Lancing (Incision and drainage)

[miaukumi]

Hi!

I've seen posts of people speaking about their lancing experience and about how quickly it healed, with no daily packings or anything.

This left me a bit confused as I had an abscess lanced 3 years ago in my home country and it took almost 2 months to heal, during this time I couldn't seat or walk properly and my wound was packed with gauze for it to heal from the inside to the outside.

I had to see a nurse every day, for about 7 weeks, to get my wound cleaned and my packing changed.

I moved to the UK after that, and had a reocurrence, and was told by the NHS doctor that lancing an abscess would be the same process, which sounds terrifying and it's something that I certainly don't wanna go through again Luckily that one drained by itself!

I was wondering if this is the standard procedure for draining an abscess, and if there's any other less traumatising options for it? Either on the NHS or privately.

I was wondering if any of you had to go through the same thing. Or if you got a different procedure done. And how much time it took to heal.

Basically just asking for your experience with the lancing of an abscess.

Reading your stories it seems like my lancing was pretty similar to an excision surgery! And most people seemed to have quite a simple lancing. So I wonder how it was done

Thank you!

 

[HappyPhantom]

Hi there! Let me see if I can help by describing my own lancing/draining experiences. I’m in the US, so there might be some differences, but with that said, here’s how it went for me.

I have never had an open excision procedure, I have only had lancings/drainage for the abscess. From my basic understanding of it - and I could be mistaken here - with the open excision, the cyst itself, as well as surrounding tissue and tracts, are cut out. Therefore, the hole left behind is much larger and requires packing and healing from the inside out.

With lancing, the cyst cut open so that the infection can be drained, but the cyst itself is left intact. In that sense, it’s much more of a temporary solution, and less invasive. However there are some similarities that make it very understandable as to why it gets really confusing.

The draining cyst is packed with material (in my case, iodine-treated gauze ribbon) that is meant to hold the cyst open so that it can heal from the inside out (much like open-exicision when the cavity needs to remain open for healing). This is because the cyst could close up at the surface and the fluid could build up again.

Because of the smaller opening that results from a lancing, the gauze packing and healing time is generally shorter and less intense. In my case, my cyst was 3cm - and the packing/healing process took about two months in total. (2 weeks for packing, the rest for full healing).

Again, this is a temporary solution, so it’s common for a cyst to flare up and require future lancings. Sometimes it drains on its own, sometimes not. With excision, the cyst is removed and thus, the hope is that there are no further issues, even after the long packing and healing, bc the cyst has been physically removed.

As far as lancing goes, I think there’s a lot of variety based on the size of the cyst and the amount of fluid that has built up from the abscess. So yes, for some people it’s pretty minor; in my case, I would consider it moderate simply based on the size and severity - and it sounds like yours was, too.

With open-excision, there is extensive packing/changing, and in some cases a wound vac, and the healing procedure can be 6,9, 12 months and beyond. But I do think all of this can vary based on the size of cyst and tracts - so it’s plausible that open excision on a recent, very small cyst could be quicker and more manageable than healing/packing of a lance/draining of a very large cyst that’s deeply infected, and vice-versa.

My lancings were done after some pretty big injections of lidocaine/analgesic to dull the pain and then high-strength ibuprofen (or painkillers, which I didn’t take) and antibiotics were prescribed for home use.

I had to go back 3 times in 2 weeks to have it inspected, cleaned, and repacked. I was given lots of instructions for home care, but I was told to leave the packing in and allow the doctor to do it for me on my return visits. Once he was satisfied with the progress, the packing was left out and the remainder of the healing took place on its own, along with self-care at home for washing, etc.

All the while, it was really uncomfortable to sit or move normally, which did improve with each passing day. The area was very tender and frankly, I was afraid of it for weeks, moving rather gingerly in general.

I’d say I’ve had an abscess drained about five times overall in the past two decades, they all have been the same style of procedure and after care. Not fun. Other times, it drains on its own and does not go into abscess mode.


In any case, this condition totally sucks and my heart goes out to any fellow sufferer. I’m waiting for laser ablation procedure to become available within a reasonable traveling distance - as soon as it does, I’m there with bells on.

I hope this has been helpful!

 

[Tracini]

I unfortunately was in Egypt when I got my first abscess, I have never known pain like it! Ended up having emergency drainage surgery, my god that was painful but the relief after was worth it!
I had to go to the clinic every day to have the open wound packed with the iodine gauze, that was as painful as the operation, they are not big on numbing out there! Had this plus iv antibiotics everyday for a week and then gauze was removed to heal alone, it’s now four weeks later and just a small hole remains but I am petrified it will come back. Was back at work straight away but it is uncomfortable to sit on for long periods of time which unfortunately is my job. I think they did a good job in Egypt with the drainage and after care, my uk doctor doesn’t seem remotely interested in seeing it so I will look after it myself. Any tips?

 

[HappyPhantom]

Yes - you are so correct, it is ungodly painful. In fact, I’ve given birth to two babies and I would actually venture to say that the pain of abscess is worse than childbirth! And you’re right, the relief afterward makes it so worth while. My doctor kept saying, “I’m so sorry, I know how badly this must hurt” and I replied that it’s totally okay because I know that you are helping me.

I have some tips for you in terms of management, I hope you find them useful.

-keep the area super, duper clean and dry.
-if you can, occasionally rest in a reclining position in such a way that the area can get some air. It feels really silly, but the area needs a bit of air flow to promote healthy tissue. You don’t have to go full bare butt or anything, just lower your waistband in the back and let the area breathe.

If you ever feel a twinge of the cyst acting up again (we call this the “oh no” feeling - for me, it’s a light twinge, a bit of itchiness, maybe some redness) increase your iron intake right away. Personally, I take 2 65mg iron supplements on “oh no” day and 2 tablets per day for about a week afterward. (Obligatory reminder to check w doc or otherwise make sure that it won’t interfere with any other meds you may be taking, etc)

If you don’t already have one on hand at home, buy a heating pad. (Any kind will do, doesn’t have to be fancy). Rest on the couch or bed with the heating pad against the lower back, make sure it has good contact with the affected area. The warmth encourages healthy blood flow to the area and speeds healing. Along with the iron pills, you are allowing the body to work on that area and resolve the beginnings of the early infection.

I also avoid ALL sugar during this time. None. The theory is that sugar can feed infection and inflammation - so eliminate it. High protein, leafy green veggies, and lots of water instead.

This system has helped me to avoid a full-blown abscess in recent years. (Edited to add: I did have to go the ER/Labor Delivery dept for a lancing in April 2018 bc although it had burst at home, pregnancy made it bleed like crazy and I was terrified - so I went to get it properly handled out of an abundance of caution for the baby). Yes imagine having this awful thing whilst pregnant and holy WOW that was crazy. (Under normal circumstances I’ve had really good luck once I added the iron and the heating pad to my routine - this was different bc of the pregnancy itself)


There are no guarantees (these cysts do have a life of their own, and this disease is just awful) but this does really help me feel like I have some semblance of control over it. If it didn’t help, I wouldn’t even mention it - but it helps me a lot.

Good luck - I know the pain, I know the fear. You are in good company here - this board is invaluable.

 

[Pilonothanks]

I'm a first time pilonidal sufferer over here looking for support. It started as a rash between my buttcheeks, which my GYN thought was a fungal infection. I treated it with a cream she prescribed. The area became very sore and it hurt to sit down. Then I noticed two sinus holes right along the buttcrack. I freaked out!! Went to urgent care the next morning, and they told me about pilonidal cysts, prescribed antibiotics, and referred me to see a surgeon. I saw my PCP & they also prescribed different antibiotics & referred me to see a general surgeon.

My pilonidal became abscessed and had to be lanced about 5 days ago. The lancing itself didn't hurt too bad, as I was pretty numb. As soon as the numbing started to wear off that night though, it hurt really bad! The surgeon instructed me to sit in a hot bath twice a day, then apply Neosporin into the incision and around the sinus holes, then cover with dressing to catch the drainage. I've been doing this after care for the past 5 days now and it doesn't feel like it's getting any better! The pain from the open incision and sinus holes post-lancing hurts waayyyy more than the abscess did on its own. I've been taking acetaminophen and ibuprofen, alternating between the two, for the pain but it feels like it only minimally helps. There is still quite a bit of drainage too, which is irritating my skin. I now have a very itchy bottom of the bum area, which the pharmacist said could be irritation from the numbing agent they used before lancing?

Anyways, I'm wondering if this extensive draining and pain is normal post lancing? Should I be doing anything else in my after care to speed up the healing? The inner skin tissue around the sinus holes and incision wound are very dark, like almost black which is very concerning. Is that normal? Drainage looks very thick, beige with a bit of blood mixed in. Is that typical? I'm so exhausted and frustrated!! This is taking such a toll on my body & emotions. Please help with any advice or sharing your story. Thank you! <3

 

[HappyPhantom]

Hi Pilonothanks - first and foremost, I want to say I’m sorry that you’re dealing with this and I send you so much support and understanding.

To answer your questions, I’ll start with the pain. If you’re 5 days post-lancing and you’re still in a lot of pain, I’m hoping you’re beginning to turn the corner on that and on the upswing to less pain. It should be starting to improve very soon. It might be indicative of infection still present - are you still taking the antibiotics?

the area is so subject to pain the first place - tender skin, lots of trauma from the infection and procedure, then healing...so overall, 5 days out you’ll still have some pain but it should be tapering off soon.

The itching might be from the healing process beginning - I remember one of my docs instructed me to tell him at what point the itching begins because that’s a good sign in most cases. (Uncomfortable as all heck but LOL)

as for the draining - what you’re describing doesn’t sound unusual. Mine sometimes seems to drain for a week or so. (In fact, right this minute I’m healing from a mini-flare up and I’ve been draining for four days).



I realize I probably sound like a broken record because I recommend this on all my replies, but I do it because it was a total game changer: HEATING PAD!! Rest with a heating pad against your lower back/butt area and it’s very soothing. The heat really helps to soften the pain and it honestly just feels so comforting. I personally believe that it speeds healing, too. But it’s so nice to have some comfort in that area after so much trauma that for that reason alone, it’s worth it’s weight in gold.

the darkened skin, I don’t have any info or experience with that aspect so I don’t know - perhaps someone else can chime in. My skin tends to get reddish/purplish while it’s healing and that area looks like I have a bruise the rest of the time.Even when I’m not flaring up, it’s plain to see that something is wrong in that area, if that’s at all helpful.

If your pain is not subsiding in the next day or two, please consider contacting your doctor again. It may be a sign that the infection is not clearing up.

I wish you all good things as you deal with this - I see notifications so if there’s any other info or support I can provide, please let me know.

One question I do have for you is whether or not you’re going to have surgery to get the cyst removed. I haven’t yet (I’m waiting for laser ablation) but just be aware that the cyst will flare up again. I see that you got a referral from a general surgeon - you’ll probably want to look into surgical options bc these cysts don’t go away and will flare up randomly over the years.

I send hugs!

 

[Pilonothanks]

Hi Pilonothanks - first and foremost, I want to say I’m sorry that you’re dealing with this and I send you so much support and understanding.

To answer your questions, I’ll start with the pain. If you’re 5 days post-lancing and you’re still in a lot of pain, I’m hoping you’re beginning to turn the corner on that and on the upswing to less pain. It should be starting to improve very soon. It might be indicative of infection still present - are you still taking the antibiotics?

the area is so subject to pain the first place - tender skin, lots of trauma from the infection and procedure, then healing...so overall, 5 days out you’ll still have some pain but it should be tapering off soon.

The itching might be from the healing process beginning - I remember one of my docs instructed me to tell him at what point the itching begins because that’s a good sign in most cases. (Uncomfortable as all heck but LOL)

as for the draining - what you’re describing doesn’t sound unusual. Mine sometimes seems to drain for a week or so. (In fact, right this minute I’m healing from a mini-flare up and I’ve been draining for four days).



I realize I probably sound like a broken record because I recommend this on all my replies, but I do it because it was a total game changer: HEATING PAD!! Rest with a heating pad against your lower back/butt area and it’s very soothing. The heat really helps to soften the pain and it honestly just feels so comforting. I personally believe that it speeds healing, too. But it’s so nice to have some comfort in that area after so much trauma that for that reason alone, it’s worth it’s weight in gold.

the darkened skin, I don’t have any info or experience with that aspect so I don’t know - perhaps someone else can chime in. My skin tends to get reddish/purplish while it’s healing and that area looks like I have a bruise the rest of the time.Even when I’m not flaring up, it’s plain to see that something is wrong in that area, if that’s at all helpful.

If your pain is not subsiding in the next day or two, please consider contacting your doctor again. It may be a sign that the infection is not clearing up.

I wish you all good things as you deal with this - I see notifications so if there’s any other info or support I can provide, please let me know.

One question I do have for you is whether or not you’re going to have surgery to get the cyst removed. I haven’t yet (I’m waiting for laser ablation) but just be aware that the cyst will flare up again. I see that you got a referral from a general surgeon - you’ll probably want to look into surgical options bc these cysts don’t go away and will flare up randomly over the years.

I send hugs!

Hi Happy Phantom,

Thank you so much for your helpful reply! I am no longer on oral antibiotics. The general surgeon who lanced the abscess said to finish the course I was on and that from then on, I would only need the Neosporin to apply antibiotic directly to the area. It seems to me that the drainage and pain is indicative that the infection is still raging on.

I called the surgeon's office Monday and left questions with his assistant. Still waiting to get a call back from them for answers. The next time I see him for a follow up appointment isn't until the end of the month. That seems like a long time between lancing & follow up to me...I had my partner take a photo of the area (lol the most awkward photo on my phone) and I'm waiting to get in touch with the surgeon to see if I can email/text it to him for an opinion on the darkened skin concern.

I have been using the heating pad after my nighttime bath before bed. It feels really nice! I've been wondering about during the day while I'm at work, has anyone used those heat therapy patches? Do those provide relief on the area, or is it too uncomfortable to wear that over your butt at work?

Regarding surgery, when I saw the surgeon for the lancing, he said I will probably need to get a cleft lift since I have a very deep cleft. He said there is a small chance that I could heal on my own and not need it, but that for me it is likely the sinus holes will stay open & cyst will continue to flare up because of the deep cleft. I'm really scared to go through surgery! But it seems that most people on here have success with cleft lift so that may be my best option if surgery is needed. I won't know until I have my follow up appt at the end of the month.

Here's to hoping my body magically heals itself and won't need surgery and won't have further flare ups! This seems like very very wishful thinking and not likely

Again, thank you for your reply! Would appreciate any information people have to share with me!

 

[HappyPhantom]

Hi again - I’m so sorry for the delayed reply!! I’m wondering how you’re doing and how everything went at your follow up appointment.

I’m so glad that you’re getting good use oit of your heating pad. As to heat patches for a to-go version, I don’t know but I sure have wondered that myself. I’d be willing to be a guinea pig and try it out. I’m currently having a mini-flare up(arrrrrrrg) and I might grab a box of those patches at Target tomorrow just to see what happens.

Hopefully your healing has taken hold and you’re not in as much pain anymore!! I’ve got my fingers crossed.

 

[JC_PDinBoston]

Hi there. I am a 25 yr old woman currently living with an acute pilonidal abscess. I previously had one lanced back in 2015, and it was a terrible experience. I am considering having the cleft lip procedure done in the next few weeks, however the pain right now is so excruciating that I need to have it lanced before then. I went to Urgent Care and they said they no longer will lance them (I’m in DC) and gave me antibiotics and painkillers to help with the pain. However, since then (two days ago) the pain has gotten much worse, and the abscess is now the size of a golf ball under my skin. There is only a small part of it that is an actual abscess on top of my skin, and there has been no draining or ‘bursting’ of it yet.

Is it typical that a CR in my area would accept me as an emergency walk in procedure on a same day call? Also, is there a waiting period that has to take place between having an infected abscess drained and then having the cleft lift procedure?
Thanks in advance.

 

[HappyPhantom]

HI 25andinpain - I'm so sorry for the delayed reply - you wrote on Monday night and it's now Friday morning - I'm hoping you were able to get some relief and treatment in the past few days!! I don't know the answer to your question about timing of a cleft lift procedure - hopefully someone else can chime in with precise information.

I realize this isn't very helpful, but I'm starting to get very upset that all of us are in this much pain with no real help from most medical professionals regardless of region. You shouldn't have been in that position (and I've been in a similar position before) it's just not okay that in 2020 this condition is still such a mystery to most Urgent Care/etc staff. One practitioner actually had me wait while she GOOGLED it for goodness' sake, merely two years ago.

Please take good care. I'm committed to improving this situation for ALL of us. Report back if you can - I'm concerned about your pain.

 

[Pilonothanks]

Hi again - I’m so sorry for the delayed reply!! I’m wondering how you’re doing and how everything went at your follow up appointment.

I’m so glad that you’re getting good use oit of your heating pad. As to heat patches for a to-go version, I don’t know but I sure have wondered that myself. I’d be willing to be a guinea pig and try it out. I’m currently having a mini-flare up(arrrrrrrg) and I might grab a box of those patches at Target tomorrow just to see what happens.

Hopefully your healing has taken hold and you’re not in as much pain anymore!! I’ve got my fingers crossed.

Thanks for checking in! It has been 5 weeks since I had my pilonidal lanced and what a JOURNEY it has been. The general surgeon who performed the lancing was totally unresponsive to the messages I left with questions. I got fed up after silence for 10 days, so I self-referred to a wound care clinic to take a look at the area. I'm glad I saw them! They did a debridement to clear out dead tissue (which was the blackened skin I was worried about, it was from the cauterization the surgeon did after lancing). They gave me instructions for washing/care/dressing and ordered dressing supplies for me. (Side note: actually getting the supplies was HELL playing phone tag between my health insurance co., the wound care clinic, and the medical supply co. UGH)

I saw the wound care center a second time for another debridement & evaluation and had my follow up with the general surgeon @ 3 weeks. The surgeon said it looks like I still have a little bit of dead tissue, but that new tissue is forming and the wound looks like it's healing nicely. The top sinus hole is much smaller than before, and the bottom sinus hole is a little bit smaller, but not closing quite as quickly. Overall, he thinks that since I'm young (28) and live a generally healthy lifestyle, that I will hopefully heal up on my own and may not need surgery just yet. We will see if I have more flare-ups. Fingers crossed!

So, for now, I'm healing and hopeful. Still annoyed with my health insurance company and haven't received a bill yet...dreading what all this is going to cost me...

How're you doing with your flare ups? Did you try the heat patches?

 

[JC_PDinBoston]

HI 25andinpain - I'm so sorry for the delayed reply - you wrote on Monday night and it's now Friday morning - I'm hoping you were able to get some relief and treatment in the past few days!! I don't know the answer to your question about timing of a cleft lift procedure - hopefully someone else can chime in with precise information.

I realize this isn't very helpful, but I'm starting to get very upset that all of us are in this much pain with no real help from most medical professionals regardless of region. You shouldn't have been in that position (and I've been in a similar position before) it's just not okay that in 2020 this condition is still such a mystery to most Urgent Care/etc staff. One practitioner actually had me wait while she GOOGLED it for goodness' sake, merely two years ago.

Please take good care. I'm committed to improving this situation for ALL of us. Report back if you can - I'm concerned about your pain.

Hi there - sorry for my delayed response! I was able to get an emergency appointment on Tuesday to see a CR surgeon here in dc. They drained it and packed it, and instructed me to take the packing out in the shower the next day. They didn’t say to take antibiotics, and said that I would just need to wash the area with the hibiclens but it wouldn’t be too serious.
I wasn’t able to take the packing out myself as it was way too painful, so had to go to urgent care to have that done. They washed and cleaned the area as well and said it didn’t look infected, and that I should just keep washing it. The hole is probably the size of a nickel, and has been minimally draining over the past week now. I have not been in pain since the packing was removed. It has started to be a little itchy, and I am concerned about that - but also know that it could just be the wound healing. HappyPhantom, when you’ve had yours lanced, what was the normal regimen you were put on afterwards? I am keeping it clean and have gauze over it every day, but wasn’t sure if there was anything else I could do. Thank you!!!

 

[Pilonothanks]

Hi there - sorry for my delayed response! I was able to get an emergency appointment on Tuesday to see a CR surgeon here in dc. They drained it and packed it, and instructed me to take the packing out in the shower the next day. They didn’t say to take antibiotics, and said that I would just need to wash the area with the hibiclens but it wouldn’t be too serious.
I wasn’t able to take the packing out myself as it was way too painful, so had to go to urgent care to have that done. They washed and cleaned the area as well and said it didn’t look infected, and that I should just keep washing it. The hole is probably the size of a nickel, and has been minimally draining over the past week now. I have not been in pain since the packing was removed. It has started to be a little itchy, and I am concerned about that - but also know that it could just be the wound healing. HappyPhantom, when you’ve had yours lanced, what was the normal regimen you were put on afterwards? I am keeping it clean and have gauze over it every day, but wasn’t sure if there was anything else I could do. Thank you!!!

Hi there! Glad to hear you're out of pain! What a relief it is to have the abscess drained. Thought I would chime in with my care regimen after having my abscess lanced. My surgeon told me to take a warm bath twice a day and really swish the water around & in/out if the wound, then put Neosporin on the wound, then cover with clean gauze. I started getting an itchy red rash, which we think was a reaction to the Neosporin. So you may want to be cautious about that part. But the bath 2x day was good I think. I later bought a handheld shower head so that I could take showers instead of filling up the tub so often.

It also felt really good to use the heating pad on the butt/lower back. I took ibuprofen/aleve and alternated between that and Tylenol for pain relief. Another thing that has helped tremendously at work & driving & really sitting in general is using a coccyx cushion! It's a seat cushion that has a U shaped cut out in the back, which relieves pressure on your tailbone. So great since my pilonidal was right above my coccyx! And I've found that eating a more wholesome diet, increasing my protein intake, taking a multivitamin, and adding extra zinc supplements has helped my body heal and keep me from getting too exhausted. Hope this helps!!

 

[lanceroe]

First time joining this chat, but I had a PC lanced and drained about 5.5 weeks ago. Still feeling some pressure and slight tweaks here and there when sitting and bending over and such. Trying to take it easy but I’m worried I shouldn’t be feeling this still? Like sitting isn’t easy and the wound has healed over and feels slightly firm behind the wound still? Really hoping I didn’t have a recurring pc or another coming on so soon. I did buy the coccyx cushion and that does seem to help when driving and use a heating pad as often as possible. Hope everyone heals up well!

 

[Pilonothanks]

Hi Lanceroe,

I'm at 6 weeks post lancing and I feel the same stuff you are. A little sore/pressure at times, especially after sitting or bending forward. Little twinge of pain here and there. I think it's totally normal! I also get itchy in the area, which I think means it's still healing & growing new tissue.

I find using the coccyx cushion when sitting at my desk at work helps. I also try not to stay seated for too long a stretch, and take a quick break to get up and take a little walk frequently. Heating pad or taking a hot bath feels great. I'll try to keep you posted with how I'm feeling in the next couple weeks. Best wishes!

 

[lanceroe]

Pilonothanks,

thanks for getting back to me so quickly! although I'm sorry you had to go through this as well, it is nice to have the support.

A couple questions, is this your first PC? I believe this is my third, but my last one was almost 10 years ago so I almost forgot what all of this was like. Also, has your surgeon ever talked about a cystectomy surgery? The surgeon who lanced my cyst 6 weeks ago says that is how he usually takes care of it for good, but i am scared to go through with it, for the fear of healing time and possible recurrence?

My main worry is just what is normal to be feeling, and what could be a possible recurrence. I am doing my best to not sit for long periods and keep the area clean but I still feel weird and pressure sometimes that makes me feel like this is already coming back.

Anyways, thanks again for the support and good luck on your recovery!!!

 

[Pilonothanks]

Hi there,

This is my first PC. My surgeon said if I do need surgery in the future, he recommended cleft lift for me since my cleft is deep. He also mentioned that surgery can help prevent future flare ups, but it is not a guarantee that it won't happen again. It feels disheartening to me to hear that even with surgery, this disease could be something I will be dealing with for the rest of my life. However, I'm sure there are tons of people who have had only 1 PC lanced and never had a problem again.

My surgeon has absolutely no bedside manner and never returns any of my phone calls, which is really pissing me off since I also want to know what is "normal" or not in this healing process. Hopefully you will have a better relationship with your surgeon? Please keep me updated with your experience. Good luck & wishing you a speedy recovery!

 

[lanceroe]

Yeah, that's too bad about your surgeon and his lack of engagement. I kind of feel the same way. I can't believe there isn't a better, preferred method so this doesn't continue to plague those with this condition. I am more frustrated with the surgery and the recovery time, if i go that route. I am an active, somewhat young (early 30's) adult and have a young child at home and I can't afford to be down all the time for this condition. I just wish someone could tell me how to solve this once and for all. I am trying not to be so down on myself, although this is my third time, just looking for other options other than an invasive "cut the cyst out" procedure.

I also feel like at 6 weeks post draining, i shouldn't be feeling the level of discomfort still. Pressure and some pain when sitting, lifting, etc. Do you exercise regularly? My surgeon told me I could go back to whatever after my 3 week checkup but i kind of wonder if that was too soon. i have been trying to keep it easy since i do get sore the days after light cardio or exercise.

Thanks for the chat, will keep you updated and hope you do the same!

 

[Pilonothanks]

Hi again,

The only exercise I've done recently is yoga at home about 1-3 times a week. I've been thinking about joining a gym soon to use their weight machines & cardio equipment, but have been a little nervous (and tired) to commit to it.

Yoga and stretching feels really good though! I've been pretty sore down there the past couple days, and I haven't done yoga in like a week and had a stressful/busy work week. So I'm going to try to get back in the routine of that and see if it helps.

 

[lanceroe]

yes, i have heard yoga is great for recovery of a PC. i need to get myself back into that. I too still feel sore here and there and i'm just trying to figure out if it is normal or how much longer i can expect that feeling. That or, if it is something i should be concerned about and maybe another recurrence, ugh...

Will try and stay positive and i will keep you updated. Hope you are doing well and everyone is on their way to recovery!