Well good thing I went to the clinic, could have had septicemia...

[Locut0s]

If you don't want to read about the removal of a cyst, well, fair warning

Right after getting back from Hawaii I developed a serious pilonidal cyst, which I posted about here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1018410910

For those who don't know pilonidal cysts are cysts that develop right around your tail bone area (top of your butt crack to put it bluntly). I waited a day or two because I've had these in the past and they usually drained on their own, they are a chronic congenital issue usually. I had a number of hot baths to try to take the swelling and pain down but they didn't help much. The pain was such that I had trouble sitting, lying down and even walking. Last night I also started to feel a little unwell and thought I had a fever but my thermometer showed my temp was a normal 36-37 so I thought I was imagining it. I've also been extra depressed since getting back from Hawaii so I thought maybe I was just feeling bad because of that. This morning though the pain was too much so I knew I had to go to the clinic to have the thing drained, it was a good 3 to 4 inches across too D:

The DR at the clinic took my temp and low and behold I DID have a fever, a low one at 38 deg. I asked him how serious things were and while the guy was super mellow he did indicate it was a good thing I had come as it needed to be drained. I said the fever had me worried about developing septicemia and he said yup that's basically what you would develop if you left it alone.

Having a syringe of anaesthetic pumped into an already super painful area and manipulating said area was not the most fun thing but once the thing was lanced the pressure relief was fantastic He prescribed a course of pretty powerful antibiotics and I now have a referral to a surgeon to have a more permanent solution, as these types of cysts tent to recur.

So I'm relieved I went to the clinic, otherwise I might be dealing with septicemia! And that can be life threatening. Even so I feel a little ill still, shaky, hopefully the antibiotics kick in soon. But the pain is mostly gone

Sorry if TMI.

So if anyone else here develops a cyst and low grade fever, don't leave it alone, even if it seems to be minor!

[hedgehog]

1. Glad you're feeling better!

[Locut0s]

4. Thank ye :P Yeah the pain is WAY better, though not entirely gone. nt.

[rug]

2. Well I learned something today.

A butt crack is called the natal cleft.

A pilonidal cyst, also referred to as a pilonidal abscess, pilonidal sinus or sacrococcygeal fistula, is a cyst or abscess near or on the natal cleft of the buttocks that often contains hair and skin debris.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilonidal_cyst

Glad you feel better.

I hope you don't mind this is a candidate for the Lounge phrase of the day.

[Locut0s]

6. Lol, go ahead I don't care....

Glad to have facilitated the improvement of someone's vocabulary

[HarveyDarkey]

3. Glad you went to see the doctor.

Don't you just hate the Canadian Healthcare System?

[Locut0s]

5. Indeed I'm a student with no job, barely a student actually. And paid nothing...

I'm in between semesters and dropped a few courses so it's debatable if I'm even a full time student right now. And I haven't had a job in over a year. But didn't have to pay a dime, well aside from the very low monthly premiums we all pay. The antibiotics were also all covered except for about $3 on the extended plan I'm on. I don't expect to have to pay anything for the surgery later either.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. I'm sorry you have it, and I'm so relieved you're getting rid of it!

It sounds awful.

Please take care, OK?

[Locut0s]

10. Thanks Peggy...

yeah it wasn't fun but the pain is mostly gone now Course there's the coming surgery which I'm guessing won't be totally pain free, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

[TexasTowelie]

8. I'm glad that you followed up and are getting treatment.

My brother has a malady of various issues and postpones everything (even when he had insurance). He is on PRN status and lost his insurance at the end of last year so he is being a cheapskate about everything. The good news is that he is a veteran and he finally gave in and went to the VA. He is still waiting for his VA card and I'm hoping that he will become proactive taking care of his issues.

Once again, I'm glad you are feeling better--we enjoy having you at DU.

[Locut0s]

9. Why thank you! I hope your brother is feeling better...

It's always best to seek out treatment for your problems before they excalate into something worse. However I know better than most about procrastination when it comes to health issues. I used to have a terrible phobia of needles that I'm gladly over with now, but I still don't go to the DR anywhere near early enough for most problems. I think the reason stems from my anxiety issues. I get anxiety because of the health issue and my solution for far too long for most of my emotional issues is to just ignore it or run, and hence by proxy ignore the medical issue in this case. So like I said I know why people do this, even if it's unhealthy for them.

[pipi_k]

11. Well I'm glad

you're feeling better and it didn't turn septic!

Although one thing you wrote I'm ashamed I had to giggle about...the part about the permanent solution, which my very bad warped and twisted mind caused me to envision said permanent solution as an ass-ectomy.

Maybe a full asscrack transplant...

Sorry...I'm very strange.

[Locut0s]

15. Haha lawls...

Asscrack transplant, oh wow, the imagines going through my head D:

And an ass-ectomy, I think if that were in the offering I'd just endure the pain instead

[Manifestor_of_Light]

12. Your natal cleft is near your gluteus maximus (maximi?) muscles.

birthday cleft, huh???

[femmocrat]

13. Glad you are doing better, Locut0s!

Infection is nothing to fluff off, to be sure!

BTW..... isn't that the same ailment that kept Rush Limbaugh out of the draft in the 1960s? It just sounds familiar.

[Locut0s]

17. According to google, that's right!...

Rush dodged the draft due to a pilonidal cyst.

I, have, something in common with Rush Limbaugh. I feel dirty. Quick how do I cleans myself!?

[laundry_queen]

14. Glad you are feeling better.

My dad used to get those. The first time he got it, he refused to go in for a week and attempted to tough it out, until his moaning and groaning made my mom drag him to the ER. His was severely infected. After the second time this happened he was scheduled for surgery and hasn't had an issue since. Hope the same for you - that surgery will eliminate this very painful condition! Glad you decided not to wait any longer, when you are in that much pain it usually indicates the infection has progressed. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery and a permanent solution asap!

[Locut0s]

16. The thing is that it's a bit of an embarrassing condition...

I seem to have very little shame online, but in person it's kind of an embarrassing thing to have. Maybe not as hard for a guy to admit as erectile dysfunction or something, but for those guys who are the "strong silent" types or are supposed to endure all and not suffer these kinds of things may be hard to admit to. Perhaps that's why your dad had trouble going to the DR?

[laundry_queen]

18. I'm not sure

he doesn't have much shame and doesn't get embarrassed easily. He's a big "Mr. Macho" guy though who has little empathy for other people's physical pain and continuously denies his own in order to be 'elevated' above others who are 'wimps'. I think it's more that than any embarrassment (especially because he tells lots of people about his 'horror story') but you never know. I do know part of the reason he waited was at first he thought it was just a pulled groin/butt muscle from playing hockey (he was a goalie).

I get the whole online vs IRL (in real life). I'm the same way. And it's not easy to go to the doctor for something embarrassing (although after having birthed 4 kids, it's true what they say - doctors really don't care about that stuff). I'm glad you are ok.