Colon sectioning in a few days - fighting skin abscess

Posted by budor @budor, Jun 22 12:32pm

I have resectioning surgery in a couple of days. I now have an abscess (under my skin, not in my bowels) that I'm fighting to clear up and worried it will increase the risks of a post surgery infection, the surgery not healing correctly or a bowel leak.

I've been suffering diverticulitis for more than 10 years with many, many attacks. I finally decided to have surgery last year but waited to schedule surgery because I was having attacks every month that required antibiotics. I have smoldering diverticulitis. I scheduled surgery two months ago, stayed on a strict diet, and haven't had any "major" flare ups. Every so often I'd get some very minor pain on my left side but it would be minor, periodic, and not affect my daily activities.

Last weekend, I developed an olive sized abscess. It's at the base of my scrotum right where it meets my thigh. My general doctor phoned in antibiotics (augmentin) on Monday. The abscess got bigger and very painful on Wednesday and showed bruising. I went to bed Wednesday night assuming I would need to go to urgent care the next morning. It wasn't nearly as painful on Thursday so I was thinking the antibiotics finally kicked in. Since the absence was on the base of my scrotum, I had made a urologist doctor appointment for Friday.

The abscess was maybe 1/2 size and not very painful by my urologist appointment. He said it was a skin abscess. Even though it was slowly getting better, they prescribed a new antibiotic (Bactrim) because they said augmentin was not the correct antibiotic. I asked if I could continue the original antibiotic and the doctor thought that would be OK. Since it was getting better I was debating taking the new antibiotics but on Friday night it started getting bigger again and more painful, so now I'm taking both antibiotics.

The urologist didn't think an abscess would be a problem for surgery because he said a colon resectioning is already a "dirty" surgery. I understand that, but from what I've read, of your body has been fighting an existing infection it has a harder time fighting off new one.

It's Saturday morning. I have an abscess that isn't going away, and my colon resectioning surgery is Tuesday morning. My surgeon was in vacation this week. When I called the surgeon's office I was told to wait until my urologist appointment. That appointment was Friday and my surgery is Tuesday...so there isn't much time in between.

My worried because my body has an infection it's fighting right now, and it's not winning on its own, the risks of colon resectioning surgery go up. I already at a higher risk because of smoldering diverticulitis. Plus, the years of attacks won't make the surgery any easier.

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pianist3 | @pianist3 | Jun 23 7:03am

My thinking is that your abscess is caused by staph. Some of us are staph carriers and when you get a small area infected, it creates an abscess. I have been dealing with staph for a long time and trying to keep it at bay…it may even affecting or causing your poor digestion and your diverticulitis. Anyway, I’ve had some great success with using hibiclens to lower the staph (dab it on your whole body and then leave it on for 8 minutes, then shower and use a good lotion all over afterwards. For your abscess, you can try dabbing it with a combo of coconut oil and tea tree oil (5 parts coconut oil to one part tea tree oil), also you can dab it with Manuka honey (850+), it’s pricey…also, you might be getting resistant to the antibiotics and then the staph becomes tougher to fight…but nature and food are your best medicine!! Also, you can take oregano oil, turmeric, cinnamon and vitamin C…which can help your body fight the staph and heal internally…also you can just eat a tablespoon of the Manuka honey, it’s a natural antibiotic…you can also spray your abscess with a probiotic spray as well. For healing your colon, you can try the specific carbohydrate diet…and/or go vegan…try can be very healing to the body…but basically your body is reacting to foods that are probably complex carbohydrates which can react in our stomach and colon…sometimes the wrong bacteria get in our small intestine and cause lots of inflammation and problems…so simple carbs are much easier to digest. Also, you can try a supplement called: Candida Defense (I think), which can help reduce these misplaced bacteria in the small intestines (this is known as SIBO.). But, oregano oil and other natural antibiotics really help heal the body. Also, broccoli sprouts and anything in that family. Hope this helps! Also, intermittent fasting can help heal your colon and stomach as well. L-glutamine in water helps too, DGL (powder mixed with water) and slippery elm helps and George’s aloe Vera water. Ok, get better real fast!!! Please try some of these…I know they will help you!! PS: I’m not a doctor, but I’ve seen sooo many doctors, and naturopaths and the way to heal is through healing foods, nature and homeopathic solutions…they help your body heal!! Also, you may want to get and read the gastritis healing book…it’s based on eating and drinking foods above a ph of 5! Also, boost your immune system with Vit c, zinc and other antioxidant foods!! Blessings to you!!! Mia 🙂

pianist3 | @pianist3 | Jun 23 7:30am

You might also look into the fructose-restricted diet…I’m looking into that too…I’m just not always sure of what foods to eat or not to eat…that seems like the biggest puzzle…I’m wondering if allergy testing can help us or the best bet is elimination diet and keeping a food journal…I do wish there was an easy way for us to live with no pain and easy digestion…I have tried low FODMAP, vegetarian, vegan, low carb, and I do get some relief with each diet, however some diets/foods cause more bloating and pain in my stomach and colon…I really want to get to the bottom of this too! I’m all about going the natural route, I truly don’t think medicine is the answer, for the long term…it’s a good, temporary bandaid, anyway we’ll figure it out together!! Please stay in touch and let me know what helps you feel better!! At the heart of it all, Whole Foods, unprocessed, organic foods are the best for you! And certain herbs and spices are very, very healing!! ❤️‍🩹

bbarbiee | @bbarbiee | Jun 23 9:42am

I am so sorry you are going through this. Having the infection on top of your impending colon surgery. I am no help regarding your infection. I too have dealt with diverticulitis for 14 years… seems like a lifetime. No nuts or seeds and always mindful of my eating and always exercising but somehow the flareups still happened. In the middle of February 2022 I started a rollercoaster of never ending diverticulitis. Er visits, dr visits and never ending double antibiotics. Had a colonoscopy in April 2022 and was told the Diverticulitis was getting better. No I still was having neverending constant flareups. I finally pushed my Gastrointestinal dr for more help and went to a colon surgeon. I was desperate for answers. Dr said he thought it might be a smoldering diverticulitis and I was scheduled for surgery June 2022. Had the surgery and they took my sigmoid colon out. Without surgery I would never have gotten better just kept in constant antibiotics. After my June 2022 surgery when I was still in the hospital I was told I had c diff due to all the antibiotics I was on. I spoke with my Surgeon, gastro dr and regular dr and was told to take probiotics and eat yogurt and it would clear up. No it just lays dormant in you. 3 months later I was put on antibiotics for a tooth issue. 10 days into theat antibiotic I started bleeding rectally and off to the er. I was hospitalized for c diff. Given Vancomycin (a gut antibiotic) and Florastor (a gut probiotic) while in the hospital for a week. Make sure they check you for c diff and get treatment. Your story of continuous antibiotics sounds like mine.
Sorry so lengthy. This whole thing Sucks!
Good luck with your surgery! Best thing I ever did.

mbiagio | @mbiagio | Jun 29 6:18am

@budor. Wondering how you’re doing and if you had your surgery? I know having infection to start isn’t ideal, but curious if you and Dr. agreed to proceed and also how you’re feeling? Today would only be post op day 4, so may still be pretty rough…hoping for quick healing if you had the surgery!!!