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I have been looking through the pilonidal cyst archives for the past week and have not seen anything similar to my problem. I had surgery to remove a cyst when I was in college (19 years old). It took months to heal, it was left open and my mom had to pack it. Apparently he did not get all of the nidi out so he had to go back in about 5 months later. After he "lightly stitched" it and many rounds of silver nitrate, it finally healed. About 2 years later it re occurred. This time I went to a more competent surgeon. He explained that it was more than an ingrown hair and that he believed that it was something that I was born with, and that the way my area down there was formed, it would keep re occurring. He went in and apparently removed a bigger portion and removed the area that was deformed that mad my cyst come back. The wound was completly closed after surgery. That seemed to work great. That is until a few years ago. I felt it coming back. I went to a local surgeon (not one of the first two) just to confirm my sucpicion. He said I had a cyst and wanted to schedule surgery. I left and did not go back. I am now 35 and have worked extra hard on keeping that area clean since then. No problems until a week ago. I felt pressure like before and I have felt like it is sweaty down there. There has not been blood or pus coming out, and I don't feel a big hole or anything. I have started the hot compress to prevent a flair up. Any other words of wisdom?
Have you heard of this coming back after 15 yrs? Thanks in advance.
dave
In Reply to: pilonidal cyst posted by dave [2792.1351] on October 06, 2004 at 09:39:46:
After reading thru the archives, many of you have symptoms of HIDRADENITIS SUPPERATIVA also known as HS.
HS is a rare disease of the sweat/scent/sebaceous glands.
Once one gland becomes inflamed, within hours all three glands can become blocked therefore causing an Infection/abcess.
These abcesses occur under the arms, on the breasts, the
lower abdomain, the inside of the legs (thighs), the lower butt cheeks, and the groin. It is also possible to get them on the head,neck,face,& back of the legs.
The abcesses range in size from a tiny pimple to the size
of a golf ball or baseball & bigger. The abcesses are extremly painful. Since there is no cure for HS, you learn
to lance them yourself or you will spend a fortune at the Dr.s office not to mention all the bandage supplies you buy on a weekly basis.But the problem with that is that those of us that have had HS for 20+ years have so much scar tissue that the abcesses stop coming to a head. The infection justs spreads under the skin and the only way to stop it is for the Dr. to open it & pack it in the office or the operating room. This will depend on the depth & size of the abcess. And sometimes it depends on the Dr.
Antibotics do not stop the abcesses from forming.
But antibotics can keep the infection from becoming systemic
and possibly fatal.
What is difficult is, most people are miss diagnosed for years before you finally find A Doc that knows what you have. I went to Dr.s for 15 years before I found a Dr. that gave these abcesses the name HS. I saw several GP,several OB-Gyn, Infertility Dr.,Infectious disease Dr., An Endocrinologist,several Dermatologist,And an Internist.
And I can't even count the number of surgeons I have had to see.
The thing that helps the most is, moist heat and
Epsien Salt baths.
When we go to the beach, the salt water will dry the abcesses up some & they become smaller & less inflammed.
( Course with all the drainage of pus & blood I stay at the VERY edge of the water. lol ! !
And you have to find what your triggers for a flare up are.
I know that mine flare the worst when I get stressed and
when my female hormones are flucuating.
My suggestion is to do several searches at different search engines and see if you think the symptoms fit your situation
If so take the information to your Dr.
My Dr. lets me keep an antibotic at the house because if
I get a really bad one, that starts on a Thur. but is not real bad until Sat. If I don't start an antibotic right then
Then I will have to go in the O.R. to get it opened on Mon.
Or to the emergency room on the weekend if it can't wait until Mon. If I can get the antibotic started to keep it from spreading then he can usually open them in his office.
Dianne
In Reply to: pilonidal cyst posted by dave [2792.1351] on October 06, 2004 at 09:39:46:
Hi, Dave.
This is a typical history of these damn things. Once you fully understend the developmental cause of this you will better understand what to expect. It seema to me that your preventive efforts have kept this manageable over the years. The only certain cure would be a below navel amputation.
Good luck and do not stop learning about how to help yourself.
Walt
In Reply to: pilonidal cyst posted by dave [2792.1351] on October 06, 2004 at 09:39:46:
Thanks for both of your comments. It is not painful, it just feels "wierd" sometimes when I sit down. I do not have a problem with the cysts anywhere else but in the crack of my butt. In the past I when it started to feel like I was getting a cyst, I would just do some extra scrubbing and hair removal down there and it would be fine. I have done that this time and it has not cleared up yet. I know it will never totally clear up, but sometimes it will go months or longer without bothering me. Once again thanks for your advice, and I am glad there is a place like this where people can give each other ideas. I will keep watching in case someone comes up with anything else that will help.
In Reply to: Re: pilonidal cyst (more proof of what I have been saying) Archive. posted by Walt Stoll [9.8] on October 07, 2004 at 07:51:58:
The past few times it has started to bother me I did some extra cleaning and hair removal, and it was ok. It seemed to go away (of course by reading all of the posts, I now realize it never fully goes away). This time it has not really done anything. Like I said it feels like I am sweating down there, but there is no real pain. If I sit for a while, it seems to get sore, so I try not to sit for long lengths of time. There is no blood or pus coming out like I experienced my very first time. I can't feel a bump or anything else. The only thing that I can say is that sometimes my scar from my surgeries is a little tender. Other than that I just go to the restroom a few times a day and I guess you could say "dry it out" with toilet paper. Still, I have no discharge and no smell. Could it be a sinus that is draining very little? Will it eventually close up for a little while like it has in the past? I will just keep doing what I have been doing for the last few years and hope it does not flair up to bad or get infected. Thanks for both of your responses. I am glad there is a place where we can get ideas and alternatives to surgery.
In Reply to: Re: pilonidal cyst / Sebaceous Cyst /Hidradenitis Supperativa posted by Dianne [2598.1481] on October 07, 2004 at 02:03:38:
Hi, Dianne.
The very first thing to try is the EFAs on the home page and see what is happening in about 6 months.
Walt
In Reply to: pilonidal cyst posted by dave [2792.1351] on October 06, 2004 at 09:39:46:
Dave:
You might also go to www.pilonidal.org. Tons of info there and a good discussion board.
In Reply to: Re: pilonidal cyst (more proof of what I have been saying) Archive. posted by dave [1559.1483] on October 07, 2004 at 10:59:20:
Thanks, Dave.
From what you are saying, there are still nidi that have been missed.
Walt
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