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I was first on anti biotics for 1 week for the big abscess on my parotid gland cheek caused by unknown means, it then started to drain out puss on it's own for a week and a little help from me by pressing it but I could feel some thicker puss formation did not all come out. Then I told my ENT doctor I could still feel some lumps of puss inside my abscess, and I thought he was going to suck out the remaining puss with a medical device or other treatment, instead he prescribed me 2 more weeks of oral anti biotics, and hydrogen peroxide for me to place into the opening of my abscess along with polysporin while there was still lumps of thick puss inside my abscess that was suppose to be cleared out. The hydrogen peroxide caused me to feel just ever so slightly sick so i had to stop that in 2 days, and also stopped the oral anti biotics in 3 days for fear that it may cause side effects because I already took it for 1 week before.
Immediately upon applying the polysporin, it seemed to enclose the opening of the abscess to the point that the remaining lumps of thick puss were no longer able to come out ever since then, instead a transparent liquid came out at times. The abscess did shrink alot in size for a month and half after (and since the beginning), but continued to be infected, very tender and red, and very warm at times and still is now although I never had a fever. From what I searched online, a big abscess should be surgically drained of the puss by 100% so the abscess can then fully heal and go away in 1 to 2 weeks. In fact it also says if any puss remains inside an abscess after it's been surgically drained, the abscess will reoccur and continue on and that's precisely what happened to me although it drained naturally. My abscess did shrink alot in size and is very small now as if my body is very slowly absorbing it while the lumps of pus remains inside but it still is red, infected and gets very warm at times. I also wonder if this can cause damage to other surrounding tissues or muscles since this infected abscess is now over 1 month and 3 weeks old.
Why did my ENT doctor prescribe hydrogen peroxide and polysporin on a big abscess that still had lumps of thick puss inside when it was supposed to be drained by 100%? Does anyone agree this ENT doctor didn't provide proper medical treatment and caused my abscess to continue on for over a month and 3 weeks all because the abscess didn't fully drain?
I explained this to a female friend I know and she was a little shocked because she had an abscess some years ago in which another doctor surgically drained it right away and it fully cleared and healed in less than 2 weeks. This was not so in may case, why??? Shouldn't I complain about this doctor to the health care system?
If you are questioning this ENT's treatment plan you should be able to get a second opinion. Be sure to provide the specifics of your diagnosis (including underlying cause of the abscess, bacteria involved, etc.) and describe your treatment so far. You may find the second doc agrees with the first and your potential complaint may have no merit.
I certainly hope you reported your trouble with the hydrogen peroxide and your fears over the antibiotic. If you didn't, how is the ENT supposed to help you? There may be alternatives to using hydrogen peroxide. Treating health problems is normally a cooperative venture between doctor and patient. That means communication. If a patient doesn't keep the doc informed about unexpected problems, how are they supposed to improve the situation? They aren't mind readers.
Treating an infection like that requires a multi-pronged approach. You didn't follow your doctor's orders. You stopped topical treatment with hydrogen peroxide. In addition, and possibly more important, you didn't complete the full course of antibiotics which, in conjunction with the local/physical treatment of the abscess itself was intended to stop its progression. Not treating completely can create an infection that is even more resistant to treatment. But it's all his fault and now you want to file a complaint against him for results you caused?
Last edited by Parnassia; 07-27-2023 at 03:02 PM..
I do agree that I should of informed my ENT doctor that the hydrogen peroxide made me feel slightly sick, and that the polysporin seemed to seal and heal the opening of the abscess and stopped the drainage, and that I no longer wanted to take the anti biotics. And depending what he would say, I should of asked him if he can drain the puss using a certain procedure. Yes I should of communicated with him way more but I did ask him at first appointment on june 23 if my abscess needed to be surgically drained or other procedure and he said "no, just take the 2 weeks of anti biotics, peroxide and polysporin."
My opinion still kind of stands, since I already took anti-biotics for 7 days (prescribed by a different doctor which was my family doctor) and the big abscess then opened and started to drain on it's own for a week after that, since all the puss did not drain out, I still think the ENT doctor should of drained all the puss out using a certain procedure, then after confirming all the puss is out, then he could of prescribed me hydrogen peroxide, polysporin and 2 weeks of anti biotics. Its all over the internet that if puss still remains in an abscess, the infected abscess with reoccur or continue and I believe if he would of drained all the remaining puss out on June 23, my abscess would of completely cleared like 2 weeks after. Now he has me on Fucidin ointment which is a much stronger polysporin as the abscess still gets infected, turns red, very warm but thankfully its very small now. But i'm surprised he didn't prescribe the cream version of Fucidin since its an acid that tends to penetrate the skin deeper. Wouldn't that be better for what I have than the ointment version? I wonder if I stop using this and all ointments that the remaining very small lump of puss may finally come out in 2 weeks and will be completely cleared.
I also think its possible that if I didn't see that ENT doctor at all on june 23, my abscess would of continued draining all on its own with my help of pressing it while looking in the mirror and would of completely healed 2 weeks after but its now july 27 and its still there tormenting me under and slightly below my ear lobe as it feels very warm almost hot now, very tender, darkish red but very small.
Your opinion has no value. You are the patient, not the physician. You're not qualified to determine that you can just stop taking antibiotics in mid-dose. The rx was a 2-week course of antibiotics, which you halted halfway through. Every adult who has EVER had to take antibiotics in their lifetime knows that you have to complete the prescription AS PRESCRIBED or you end up back at square one.
An abscess on your face can easily turn into sepsis in the brain and kill you, if not treated appropriately. You should've followed the instructions the first time around. You have only yourself to blame for your troubles.
Also - it's should've or should have, not should of. Should've, would've, could've.
In general, you want to open and drain the abscess. Not sure oral antibiotics will do anything. If I were you, I'd ask your doc why he's not draining it (maybe there is a reason). If his response does not satisfy you, then ask for a 2nd opinion.
Did you communicate to him you were on antibiotics for 7 days and would like to avoid them? Sometimes a doc just prescribes something because they think the patient wants it. Antibiotics and pain meds are given out like candy.
In general, you want to open and drain the abscess. Not sure oral antibiotics will do anything. If I were you, I'd ask your doc why he's not draining it (maybe there is a reason). If his response does not satisfy you, then ask for a 2nd opinion.
Did you communicate to him you were on antibiotics for 7 days and would like to avoid them? Sometimes a doc just prescribes something because they think the patient wants it. Antibiotics and pain meds are given out like candy.
Yes I should of been communicating with him way more of what was happening back on june 23, 24 and so on. The next time I see him I will ask him why he didn't drain the remaining puss back on june 23, since yes anti-biotics cannot reduce or remove the puss. In fact when I saw him 3 days ago, he told me at this point my abscess can no longer be drained. So by him saying that proves when I first saw him he knew my abscess was opened and draining, and was able to be drained, in fact he said "I see pus oozing out" so why didn't he complete the drainage by a procedure so the thing can completely heal and go away in 2 weeks? Didn't he know polysporin (and peroxide) is not meant to be put on a big abscess (with puss still inside as google states) and that it could partially enclose the opening to stop puss from coming out because that's what happened and thats what I felt after it was applied. My abscess is now around 3/4" in diameter, kind of oval shaped and the lump has flattened compared to 3 or more weeks ago but still infected. I hope this is not going to lead to a more serious problem.
This is how it started, on june 1 my parotid (salivary) gland swelled up pretty large with that redness on the cheek and my dad and I thought it was mumps. My family doctor confirmed it wasn't mumps but I had a severe case of parotid gland swelling (parotitus) caused by a bacterial infection but I never had a fever, only a mild one in the beginning for a few hours. Then slowly the swelling kept on reducing in size and formed into quite a big abscess. My family doctor (and my ENT doctor) said it doesn't need to be surgically drained because the drainage started to occur on its own from june 15 to 23 and stopped ever since the 24th due to the polysporin if i'm correct, in which they never analysed the actual puss to find out what kind or whats the cause.
AND this is another question I have if anyone including a doctor can answer. (thanks!!!). Since polysporin helps to heal wounds, can polysporin applied on a big abscess thats draining on it's own, partially (heal) enclose the opening of that abscess to the extent that the remaining lumps of puss cannot be drained out anymore, but only a transparent liquid may drain at times instead, and shouldn't an ENT doctor know this? And I kind of asked my ENT this same question 3 days ago and he didn't really answer it, which I will ask again. And certainly I will change doctors up coming. Thanks for the replies!!!!
Your opinion has no value. You are the patient, not the physician. You're not qualified to determine that you can just stop taking antibiotics in mid-dose. The rx was a 2-week course of antibiotics, which you halted halfway through. Every adult who has EVER had to take antibiotics in their lifetime knows that you have to complete the prescription AS PRESCRIBED or you end up back at square one.
Also - it's should've or should have, not should of. Should've, would've, could've.
I never really read "should've would've could've" anywhere before but you must be right about those words being the correct spelling instead of "should of would of" so thanks.
When I first took 1 week of anti-biotics (cephalexin 500 mg) with no polysprin at all, after 7 days of cephalexin, my abscess did open up and was draining for over a week. When I took 2 weeks of cephalexin (for only 3 days twice day), as soon as I applied the polysporin to the abscess the first day, I felt the opening became enclosed and felt the remaining puss can no longer be pushed out at all. As I continued both cephalxin and polysporin for the 3 days (and peroxide only first 2 days), it felt there's no way the remaining puss can come out like something soft warmish hot under pressure and with a lid on it. SO if I would of taking the 2 week course of cephalexin with polysporin everyday, it would of continued to feel the same with no puss draining because the opening was partially closed, thats why I decided to stop the cephalexin at 3 days due to possible side effects since i already taking it for 1 week before.
Please answer, did polysporin partially enclose the opening of my abscess and therefore stop anymore drainage of puss? I'm trying to solve this puzzle. So you're saying my doctor intended for my abscess to diminish in size until it's gone instead of allowing it to continue to drain on it's own since it did shrink smaller and smaller? But its common sense he would of wanted my abscess to shrink smaller and smaller after the puss was all drained out, right? Unless there is a chance he did say to only apply the polysporin and hydrogen peroxide after the puss has fully drained out while on cephalexin but I didn't hear him clearly since my hearing is decreasing (it really is a bit). I need to ask that doctor about this, thanks.
I was first on anti biotics for 1 week for the big abscess on my parotid gland cheek caused by unknown means, it then started to drain out puss on it's own for a week and a little help from me by pressing it but I could feel some thicker puss formation did not all come out. Then I told my ENT doctor I could still feel some lumps of puss inside my abscess, and I thought he was going to suck out the remaining puss with a medical device or other treatment, instead he prescribed me 2 more weeks of oral anti biotics, and hydrogen peroxide for me to place into the opening of my abscess along with polysporin while there was still lumps of thick puss inside my abscess that was suppose to be cleared out. The hydrogen peroxide caused me to feel just ever so slightly sick so i had to stop that in 2 days, and also stopped the oral anti biotics in 3 days for fear that it may cause side effects because I already took it for 1 week before.
Immediately upon applying the polysporin, it seemed to enclose the opening of the abscess to the point that the remaining lumps of thick puss were no longer able to come out ever since then, instead a transparent liquid came out at times. The abscess did shrink alot in size for a month and half after (and since the beginning), but continued to be infected, very tender and red, and very warm at times and still is now although I never had a fever. From what I searched online, a big abscess should be surgically drained of the puss by 100% so the abscess can then fully heal and go away in 1 to 2 weeks. In fact it also says if any puss remains inside an abscess after it's been surgically drained, the abscess will reoccur and continue on and that's precisely what happened to me although it drained naturally. My abscess did shrink alot in size and is very small now as if my body is very slowly absorbing it while the lumps of pus remains inside but it still is red, infected and gets very warm at times. I also wonder if this can cause damage to other surrounding tissues or muscles since this infected abscess is now over 1 month and 3 weeks old.
Why did my ENT doctor prescribe hydrogen peroxide and polysporin on a big abscess that still had lumps of thick puss inside when it was supposed to be drained by 100%? Does anyone agree this ENT doctor didn't provide proper medical treatment and caused my abscess to continue on for over a month and 3 weeks all because the abscess didn't fully drain?
I explained this to a female friend I know and she was a little shocked because she had an abscess some years ago in which another doctor surgically drained it right away and it fully cleared and healed in less than 2 weeks. This was not so in may case, why??? Shouldn't I complain about this doctor to the health care system?
You didn’t follow your doctor’s instructions, didn’t question dr’s recommended treatment at the onset, didn’t ask why the surgery wasn’t recommended and didn’t communicate your non-compliance to the dr and now you are doubting if it was the right course of actions?
All righty then
You wouldn’t know if it worked better or similar to the surgery.
Talk to your dr, not people on the internet
My opinion still kind of stands, since I already took anti-biotics for 7 days (prescribed by a different doctor which was my family doctor) and the big abscess then opened and started to drain on it's own for a week after that, since all the puss did not drain out, I still think the ENT doctor should of drained all the puss out using a certain procedure, then after confirming all the puss is out, then he could of prescribed me hydrogen peroxide, polysporin and 2 weeks of anti biotics. Its all over the internet that if puss still remains in an abscess, the infected abscess with reoccur or continue and I believe if he would of drained all the remaining puss out on June 23, my abscess would of completely cleared like 2 weeks after...I wonder if I stop using this and all ointments that the remaining very small lump of puss may finally come out in 2 weeks and will be completely cleared...I also think its possible that if I didn't see that ENT doctor at all on june 23, my abscess would of continued draining all on its own with my help of pressing it while looking in the mirror and would of completely healed 2 weeks after
Quote:
did polysporin partially enclose the opening of my abscess and therefore stop anymore drainage of puss?
Again, why are you here? We cannot answer these kinds of questions. Call your ENT or get a 2nd opinion. Or just don't do anything since you're apparently a doctor, too.
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Treating an infection like that requires a multi-pronged approach. You didn't follow your doctor's orders. You stopped topical treatment with hydrogen peroxide. In addition, and possibly more important, you didn't complete the full course of antibiotics which, in conjunction with the local/physical treatment of the abscess itself was intended to stop its progression. Not treating completely can create an infection that is even more resistant to treatment. But it's all his fault and now you want to file a complaint against him for results you caused?