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Hi, I have a pilonidal cyst and I have been searching the archives back to 1998 looking for the answers. Even in the first few posts when people ask questions I see Walt ask "Have you read the archives before you ask this question?" and I can't find any posts before 1998.
I have the kind of pilonidal cyst that is "open".. meaning.. it drains and I actually have 2 right on top of each other. They have gotten very large, one is over an inch long and the other is just under an inch long, both above my anus. I have a lot of hair around there and find it hard to keep that away with shaving, but I do try to shave as much as possible.
I can't find anywhere in the archives an exact description of exactly how to do the "Hot Compress" technique Dr. Stoll recommends. I spent hours on the site :( I also don't know if the hot compress is only for people who have the closed cysts.
I am also wondering if cysts this size are dangerous. I am not overweight but am very muscular so my.. behind muscles are kind of big. My doctor recommended sitz baths and I have been doing them everyday but I don't find them helping much and I don't know why :(. The cysts are large and they scare me, to have openings this size on my body. They drain fluid and occasionally blood. I don't have much pain with them like some others experience, only very mild pain.
I don't know how to tell if it is infected or not for sure, my doctor gave me Bactroban to put in the would if it is infected though.
If anyone has ANY information for me I would very much appreciate it. This is on my mind a lot, I'm 23 and this has been here about 3 years getting bigger and bigger.
Thank you so much,
Brandon
In Reply to: pilonidal archives? urgent Q's :( posted by Brandon on July 06, 2003 at 23:12:56:
Dr. Stoll doesn't recommend sitz baths.
If you look up "Hot Compress" in the glossary, you'll find an explanation of how to do it. Here's a bit of it:
"... apply the heat with a folded wet wash cloth, directly to the area involved (while pouring hot water over the cloth to keep it as hot as you can stand it--for 5 minutes every hour if acutely inflamed, and at least 4 times a day until it is normal..."
There is also a "Hot Soak" archive that explains how to do it.
In Reply to: pilonidal archives? urgent Q's :( posted by Brandon on July 06, 2003 at 23:12:56:
Hi, Brandon.
I just went to the archives and looked up hot soaks and there were the directions.
Try again.
So long as you can keep it draining you can avoid the crap shoot that is definitive surgery.
Let us know how you do.
Since you have trouble shaving often enough you might look into chemical hair removal techniques (Nair, etc.) They, too, have to be used often enough since just a couple weeks growth is enough to start ingrowing hairs.
Let us know what you learn.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: pilonidal archives? urgent Q's :( posted by Roy on July 06, 2003 at 23:53:13:
Thanks, Roy.
Walt
In Reply to: pilonidal archives? urgent Q's :( posted by Brandon on July 06, 2003 at 23:12:56:
Thanks Roy, and I just found the Hot Soak link.. I wasn't aware they are the same thing.
The thing I'm really worried about is.. is it possible for these openings to get smaller? Or can I just hope to keep them at the size they're at and that they don't grow larger?
It is good to hear that as long as they are open I don't have to have surgery. *SIGH*
Thank you thank you thank you
In Reply to: pilonidal archives? urgent Q's :( posted by Brandon on July 06, 2003 at 23:12:56:
Hi,
I'm 16 and have been diagnosed with a pilonidal cyst in February of 2002. I've been to many different doctors and none have an answer. They only push the antibiotics, which do nothing of course. I have had 4 surgeries so far and the cyst refuses to heal. It is bleeding and I think it may be infected again :( I want to avoid a fifth surgery and end this pain in the butt.
Also during the manifestation, I developed many food allergies and sensitivities. Do you suppose it could be from the antibiotic (Clyndamiacin)? I heard there is also a possibility that allergies could have relationship to the cyst. I was wondering if anyone has ANY information concerning the relationship between allergies and pilonidal cysts.
In Reply to: Re: pilonidal archives? urgent Q's :( posted by John D on July 09, 2003 at 18:12:09:
Hi, JOHN D.
Antibiotics are practically worthless when used for this condition! Since they do no good all they CAN do is cause the additional conditions you are beginning to appreciate. Look up the hot soaks protocol in the archives.
Mindless use of antibiotics can totally ruin your future health options, in my opinion.
Walt
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