will put in permanent drains in some cases rather that going in to repeatedly drain the breast, this was discussed in my case when I had to keep going for the same area, but in the end it smartened up and healed up.
I am sure you do have a good immune system - many think this disease is due to autoimmune condition - that is when the body misreads something internally and attacks its own tissues or organs with its immune system...
Everybody deals with it differently - should probably just listen to your doctor and most importantly your body. (as you have been)
Jo
I think we are all different, all our breasts are different too, so I wouldn't be beating yourself about it too much, or second-guessing yourself.
Many ladies have chosen to manage their abcesses by themselves, I don't know if it is recommended anywhere - but it is the reality, they have taken holistic, eastern approaches and some have success. They do it quite deliberately and with a good deal of information.
In my opinion, the biggest thing to worry about is infection - but once my abcesses had broken through and were draining, other than taking a prophylatic antibiotic to prevent secondary infection, I did not have them professionally dressed or packed, just drained. I just kept things very clean and dressed myself - but again, GM symptoms vary widely - some women will have five or six large sinuses on one breast, others have very small drainage sites.
Some doctors will put in permanent drains in some cases rather that going in to repeatedly drain the breast, this was discussed in my case when I had to keep going for the same area, but in the end it smartened up and healed up.
I am sure you do have a good immune system - many think this disease is due to autoimmune condition - that is when the body misreads something internally and attacks its own tissues or organs with its immune system...
Everybody deals with it differently - should probably just listen to your doctor and most importantly your body. (as you have been)
Jo
Hi pandora,
Thanks I will look it up.
Thanks I will look it up.
Don't know how far you have been able to dig on this site. JoJo gives a GREAT explanation of GM, in plain english, in answer to a question by clarep34. A few weeks ago Jo made all her posts available...Or you can go to her profile page, find clarep34 in her friends section, and look for her post thru her. Sometimes it is had to figure it all out, but it is worth looking fore. The Question was "What can I expect?".
Tiffany, FNA = Fine Needle Aspiration
Tiffany, FNA = Fine Needle Aspiration
Hi Tiffany
A FNA is when they put a needle in the abscess and drain out all the fluid. It's done with an ultrasound at the breast center. My doctor ordered cultures of the fluid to see what grows. Nothing every grows in my case. Yes it is a new abscess that delevoped in the same spot as the abscess that was surgically removed in Dec 2010. My surgeon did tell me it could happen again. So I wasn't to shock that it developed again just bummed out that it happen again. I was very happy when the surgeon did say I wouldn't have to have surgery again. I don't want to have to heal from a open wound again. Nor do I want to have to go through the packing and changing of the wound. I'm so sorry you are going through it now:( So when he said I can have it drain with a needle I was ok with it. I do wonder what GM is all about I don't know if anyone can really answer that?!?!
A FNA is when they put a needle in the abscess and drain out all the fluid. It's done with an ultrasound at the breast center. My doctor ordered cultures of the fluid to see what grows. Nothing every grows in my case. Yes it is a new abscess that delevoped in the same spot as the abscess that was surgically removed in Dec 2010. My surgeon did tell me it could happen again. So I wasn't to shock that it developed again just bummed out that it happen again. I was very happy when the surgeon did say I wouldn't have to have surgery again. I don't want to have to heal from a open wound again. Nor do I want to have to go through the packing and changing of the wound. I'm so sorry you are going through it now:( So when he said I can have it drain with a needle I was ok with it. I do wonder what GM is all about I don't know if anyone can really answer that?!?!
Dear Aug10
Thank you for your advice. Today did feel better. Actually, the pain was the same, but I brought in some toys which included a sueeze ball and two ice packs. I put the ice on my tummy to redirect pain to freeze. And, I used deep breathing technic through out. I did it all without any local or topical cream. It was all well under control! I think my surgeon was happier that I did not scream or request for more local which didn't help anyway......today's procedure felt Ike five minutes only.....but I must say waiting for the appointment was terrifying. I kept practicing in my mind on how I need to fight the pain...haha....
What's FNA? So, you have a new one now? Do we just keep on getting them? I wonder what GM is really all about?
Wish you well,
Tiffany
Thank you for your advice. Today did feel better. Actually, the pain was the same, but I brought in some toys which included a sueeze ball and two ice packs. I put the ice on my tummy to redirect pain to freeze. And, I used deep breathing technic through out. I did it all without any local or topical cream. It was all well under control! I think my surgeon was happier that I did not scream or request for more local which didn't help anyway......today's procedure felt Ike five minutes only.....but I must say waiting for the appointment was terrifying. I kept practicing in my mind on how I need to fight the pain...haha....
What's FNA? So, you have a new one now? Do we just keep on getting them? I wonder what GM is really all about?
Wish you well,
Tiffany
I confess. I SWAGged it on the two day window. That is a statement out of my very limmitted experience. The two times I went in right away, she was able to see fluid and drain it. The one time I didn't go in right away, it was too far along. Once when I went in they sent me to the clinic. The radiologist took forever.... then he said there was no fluid that he could see...but he could try to drain it anyway. By then I had found all of you and I told him not to. If he couldn't tell me for sure there was fluid there...then don't mess with the girls. He was way more comfortable with that approach himself. Since then I have been pretty good. 3 definate hard lumps...but no abcesses that I can detect. Sorry if I caused confusion.
Wow, the packing sounds horrible. I know I should have gone to the doctor when I had my one, but I'm kinda glad I didn't. The pain sounds so bad. My dr did say it goes to show that my immune system is really good since it was able to heal the wound all on itself with just me taking care of it.
But in the future I will go to the doctor to have it taken care of, despite the impending pain. Hang in there ladies, oh someday I hope this will all go away for all of us.
I am going to talk to my surgeon about the abscess' because they have never mentioned coming back when I get one. Another question for my list.
Fibromommyx3
But in the future I will go to the doctor to have it taken care of, despite the impending pain. Hang in there ladies, oh someday I hope this will all go away for all of us.
I am going to talk to my surgeon about the abscess' because they have never mentioned coming back when I get one. Another question for my list.
Fibromommyx3
I have always gone to see my breast specialist Wynn I have one for a FNA. I have been lucky so far that none have burst but there is one that has been drained several times that will probly burst through the skin soon despite our best efforts to prevent it according to my doc which terrifies me. But if it does I will have it cared for and packed by my specialist. It does get expensive cause my insurance ***** but I feel its worth it my specialist is as gentle as possible and I feel comfortable in her care. Its your body and you should do what makes you comfortable and helps you.
Hi fibromommyx3
I had to have my first abscess removed surgically. It was so large about the size of a golf ball but it never broke on its own. The new one abscess I have developed has not grown as rapid as the last one. I go on Friday to have a FNA. I'll let you know how that goes. I would say go have the dr at least look at it.
Tiffany,
I'm so so sorry that you had so much pain. The day after my surgery they removed
the packing from my wounds and it hurt so bad!! Ask for some pain meds and take
them. Can you ask if a wound center can treat you? I'm in Reno, NV and we have a center that changed my wounds three times a week. They were so gentle and made sure I was not in to much pain. My insurance didn't cover it all but it was worth every penny. I will be crying out to God in your behalf as you go through this. The pain did get less and less each time. I'll pray tomorrow's appt will be less painful. Take care xoxox
I had to have my first abscess removed surgically. It was so large about the size of a golf ball but it never broke on its own. The new one abscess I have developed has not grown as rapid as the last one. I go on Friday to have a FNA. I'll let you know how that goes. I would say go have the dr at least look at it.
Tiffany,
I'm so so sorry that you had so much pain. The day after my surgery they removed
the packing from my wounds and it hurt so bad!! Ask for some pain meds and take
them. Can you ask if a wound center can treat you? I'm in Reno, NV and we have a center that changed my wounds three times a week. They were so gentle and made sure I was not in to much pain. My insurance didn't cover it all but it was worth every penny. I will be crying out to God in your behalf as you go through this. The pain did get less and less each time. I'll pray tomorrow's appt will be less painful. Take care xoxox
I just had my abscess cut about 1.5 cm open. My abcess was so inflamed that I developed a fever of 103. It didn't want to burst ooen on it's own. It just pushed the other areas in my breast which made it more painful.
Well, draining is non less painful either. My doctor drained out about 1 cup of fluid and packed a strip of gauze inside....it was ohhhhhhh soooookk painful.......Sony even want to imagine. The local won't help at all! The worse part is I have to go back everyday for a week to get the wound rainsed with salin, drain more and repacked with the strip.......today, I had the repacking done.... I was so pain that I cried.......
Sorry it didn't sound so pleasant and I don't want to scare you. You probably have better pain tolerance than I have....but it's just my experience.
Hope yours will heal soon!
God bless!!
Tiffany
Well, draining is non less painful either. My doctor drained out about 1 cup of fluid and packed a strip of gauze inside....it was ohhhhhhh soooookk painful.......Sony even want to imagine. The local won't help at all! The worse part is I have to go back everyday for a week to get the wound rainsed with salin, drain more and repacked with the strip.......today, I had the repacking done.... I was so pain that I cried.......
Sorry it didn't sound so pleasant and I don't want to scare you. You probably have better pain tolerance than I have....but it's just my experience.
Hope yours will heal soon!
God bless!!
Tiffany
I'd call your doctor and ask... Mine leaves it up to my decision on whether I should call and come in or can handle on my own, but she also greatly respects my judgement with my own body.
My previous doctor had me call and come in EVERY time.
Depends on the doctor (I guess) I'd also check with your insurance if you have it. Luckily, mine so far has covered EVERYTHING :)
My previous doctor had me call and come in EVERY time.
Depends on the doctor (I guess) I'd also check with your insurance if you have it. Luckily, mine so far has covered EVERYTHING :)
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