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Abscess Drainage and the female monthly "gift"

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 10/28/2009 10:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hi All!

So some of you may remember me posting a few weeks back about an abscess I had that required surgical drainage as well as a seton put in.
Well, I have been putting off my monthly visitor by continuously taking my birth control pill for 3 months now. Well... I think for my sake I need to stop doing this and at least let my body do its natural thing for this month - I'm having some other female issues due to the long course of antibiotics and I feel that allowing my monthly period come may help with this.

So my question is for you ladies who have had to deal with this - what did you do? I use 4x4's and I can't imagine not using them (just letting the drainage seep down my buttocks just doesn't appeal to me) and cannot use tampons. How can I avoid having to change my dressings more during this time?

Sorry if it's TMI - I'm supposed to stop the pill this evening and I really would like some suggestions or input.
Thanks.
Posted 10/28/2009 11:02 PM (GMT 0)
I do not know if I would have a period while you are still healing.  Diflucan, Plus inner and outer creme
But if you want to: stayfree ultra thin overnight with wings front, stayfree ultra thin longs (no wings) for rear, and the you will need more 4x4s
Posted 10/28/2009 11:33 PM (GMT 0)
I don't have a problem with. I still use the guaze, and then an ultra thin pad, like MMMNavy suggested. It gets messy, and clean up with a shower sprayer is easiest. Just change the pad and guaze often and you will be fine.
Posted 10/28/2009 11:34 PM (GMT 0)
I just wear a pad and still use my 4x4s.  They get a little bloody but I still just change them as usual...which is every time I go to the bathroom.   
Posted 10/28/2009 11:39 PM (GMT 0)
Ya - I'm currently taking 50mg a day of Diflucan - I wanted to avoid the cream route because I didn't want it getting in the wound and it's super messy. I tried two separate doses of 150mg and it didn't fix the problem. I had problems with this for months at a time before the abscess (due to antibiotic use). I had just gotten it under control when the abscess showed up. Then I got put on the antibiotics and now I'm back to square one again.

I'm going to speak to my gynocologist on Friday and see what he suggests - but I thought I would see what other females had done during their healing.
Posted 10/28/2009 11:44 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry I should have told you that I was on 150mg diflucan weekly for 6 months. As to the cream I got a pill type one, fresh tube, and applicator every time I used it.
Posted 10/28/2009 11:47 PM (GMT 0)
Navy - did you just purchase an over the counter product? I've always seemed to have problems with them causing more irritation than good.
What was your weekly dose? Did it affect your crohn's at all (the diflucan)?
Posted 10/28/2009 11:49 PM (GMT 0)
No everything was prescription that my GYN got me.

At that point in time my crohns was so bad (30-40 times a day) I would not have known if it made it worse.

Also my periods were so bad that I would pass out from them.

Post Edited (MMMNAVY) : 10/28/2009 5:52:13 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/29/2009 12:03 AM (GMT 0)
ok - I just noticed it was making my situation worse, but Imodium did the trick in stopping that in it's tracks.

I will speak to my GYN on Friday. I made the appointment to talk to him about crohns attaching itself to the vaginal lining and the possibility of future abscesses.
Posted 10/29/2009 2:05 AM (GMT 0)
It is a scary thing isn't it. I am sorry if this is TMI, but even attempting sex was very bloody during this time because of the friablity of my tissue. Take extra pads if you are going to have a pelvic exam, it sounds like your tissue is in better shape then mine was and so it should be fine, but I am a big believer in preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.
I do not mean to pry, but I was also going to ask do you have endometreosis too?
Posted 10/29/2009 3:10 AM (GMT 0)
As of right now I only have the perirectal abscess - but I thought I should have the GYN check to make sure I don't have any issues vaginally as well. Just knowing that it's a possibility scares me and I want to keep an eye on things to ensure I am not dealing with that. I don't think I will have any bleeding issues as my abscess is not a vaginal one.

I haven't been checked for endo - I don't even know what the symptoms are.

I'm not in a relationship right now so sex isn't an issue thank god. All I have to do is heal.
Posted 10/29/2009 9:10 PM (GMT 0)

I started with one perirectal abscess and one perivaginal that needed to be drained. Both turned into fistulas and now I have something like 6 or 7 prei-vaginal fistulas and new ones keep opening up every couple of days. My hoo-ha is a mess, I now have to use two extra long pads overlapping and my PT told me to use corn starch to help with the moisture because they are all draining constantly.

I don't have any clue what to do, I have an appt with my surgeon's NP on Monday but every time I go to see them they say there's nothing they can do....

Posted 10/29/2009 11:12 PM (GMT 0)
I have not tried this yet, but a local GYN recommended hipacleans for that area. Kinda concerned about that heard it is for post surgery cleansing and hard on the delicate tissues.
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