Has anyone else had a pilonidal cyst?

Question

Pilonidal cysts occur more in men than in women but I am "lucky" enough to have one. I am 23 and I experienced intense pain in the tailbone area about 2 years ago. I thought it was due to an old tailbone injury (I broke my tailbone when I was 16 and it never properly healed). I would experience frequent pain in the years after my injury and could never sit down for very long or sit a certain way because it would hurt. I just summed it up to the injury until it started to drain. There was really smelly stuff coming from that area and I decided to see a doctor because the pain didnt go away like it always did before. He said it was a cyst and had to be lanced and drained. He also said I could opt for surgery once the infection was healed but should wait because surgery may be avoidable if the pain does not recur. For a couple weeks, my mom had to change my bandages and it was the most excruciating pain I have ever endured (even worse than child birth!)

Ran out of space--anyway, the pain comes back every once in a while and I'm considering getting the surgery done when I get some insurance. Is there anything I need to know about the surgery? Should I even get it done?

It's not really affecting my quality of life. It just hurts every once in a while but i dont want to have to go through the pain of having it lanced and having the bandages changed again.

Answer 1

Hi,
It depends what type of surgery you have, I first had the sinus drained and excised in september last year - that took around 4 weeks to heal (it really depends on how much they excise) , but then I had several infections after that and no antibiotics worked , so I booked to seen a surgeon privately and he told me the most successful operation for a pilonidal sinus now is a Rhomboid flap (limberg flap) this is like a skin graft , they excise the pilonidal sinus and then take skin from one bum cheek and transport it over and stitch down the naval cleft (midline of the bum). I had this done in january the stitches were left in for 21 days and then removed - I did since have an infection in the area but however all is now good and I have been told that the re-occurance rate is low with this operation.

Doctors usually recommend to have it excised and drained in the first instance and first occurance and then packed until the tissue underneath the hole has granualted enough to stop packing, it depends on the person for healing time.

Unfortunately pilonidal sinus's are commen mostly amongst men but they do occur alot if the right operation isn't performed in the first place or if the sinus hasnt been excised deep enough.

To the people who have suffered with a pilonidal sinus for many years or people who are new to this illness I would really reccomend speaking to your surgeon and have the Rhomboid Flap (Limberg flap) done first as last.

Hope all helps - if you are going to have the pilonidal sinus packed then I reccomend taking a pain killer before the healt visitor or district nurses as they are called her visit.

Im not going to lie this is a painful operation but plenty of pain killers and plenty of rest will make sure your right as rain in no time!

The Rhomboid flap operation means you can return to normal activities within 3 weeks of the operation first being done.

Please if you want to know anymore of pilonidal sinus then contact me or if you want to know more about the Rhomboid flap operation - hope i've helped!

Answer 2

I know it is a painful condition but there is no option other than surgery. It gives good results in good hands. There is no fun in delaying it.

Answer 3

dont have it but i have seen a lots of patients with it. and yes, get the surgery if its affecting your quality of life.

Answer 4

i have one n really haven't did anythig about it at first it didnt hurt but then it poped n hurt really bad.its still there i just don't mess with it.. my friend was preg n she had one too she said the doc just gave her some meds for it