Hi Juney,
If you are feeling fine, I seriously doubt if you are going septic. You'd know. You'd feel like you were getting a cold and if you wree septic the cold wouldn't go away. Also, since the area is draining, the likelihood that you are going septic is very small, as the area is draining outwards rather than into your blood stream. If the area is bloody, that means the infection has contact with your blood stream, but again, as long as it is draining you should be fine.
The abscess pain I had was strange. It would be sore all day, slowly getting better as the day progressed. I'd sleep with a heating pad on it, and it would be gone by the morning. About 3 hours after bm, the pain would start up again. The drs gave me the wrong antibiotics--amoxycillin, which is ineffective against e-coli, the bacteria that was causing the abscess--the first round, so the abscess got worse pretty quickly. It got bloody and really sore. It would always be a lot better in the mornings pre-bm, but that would not last too long. The daily routine was, wake up, feel ok--no discharge, go bm--feel ok but try to squeeze stuf out of abscess cavity, got to work--pain in rear gets worse, home for lunch--drain abscess, go to work--pain bad, home from work--drain abscess, shower, go to bed with heating pad on rear.
Then to combat the abscess that didn't clear up with the wrong drugs, they gave me super duper doses of cipro and flagyl which did a number on my tendons and intestinal tract. This is when I started getting back pains. About 1 month into this treatment, the abscess started feeling better, but the drs decided it was time for incision and drainage.
Prior to the abscess erupting I felt like I had an infection. i told the drs this and they didn't believe me. finally when I was just about healed and the skin cover the last bit of opening, an abscess developed because the infection was trapped beneath the skin. Once that happened, the abscess developed pretty rapidly--it was full-blown within a week.

i got a 10 day prescription for flagyl yesterday. i guess it's mostly used for people w/ crohn's but it can't hurt to try. i've also been referred for a flex sig and an xray w/ dye to check for crohns. The dr doesn't think i have it since i've never had any other symptoms, but i figure it's best to rule it out completely. Last but not least, we're getting the paperwork in for an exploratory/excision surgery. I can't tolerate anymore of that silver nitrate crap, so the dr wants to go in and excise the whole area and let it start healing again from the inside out. She again confirmed it's neither an abcess nor a fistula (nor a fissure at this point), although i guess if she finds anything weird she can fix it during surgery. i might have to delay the surgery til september since i'm quitting my job to start some classes soon and can't take time off. That's annoying, but it's "livable" as long as i take ibuprofen.

Sooo i feel like it was a pretty successful appointment. My mom went with me and between the 2 of us we covered every single question possible. Maybe by some miracle it'll start healing on its own, otherwise it's in for another surgery...hopefully a successful one! Thanks to everyone for your advice, especially BG for explaining your story/symptoms so in depth!!

Anytime, Juney!
Kaiser's treatment of you really worries me. I'm glad you got the flagyl. It is for anaerobic infections--i.e. infections of the intestinal tract--which is why it tends to help Crohn's patients who get infections in the lining of their intestines. However, I amd worried that they are going the Crohn's route with you. They did that to me when I was there, even though, like you, I had no other symptoms. After the scope, they said there was inflammation and then months later said that it was Crohn's and put me on heavy duty Crohn's meds--read sulfasalazine, which did nothing because I did not have Crohn's.
It was not until I switched to Loma Linda that someone actually requested the right test for that. Basically, it is a abdominal CT. From the CT they can tell if you have any thickening or scarring of the intestinal lining from chronic inflammation or of you have any infections like fistulas or abscesses in your intestines. These are definitive signs of Crohn's, whereas mild inflammation can be caused by anything, including allergies, a cold, mild food poisoning, etc... As I thought, my results were negative.
You can take this info as you will. I hope it will help you eal with Kaiser.

the dr actually didn't even suggest the tests for crohns, i suggested it, basically insisted on it. she doesn't think it's something i need to worry about since i've never had diahhrea. i'm the one who's being paranoid on that aspect. i'm just as sure as she is that i don't crohns, but there's no harm in doing the tests to put my own mind at ease. that's what i figured anyway when i asked about it.

i thought the xray would be similar to an abdominal ct, since they'll just be looking at the intestine. is it different? i have to wait 3 days to schedule these things, and unfortunately just found out today that i got denied by kaiser individual coverage. i'll be signing up for COBRA since i'm quitting my job and praying they don't/can't deny me through that. i'm not sure how else to get individual coverage, since i've had so many issues and 4 surgeries in the past 18 months, i'm afraid nobody will accept me.

The cat scans are very complex exrays. They provide 3-D images of the area being studied so that your doctors can see what the organs, etc. they are dealing with actually look like. they do dye and no dye images so that the technicians and drs can see different things. It's basically a much more thorough form of imaging.
That sucks about the individual coverage. I don't think you can be denied a COBRA, though I think it is more expensive. You might try Blue Cross of California. They have relatively inexpensive coverage for individuals (some plans are under $100/mo). I was able to switch to them despite my prior surgery and then current infection.

Oh Juney, I am so sorry to hear about insurance trouble - the health system here sucks on all levels - what can we do ? :( It is scary , VERY scary !!! People can not get coverage when they are sick- same coverage that exists for that purpose only - just crazy !!!!!! Can your doctor write a note to insurance company- I know that it is a stretch since she might very well get penalized for advocating for her patient . BUT, it can be done. One of my GPs fought with my insurance to give me brand name medicine instead of generic one and they did approve it.
Hope this info was of any help. I wish you fast and complete recovery SOON !!!

All,
My son was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease three years ago. Usually there is quite a bit of diarhea (often blood as well) in addition to lots of pain in the gut at times. His diagnosis was made during a colonoscopy when his GI doc found three ulcers in his colon which were biopsied. He is 32 and lives in a group home. Maybe this info will help those of you wondering about CD.
Cheryl K.
P.S. I really like this group.

I am so sorry to hear that your son has CD Cheryl , CD is really awful disease :( . I hope that your son is managing it successfully . There are some theories that diet can help a lot and I happen to have a book about that called " Patient Heal Thyself" by Jordan S. Rubin. He cured himself from CD by changing diet and explained in detail how he did it and through what he had to go in his young life - just heartbreaking.
And yes, ulcers are one of the main symptoms of CD - even fissures look like ulcers, not simple cuts .
All the best

He takes the Humira shot every other week in the leg and seems to be doing OK with that. He also has autism but is high functioning. Have not heard of that book--will check it out. Thanks for the reference. My husband and I have been to two conferences on Crohn's. It helped to see many others in attendance who have the same prob. They are doing a lot of research into Crohn's. I really think that CD is worse than having fissures as it is a lifelong problem unless they can find a cure. Fissures, on the other hand, can heal.
All the best,
Cheryl K.

That's sad to hear of your son's plight. It goes to show that no matter how bad we think we have it....

My doctor suspected Crohn's with me too but ruled it out during surgery.

I am glad you like this group. We can be silly but we do care about how people are doing.