What on earth is wrong with me?

[mrstim]

I know that doctor's & nurses can't give out information online, but I have an issue that I need help with - My doctor can't see me for another week or so, and I really really need relief now.

A few weeks ago I had a sore place come up on my tummy - it seemed just like a zit TBH. Then, it got bigger and bigger and more and more sore. Then it seemed to go away - this week its back and bigger than ever. I know it looks gross - but it's right where my waistband on my clothes sit. Then, every time I move or sit or stand or MOVE it hurts when the skin stretches. All around it is red and yucky looking. I know it's insanely gross - but if you feel you have a strong tummy, here's a link to the picture (http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d43/amrstim/DSC_0708.jpg).

It's very sensitive to anything touching it - DH thinks I should try to pop it, I think it needs to be left alone. Does anyone have any ideas or advice??

Ok..slinking off to my corner now - embarrassed that I actually am posting this!

[Hello Kitty]

IMO, it looks like a boil. But, I think you need to go to a doctor! :p

ETA, I didn't read your whole post - Can you get into a quick-care facility to see what they have to say? I think that if it is a boil, they will pierce and drain it and then probably stick you on antibiotics. IANAD, though.

[BumbleB]

mrstim- Sorry you're having to worry about this - don't be embarassed. This is just my opinion, I am in no way an expert:

That doesn't look like a pimple to me. And I would definitely say DO NOT POP IT. I've had a pimple or two on my stomach before, and they don't look like that - what concerns me is the red around it, unless you are irritating it a pimple shouldn't do that.

I have quite a few skin issues - I have a bump on my arm and on my leg that are red that the doctor has checked out and they are just clumps of extra skin cells, but I would suggest that you don't take any skin issues lightly. That is why I say don't pop it. Have the doctor check it out, watch it for the next week and let them know if it has changed again by the time you do see the doctor.

Unfortunately it is in a bad location, which could be part of why it is getting irritated. I'm also wondering if there is a chance you might have been bitten by something? In the short term I'm not sure what you can do to alleviate the irritation. Have you tried anything?

[camberne]

I've had boils, and they've never gotten that raw or oozy. (I actually have horrible skin, so the picture didn't bother me at all.) Until you are able to see the doctor, I would put a triple antibiotic ointment on it and DON'T TOUCH IT. If you need to put a 4x4 bandage over it to keep yourself from messing with it, do it!

I am the worst offender in the world of picking scabs, and messing with sores - my current watch will slide up my arm and cause little sores. If I don't put a bandage over it (or wear long sleeves), I'll mess with them until they're infected. :rolleyes: I drive myself nuts.

[mrstim]

I actually have several spots on my body. There's a little place that looks similar on the side of my breast - it popped (and took a chunk of skin out too) the other night - I did have another place similar on the other side of my tummy as well - it popped itself one night and bled all over the sheets.

I've not done squat to it - didn't know what TO do. I don't know if I've been bitten - it's a possibility, though since i have several different places I doubt it.

I'm going to try to see a doctor earlier than next week! Thanks!

[maxandmolly]

Honey, that looks like my staph infection boils do. Do you feel spears of pain driving into/out of it? Do you feel almost like a second pulse where it is? Those are my key 'this is not a zit' pains. I really, really think it's like mine are-and you know the amount of pain and grief they've caused me.
DON'T WAIT TO SEE THE DOCTOR-GO TO THE HOSPITAL.
If it IS staph, it will only get worse, more painful, and deeper under the skin if you wait for the doctor-and most doctors won't do the draining procedure anyway because it's considered 'surgical'. Especially because they'll slice it open, drain it, then stuff the open wound with gauze so it won't close before all the infection drains out.
DON'T WAIT TO SEE THE DOCTOR-GO TO THE HOSPITAL.
(If you still have my number, you can give me a ring and I can tell you all about the pain, hassle, and so forth.)

[camberne]

Ewww, staph is BAD. My sister has staph, too, and has to be really careful when she cuts herself working outside (she's a master gardener and has 4 acres that she tends to, and helps to do the building additions on her house). Yeah, you don't want to mess with staph infections!!

[BumbleB]

Well now that I'm hearing it may be staph, I agree with everyone - might be best not to wait until you can see a doctor.

I hope you figure it out and start feeling better - no matter what it is, skin ailments are not fun and are not to be taken lightly, so I hope you get the answers you need.

[Foley42]

Many times MRSA starts out as a "zit" (many people describe it like that. I would go to the hospital, but that's just me.

[mrstim]

headed off to the er now...

[lawyerlee]

I think it might be a staph infection, too. :(

[maxandmolly]

headed off to the er now...
Good girl. Believe me, I hope I'm wrong! I wouldn't wish that kind of incredible pain on anyone. Have you been feeling run down and really, really, really unexplainably tired lately? Sometimes it takes a while for the infection to really get a 'grip' on you but in the meantime it sucks the life out of you. Keep us posted!

[mrstim]

Yup - staph. They lanced it (w/o me being numb, too!) and stuffed the stuff in it - gave me lortab and sent me home. :(

Man, aside from childbirth i've never felt such pain. :( Blech.

[maxandmolly]

I'm so sorry babe! When I had that one on my foot I was seriously wishing for death to make the pain stop. My mother has been fighting this for about two years now-and she swears the pain tops the un-medicated birth of my brother (can't remember if you went that way or got an epi).
The good news is, the worst part is over. Assuming they sent you home with an Rx for antibiotics, that is. Otherwise it will continue to generate yuck. And it WILL keep draining, so don't panic about continued amounts of yuck for the next week or so.
When do you go back for re-check and gauze removal?

[Hello Kitty]

Oh, I'm so sorry that this was staph, and I hope you get better! Glad you went in quickly.

[camberne]

Damn, so sorry to hear that it's staph!! Just something else to worry about.

My sister gets things called furunkels which are quite rare apparently. She has to have them lanced at the hospital, and since she has staph, too, it's always an issue. I was going to mention that yesterday, but since no one has heard of them (and the last time my sister went in for one, the entire resident staff was called in to look at it before they lanced it because "they would probably never see another one") I figured it probably wasn't one.

Hope your night got better after you got lanced!

[Sherb]

Oh, Ames. I missed this yesterday. I'm sorry you're sick. (Good call on the staph, Laura.) Take it easy and get better.

[mrstim]

Actually - the doc told me to remove the gauze myself tomorrow. ????????

I'm trying not to think about that though - i get all queasy when I think about having to do that myself.

It is still SO painful - BLECH.

Moral of the story is - when you have a bump and you think it **might** be getting infected, don't wait till it's the size of a half dollar and excruciating.

Though the entertainment provided by the other patrons of the hospital was rather fun, it wasn't worth it, lol.

[maxandmolly]

I took it out with one of mine when I decided I didn't want to pay another $100 ER visit co-pay. It WILL be gross. Just make sure you keep it covered so it doesn't spread. With mine-since I was living in a house with other people, including small ones-every time I changed my bandage and such I would take a big ziploc bag to the bathroom with me, and put all the used yucky stuff in there, then sealed it up before it went in the trash. You can't be too careful!
And once it's mostly drained and you're just waiting for the wound to seal up, Neosporin is your best friend. Put some on a q-tip and just shove it right in the wound. I would usually change the bandage twice a day, and do the neosporin both times.
And it should stop hurting as much soon.

[Asha]

have your dh take out the bandages. i was supposed to remove bandages like that myself on a cyst that was surgically drained. i couldn't do it, either. luckily, i was in college at the time, and had my school nurse do it for me. i hope you feel better soon.

[maxandmolly]

How's the yuckiness today? Hopefully the big horrible screaming pain phase is over.

[Tonysweetie]

OHHH big (((hugs))) to you. I hope you feel better!!!

[Katy]

yuck! So sorry you had to go through that. What did they end up saying about the other "zits" on your body? What a sad state of our health policies that we have to wait a week to see a doctor :shakinghead:

I love that I can pretty much see my doctor on the day I call (and that she'll call in scripts for me when I've got a sinus infection while out of state). Her office can be a tad unorganized for my tastes, but man, she totally rocks and I recommend her to everyone I meet!

Feel better!

[maxandmolly]

And in another reminder how serious staph/MRSA is, I STILL have yet to kick my infection completely. We're on well over a year, here. Everytime, I finish my antibiotics and follow all the instructions of the doctor, and it keeps coming back. I have one right now. :( I am refusing to run up yet another hospital bill, though.