Boils / Hidradenitis Suppurativa / Staph Infection?

I get large painful infected boils frequently on my inner thighs, buttocks, breasts & buttocks. From what I understand they are from a staph germ. I've been using topical antibiotics daily for months trying to prevent them but I still get about 2 a week somewhere. For the past couple of months, they've been hanging out on my inner thighs & buttocks. I'm concerned about is that this might cause a staph infection at surgery.

Does anyone have similar problems with boils or hidradenitis suppurativa? Has anyone here ever gotten a staph infection during surgery? If so, did that affect the length of your stay at the castle or your recovery? Did they do anything prevent the possibility of a staph infection?

Becky

I haven't had experience with the things you mentioned. However I know staph infections can be very serious in the hospital environment. I would discuss this ahead of time with your doctor and the hospital. Perhaps there are some extra preventative steps they can take.
You might also want to do a search using the purple search button at the top of this page to see if there are other threads on this topic.
Hopefully some other ladies will be along to give us some tips too.

Thanks, Shelly! I did search for hidradenitis suppurativa & their was nothing. Boils doesn't work to well in a search engine though because it is used as a slang so much (temper boils, etc.) I posted this on the post op board to so maybe I will get responses there. I know hidradenitis suppurativa is a rare condition so it is possible that there aren't too many people around here that have it. I plan on discussing this with my dr on Tuesday.

Becky

Try the word abcess. I had what you mentioned but it only happened to me once. Is the doctor going to put you on an antibiotic before surgery?

I'm sorry to hear this is happening to you before your surgery!

I'll be for you.

Shelley

Hi Becky:

I get the same things you do, but not to the degree you do. Mine are mostly my inner thighs and buttocks, I did have some under my arms when I was younger.

Yes, they can be caused by a staph infection. During my pre op for my hysterectomy, they had to check off if my skin was clear.

I have been able to get mine pretty much under control in the last couple of years.

I use a special antimicrobial soap, it's actually used in Dr's offices and hospitals and I use a prescription ointment or cream (when they are out of the ointment) called Bactroban...my OB is the one who told me to try this regimen and it helped tremendously, after I have been to a couple Derm's and a plastic surgeon to remove some of them.

I did have an infected boil on my inner thigh prior to my DnC and hysterscope in August of last year, my plastic surgeon said I had to have it removed, but she would do it AFTER the DnC...my OB didn't say anything about it.. I was on an antibiotic though, the hospital didn't say anything then either.

I had the boil removed in November AFTER I had my Thermal Balloon Ablation..this is really weird, but after I had the ablation I didn't bleed again until I had this boil removed, it happened on the same exact day that I had the boil removed. Needless to say the Ablation failed for me, since I had the hyster this past February.

Hope this helps, and check it out with your OB or your Derm if you are worried about it.

I also have this condition and in the same areas. I took antibiotics for over a year with no better results than not taking the antibiotics so decided to save my teeth (yes, believe me, they do a number on the teeth!) and stopped taking the antibiotics.

I am worried about the infection. I am going to the castle on June 25th.

I unfortunetly don't have any wise advice on the subject and didn't even think to bring this up with my OB until I happen to read this post. He is aware of my infection and did say he would be giving antibiotics before surgery, wonder if this is why?

I am defintely interested in the subject and what others might say here.. so will check back.

Thanks all! I will definitely be discussing this with my ob/gyn Tuesday at my pre-op. I think I will ask for a course of anti-biotics prior to surgery in order to prevent possible infection. I will let you all know what he says.

Becky

Hi: I just wanted to mention that I did get antibiotics prior to going into surgery for my hyster. Sorry I should have mentioned it in my previous post.

I had to have Cipro as I am allergic to penicillian and sulpha and cephlasporin antibiotics (anaphalactic shock)..

I can only take Biaxin, Zithromax and Cipro or Levoquin.

The Dr. decided on Cipro..they started it with my premed's before I went into the OR and I had another dose 12 hrs later in my IV..

I think it is standard procedure to start an antibiotic prior to going into the OR so that your chances of getting an infection are lower.

This is a question you may want to ask if you haven't had your pre-op with the hospital yet..

Good Luck to both of you.

I had my pre-op yesterday & asked about this. He isn't concerned about them but did say that he would give me antibiotic prophlactically in my IV before the surgery.

As far as the way I treat them normally, the dermatologist told me to use an antibacterial soap & use Clindagel (prescription topical) medicine on all areas prone to getting these whether they are active or not. If they get inflamed, I'm suppose to call her & have her lance them.

Becky