Author Topic: Saddle Sore to Hospital Admission in 12 Hours...  (Read 3018 times)

Saddle Sore to Hospital Admission in 12 Hours...
« on: 22 April, 2018, 11:38:35 am »
POSSIBLE TMI ALERT!

Thankfully I'm not overly prone to saddle sores, but following a 400km Audax last weekend, I was left with a 50p sized sore, 'gristly' lump in the region of my right sit bone. As far as I can tell there was no associated broken skin. I also felt pretty run down for a couple of days after, with swollen inguinal glands, but put all of the above down to a tough ride and poor sleep in the lead up to the event.

By Thursday, I felt sufficiently recovered to go out for a brisk 20 miles, in spite of the saddle sore not quite being 100% gone. During this, the sore was uncomfortable, but not excessively painful and I just didn't think anything of it. In the early hours of Friday, the sore area had spread throughout my right groin and even into the right side of my scrotum, with pain bad enough to wake me up. I struggled through the day, but by early afternoon I was starting to feel quite ill and walking was very painful.

I was lucky enough to get in with the local GP, who prodded and poked and hypothesized that there may be an abscess. He referred me straight to the Surgical admissions unit in Bath and packed me straight off there. The surgeons seemed a bit perplexed. They stuck me with a needle in the worst site of swelling to see if there was any pus, but nothing came out except a bit of blood. He didn't rule out an abscess but as my temperature was also high at 38.5 they ordered blood tests. These came back with inflammatory markers, so they opted to keep me in overnight on antibiotic drips and see how things were the following day. The Doctor who saw me yesterday was of the opinion that it was all just soft tissue damage and discharged me with amoxicillin clavulanate antibiotics and an appointment for tuesday morning.

Today, I'm back at work following an epic night's sleep (zero sleep in the hospital - how the hell does anyone ever recover in hopsitals when they don't allow you to sleep?) and feeling better, albeit still with the soreness and swelling. I can't believe that soft tissue damage could get so much worse so quickly, so I was just wondering if anyone else had had a similar experience?

jiberjaber

  • ... Fancy Pants \o/ ...
  • ACME S&M^2
Re: Saddle Sore to Hospital Admission in 12 Hours...
« Reply #1 on: 22 April, 2018, 01:23:48 pm »
Yes - though I haven't seen a doctor and not had the high temperatures you mention but certainly similar size internal sit bone lumps on both sides which are there after a long ride (the longer the ride the larger the lump on each side, so after the arrow they were particularly troublesome!) I think mine stems from LEL as I didn't have this issue before then... 

These appear different from ingrown hair type saddle issues - as you say no puss or spot head just a solid lump (which shrinks over a few days).

I've changed back to my wider seat which I think has helped a bit but not been over 200km to check properly.   
Regards,

Joergen

Re: Saddle Sore to Hospital Admission in 12 Hours...
« Reply #2 on: 22 April, 2018, 05:56:59 pm »
I would love to know your markers and I would have loved to have seen an ultrasound or MRI. I suspect this is inflammation secondary to fat necrosis. The second ride probably spread the dead fat and released a whole load of toxins.

jiberjaber

  • ... Fancy Pants \o/ ...
  • ACME S&M^2
Re: Saddle Sore to Hospital Admission in 12 Hours...
« Reply #3 on: 22 April, 2018, 06:31:17 pm »
I would love to know your markers and I would have loved to have seen an ultrasound or MRI. I suspect this is inflammation secondary to fat necrosis. The second ride probably spread the dead fat and released a whole load of toxins.
That sounds lovely, might Google it on am empty stomach!
Regards,

Joergen

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Saddle Sore to Hospital Admission in 12 Hours...
« Reply #4 on: 22 April, 2018, 07:14:41 pm »
Sounds like great fun :(

Glad your feeling better, how anyone is expected to get well in hospital is beyond me. Last time I was there was when diagnosed diabetic and they kept waking me up every two hours
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: Saddle Sore to Hospital Admission in 12 Hours...
« Reply #5 on: 23 April, 2018, 04:51:36 pm »
Back to the RUH tomorrow morning. Still painful and swollen, but no fever or other symptoms now. There's no way this is just soft tissue damage. Something very odd is going on in my nethers!

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Saddle Sore to Hospital Admission in 12 Hours...
« Reply #6 on: 23 April, 2018, 05:48:53 pm »
I think there has been infection (now coming under control) in mashed bum1.
Don't know if this was blood, bursa, fat, skin or muscle.

Hope you continue to improve!

1) Not a medical term. I am damned if I use medical terminology and damned if I use Plain Words.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Saddle Sore to Hospital Admission in 12 Hours...
« Reply #7 on: 23 April, 2018, 06:30:02 pm »
I can't believe that soft tissue damage could get so much worse so quickly, so I was just wondering if anyone else had had a similar experience?

Teethgrinder had something pretty similar - fairly recently, but not during any of his record attempts IIRC! I think it was an abcess.

Must have been serious - kept him off the bike for at least a day.

EDIT: ah - 2011 https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=52836.150
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: Saddle Sore to Hospital Admission in 12 Hours...
« Reply #8 on: 24 April, 2018, 03:28:48 am »
It could be a low grade infection with something which is non abscess forming and which in the right environment goes on to necrotising fasciitis.

However as it was not hit on the head fully by a good course of iv antibiotics and is still ongoing I favour fat necrosis.

I am not surprised by the amount of pain and suffering. Fat necrosis can be a massive problem.

You could ask for an ultrasound or MRI scan

Mention sepsis and low grade necrotising infection if you want action but the action is likely to be massive surgery.

Are you using a hot water bottle on the area?

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Saddle Sore to Hospital Admission in 12 Hours...
« Reply #9 on: 24 April, 2018, 07:45:28 am »
@Kev: Nothing helpful nor yet depressing to add. I just hope it buggers off sharpish and leaves you fundamentally intact.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Saddle Sore to Hospital Admission in 12 Hours...
« Reply #10 on: 25 April, 2018, 10:06:01 pm »
Thanks all. So I went back to the RUH yesterday. The surgeons don't want to start slicing and dicing until they know what it is and that it wont go away on its own, so I sat there for 9 hours waiting for a MRI scan, then got sent home to await a phone call. Scan now booked for friday at 09.20am, just after a night shift.
The ailment itself is slightly better, in that the majority of the swelling has gone, leaving me with what I can only describe as a hard 'tube' beneath the skin that starts in the crook of my groin near my right sit bone and heads into the right of my ballsack, about the thickness of a pencil and very sore. Made a (stupid) attempt to sit on a saddle today. Bad idea.
Thankfully I'm nowhere near as bad as the horror story that mattc linked to, but I'm very very bad at being ill in any capacity and am looking forward to some answers on friday.

Chris S

Re: Saddle Sore to Hospital Admission in 12 Hours...
« Reply #11 on: 25 April, 2018, 10:39:56 pm »
I can beat your 12 hours. There's always someone, eh?

Me: "Doc, my arse really really hurts"
Doc: "OK, let me have a look"
Me: *strips"
Doc: *looks*
Me: "So... what?"
Doc: "I'm calling an ambulance"

The only thing that's worse is when, after the Op to deal with the Thing, they forget to give you Morphine when they repack the wound.  :hand:

Re: Saddle Sore to Hospital Admission in 12 Hours...
« Reply #12 on: 26 April, 2018, 01:29:39 am »
I can beat your 12 hours. There's always someone, eh?

Me: "Doc, my arse really really hurts"
Doc: "OK, let me have a look"
Me: *strips"
Doc: *looks*
Me: "So... what?"
Doc: "I'm calling an ambulance"

The only thing that's worse is when, after the Op to deal with the Thing, they forget to give you Morphine when they repack the wound.  :hand:

Yeah, well, I've been to Elevenerife!  ;)

Re: Saddle Sore to Hospital Admission in 12 Hours...
« Reply #13 on: 27 April, 2018, 10:40:38 pm »
MRI scan this morning revealed nothing more sinister than haematoma, so no slice 'n dice required. Doc says I'm saddle worthy as soon as I can comfortable sit on one, which I'm hoping should be in the next few days.

Still something that doesn't quite add up in my mind from having a small, insignificant lump on sit bone to extensive swelling and pain plus fever in short order. No matter though, as long as it doesn't rear its head again I'm happy.

Re: Saddle Sore to Hospital Admission in 12 Hours...
« Reply #14 on: 28 April, 2018, 07:37:52 pm »
Managed a brisk 20 odd miles this afternoon. Some discomfort, but manageable with occasional out of saddle stints. Night shift tonight so I can keep my eye on any developments.