Breast abscess surgery, MRSA
Scroll to the bottom for updates, because this is only one post and that’s it. Blah.
Breast abscess surgery and MRSA that has nothing to do with mastitis or lactating women! Sorry about the title, but G O O G L E likes titles. This is under the TMI category, and really only for people googling for this subject. I googled and couldn’t really find much. I had this surgery, and here’s the info I wish I would have had. Just because I’m obsessive about knowing this kind of crap beforehand.
Cut to gory details. Not for the squeamish because I’ll be blunt.
I’ve had this infection on my breast for a couple of years; it turns on and off constantly, gets going, then drains, then repeats. It’s MRSA, which is one of those antibiotic-resistant superbugs. Fortunately, my case is a lot milder than some people get. But still nasty anyway.
I’ve done every antibiotic that doesn’t require hospitalization and IV (aka no vancomyicin). That’s why I got started on Kefir, which is an old fermented drink I used to have when I lived in the former Soviet Union. Now it’s the rage in the health food community, so can be found in America. It has a lot of live cultures, and I believe is a good thing to add to your diet at anytime (and it’s delicious). But can help when you’re taking way too many antibiotics. I was worried I’d get c diff next and one superbug is enough, thanks.
By the way, just a quick note about MRSA because it’s a lot more common than people know. There are two kinds: the “old” kind, which you got in the hospital, and the “new” kind, which is CA-MRSA, or community-acquired. CA is everywhere. It’s a staph bacteria, but has grown resistant to most antibiotics. I figure I picked it up on a grocery cart, had a teeny scratch on my breast, scratched an itch and there you go. Enter CA-MRSA, welcome to my world. You can google and read lots about this bug. I’m here to talk about a very specific type of surgery….breast.
With this abscess, I’ve done mostly home care (warm compresses, tea tree oil…the one home remedy I never tried was turmeric, but I’ve done pretty much everything else; the warm compresses were actually the best treatment), although a few times saw my GP because would develop a fever. Lately, add really bad cellulitis to the mix, and that kind of scared me. It had spread to my chest (the cellulilts), and my fear was that it would spread to an organ at some point, which can be deadly. (Or septemia, which I had once from an animal attack. And that’s no good.) I’ve also sought emergency and urgent care a couple of times because the infection had flared and was entering my system.
My doctor had, the last few times, said if the antibiotics didn’t work, I’d need to see a surgeon to have it “cut out.” I *assumed* that meant an incision and drainage. What a surprise when I finally asked for a referral to a surgeon, expected to go in and have an I&D, and instead was told I needed full surgery. With general anesthesia.
I got a second opinion from a breast surgeon who is a friend of a friend, and he said the same thing. So I went with this surgeon and had the surgery a couple of days ago. Apparently the infection had spread (there was a rash that had been there too, although I didn’t realize this had to be excised as well….lots of surprises!).
I took a very heavy dose of Bactrim for two weeks, because the surgeon said he wanted no pus when he operated. Fortunately, Bactrim doesn’t upset my stomach like it does some people, so this was easy.
I googled like mad, but everything related to breast abscess seemed to be regarding lactating women who develop mastitis, then an abscess. I’m not lactating and mine had nothing to do with mastitis. The other thing I found was a type of abscess that forms in the nipple and areola. Mine was on the side of my breast and had nothing to do with my nipple or areola.
I just couldn’t find anything that fit my situation. What I wanted to know was about this type of surgery, what to expect and so on. I had to live through it to find out, hence this page in case you’re googling. Hope this page helps someone. (that’s the only reason for this post….otherwise, I’d just prefer to heal and move on with it.)
So the surgery was Monday (today is Wednesday), and pretesting had been the previous week (blood tests, health history, EKG and so on). The surgery preparation was pretty standard for outpatient surgery (though I’d been told there was a chance it would go inpatient…fortunately it did not). Lots of lying around in a bed, hooked up to monitors and an IV. Visits from nurses, more health history, the anesthesiologist visit, and so on.
Interesting that they put these things on your legs that are attached to a machine and they compress your lower legs on and off. This is to prevent blood clots, and felt like a gentle massage. Wouldn’t mind having that machine at home for every sore muscle. Another interesting device was this blanket thing, to keep you warm, that also was hooked up to a machine. It was made of that hospital paper I think, and the machine blew it up like an air mattress, with hot air. It was flexible and fit over you like a blanket. I asked them to turn it off after awhile because it made me hot. But was kind of interesting.
That lying around waiting is one of the worst parts for me, because I worry. I have an irrational fear of anesthesia, and all of the statistics in the world (how safe it is) don’t calm me. It’s like people with a severe fear of flying. You can’t talk yourself out of it.
But before you know it, I was wheeled away from my family and down the hall and woke up in recovery with an oxygen mask on. The nurse asked if I was in pain, and on a scale of one to ten, I said I was a six. BIG blast of morphine into my IV and I was back in happy land. Pain free, although my arms immediately felt like they weighed a thousand pounds.
I wanted a drink, because I’d been without since midnight the night before (it was now about 2 pm). But she said no until I was in post op. That sucked.
Eventually I woke back up in post op and had cranberry juice. I drank three! Then asked for another one, but the nurse cut me off and gave me water instead. Water was fine too. I just wanted DRINK! That rocked!
They brought my family back in and turned out my family had been out at a restaurant having lunch (lol) when the doctor came out with his report. I just had to lie in bed, and we chatted, while nurses checked on me and did their thing. At one point, my alarms went off, because my heart rate went to 48. But I have always had a very slow heart rate, and this was not a concern. If my heart hits 70, I must be running, or having a panic attack.
BTW, I did discuss my mental history with the anesthesiologist, and he said my psych meds were an extra concern. Not sure why. But I also told him I get panic attacks and take xanax (which I hate), and he said he would also take that into account. I’m not sure why it made a difference, but apparently it did.
The rest of the day is a blur of fog, from the drugs. At some point I recovered enough to leave. I don’t even remember putting my clothes on, but I did because I did not exit the hospital in a beautiful hospital gown. (Hey, and those have improved…it covered my butt and tied at the shoulders! Thank you for that, hospital gown Calvin Kleins.)
I was very sick the first night, a side effect of the anesthesia I guess. I’ve never gotten sick from anesthesia before, and I’ve been knocked out a lot (thanks to shock therapy, a back surgery, broken toe surgery and a nose job). I puked all the way home, then puked all night. That sucked big time. Couldn’t keep any food down, and now ginger ale is forever gross to me. I doubt I’ll ever drink it again.
Because of the morphine and then percocet, I had relatively little pain the first night. In between puking, I slept. I was terribly hungry, but couldn’t keep anything down.
Day two: I called the pharmacy and asked how to keep food down while taking the percocet. I definitely needed it for pain, and she suggested toast and warm tea. I was going to drink some kefir, but she thought dairy was a bad idea. The toast and tea was GOOD, but made me nauseated again. I waited until about noon before getting the courage to take percocet. Finally, I did (after some soup), and have had no big nausea problems since. The percocet really does help with the pain, even if it makes me feel heavy and loopy. I don’t like that, but it’s better than the pain, yes?
This is all leading up to what was done on my breast, and if it’s a rambling mess, sorry. I’m under the influence and my head is kind of dizzy.
The surgery turned out to be a LOT more extensive than I ever imagined. In fact, had I imagined it, I might have chickened out. I won’t sugar coat it…this is ROUGH.
And my breast looks kind of mutilated at the moment. It’s misshapen and completely black and blue. I can’t believe I wanted breast implants when I was in high school. Thank you, mother, for saying wait until I was out of high school and then you’d give them to me in college if I still wanted them. By the time that rolled around, it was no longer important to me.
The incision. Um, he basically cut my boob off and glued it back on. I’m not lying. The incision, from what I can see (and it’s hard to see with all the bruising and trying to look in the mirror when my eyes are blurry from the drugs..I used my digital camera and even that was difficult - this is an awkward part of the body) starts on one side of the breast (on the side, almost under the breast near the fold) and travels around to the other side. It’s hard to grasp, and hard for me to even picture, and it’s my breast! It’s just a huge, huge incision, so much larger than I anticipated.
The surgeon had come into the room before they took me away and drew an oval around what he planned to excise, and that was just one side of my breast. Since my family was out to lunch when he went to them to report, and he didn’t really tell me what he’d done, I found this out by surprise when I changed dressings today. (Though I had actually peeked yesterday, because I was wondering why the bandages were so extensive.)
I have an appointment with him on Friday, and will report back (on this page…I’m only making one huge-assed post and will add to it with updates, this is not a boob blog I’ve got going here) with all the medical details.
I do not know why he cut both sides of my breast. I thought it was just the one side, but I’m sure he had valid reasons. Perhaps the abscess had “tunneled” over to the other side? Apparently these abscesses grow tunnels, also called sinus tracts, and I don’t exactly understand the concept. It’s a series of tunnels between parts of the infection or something, and they have to cut ALL of those out too or the infection returns. I’ve tried to google for photographic evidence of this, but haven’t had a lot of luck. Therefore, I can’t really understand the anatomy or why the body does it. Just that the worse and more deep the tunnels, the worse the surgery.
Truth is, I should have had this surgery a long time ago, but I just did not know. And to be fair, I didn’t complain much to my GP, so she did not know how often it flared up and just what a pain in the breast it had become. Live and learn the hard way I guess.
Time out for a service announcement: the doctor’s office just called to report that they sent the infection off to pathology (which I had known they would…standard). For a second she scared me…was this to tell me I had a surprise cancer hidden in all this shit? No, it was all benign, as they were sure it would be. That’s the first time any doctor’s office has called to tell me something was negative. Usually they call with bad news.
Crap, now I’m nauseated again. I guess it’s the percocet. It helps with the pain, but man the side effects aren’t so good. How do people abuse this stuff??? It’s terrible! It’s so sucky that I ALMOST put up with the pain over the icky feelings.
And I think it’s put me on an emotional roller coaster. I just start sobbing out of the blue. Sometimes it’s from the horrible pain, and sometimes just because poor me. It’s just hideous. Even one of my sweet cats came and licked away my tears…how adorable could that be? Bless her heart. She’s deaf and yet she could “hear” me sobbing. My other cat cuddled up close and kept me warm….he’s always a caring cat, but the other kitty is such a goof, I didn’t know she’d be so sensitive. This is why I love animals.
My family has been great too and they feel bad there’s nothing they can do to make me stop crying. then of course I feel bad they feel bad and it’s just a circle of bad.
I’ve never done well when I’m sick….I just don’t like it and I don’t like being needy, but I am right now. I so rarely get “sick.” (Depressed, yes, sickish, no. Now I’m sickish.)
I also don’t like the fact that I’m blogging here while drunk on drugs. I feel like an idiot.
Back to the breast. It hurts. This hurts more than anything ever has. I think it hurts worse than a migraine or an abscessed tooth, and I thought those were the worst pains possible. At times it’s a burning pain, like I’m on fire. Other times, it’s a deep, hard pain. Hard to describe.
It’s also possible that by operating on the breast, he removed some milk ducts or something and this has stirred up the hormones. I’m just pulling that out of my ass, but it’s possible. You can’t cut into the breast without messing with the milk ducts, or maybe he removed some of those just so I’d never have problems with them (as long as he was in there…he *is* a breast specialist) since I don’t need the milk. Again, just speculation.
I’m not trying to scare anyone away from this kind of surgery if it’s necessary. I think for some reason, my surgery was MUCH more extensive than the norm….the infection must have been a lot bigger than I knew. Or he knew. He had been honest that he would not know exactly what he would do until he opened it all up. And I did tell him to worry less about the appearance in favor of getting every bit of infection. (He had been concerned about “deformity.” This feels like I could look like some old mammy with a bad cut up boob, but who knows. I care less about that and more about not having a repeat. Infections return, and i want no part of that!)
I do NOT have packing or a wound vac. If I had stitches, I suppose I’d have about 12,000, but I have none.
I was instructed to remove the bandages today and replace with gauze and tape. This was painful, and it was awkward and I worried I didn’t wash my hands well enough. Obviously, INFECTION SCARES ME.
Now I’m trying a 7 Up to see if that settles my stomach. Let’s hope so. I feel like shit.
This is really all I have to say for now. I do realize it’s a disjointed, somewhat incoherent mess. I won’t go back and edit later because I just like to say what I think and not change it. That means leaving typos where they are. It’s the best thing about blogging, not having to write with thought and precision for a change. (Since I write for a living and THEN I have to write with more care. This is sloppy and it’s how I like it.)
I’ll add updates I suppose, particularly after I get the details from the doc. I’m anxious to know why this is so much bigger than I anticipated. I thought four to five inches; instead it’s more like five miles. That’s how it feels.
Update 1, Thursday (surgery was Monday): Now I’m ready to die of mortification. I just said, to one of my family members who was in the room with me at the hospital, that I do not remember getting dressed. I was just told that I put my pants on, and my underwear ON TOP OF MY PANTS. Yeah, the family thinks that’s hilarious. I suppose it is, but I’m dying here. I just remember tiny bits at the hospital, and I do not remember this, thank God.
Nothing else is really new, except that last night I ate some meat and it really helped me. This may have just convinced me to give up any plan of going 100 percent vegetarian. I still have nausea that comes and goes, although I haven’t vomited lately. I get VERY hungry (because I basically have not eaten a full meal for four days) and then start to eat some soup and maybe a sandwich, take two bites, and I’m full. Yet still hungry. It makes no sense, but that’s how it is. Hungry yet not hungry. I *have* to eat something before I take the pain meds or I’ll get sick.
So last night, the family went out to a steakhouse and I told them to bring me back a steak dinner, or maybe a surf and turf. They brought me a filet mignon with a baked potato, and that steak was like butter. It was so good, and I just ate and ate. I ended up eating about a third of the steak and part of the potato, plus some vegetables and a roll. And after I ate, I felt SO GOOD. Really, really good. I needed some food for crying out loud.
So now, DH is gonna come home and stop at the diner and get me an open-faced roast beef sandwich (that comes with potatoes and all smothered in gravy….hotcha!) This is the new plan, that I need MEAT. I still have steak from last night, too.
I was nauseated most of yesterday (until I ate the steak) and nursed a room-temp 7 up straight from the bottle, all day long. It really helped big time! I usually drink so much water throughout the day. Big water drinker. I haven’t drank any water at all, other than water I get in tea. I had a little coffee this morning, which was good. But I need to start drinking water again…a person needs water.
I think I’ll go nibble on crackers and 7up and watch a little TV. The truth is, I’m *most* comfortable sitting straight up in this computer chair. Lying in the bed is terribly uncomfortable, and last night I had to take an extra xanax just to sleep. But sleep I did…til noon. Geesh. That’s good, though. My body is healing. I can feel it.
Update 2: Everything went to hell last night. What had been a normal amount of drainage turned into a gusher and it scared the crap out of me. I ruined a brand new shirt (though have hosed it down with Shout, so hoping that removes it). I’ll survive if it’s stained up - it’s a big, loose seersucker man shirt that buttons up the front. I bought it special for the surgery because someone said you need shirts that close in front. (Hard to raise your arm) It will be a loose and comfy gardening shirt either way.
I went through all the gauze I had, and those pieces were just getting soaked. This was about midnight, and i knew I had an appointment today. It didn’t seem that it was enough to warrant an emergency call, but did concern me. And then during the night, my shirt became my gauze and I had one big mess this morning. Plus woke up in EXTREME friggin pain. I almost could not get out of bed.
But I did, and I made it to the doctor’s office, and turns out I BUSTED OPEN the most severe of the incisions. The big deep thick one where the original abscess lived.
This kind of thing happens, but the doc felt badly about it. Not his fault. Shit happens. And it was just on the edge of getting infected. Screw me! By the time I got into the exam room, the pink drainage had turned icky green. That’s not good.
But all is right now…he brought in two more people and they stood at the end of the table looking at my boob, trying to decide what to put on it. The choices were regular gauze, vaseline gauze (?) or AquaCell, which I’d heard of. They went with regular gauze and even gave me a nice thick stash of it.
That AquaCell is kind of interesting, with gooey stuff and antimicrobials (and apparently silver, which is either healing or fights germs). But man, when I googled it, it was 8 dollars for a piece 2 inches by 2 inches.
I’m afraid I’d be spending thousands of dollars the way this thing is going.
I do feel better; the nurse did a very nice, tight bandage job. I wish I could get a home nurse to just do this for me but since I have no packing or wound vac, I guess it’s not part of the program. (Wound care…that’s just so hideous to even contemplate. In a million years, I never anticipated something like this.)
I really, really love this doctor. He calls me honey and sweetie, and I like that (I know some wouldn’t, but I do), and he’s funny and tender. He asked about my educational background at an earlier appointment, and I mentioned the Russian, so now he has me sing Katyusha, my favorite Russian folksong. That’s kooky, but fun, and it distracts me big time.
About all the surprise incisions: oh hell, there was just infection everywhere I guess. Tunneling and infection. That is so foul and I’m so glad to HAVE IT OUT OF THERE. Gads.
I also asked for (and got) another load of percocet. I think this is the first time ever that I’ve asked for more of that crap. The pain has to be BAD for me to dope up on that stuff…I loathe the way it makes me feel. Drunk and nauseated. To each his own, I guess.
July 9th, 2009 at 11:02 am
This is EXACTLY the type of surgery I am scheduled for next week. Thank you muchly for the information about it. I cannot find anything that isn’t about lacation like you said. Could you email me when you write your next update because I want to know as much as I can before going under the knife.
Thank you.
Cici
July 9th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I’m so glad this could help someone. That’s the only reason I posted; otherwise, it’s kind of personal info that I could do without making public. Check back tomorrow in the evening perhaps. My doctor appointment is in the morning, and hopefully I will have what I need to know: precisely, why the heck is my boob shredded? As my head becomes clearer, it’s starting to dawn on me that I really got the crap cut out of me. This is an excellent doctor, so I know it’s for a reason. I just want to know what that reason is. My one complaint: it would have helped to have been told this was a lot more extensive than anticipated so that when I looked under the bandages, I wouldn’t have been so stunned. Originally, I was thinking all the extra pain in other areas was some kind of phantom pain. Guess not.
Good luck with YOUR surgery. I hope you’ll post back and let me know how it goes, and if you just need a place to kvetch, have at it.
July 21st, 2009 at 12:27 am
Well, you’re right…this is the only site I have found that deals with abscesses without lactation! I had a similar surgery almost exactly a year ago, except my wound was deep and small and required packing. It has almost healed, except for a small tunnel which keeps healing over, building up pressure (EXTREME pain there!) and then opening again. I have all the doctors here stumped, and we are trying one last ditch effort…bromocriptine to see if that stops the drainage. I feel your pain (bad pun!) about not knowing the extent of the surgery….I was told it would be a small incision right below the nipple that would heal in 2-3 weeks! Imagine my surprise when the home nurse took off the bandage the first time and changed the packing! It was about 2 inches deep and 3 inches wide….the scar is much better than I had thought, I just wish it would heal over already! Although today is my first day in a year that I haven’t had a bandage over it!
Good luck to you both…I hope your healing goes better & quicker than miine has!
July 21st, 2009 at 11:43 pm
Oh holy cow! A year??? It’s been just over two weeks and I’m so sick of bandages I could scream. I’m actually using a maxipad to hold the gauzes in place. That’s what the thing the nurse used looked like, so I sent my husband out for a box. LOL. Haven’t used those since junior high! But I’ll tell you, it fits nicely under my breast, holds the gauze in place and offers some good padding.
I hope that new medication works for you. I’m about at the end of my Bactrim, and hopefully I’ll be done with it. But it’s still draining more than I expected.
If some lost soul wandered onto this thread, they’d run screaming. I really feel like going through this has toughened me up.
July 31st, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Yep, just over a year now…but it’s acting nice now! We’re almost there but it’s been a long year, and the scar is actually much better than I thought it would be! Here’s hoping yours heals MUCH faster and with less problems than I’ve had with mine…I’m sure it will! Looking back, I still would have done it even with the frustration afterwards. It just makes you change your outlook and priorities a bit, especially when you don’t really know what you’re dealing with and some doctors scare the daylights out of you with scary scenarios. We’re still searching for answers…I had everything from mastitis to inflammatory breast cancer given to me as possibilities, none of which have been correct, so the investigation continues! I agree, if anyone stumbles across this thread they’ll think twice before going ahead with the surgery, but after all is said & done it’s worth the price.
Take the advice of someone who’s been there, though….if at any time you feel like it’s just not healing properly, ASK QUESTIONS!!! My experience with this whole thing has been that most doctors won’t tell you anything unless you ask them, and nothing will get done unless you become a nag! Thank goodness for my wound-care nurses…they’ve been a much bigger help to me than any of the doctors I’ve seen!
August 2nd, 2009 at 10:21 pm
You have such a wonderful sense of humor. And your kitty that licked your tears away really didn’t hear you sobbing. I believe there’s a different communication we share with our animals. Kitty felt your pain in an extradorinary way and wanted to help you.
I haven’t been diagnosed with MRSA as of tonight, but I have googled myself to death for several days because of sores on my left shoulder, on my chin and under my right arm. Several in each place and seems that new ones pop up daily and none ever or seldom heal. Your explaination of tunneling may explain this. They all remain open and will not heal, so I made an appointmnt with a dermatoligist, who could not see me til September end. Now, tonight I am googling because I have what seems to be an abscess on the right side of my breast. It started just like the others, a tiny pimple. They soon became larger and larger with the pus and drainage.
My husband pulled out a BB sized nodule from one on my neck and it is still draining, (gross) as are most of the others. This one on my neck is hurting now. They have been there over 6 weeks. I can’t count the boxes of bandaids I have been thru. Some of the erruptions have come and gone before this situation.
Now with the breast thingy. It aches, it has not opened since I washed the white pinhead off and placed a bandage on it. This was just yesterday. Today there is a lump. The red area is larger than a 1/2 dollar. I really don’t want to wait til Sept. Do you think I should call my family doctor for immediate attention. I can hardly lower my arm, and I feel the throb with each step, so I walk lightly. God, I am scarred. My first and only grandson just turned 2 yrs old. He was born on my B’day. I love him so much but I don’t want to get him sick with the bacteria crap. I feel like a leapar tonight, almost considering the emergency room.
I have been sick since a severe bout of hives and joint pain in my knees and ankles so bad I could not walk for several days. This was several years ago. I have been tired, depresses, anixity, back aches, headaches, ulcers, erroded esophagas and surgery last year for stomach problems. I fear that damn MRSA is inside my stomach and guts. I have the pictures Dr took during the endoscopy. They look just like MRSA but inside the body, and my freaking back and neck is killing me right now. Even though I have Hydrocodone.
I did find that MRSA can migrate to the spine or lungs. I have had to do my own diagonoses for everything I have ever had except the cervical cancer. I was a nursing student, but the shit out there killing people scares me to death, so I threw in the towel, disolusioned with the medical profession or rather the insurance companies as well.
I think I will contact the CDC with my question, and if I have to create a hypothesis, I will try. I sick and tired of being sick and tired, and now this skin problem which may be MRSA and could have existed for a long time, but overlooked by Drs. Again I am dissolutioned. My question for you is have you had any similar experiences I have outlined above. I know you have panic attacks, I do and we both take Xanex. I love it I have been on it since it came out. It replaced my valium. I hope you are much better and would like to keep in touch.
Marilynn
August 5th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Hi Marilynn,
If you haven’t yet gone to your family doctor, you might want to go ahead. S/he can lance it if it’s ready and not draining…I’ve never actually had a lancing but I’ve heard they’re not fun. However, once it starts draining, it’s so much better.
With your grandson (and your husband and anyone else) WASH YOUR HANDS a lot. I know what you mean about feeling like a leper and not wanting others to catch it…I’ve worried so about that, but nobody has caught it from me.
Have you visited the MRSA forums? Google for MRSA forums, and you’ll find them. They have Cleaning 101 tips to learn how to keep it from spreading to others, or to keep from giving it back to yourself. Once it’s around, it’s hard to get rid of it.
I’m glad you’ve got your appointment with a dermatologist; I think they know a lot, as do infectious disease specialists. To be honest, I don’t think the rest of the medical world has gotten the news.
I think if I’d had this taken care of surgically a few years ago, the surgery wouldn’t have been so extensive. I’m not blaming my GP, because they can’t know everything. But I wish the CDC would put out a bulletin to every MD in the US and tell them what to look for, and tell them not to mess around with it. I also have to share responsibility, because *I* didn’t complain enough and tended to do home care most of the time. I only know this with hindsight…if only. But it is what it is.
On your stomach problems, were you given a diagnosis? I’m kind of a fan of kefir, which is sort of a probiotics yogurt on steroids. It’s not exactly yogurt - it’s an ancient beverage made of fermented grain that has become the rage among health food folks. I just always thought it was good tasting, but now turns out there are a lot of health benefits to it. I’ve discovered a store that carries it, so I drink it daily. The bacteria it contains can help keep your stomach flora in better balance, sort of like the Activia yogurt…but more powerful.
If you go to http://www.lifeway.net, they did have a coupon for a free one if you can find it. (I’m not associated with the company, but I do like free things and I like kefir.)
So that might be something that could help your intestinal tract.
I’m sorry you’re going through all of this….it’s really hell.
Juli
August 5th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
You probably already do this, but everyone should know this: anytime you touch a wound, wash your hands before AND after. And your spouse should too. Hand washing…..so much of the spread of MRSA could be slowed down if health professionals washed their hands more often.
When I went to urgent care (before I saw the surgeons), the doctor there gave me the antibacterial squirt stuff for my hands after I touched my breast to show her the area. I told her how great that was! In all my years of dealing with this, no health professional ever did that.
Those MRSA folks use Hibiclens a lot, too.
August 6th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
I am going through this right now. Will try to post my horror story tonight. For now it is my 3rd or is it 4th trip back to the hospital for surgery tomorrow at 8:30.
Doc intends to put a tube in my current incisions (which are at 12o’clock and 6′oclock). I will have to walk around with this thing in me for weeks.
Wish me luck ladies! Joanne
August 6th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Geez, I had no idea there were so many of us. Good luck, Joanne! Let us know how you’re doing, okay?
My surgeon, before I had the surgery, was kidding around with me and said “Or if you want, you can have a mastectomy and keep the infection.” We both laughed, but sometimes I wonder if it wouldn’t have been easier. (No offense to women who have endured that.)
August 7th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Hi Julie. I was sooo thrilled to find this blog.
My surgery was postponed (go figure) until 2:30 today.
Will keep you posted. I may just type my little fingers off when I get home this evening with my percocet!!!
I have an odd bacteria festering in LT. It is called seratia marcesens. It is usually found in tile and grout? I said when this all started that I would be the next episode of House! I guess I wasn’t far off.
My doc has suggested as a last resort surgery to remove all of the milk glands. They remove the nipple and try…and I emphasize TRY to put it back correctly. The thing is he is this regions top breast surgeon and he has only done it 8 times in his career! Has anyone on here gone through that type of surgery? My doc actually asked me this am if anyone on the blog had the surgery. He really doesn’t want to do it. So for now, we are just going to remove all of the lovely green ECTO-COOLER from my poor boobie.
My doc has frankly said to me that this is more of a pain in the arse than breast cancer. He said that at least with cancer you cut it out and it’s gone!
Until I come back all “packed” up…………Everyone hang in there!
Joanne
August 7th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Wow, Joanne, this is mind blowing. By now you’ve had your surgery and are probably all conked out. Hope you’re doing okay! Is this that bacteria that is lime green?
My nipple has been very sore since the surgery, but he didn’t cut on it. I have no idea why it’s sore. Maybe got stepped on in the rush. haha.
I had a major tooth extraction today, can you believe that? It’s a shame. Was a good tooth, had already been root canaled and had a nice porcelain crown, so was about a two-grand tooth. I had it done at an oral surgeon’s office and it was awful. Used some kind of saw thing I think, then drilled on it, then pulled it. I must have had 100 shots.
My dentist said probably the abscess there had been there for awhile, and being on so many antibiotics had held it at bay. Then when I *finally* went off antibiotics about two weeks ago, it went insane. My face was swollen. But it’s fixed now and the numbing is wearing off.
I just think until you live with these infections, nobody has any idea of how torturous they are. And I really think they wear down your immune system big time.
You’ll all appreciate this, though. I had explained to the oral surgeon about the breast surgery, then he was telling his nurses and one of the nurses goes “Are you lactating?”
LOL, I said no, it’s not related to lactation at all….it’s new. (haha)
Another thing, do you all get the sad look when you mention you had breast surgery? Everyone immediately assumes you have cancer. This whole thing has given me a new awareness about breast cancer; just the looks you get from people, the pity, etc. I don’t like it.
And I’m really quick to say IT’S NOT CANCER; THEY NEVER THOUGHT IT WAS CANCER. Then I’m filled with guilt over our sisters who DO have breast cancer, like I’m pushing people away and screaming I DONT HAVE CANCER, SHUT UP.
Anyone else feel like that? There’s really a lot of emotion involved with breast surgery, even when it’s “just” infection.
I need to get to my shrink and talk this stuff out. I’m very emotional about it all.
August 10th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
I CAN NOT BELIEVE I FOUND THIS SITE. I HAVE HAD THE SURGERY ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2008. I HAD AN INFECTION UNDER MY NIPPLE THAT WOULD NOT GO AWAY. WAS ON AN ANTIBIOTIC FROM JUNE 27TH UNTIL SURGERY. DOCTOR SAID THE ONLY WAY TO GET RID OF INFECTION WAS TO CUT IT OUT. SO ON SEPTEMBER 4TH HE DID. I HAD ALOT OF PACKING FOR ABOUT A MONTH ALTOGETHER. TOOK A LONG TIME TO HEAL ALL THE WAY. I THOUGHT IT WAS FINALLY OVER, BUT ON FEB. 14 IT WAS BACK. DOCTOR PUT ME ON AN ANTIBOITIC AGAIN. I WAS ON IT FOR 10 DAYS AND WENT BACK FOR MY APT. HE THEN SAID HE WAS GOING TO TRY A LOW DOSE OF ANTIBOITIC FOR 6 MONTHS. WELL I’M ON MONTH 5 AND MISSED 4 DAYS OF PILLS AND IT IS BACK. I AM SO SICK OF THIS SHIT. HE SAID OH JUST TAKE 3 PILLS A DAY FOR THE NEXT 10 DAYS INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL ONE PILL A DAY AND CALL AFTER 10 DAYS IF YOU STILL HAVE PAIN. I AM IN SHOCK!! I ONLY HAVE 2 WEEKS LEFT ON MY PILLS AND IT AIN’T GOING AWAY NOW OR IN 2 WEEKS. MY BREAST IS NOT NEARLY AS SORE AS MY SHOULDER, MY BACK AND MY WHOLE RIGHT ARM. I AM IN SOME SERIOUS PAIN. I WENT TO MY REGULAR DOCTOR TODAY AND TOLD MY STORY AND ASKED IF MY TREATMENT WAS NORMAL. SHE SAID NO WAY NOBODY SHOULD EVER BE ON ANTIBIOTICS THIS LONG. MY STOMACH IS A MESS AND HAVE HAD YEAST INFECTIONS ALSO. SO THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON OVER A YEAR. SHE IS GOING TO SET ME UP WITH A NEW DOCTOR TOMMOROW. I CAN NOT WAIT. IT IS REALLY AFFECTING MY WORK. PLEASE KEEP UP YOUR STORIES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER A YEAR I DONT FEEL ALONE ON THIS.
August 11th, 2009 at 7:39 am
Tina, I am just post-op but just from another incision and drainage. For the first time I feel like there are no more festering pockets in my breast! I hope so. Julie is the bomb for posting this. I think we will find more and more people as time goes on that are going through this. It sucks! I have to say that if you have an infection for that long, you might want to see a doc that specializes in infectious diseases. A friend of mine that is a PhD, Nurse Practitioner recommended that and I think it is a great idea. During my last visit to the Emergency Room (last week) the ER doc suggested calling in ID. The surgeons quickly put a big kabosh on that! I do have to say though that for the first time in a year I feel a bit better. Hang in there. Sounds like you need to change docs, though!
Joanne
What surgery did you have?
August 11th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Hi gals…you probably won’t believe this, but it helps immensely! I’ve been doing this for a week now and have already noticed a HUGE difference in the MSRA infection without any antibiotics(I’ve had enough with them, and I’m sure you all have as well!)
Simple turmeric….yes, the spice! I came across is on another website and thought “what the heck”…and it does wonders! Not completely gone, mind you, but this is the first time in over a year that my breast wound is actually fully closed! And no pain or pressure! AND NO DRAINING! The saving grace for me was a referral to another (woman) doctor who suggested I google homeopathic remedies, as she basically told me that she has dozens of patients with the same problem and has had them for a number of years. It’s just something we have to deal with, I guess. But this stuff seems to be working for me - I bought a large bag and just put a teaspoon in hot water 3 times a day and drink it. It’s really not great, but someone told me to mix in a bit of chicken broth and make it a soup instead of a tea…will try that today to see if it makes it a bit more tasty, but I am definitely keeping up with it…last ditch effort!!! I’d love to hear if this works for anyone else here though, if any of you are willing to try it…or if it’s just my mind wishing it to be so!
Good luck to you all & hope you’re feeling better really soon! Chins up!:-)
Laura
August 11th, 2009 at 8:14 am
By the way, Tina…it sounds like your surgery was exactly the same as mine was - large, deep abscess right under my left nipple for which I’ve had 2 surgeries 3 months apart. I remember changing the packing….I felt like one of those clowns that do the never-ending-hankerchief-pulling-out-of-the-pocket bit!
August 11th, 2009 at 10:16 am
I have fresh new packing in me that has to come out in a few days. Last time I had to take it out it was never-ending. It also hurt like hell. Not looking forward to removing this crap again!
August 11th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
I’m so amazed there are so many of us. I really did not expect this big of a response.
I have to agree with the idea of an infectious disease doc…they seem to be on top of the MRSA issue and know more than any other doc.
Laura, turmeric is about the only thing I DIDN’T try. I’ve heard so much good about it, and I definitely think it’s worth trying.
I also tried tea tree oil, and I don’t know if it helped or not. It sure felt and smelled good. LOL. Smells kind of like Pine Sol. I know most people hate that smell - and it’s STRONG. I happen to love the smell.
But one of the doctors I saw said it was too caustic to use on an open wound…I’m not sure, but it did not cure my infection. Still, it’s another thing in the arsenal to try.
I don’t know if I mentioned this or not, but I’ll mention now and again because it might help someone. When the nurse changed my bandages, she really had my breast wrapped nicely, giving it some good support. There was the gauze, yes, but over that, the bandage she used look like a kotex. It wasn’t, but it made me wonder, so I sent my husband out for a box. I’m on my SECOND box of them….I know it sounds weird, and I’m sure looks even weirder, walking around with a Kotex boob. But it’s been a real lifesaver. I can put the pieces of gauze where they need to be, then over that, I use paper tape and the kotex (the kind without wings is better). I bandage it up tight, and it holds the gauze in place. It also adds some nice padding to make the area feel better.
The kotex aren’t sterile, but your gauze is, so if you’re having bandage problems, consider a box of kotex. LOL.
Here’s to everyone feeling better. What a club we’ve got going.
Juli
August 11th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
i have an appointment with a new doctor on friday. i can’t wait. did any of you have a previous surgery? i had a breast reduction one year before my infection, but they say it is not related. also do any of you have pain in your arm, shoulder, or your neck? i can’t tell you how relieved i am to have you all to talk to. packing gets better after a week or so,hang in their. i would like to see someone in ID but will see this new surgen first.
August 11th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Mine was not from a previous surgery, but most likely was from a nipple piercing (was young and stupid once…now I’m not so young!) Not knowing I was an MSRA carrier at the time, the new doc figures the constant openness allowed the initial infection to happen deep within the breast, which then abscessed. The first surgery removed the abscess, but then the MSRA blew up and the rest is history. I’ve actually just been officially diagnosed as MSRA after basically a year trying out every type of antibiotic out there and going through about 4 doctors, all of whom were stumped. And the last one that gave up was talking about yet ANOTHER surgery….no thank you!
I’m so glad to have found you ladies…it’s truly nice to know others in the same boat. I wish we weren’t, but misery loes company, and hopefully we can help each other get through all this!
August 11th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Oh yeah…and I packed from the first surgery last July until about Febrary this year, so a loooooong 7 months. If I never see another strip of wound packing or
I-gel, it’ll be too soon!
August 13th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Joanne, how ya doin?
Here’s to healthy boobs for all of us!
September 3rd, 2009 at 8:39 am
Hey Juli, been a little crazy at work. Was doing ok and then Tuesday morning. Voila! More green slime. I will hopefully write a bit more on a few things I found out recently.
How are you doing?
September 3rd, 2009 at 11:52 am
Hello again ladies, Yesterday I had the surgery for the abscess on my right breast. After a month of antibotics and totally sick (nausea) I now have several stitches and feel sooo much better. The results should be back next week to let me know if it is in fact MRSA. But both of the Doctors, surgeon and PCP think it most certainly is. The abscess never opened up on my breast, but had several others that did on my neck and back. I do have a question for you ladies who have gone thru this and in fact have MRSA. Did anyone get so sick and throwing up and feel lathargic. I’m thinking my body was having a hard time fighting off the MRSA and made me tired, but what abt the sickness? Maybe it was in fact the antibotics, but never had a problem with them before. Any comments would be appreciated.
September 3rd, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Oh and Thanks Julie for the info. I haven’t found Hibiclens in any store though. I’ll try online like with the Kiefer. If the results come back as MRSA, does my name get put on some kinda of register like Aids victims. I have also read somewhere that more people die yearly from MRSA than patients with Aids. Oh MY
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May 10th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
IM AM SO GLAD TO SEE A NEW POSTING. I HAD ANOTHER SURGERY IN DECEMBER UNDER A DIFFERENT DOCTORS CARE. BUT IN FEB. BANG IT WAS BACK. DOCTORS SAY NOW MY ONLY OPTION IS TO HAVE MY NIPPLE REMOVED. I AM VERY FREAKED OUT ABOUT IT. EVERYTIME I TRY TO SCHEDULE THE APT. I GET SICK TO MY STOMACH. MY INFECTION IS ON AGAIN OFF AGAIN. I AM NOT ON ANY MEDS ANYMORE JUST PUT UP WITH IT. I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT IT SPREADING BUT IT HAS NOT FLAIRED UP IN AWHILE BUT I CAN FEEL IT AND I KNOW ITS THEIR. IT IS ABOUT EVERY THREE WEEKS OR SO, IT FILLS UP THEN DRAINS AND LOOKS HEALED. BUT IT KEEPS COMING BACK. PLEASE KEEP POSTING, I THINK IM HOLDING OUT JUST INCASE THEY FIND A WAY TO FIX THIS. BUT TWO SURGERYS LATER AND ITS STILL THEIR. TAKE CARE ,TINA
May 11th, 2010 at 7:54 am
Tina, e-mail me at jnord@prisearch.com. Don’t do that surgery! Send me a phone number to contact you or I will send you my number. It took a lot of work, but I avoided having my nipple removed.
May 23rd, 2010 at 7:15 pm
I just started dealing with this a little over three weeks ago. I walked into a door jamb the week of April 25, and a few days later I noticed pain and swelling. Initially I was a wreck. Everything went through my minds. I was subscribed anitibiotics. When it didn’t get better in two weeks, the dosage was increased. I now see a large bump that resembes a pimple above my nipple. I am assuming I will get some drainage. I have another appointment tomorrow. I pray that this is the end of this for me!
May 23rd, 2010 at 7:20 pm
I forgot to mention that it is my left breast and that I have had two FNAs to obtain cultures. That certainly wasn’t fun. I dropped my most recent cultures off Friday. The previous culture came back negative at 24, 48, and 72 hours, but the fact that it had not drained on Friday has my doctor baffled, so he did another FNA. Ouch!! I have noticed that my breast is getting softer and doesn’t hurt as much. The size difference between the two is not as noticeable as before either. I am a DDD so this is defintely not fun. I complained about my breast size in the past and always wanted a breast reduction. Now I just want this infection to go away! I will not complain about my breasts again!
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June 29th, 2010 at 2:21 am
Amazing..Gads…i looked and looked and looked and finally found this site. THANK you so0o0o much. I have a huge abscess UNDER my left breast, went to ER..drained, packed, back, drained, packed..2 more times and finally sent to the surgeon who removed the infection and now, 3 weeks later, its all back again. GADS..I am over this but what can one do ? If not for all of your storys, I think something or someone would have to die and will they please stop telling me that i must wear a bra when it hurts as much as it does..( grumble ) I see the surgeon again in a few days to see what she suggest’s this time. Will let you all know.
July 3rd, 2010 at 10:28 am
I’m so glad to find this site. Thank you all so much.
In 3 months, I’ve gone thru 3 draining procedures in my right breast. Infection is just not going away. 50% of my breast has become so hard. Biopsy report says “acute on chronic suppurative inflammation”.
I’ve a few questions - I could see in this mailing list that some of you have gone thru multiple draining procedures.
1) Finally, how did you get cured completely ?
2) Did you go thru any other surgery to get cured completely ?
3) What kind of antibiotics have you tried ? For how long ? I’ve taken Augmentin 625 - 3 courses, Augmentin 1000 - 1 course, Levoday - 2 courses.
4) Laura suggested to try turmeric. Can you please tell me clearly how did you take turmeric ? Was it turmeric powder ?
August 6th, 2010 at 1:30 pm
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August 17th, 2010 at 6:28 pm
I have abscess in both breasts. Due to having my nipples pierced in March of this year. The abscess in my right breast showed up in May as a pea sized lump. By the middle of June it was almost the whole right side of my breast . By this time I had an odd sized lump in my left breast just above my nipple. In June I had gone to my pcp and she put me on cipro for 10 days and said oh it’s mastitis. I removed my nipple rings and proceeded to take the antibiotic. By 9 days of taking the cipro I was not getting any better. In fact it was much worse. So I went to the hospital. They change my antibiotic to clindamycin for 10 days. Said it was an abscess and that I needed to see a breast surgeon. They instructed me to call my pcp in 2 days. 2 days later and I still wasn’t any better. When I called my doctor’s office the receptionist passed me off to the nurse on duty and I explained to her what was going on and the the hospital said that I needed them to help me set up an appointment with the breast surgeon. The nurse says to me “Why would they tell you that” UgHHH!!! That infuriated me. I told the nurse that I have abscesses and that I was told by the ER that it could get back real quick if not taking care of. Well needless to say I have not been back to my pcp. I actually went back to the ER and they helped me get to the breast surgeon. They aspirated both abscesses and then incised them. I have been packing them for some time up until recently. They are both healing over but the left one is red again and swollen up like golf ball. I have an appointment next tuesday but don’t think it can wait. I am beginning to feel like a bother. It’s just not getting any better. The breast surgeon has said that we are headed to surgery. But every time I go to my appointment he says lets just wait another week. I am sooooo over this. Not sure what I can say to the breast surgeon to get him to finally just take me into the OR and get this done with. At least I am hoping that surgery would end this. And yes lesson learned…………NO NIPPLE PIERCINGS!!