During this time, I continued taking my oral antibiotics too (that was Ciprofloxicin and Flagyl) because the doctor did not order me to stop taking them. During the second week of IV & oral antibiotics I began to run low of the oral antibiotics, so I called my doctor and asked them to refill the oral antibiotics. At that time, my doctor told me to stop the oral antibiotics.
The last week after completing the IV antibiotics, I got another CT scan. It revealed that the abscess had not decreased in size. So my GI doctor discussed surgical intervention with my colorectal surgeon. They scheduled me for a presurgical consultation with the surgeon.
In the meantime, they kept the midline in but I didn't infuse any medications. To maintain the line, I had to flush at least once per day with saline and Heparin.
I did very well during the week I spent after finishing the IV antibiotic but before meeting the surgeon. I didn't require any pain medication and my energy levels and general sense of well-being improved.
At the surgery consultation (7/18), the surgeon scheduled me for surgery around 9/1 to give me time to taper off steroids and stop taking the Imuran. While in the appointment, I asked the surgeon about the midline and he said we would not use it and we could remove it. In fact, he offered and we agreed to remove it during the appointment - which he did!
So the plan was laid, 6 weeks then abdominal surgery to resection my diseased bowel, drain the abscess, and fix anything else that needed fixing. The doctor planned to begin the surgery as laprascopic and only switch to open abdominal if necessary.
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