Question:
Does anyone know much about what causes an abcess? I felt increasing better for two

weeks following surgery and week three and four went downhill fast. I couldnt eat or drink, I had a lot of pain in the trunk of my body and just thought I might die. Today I went to the Dr who sent me straight to the hospital.I'm dehydrated and have a severe abcess. ?????    — maria R. (posted on September 25, 2003)

September 24, 2003
I had an abcess in my left calf last year that had to be removed. My wound just closed last week after my surgery was May 24 of 2002.Yes, I said 2002. The surgeon did not tell me how to care for it and it got infected. After two surgeries, two ER stays for five days each, IV antibiotics, home health nurses, I am ready to live again. My abcess was caused from trauma due to a horseback riding accident that happened 17 years ago. The antibiotics I was on were the strongest that the hospital carried. Vancomicin, timentin, and levequin. Burned my viens,and still have the scars from the PICC lines. It was not the abcess that caused the problems though, it was the infection. My infectious disease doctor said, that this abcess was just hanging around in my body harboring bacteria. I believe it exploded one day when I bent down and felt a squishing sensation. I don't mean to scare you. Everyone is different, but make sure you get aftercare instructions. My surgeon just told me to use neosporin on the dry spots. That should have been my red flag. P.S. My surgeon is no longer practicing. Don't know why.
   — Barbara D.

September 25, 2003
Where was your abscess? Internally? I had the exact same happen to me 1 week out from surgery. Ended up in the hospital for 2-1/2 weeks. I had a leak develop 1 week after surgery that caused the abscess. They discovered the leak because I had a drain put in to drain my abscess and the color of the drainage corresponded to the cherry popsicle I had eaten earlier. A month later I am doing better.
   — Checker B.

September 25, 2003
The term abscess just means a localized area of infection - as oppossed to having the infection spread throughout your body. So, basically you have a significant infection, which can happen with any kind of surgery.
   — bethybb