pilonidal sinus
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wjwren

Original Poster:

4,484 posts

164 months

Wednesday 8th February 2017
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I have constant issues of a pilonidal sinus reoccurring. Ive had about 11 ops under general anaesthetic now to have them cut out then packed. The last op was about 18 months ago, after then it came back a couple of times and ive taken antibiotics to calm it down and it dissapears again. It has come back again today so off i went to the docs to get more antibiotics. Any other people had them? Im fed up of it and the pain it causes.

igiveup

2,875 posts

311 months

Wednesday 8th February 2017
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I had a very deep one cut out in 1999, only thing I do to keep them at bay is to wash the area using sponge daily.

But depending on your hair type you may be pron to it.

wjwren

Original Poster:

4,484 posts

164 months

Wednesday 8th February 2017
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yes i keep having them come back. When this one calms down i might try some hair removal cream.

C0ffin D0dger

3,440 posts

174 months

Thursday 9th February 2017
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Hmm, I had them when I was 17/18, luckily they've never recurred, didn't even know they could? I'm 45 now.

When I had mine removed I was left with a very big & deep wound. I ended up in hospital for a week before it had healed enough to let me home.

Since then I always been very vigilant about keeping the area clean, I shower at least once a day, sometimes twice and always get the shower head (on a hose) round there to give things a good blast.

At the time of having them I was cycling to college and back everyday which was a good couple of miles and just in my normal clothes not cycling stuff so I don't know if that contributed.

Weirdly the wife has them too, one of hers got bad and had to be drained under GA after a trip to A&E. They haven't removed them though, guess hers just weren't bad enough and I guess if they kept flaring up then they would offer surgery.

You have my sympathies, it was a right pain in the ass (literally) when I had mine smile

Alex_225

7,745 posts

230 months

Thursday 9th February 2017
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I had one removed about 5 years ago or so and fortunately not had it reoccur.

My just felt like a blister that would come up and after a month I went to the doctor. He referred me to have an OP to remove it so only had it a couple of months.

Thing was when I went in to have it done, the surgeon said he'd probably have treated it with antibiotics first but since I was there. Only thing was he stitched it and didn't give me any advise about packing it.

Wasn't until I went to have the dressing changed I was told it should be packed so I returned to the Dr once a day for quite a while to have it done. Healed quite well.

Sympathies if it keeps occurring though. It seems people are prone to it, male or female.

wjwren

Original Poster:

4,484 posts

164 months

Thursday 9th February 2017
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it feels like it's on fire today. Im hoping these antibiotics calm it down otherwise its back to A&E for an op

sy534534

249 posts

206 months

Thursday 9th February 2017
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I had this for years! 6 Ops and many courses of antibiotics and it always reoccured in the end, pun intended.

Then in 2009 I went to see a specialist who had recently returned form the USA and was getting good results using a new "cleft lift" method. Dr. Senpati I think her name was, at Portsmouth NHS.

The operation is exactly as it sounds, removal of some fleashy bits from the top of the bum crack and a widening of the crevasse to make a gentle valley?! Not sure how, but i woke up with a black eye ( no, not that eye ). Two weeks with a drain fitted and a bag of blood and pus attached to my leg to let it all heal and I've never looked back.

No recurrence since, not even that slight itch that you worry about becoming more, nothing. I ride bikes, drive, go to thr gym without any problems, my bike saddle is perfectly comfortable. Wish I'd done it years ago.

wjwren

Original Poster:

4,484 posts

164 months

Thursday 9th February 2017
quotequote all
sy534534 said:
I had this for years! 6 Ops and many courses of antibiotics and it always reoccured in the end, pun intended.

Then in 2009 I went to see a specialist who had recently returned form the USA and was getting good results using a new "cleft lift" method. Dr. Senpati I think her name was, at Portsmouth NHS.

The operation is exactly as it sounds, removal of some fleashy bits from the top of the bum crack and a widening of the crevasse to make a gentle valley?! Not sure how, but i woke up with a black eye ( no, not that eye ). Two weeks with a drain fitted and a bag of blood and pus attached to my leg to let it all heal and I've never looked back.

No recurrence since, not even that slight itch that you worry about becoming more, nothing. I ride bikes, drive, go to thr gym without any problems, my bike saddle is perfectly comfortable. Wish I'd done it years ago.
That's interesting. Ive had this since 2000. Sometimes it goes away for a 6 months, other times 3 years but it always comes back

wjwren

Original Poster:

4,484 posts

164 months

Friday 10th February 2017
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sy534534 is the cleft lift where they stitch it back up tightly? If so I had this done last time - the stitches were really tight but it still came back. The other op's ive had are just left open and then packed.

sy534534

249 posts

206 months

Friday 10th February 2017
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No the cleft lift was different, I also had the tight stitch version of the normal operation, didn't work for me either, and repacking was a real pain.

The lift really is as it sounds, you're left with a more "expansive" bum crack, whereas before it was deep and steep sided it's now less deep and more open to air circulation, a valley more than a crack. During healing the cheeks were kept seperated slightly with packing from groin to lower back, and the removal of some flesh meant that the cheeks healed wider apart. I was told the bacteria that cause the infection are anerobic so the increased flow of air over the area really makes a difference, and keeping the area clean is easier.

I had to use the NHS self referral online system, as my GP was out of touch and oldschool, I also found the support group online was very helpful and had more info on the cleft lift and other options.

Edited by sy534534 on Friday 10th February 14:22