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Recurring Abdominal Abscesses

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Posted 2/23/2016 1:23 AM (GMT 0)
I have had a colostomy for just over two years; caused by diverticulitis. Compared to many here, I have had a pretty easy time of it, healed well, and have found a decent combo of wafer and accessories, giving me a very reliable 6-day wear time.

Howver, after about 6 months (June 2014), I began to feel some discomfort, just below the stoma, as well as a lump under the skin. I was sent for an ultrasound, which identified a pocket of mucus in my abdomen. Some liquid was extracted and analized, resulting in a PICC line and a course of antibiotics, and I was declared infection free after a couple of months.

In May of 2015, I felt a lump again, this one was visible, about the size of a large marble. After a few days it burst, bled out and closed after a few more days. In early December, it happened again, but took nearly a month to close . At the end of January, it opened again, this time bleeding enough to mess up my sheets. This just looked like normal blood, previously it was more like mucus, though blood-tinged, and very small amounts. I have seen both my family doctor and my surgeon since this latest eruption, the consensus seems to be that this happens to some people, and I will likely just have to live with it. The surgeon did not recommend surgery to remove it, because she could not guarantee that the source of the "problem" was directly beneath the spot that opens up. I believe she is right about this, because I have occasionally felt a lump (olive-sized) an inch or two away from the surface opening, and last time I could feel what felt like a small tube leading to the opening.

I'm not suffering too much from this, the pain is pretty mild and not everpresent. Still, the idea of an open sore on my abdomen for weeks at a time does make me feel rather nervous. Especially as it is only a few inches below the stoma; the bag covers it. I've only had one leak in the last year, but it could happen again, not to mention possible contamination when emptying the bag.

Anyone else have experience with this problem?

Thanks,
Ann
Posted 2/23/2016 2:00 PM (GMT 0)
Oh does this sound too much like what I went through. I had my step one of two JPouch surgery last October and discharged 7 days later. The next day felt very sick and the day after that was sent for a CT Scan and discovered an abscess in my lower right abdomen below my stoma about the size of a tennis ball. I was readmitted to the hospital and an abdominal drain was inserted which required me to wear a bag on my leg for the fluid drain. I was also given antibiotics while they tested some of the fluid which they discovered the infection. I was also given a Picc Line to receive antibiotics at home. After about a week, I developed a blood clot in my neck due to the Picc Line so was readmitted again for treatment for that. I had the initial abscess drain in for just over 3 weeks and it was removed. Around the beginning of December I got sick again and the abscess area was VERY tender. I was readmitted once again and another drain was placed in my abdomen to drain out the fluid. It was discovered that a leak in my Jpouch from my initial surgery was the cause. I needed full open surgery again to deal with the leak and to handle the abscess. After that I've been fine every since. I have never felt so sick as I did when those abscesses were infected. Thank God that the infection generated was nothing serious and was very weak against antibiotics.
Posted 2/24/2016 5:16 PM (GMT 0)
I have had some small abscess' but thats about it. I pray all clears up and you do not have to conitnually deal with this.
Posted 2/25/2016 3:35 PM (GMT 0)
Blksteeda, thanks for sharing your experience -- you have eased my worries quite a bit, because although I have felt somewhat tired in the days before the abscesses break through, it is nothing like what you experienced. Before my surgery, I blew up with a 20cm abscess, had to get out the fat pants to go to the doctor, could hardly walk for the pain. Her office was in the hospital, she called an orderly with a wheel chair to take me for surgery. They took 2 liters out and installed a drain with the leg bag which I wore until the colostomy was done, about 6 weeks later. Until I read your post, I had managed to forget just how sick I was before that abscess was drained! What I have now is just not in the same ballpark.

Benny, thanks for your prayers, do you continue to have abscesses?

Got a call from the surgeon yesterday, she has scheduled an ultrasound for me.

Ann
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