I am 40 and my cyst started about 5 years ago. For years I had no idea what it was and after a couple of episodes I went to the Docs. He sent me on my way with Antibiotics and no real explanation as to what it was.
For about 8 months it was flaring up every month and was so painful. I was referred in 2008 to a specialist who sent me away as he said he expected to see more pitting around the area and he was not keen on sending me for such evasive surgery. I had no other swelling or pain for over two years and thought it had gone until Christmas last year – bam! Back again! I went straight back to the docs who referred me again. This time the specialist referred me for surgery. I still had no information really as to what this was and thankfully found this website.
I went in for surgery on the 14th April. I went in armed with the info I had read on here. In the UK you get given your surgeon, you do not get a choice and I was concerned I’d get a rooky who had no idea what he was doing! However the consultant surgeon was great. He said that he would decide on whether to stitch or leave open when he got in there. If it was relatively clean in there and the wound not too big he would stitch but stay as far out of the midline as he could. (He did ask me if I had been reading up on the operation!) I was under for less than an hour and came round without any pain.
The surgeon said it was quite clean inside and he had removed a sinus and just one pit. So a small procedure compared to others I think. I took the pain killers for the first 5 days and had no discharge, just a bit of swelling around the stitches. I had the stitches removed yesterday and all seems to be healing well. The nurse freaked me though as she did say that the majority that she had seen stitched hadn’t healed and had to packed anyway. I was obviously lucky!
My scar is about 2 inches long and at the very top to the right of the midline. I have another week off before I go back to work and fingers crossed I will continue to heal well.
My advice for anyone is get it removed. The swelling and pain is immense and I just hope that is the last I see of this cyst.
Thanks again for all the info on the site, you have been a godsend.