Gluteal Abscess?

Pharma
1

Before i get flamed, i did completely read the stickie regarding injection pain/soreness/etc. However, i still can’t quite figure out what is wrong with me.

I took my last injection 4 days ago in my upper left glute. It contained 1CC of XR (100ml prop/150ml cyp). Since then, my left glute is in excruciating pain.

AFter reading the stickie i was quite sure that it must be an abscess, but i don’t seem to have the pitting edema associated with it. The whole surrounding area feels misshaped and extremely painful. The color is equal to the other glute and the area “may” be a tad warmer, but i can’t tell if that’s my imagination or not.

I’ve done more research on septic shock and have started to become a little freaked out; so i just want to get some responses from the experts. I’m thinking my best option was to have my brother stick the 18g drawing needle in the area as mentioned in the stickie however i want to be sure it’s the correct diagnoses.

FWIW- this is my 4th cycle and my first time using XR(which im returning tmrw) and i’ve never felt pain this badly before, but had just assumed it had to do with the high concentration of prop in the mix.

So…what should I do experts?

Thanks so much in advance for the help, and I apologize for asking a question which is addressed in the stickie, but have become very nervous.

2

also, not sure if this helps with the diagnosis, but i feel a lot of pressure in the area almost like my left ass-cheek is going to pop.

If it seems pretty obvious that it’s an abscess: what is the best way to drain it b/c it doesn’t feel extremely localized. I read in the stickie to use an 18 or 16g needle to aspirate it, but the problem with my abscess is that it seems to be in all the surrounding areas not just around my previous injection location.

any help on what to do considering how spaced out the abscess is would be awesome. And is there anyway to help with the pain when i attempt to aspirate the area b/c it hurts soo fucking bad just sitting or putting pressure on the area and i can’t imagine how badly the needle will hurt.

once again- all responses appreciated

3

Is it possible to post a picture? I’m not sure it will definitely help but maybe someone will spot something. Sorry I can’t be of any real help.

4

im going to try and upload a picture from my phone but not sure how much help it will be as the waterlike fluid is not really noticeable unless you touch or feel the area.

It just blows b/c my doctor really is retarded about anything pertaining to situations like this so im not really sure what to do.

Since it seems too difficult/unsure to diagnose this over the board, i think i might just suck it up and go through with the aspiration.

Do i bring the vial into the Urgent Care people to look at or do i have to wait till tomorrow to get a referral from my doctor and go to a specialist? Is this even necessary or will the infection go away on it’s own after i aspirate?

I also feel flu-like symptoms coming on and am starting to get paranoid about septic shock.

5

If you think you are developing an infection or already have an infected abscess it is probably best to go to the hosptial as soon as you can. Even if you aspirate the fluid out there is a good chance you would still need an anti-biotic to kill whatever is left over.

Do you have a fever?

You should also find a new doctor if the one you have doesn’t know how to treat an abscess.

6

thanks for the response. True, regarding the doctor part, but i guess i am just too lazy to look, plus i haven’t been sick in about 3 years or more.

I just finished searching a couple of old threads regarding abscesses; and i think i am just going to closely monitor it for the time being and hopefully my body will take care of it on its own

If i start to get a fever or my condition worsens i’ll head to the hospital.

7

Good Luck

8

A piece of advice is to find a young doctor that will accept the truths behind your usage and take care of you when you need help. I would not try to drain it myself, ala Valentino. I hope everything works out.
Cheers

9

If your infection is tracking downward or between the investing fascial planes you may not have the signs of a localized infection which is coming to the surface, i.e. induration, redness, swelling, surface warmth. The fact that it’s not getting better or it’s getting worse is not a good sign.

10

Had this happen to me, on my arm and the same thing you are describing is how mine started. I Let it sit for a while hoping it would get better…ended up costing me over 2k in medical bills and 3 days hooked up to an IV, not fun.

I really wouldn’t wait, Get that shit checked out!

If you really want to wait it out at least get some keflex and see if that takes care of it. I had two other instances with shitty gear, got keflex immediately and I was good as new in a matter of days.

11

Umm…these aren’t exactly the responses i was hoping to hear, but thanks a lot for the honesty and advice.

I’d rather not go to the the ER tonight considering how expensive it will be, but i am definately heading to the doctors tomorrow as soon as they open.

I’ll keep you guys updated and let ya know what happens tomorrow.

I figure i should def be okay for the night b/c i dont’ have a fever or anything and i feel fine with the exception of my left glute still feeling terrible.

Thanks again for the responses

12

I haven’t read the entire thread, so forgive me if I miss a few things.

There’s plenty of symptoms which suggest an abscess, but the only sure way to tell at home is to aspirate the area with a reasonably large gauge needle. The thinnest you’d want to use is a 23g, but preferably an 18-21g. You may need to try aspirating at a few slightly different positions and depths before you’re satified there is no abscess in the area.

Oddly, I’ve found that although these areas hurt like fuck to the touch, a needle will slide in fairly painlessly.

Regular aspiration and antibiotics are the way to go. Very simple and easy, and it clears things up very quickly. Aspiration can and should be performed immediately (assuming you’re not an AAS newb).

You’ll find that if it is an abscess, drainage will alleviate the pain significantly. Take a syringe full to your doc/ER - it usually helps. Co-amoxyclav/Augmentin is what would normally be prescribed and works pretty swiftly.

Worst case scenarios:
The abscess is successful in containing the infection, grows with time, and finally needs surgical debridement. Not fun.

The abscess is unsuccessful, and you develop septic shock and die. Less fun.

Bottom line: stick a large gauge pin in there and see what you find.

13

Thanks Dave.

14

Heading to the doctor now. Thanks for all the advice gentleman. I’m hoping the doc will just drain it when i get there b/c i can’t reach the spot to aspirate b/c my shoulders are so incredibly sore.

I’m starting to think it might have just been gear with a high Alcohol content, b/c it’s definately not fake gear considering i got it from an HRT clinic.

Still going to have it checked out though.

Thanks again for all the advice

15

I’m sorry I’m late. It’s good you are going to the dr.

That said, I really don’t think this sounds like an abscess. I’m not hearing about fever, redness, no “real” swelling. It just sounds like a really painful inject to me, and it has happened to me before, and it happened in a glute inject.

Typically, I think, if you happen to inject too shallowly, this can lead to some very excruciating post-injection pain. The OP’s descriptions sound exactly like what happened to me. I was in major pain for a full week before it finally started to dissipate.

Now, if I were wrong, and it really is an abscess, I would feel terrible. But you’re already going to a dr. anyway, so I feel a bit more comfortable relating this.

Anyway, my money’s on shallow inject.

16

[quote]Cortes wrote:
I’m sorry I’m late. It’s good you are going to the dr.

That said, I really don’t think this sounds like an abscess. I’m not hearing about fever, redness, no “real” swelling. It just sounds like a really painful inject to me, and it has happened to me before, and it happened in a glute inject.

Typically, I think, if you happen to inject too shallowly, this can lead to some very excruciating post-injection pain. The OP’s descriptions sound exactly like what happened to me. I was in major pain for a full week before it finally started to dissipate.

Now, if I were wrong, and it really is an abscess, I would feel terrible. But you’re already going to a dr. anyway, so I feel a bit more comfortable relating this.

Anyway, my money’s on shallow inject. [/quote]

I went to the doctor this morning; and it seems you are correct. I actually thought that shallow inject may have been it in the beginning b/c i was sooo much less sore in the past with 1 1/2" needles.

I am just really glad i went to the doctor today, but figured it wasn’t an abscess this morning when i woke up and my right ass cheek hurt just as fucking bad.

Even though i am now quite sure it’s just a super painful injection: i still pretty much demanded the doctor give me a prescription of keflex which he did and i started today.

Thanks again for all the help everyone, and sorry for making such a big deal out of just a painful injection. I kind of feel like a pussy, but i was really convinced it was an abscess b/c of the extremely excruciating pain i was in.

Thanks all, and hopefully all pain dissipates within a few days.

17

No, man, you did the right things, and I’m happy to hear that things turned out to be better than feared.

And as far as being a pussy, I’m definitely not the type to shy away from a little pain (just ask Egnatios about my love of needles;) but I can say this for a fact: after my last shallow gluteal injection, I NEVER want to experience anything like it again. I literally felt like I had been kicked by a horse!

Make sure you are using a needle long enough to get in there deep, and if you don’t have any on hand, use a different site. I don’t know if you know about or use the ventrogluteal site, but imo it’s the best there is for self-administered injections.

18

I’m glad I was wrong. Good stuff.

19

CORTES,

just sent you a PM if you wouldn’t mind checking it out, thanks.