Pilonidal Sinus anyone??!!! « Singletrack Forum

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Pilonidal Sinus anyone??!!!

31 posts & 20 voices | Started 7 months ago by dan98 | Latest reply from gamo

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get a rubber ring

dan98 - Member

Hi

Wondering if anyone else has been unfortunate enough to suffer from a Pilonidal Sinus and gone on to have trouble free mountain biking after the operation?

My symptons started in August and after some Anti-biotics it cleared up to return about a week later but not as bad. Had weekly flare ups but it has been manageable and i have carried on riding even did D2D last week at Thetford!!

Having the Operation on the 1st of Nov and been told no Mtb for at least 8 weeks!! But i am wondering if after it has cleared up whether Mtb will aggravate it etc....I really hope not i'll be gutted!

Anyone out there had it and had the op and back in the saddle with no problems?

Cheers

Dan

Posted 7 months ago #
yossarian - Member

Yeah me. Mine got very bad and I had 12 stitches up my 'ahem' Lower back.

Stay off the bike for as long as they tell you to. You DO NOT want it to get infected believe me.

Posted 7 months ago #
project - Member

Yep had one,nice open wound for about 8 weeks every day shower to soak the stuff they rammed into it, to make it soft so the nice district nurses could could pull it out, before shoving more stuff in, think of ramming gunpowder into an old gun.

After the initial embarasement of lying on my stomach on a ward, surrounded by a mere curtain, and having a hospital consultant and 2 nurses and 6 baby doctors all looking at my naked bum, and discussing the problem and what may have caused it and futuure treatment, talking about the problem is no problem.

Ensure you always wash your hands , others round you do the same, and expect not to sit down properley for a few datys, also the wound will leak, so you need a good selection of bed sheets.

Oh and you get a good man scar,not many of your freinds want to see it though.

Oh and it really hurts,but as soon as you can try and sit on a bike.

I got signed off work for 2 months,

Posted 7 months ago #
project - Member

http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Pilonidal-Sinus.htm

If in doubt, get checked out, as the pain when it becomes inflamed is only slightly less when youve got a 3 inch scar and a deep hole in your buttock.

Its a real pain in the arse.

Lol

Posted 7 months ago #
chrisylad24 - Member

hello mate as above took a while to heal i was off work for about 6 weeks not too bad pain wise left a big scar which gets irritated sometimes but the good bit is not by cycling.was told too keep area cleen and hair free after it had healed i use hair removal creme 10 years on no probs good look with the op and a speedy recovery

Posted 7 months ago #
dan98 - Member

Thanks guys appreciate the quick responses and great to hear that you are cycling, thank god!!

I am very fortunate in that I work in the medical area selling to surgeons and know the guy who is going to do it, he is going to do a Modified Karydakis which is more of a flap i believe rather than the open wound but either way sounds painful and uncomfortable!!

I just wanted to make sure there were other cyclists / Mountain bikers out there who'd had it done!!

Cheers

Dan

Posted 7 months ago #
yunki - Member

google images definitely not recommended for this one..

Posted 7 months ago #
project - Member

You tube is rather interesting for vids,not for the squeemish though.

Posted 7 months ago #
chojin - Member

I had it done many years ago, best thing I ever did! similarly, having the sutures out was the most painful thing I've ever experienced

Posted 7 months ago #
shooterman - Member

I have the op twice and it's never returned to annoy me.

Posted 7 months ago #
bagpuss - Member

Only started cycling after mine, was 20+ years ago though. I think off work for 3 weeks after the op, healed up fine. Worst thing was getting to the pub when unable to sit, got there flat on my side in a mates Capri

Posted 7 months ago #
MoreCashThanDash - Member

Had two ops back in the late 90s, both ended up worthy of the consultants taking photos to show off to their students, and every student practice nurse in Sussex and the Derbyshire got to come and admire the wounds

First one apparently had an incision big enough for the nurse to fit her fist in and took 6 months to heal. Said nurse was no petite wee thing either!

The second took 13 months to heal completely, partly as it was done just befoe we relocated from Sussex to Derbyshire and 180 mile round trips with an open wound in the cleft of your backside is not conducive to said wound closing itself up. Eventually a consultant got it to close by dripping silver nitrate in it - the words "This may smart a bit" did NOT adequately prepare me for it.....

Went 10 years with no problems after that, had a couple of minor ones clear up with antibiotics over the last couple years, recently had an interesting conversation with my GP about hair removal down there.

My advice is do NOTHING unless the nurses/consultants are sure you should be doing it, do everything you can to help it heal, beg the doc to sign you off sick if it will help, and after the op get paranoid about hygiene.

Posted 7 months ago #
dan98 - Member

Thanks for the continued advice guys, much appreciated!!

Amazing how common these things are, you don't realise until it affects you!!

cheers

Posted 7 months ago #
Rusty Spanner - Member

Mine cleared up without surgery, but it did come back again.
Blitzed both times with strong antibiotics.

Never really affected my cycling, driving was much more of a problem.

Good luck with the surgery!

Posted 7 months ago #
dan98 - Member

Thanks Rusty yeh i totally agree driving is much more of a pain!!! I do about 700-800 miles a week and that affects me more than 20 miles off-road!!!

A real pain!!

Posted 7 months ago #
MoreCashThanDash - Member

Driving ia what triggers it for me - it was originally called something like jeep drivers disease at it affected drivers in the war iirc.

Strangely I don't seem to get pain with mine, just a little ache that is too easy to miss with all the scar tissue there now.

Posted 7 months ago #
motivforz - Member

I had it last summer. Thought it was just a large spot as I tend to have a spotty arse and back. Went to cannock by myself (1.5 hours in the car), did a couple of laps in moderate pain, and then by the end the lump was so huge I spent 3 hours (worst time for traffic ever!!!) driving back crying with the pain. Got home and pretty much collapsed and stayed lying face down for about 20 hours until I phoned up NHS direct. After a few hours of inspection at the hospital I got a tiny little nick cut to extend and drain the wound (haven't seen it but would guess 10mm at most, not a big one comparatively), and a packer put in to keep it open. Was signed off work for 3 weeks, and couldn't sit for 1 at least. Got the packer replaced daily for a week, then every other day, then once a week. Was on the bike after about 5 weeks or so if I remember, but it was painful and had to ease myself back into it. No relapse for me fortunately, although apparently it is quite common to come back, so take it easy and don't rush it!

Posted 7 months ago #
khani - Member

Modified Karydakis
Hahahahahaha!!!!!!!
That's what they told me they were going to do...I ended up with a hole above my arse you could fit a tennis ball inside, and eight weeks of district nurses packing it with Stuff
Have fun......

Posted 7 months ago #
bikebore - Member

Told ya, its not pilodonial whatsit, that's just where people keep crashing in the back of you, 'cos you ride so sloooooow.......

Posted 7 months ago #
grum - Member

I've had several over the years, starting when I was a kid. Not fun.

Posted 7 months ago #
yossarian - Member

Excision and primary closure ftw

Posted 7 months ago #
djflexure - Member

They don't all need excision with primary closure - most get away with opening up existing sinuses and curetting out the debris from underlying cavity.
Problem with excising the whole thing is that although initially closed, the wound will often break down. This then takes a couple of months to heal and you can't do much in the interim.
I usually start with a small procedure and work up.

Posted 7 months ago #
dan98 - Member

My Consultant spoke about a modified Karydakis as he said some of the open wounds literally take months to heal!!!

Just fingers crossed he does a good job first time round and it doesn't come back. I am hoping for a Sh*t winter so i don't feel i've missed too much riding!!! Hope to be back in the saddle for Jan / Feb time!

Driving definitely doesn't help it!!

Posted 7 months ago #
bagpuss - Member

Reading these posts I hadn't realised how lucky I was!

Hope yours goes the same.

Posted 7 months ago #
khani - Member

When i got one they put me on a waiting list and threw antibiotics at me like sweeties, I was on the list for 12 months, when they finally did it my arse it looked like it'd been in a shark attack, not fun

Posted 7 months ago #
Dogsby - Member

I have had it done twice. First time they cut it open, cleaned it out and then stitched it up. It did not last long but was probably not helped by me slipping up and landing on my backside which then split it open. Second time it was cut open and then I had a seaweed based substance packed into it for several months. Weekly visits so that a variety of nurses and doctors could inpsect my 'lower back' certainly cured any inhibitions I might have had aboutgetting my kit of in public. I have had no trouble since and (10 years) and been cycling ever since.

Good luck

Dogsby

Posted 7 months ago #
Stoner - Member

god I hope I never get one of those.

Out of interest, who here is a back to front wiper, and who a front to back

Posted 7 months ago #
dan98 - Member

Both now!!!

Posted 7 months ago #
santacruzsi - Member

Yep, i've had more than one, i've had 3 operations!

First one was a golf ball sized 'lump' on top of my ass crack (or those who were being polite would say 'hows your back?!). Had a funny discharge from it and it got bigger. Was a bit scared so ignored it thinking i was going to die (bizarre i know!) until one day i couldnt walk and went to A&E. Anyway next day, got the thing whipped off and then come 8 weeks of 'packing' by the district nurses so it would heal from the inside out. They poke gores into the cavity. It stunk, hurt and was rather painful. I've never given birth (i'm a bloke!) but reckon it was on par with child-birth! Anyway the consultant chap didn't get the whole hair canal out so said i'd have to come back for a further operation to remove the hair canal. Had that operation, another 7 weeks off work, same packing procedure, same district nurses packing my ass every day. Anyway, i thought I was all done, but then I got a third Pilonidal sinus, another operation, another series of packing and so on.

This took place over a 2.5 year period. Approximately 17 weeks off work in total, 3 operations, 2 rubber swim rings, 1 bottle of vodka for my understanding and as good as best friend district nurse!

No cycling or anything over this period, no climbing, could manage a little walk. Was a crap time, but all done now. I used to wear ladies sanitary pads in the back of my pants to collect the mess. Quite crap really. Anyway, this probably hasn't cheered anyone up; its not nice but it'll heal one day! And if anyone has a lump on their ass, dont be silly like i was, go and get it looked at. I think i's have been sorted quicker if i'd have not put it off!

You'll be able to ride and get back to normal soon no worries. I now shave my ass or use that Veet stuff to keep the hair away! Seems to do the trick.

Anyway, Dan98, get well soon!

Posted 7 months ago #
tommytowtruck - Member

I'm always surprised by the amount of people who have suffered with this! I had this once, think I had the operation about 14 or 15 years ago (before I started mountain biking) - not had a problem since. Fairly unpleasant but hopefully the op should sort you out.

Posted 7 months ago #
gamo - Member

Had three ops and three lots of packing over the course of 2008, worst year of my life!

Posted 7 months ago #