u/Horror_Item8672

Female, 31, 5ft 8in, 214lb

Hello all, this is just an update on my armpit abscess.

So, I spent a few days in the hospital getting IV antibiotics. I was/ was becoming septic. My liver enzymes are quite elevated and my hemoglobin dropped considerably while in the hospital from 11-9 so I have ongoing monitoring for that.

It sounds so dramatic, but I thought I was going to die. I kept telling doctors I was getting worse and the antibiotics weren’t working. I hope I never have an abscess again. That was the worst pain I’ve felt in my life. I’ve broken bones, surgeries, and a crash c-section recovery. The number of providers that dismissed me though because it was an abscess was kind of shocking. I even had a nurse tell me immediately after surgery that “They aren’t going to give you something just because you’re crying.” I’m a higher educated, fat, white woman with no drug or alcohol history, but some of the providers really did act as if I were drug seeking. I won’t go into it all, I know healthcare in general is such a mess and it isn’t the nurses’ or the doctors’ fault. Empathy and compassion can only be stretched so thin. It just made me question myself and really made me feel like a burden.

The surgeon did put me completely asleep for my incision and drainage. Thankfully. Some of the treatment I’ve read about abscesses is just barbaric and I’m glad that although my situation was scary. I wasn’t awake for that.

I called the nurse line to ask when the packing should be removed or replaced and the nurse called me back saying I could remove it at home. I should have taken a picture, but I removed between 2-3 feet of wound packing from my arm pit and under arm area. It literally looked like a tape worm.
Of course, right after removing it the surgeon’s office called me back and told me NOT to remove it at home and come to the office for removal because it was a lot. Oops.

Most importantly: It was MRSA. It was completely resistant to clindamycin so that’s why I wasn’t getting any better despite initial antibiotic therapy. The hospitalist discharged me home on clindamycin then switched me to doxycycline once the culture came back.

Overall. I’m on the mend. I’ll be scrubbing myself with hibiclens for the rest of my life and I’m never shaving anything ever again. I feel so dirty after this whole ordeal.

I am Female, 31 years old. 5ft9. 214lb
I take Cymbalta 60mg ER and Vyvanse 50mg daily. For depression and ADHD.

On Friday I noticed a small bump in my arm pit. It looked like maybe an ingrown hair so started warm compresses. By Saturday evening there was redness and swelling and a knot the size of a grape. I drew a line around the redness.

I went to the ER early Sunday morning as when I woke up at 4am the pain was substantially worse and the knot on the inside was closer to the size of a clementine. I say the pain was around a 4ish sore, but tolerable. Dr said it was an abscess, sent a referral for an outpatient general surgery appointment and prescribed clindamycin, toradol and hydrocodone. I was given the first dose of antibiotic in the ER. I have taken both the torodol and the antibiotic every 6 hours. Its been around 34 hours since my first dose.

I then went to see my PCP at 9 am today. There is texture, heat and swelling. Temp 99.0 BP 101/59 HR 107. My old stretch marks are literally becoming raised from the inflammation. She also suggested surgeon. She drew a new line around the swelling present at the appointment.

Now it is 2pm the redness is still expanding. Now the knot is the size of maybe a tangerine or small/medium apple
Temp. 99.9, bp 110/54 pulse 98
I feel sick. I can barely move my arm. I feel like I have chills. It’s at probably a 7-8 on the pain scale and I’d say my c-section recovery is like a 6 for context. I’m so fucking tired, but I can’t sleep. I’ve taken the hydrocodone and the pain is only marginally better.

I have messaged and called my doctor. No response. First surgery appointment is June 16th. I can’t live like this. This is a pain unlike anything I’ve felt before. My entire armpit is a sharp, stinging pain and I’m sore from the lower part of my upper arm to my left breast and up into my jaw. Even lightly tracing my skin with a finger feels like I’m being sliced.

When should I go back to the ER? I don’t want to waste resources, but I’m actually starting to worry that I’m soon to be septic.

Other info:

I know I am colonized with MSSA. They tested me and my husband when my twins were in the NICU.
I’m allergic to: PCN ( allergy tested, anaphylactic and I have an EpiPen)
Sulfa (not tested, been on my chart since I was 2 but I’ve taken Bactrim in the past and not died)
Levaquin(not a true allergy. I developed tendonitis while taking it)

Edit:
I see all your recommendations to go back to the ER. I remembered my insurance has a nurse line so I explained the situation to her and she also suggested the ER. I do feel better knowing I am not overreacting. My husband is on his way home from picking up my baby from the sitter. For some reason, I guess just not thinking super clear from not feeling well and the hydrocodone I forgot my husband could just drop me off. So, as soon as he gets home I am going to have him take me and drop me off at the ER. I can’t drive right now as I took the hydrocodone-acetaminophen at 2pm. The acetaminophen did help with my chills and brought my temp back to 99. I still feel sick though and like bone tired. The insurance nurse told me to tell the ER doctor to ultrasound it, drain and culture it. I will update as I can.

Update: At the ER. My blood pressure was sky high ay 157/102 (I get very anxious at the hospital) Pulse was at 127. Idk my temp. They didn’t tell me.
I’m in the waiting room and people have been here 9+ hours. I forgot my medicine and pain medication at home…..

Update: I had to sit down in the middle of walking to registration. My temp has been everywhere from 98.9 to 100.3. I have not been seen by a doctor yet. The redness is almost up to my elbow. I cried for the first time over this whole ordeal.
Triage nurse said it would be at least 10 hours until I was seen unless my vitals really get worse and they couldn’t give me anything for pain or anything. I am having chest pain on that side and there is nothing they can do unless I show vitals that show I am actively in severe distress.
I am making the unwise choice to go home. I’d rather die at home than in this waiting room. I’m probably being dramatic, but I sincerely feel as if I am going to die. I have never been in this much pain or felt this ill.

Update: My husband came to get me. Took one look at it and said absolutely not. He has taken me to a smaller hospital. I am in the waiting room now.

Update: The provider here took a look at the progression pictures. My temp is elevated here and I am tachycardic. He is admitting me for IV antibiotics and better pain control. He also agrees this needs to be managed by a surgeon and because of the massive infection he doesn’t want to risk making it worse by cutting into me. This is a small rural hospital so they do not have surgery capabilities here, so I am being transferred (probably back to the same hospital that I left ER from) for surgery. I have both an abscess and cellulitis.