I bought a Philips Bodygroom and have developed a pilonidal sinus caused by an ingrown hair. I used it to shave the area just below my tailbone [once]. I then started doing sit-ups which I believe have pushed the re-growing hair into my skin - causing an infection.
I developed a very large hard lump and at first I thought I had damaged my tail bone. After 3 days I went to the doctors. She told me I had an infection under the skin. She gave me a seven day course of flucloxacillin 500mg - an antibiotic. I decided to wait 7 days before going back to the doctors - until I had finished the antibiotics. By this time it was oozing pus and blood and was extremely painful to sit down etc. I went to the doctors and she refered me straight to hospital. When I went to the hospital I was seen to straight away. Three doctors came to look at me at once in a ward. And because the affected area was basically the bottom it was very embarrassing. They said it was an abscess and they would have to make an incision and drain it. Another doctor then came to me and looked at it. I had to go for my first ever general anesthetic. The doctor tried three times to get a vein on my arm and was unsuccessful. He then sent in a nurse who took blood from my other arm and put in one of those things to your vein so they directly take blood from you or inject you with something directly into your vein. When I went for the operation I was told that the one I had was too weak and they would have to do another one on my hand. That's 6 jags. Not that painful but certainly not comfortable.
I went under at 8.30, and woke up at 9.30. I was in pain and the nurse gave me 2 tablets they didn't work much. They drained all the pus from the abscess, but they can't just leave a gap between your flesh and your skin, because it would cause reinfection. So they have to 'pack' this cottonwool like stuff inside of you, through the incision to keep the wound clean and tidy. I went for a bath the next day in the hospital. I was told to soak in it for 30 minutes. I was told the 'packing' would just 'fall' out. Only half of it did. I physically had to gently pull the rest of the stuff out (it comes out as one unit, it doesn't rip apart or anything). It was completely covered in blood. It really freaked me out. My heart started racing. I stood up out of the bath and it stung a little. I went back to the ward and the nurse came and cleaned 'it' and 'packed' it again and put a dressing on it. I eventually got let out and got painkillers and something to reduce the swelling. Every morning I have to take a bath and get the packing out before the nurse comes to visit me. A nurse comes to visit me every morning to pack my wound again and to clean it. The wound heals from the inside out. I'm finding it very hard, phychologically dealing with it all. I'm 19, it freaks me out having to pull the thing out (although it doesn't hurt, it's freaky) and I can't just leave it in the bath - I have to pick it up and dispose of it properly. Then my mum has to wash the bath out. It's also stressful not knowing what time the nurse will be here at. It's not always the same nurse and I have to make sure I've had a bath before she comes. So I need to get up around 8.45 every day, even weekends. When she packs it it isn't sore at all.
If that wasn't bad enough - I can't go to work for around 3 weeks. I like my work, I have loads of friends there. We were meant to be going out tonight for drinks after work at around 12 midnight. We were also meant to be going out on Christmas Eve. Last year in my work I was really shy and missed out on all these things, but in the last year I have really came out of my shell, and I want to take part in these things but can't. I'm pratically never in the house - then this happens. I can't sit down. I haven't tried to, but I know it will probably make things worse and it could be painful so I should avoid it for a little while. Because I can't sit down, I can't drive. I love driving. I have to lie in my bed - I can walk about the house though.
I'm really missing my friends. My best friend is coming to visit me tomorrow on his break from work so I'm looking forward to seeing him. I am getting really down though - I hate feeling lonely and feeling disconnected from people. There is only so much bedroom I can take!
We were also meant to be going out for Christmas Dinner. I think I am not going to go. I don't want to feel pressured in public and in front of family about sitting down. I will feel paranoid if I start bleeding really bad etc.
Basically this has ruined my life for the next 3 weeks. It's ruined my Christmas and the socialising I had planned. Although I say in 3 weeks I can go back to work - it will take around 6 weeks to heal.
I'm trying to look on the bright side - I'm planning to go to work with a new image - I'm gonna get my hair thinned out and bought some new products for it, I'm gonna get some thick rimmed square glasses, I have decided I want completely new underwear, lose a bit of weight etc etc! These might seem silly to you but it's all I really have to look forward too
.
I'm not trying to depress you all, but I just want to warn you. I know the Philips Bodygroom is not responsible for this whole situation, but you have to watch where you shave your hair. You can also get these things in your underarms. I had no idea a little ingrown hair could cause so much damage...
Shaun
I developed a very large hard lump and at first I thought I had damaged my tail bone. After 3 days I went to the doctors. She told me I had an infection under the skin. She gave me a seven day course of flucloxacillin 500mg - an antibiotic. I decided to wait 7 days before going back to the doctors - until I had finished the antibiotics. By this time it was oozing pus and blood and was extremely painful to sit down etc. I went to the doctors and she refered me straight to hospital. When I went to the hospital I was seen to straight away. Three doctors came to look at me at once in a ward. And because the affected area was basically the bottom it was very embarrassing. They said it was an abscess and they would have to make an incision and drain it. Another doctor then came to me and looked at it. I had to go for my first ever general anesthetic. The doctor tried three times to get a vein on my arm and was unsuccessful. He then sent in a nurse who took blood from my other arm and put in one of those things to your vein so they directly take blood from you or inject you with something directly into your vein. When I went for the operation I was told that the one I had was too weak and they would have to do another one on my hand. That's 6 jags. Not that painful but certainly not comfortable.
I went under at 8.30, and woke up at 9.30. I was in pain and the nurse gave me 2 tablets they didn't work much. They drained all the pus from the abscess, but they can't just leave a gap between your flesh and your skin, because it would cause reinfection. So they have to 'pack' this cottonwool like stuff inside of you, through the incision to keep the wound clean and tidy. I went for a bath the next day in the hospital. I was told to soak in it for 30 minutes. I was told the 'packing' would just 'fall' out. Only half of it did. I physically had to gently pull the rest of the stuff out (it comes out as one unit, it doesn't rip apart or anything). It was completely covered in blood. It really freaked me out. My heart started racing. I stood up out of the bath and it stung a little. I went back to the ward and the nurse came and cleaned 'it' and 'packed' it again and put a dressing on it. I eventually got let out and got painkillers and something to reduce the swelling. Every morning I have to take a bath and get the packing out before the nurse comes to visit me. A nurse comes to visit me every morning to pack my wound again and to clean it. The wound heals from the inside out. I'm finding it very hard, phychologically dealing with it all. I'm 19, it freaks me out having to pull the thing out (although it doesn't hurt, it's freaky) and I can't just leave it in the bath - I have to pick it up and dispose of it properly. Then my mum has to wash the bath out. It's also stressful not knowing what time the nurse will be here at. It's not always the same nurse and I have to make sure I've had a bath before she comes. So I need to get up around 8.45 every day, even weekends. When she packs it it isn't sore at all.
If that wasn't bad enough - I can't go to work for around 3 weeks. I like my work, I have loads of friends there. We were meant to be going out tonight for drinks after work at around 12 midnight. We were also meant to be going out on Christmas Eve. Last year in my work I was really shy and missed out on all these things, but in the last year I have really came out of my shell, and I want to take part in these things but can't. I'm pratically never in the house - then this happens. I can't sit down. I haven't tried to, but I know it will probably make things worse and it could be painful so I should avoid it for a little while. Because I can't sit down, I can't drive. I love driving. I have to lie in my bed - I can walk about the house though.
I'm really missing my friends. My best friend is coming to visit me tomorrow on his break from work so I'm looking forward to seeing him. I am getting really down though - I hate feeling lonely and feeling disconnected from people. There is only so much bedroom I can take!
We were also meant to be going out for Christmas Dinner. I think I am not going to go. I don't want to feel pressured in public and in front of family about sitting down. I will feel paranoid if I start bleeding really bad etc.
Basically this has ruined my life for the next 3 weeks. It's ruined my Christmas and the socialising I had planned. Although I say in 3 weeks I can go back to work - it will take around 6 weeks to heal.
I'm trying to look on the bright side - I'm planning to go to work with a new image - I'm gonna get my hair thinned out and bought some new products for it, I'm gonna get some thick rimmed square glasses, I have decided I want completely new underwear, lose a bit of weight etc etc! These might seem silly to you but it's all I really have to look forward too
.I'm not trying to depress you all, but I just want to warn you. I know the Philips Bodygroom is not responsible for this whole situation, but you have to watch where you shave your hair. You can also get these things in your underarms. I had no idea a little ingrown hair could cause so much damage...
Shaun
