topic Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS? in Wellness

ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

Lindsays Grandma — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 02:53:06 GMT

Unfortunately, recently I was diagnosed with Cellulitis for which I have no idea how it happened. I don't ever walk barefoot, had no scratches or open wounds and yet I am now in the throes of taking an anti-biotic to help cure it.

I do have some questions and would be most appreciative if one of my fellow posters has knowledge of this awful impediment. Can we talk?

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

Luvsmyfam — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 02:58:23 GMT

my bosses wife had this,and had to be hospitalized. It did eventually go away with a strong antobiotic. Best of luck lindsays grandma

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

Lindsays Grandma — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 03:20:32 GMT

@Luvsmyfam ... So your bosses wife had to hospitalized, I was worried the doctor might suggest that and thankful he didn't. Right now with all that is going on I don't want to be near any hospital. So far it looks as though the new anti-biotic is working. The first prescription did nothing, had to go back for a different one. It appears to be a slow procedure and I can use the "Best of luck" you sent.

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

cookie16 — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 03:26:10 GMT

In February 2020 I had a left swollen leg with red blotches all over which felt very warm. I went to my Primary Dr. who sent me to a vascular dr to rule out a blood clot (my Dad had a clot years ago.). No clot but within a day or so my right leg started swelling etc. I was put on antibiotic but the first one did nothing so it was changed. I was also told to keep both legs very moisturized and to elevate to keep swelling down.The infection I had was probably caused by shaving my legs and making a small cut. It took a long time to look and feel better. I was also told to wear compression stockings but I haven't done that. I make sure to moisturize daily to avoid the dryness and shave cautiously and thankfully I am not too hairy. I try to elevate when I watch tv at night. So far it is under control. Good luck to you.

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

Goodie2shoes — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 03:29:15 GMT

Best wishes for a speedy recovery. Cellulitis is a bacterial skin infection usually affecting the lower extremities. Any cut or scrape that allows bacteria to get in can cause cellulitis, even a animal bite can also cause cellulitis. Make sure you complete your course of antibiotics and follow up with your doctor for further evaluation and treatment if indicated.

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

ripkenfan — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 03:38:26 GMT

Hi Lindsays Grandma:

I had cellulitis for the first time in 2019. I had a horrible rash that started out on my knee and rapidly went to the front of my thigh. I felt like I had the flu for a few days before the rash appeared. I went to the CVS minute clinic and they told me to go straight to the ER. I went to the ER and they admitted me and gave me Vancomycin in an IV drip for 4 days to stop the infection. I felt better but had to continue with oral antibiotics for 4 months after to finally kick it. The tests said the infection was from e-coli but it can come from other bacteria as well. I had no idea how i got it either. They asked if I had any open wounds, had any recent injuries or had been scratched by a cat or dog or any open wounds or breaks in my skin that let the bacteria in that can cause cellulitis. The bacteria can come from anywhere. I had no idea how I got this. After taking antibiotics for so long, I developed C-diff, which means I had to change to a different antibiotic to stop that. The whole thing was awful from start to finish. I read that it likely will recur and it did for me in July of this year. The same leg started swelling, from foot to thigh (no rash this time) and it was back to the hospital for more antibiotics but it wasn't as severe this time. Let me know if you have other questions and I'll be happy to answer them if I can. I hope you are feeling better!

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

Lindsays Grandma — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 04:24:28 GMT

@ripkenfan ...Sounds like you had more than your share of this Cellulitis. I was shocked to read that it will likely recur, I sure hope not. My podiatrist told me that I can also have an IV drip and I completely forgot to mention it to the doctor. However, if I would have to be in a hospital it's just as well it wasn't mentioned.

The worst part, like you, I have no idea how I got this, and I sure hope that once it is cured it never happens again. I will pray very hard it will not recur.

The right leg is worse than the left one and now the pain in that leg starts at the top and goes all the way down. I don't know if that is from the Cellulitis or the hip surgery I had in 2011 since it is tender to the touch and wasn't prior to this monster that has invaded my body.

Your response has been very helpful, thank you so much and I will contact you if and when something else pops into my head that forgot to mention.

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

hckynut — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 18:04:08 GMT

(thread title)

@Lindsays Grandma

Unfortunately I am very familiar with it. Spent 8 days in the hospital on IV Drips of several different types of Antibiotics. Also lost the use of my left hand for about 2 months, and it took over 6 months to get back the strength Iost in my whole body.

Mine was more than an "impediment"! Had I not went to the doctor when I had? It would have been much worse. Possibly lose my hand, or the infection become Sepsis or MRSA, both of which can kill you if they get into your blood stream.

Cellulitis is the starting point of an infection that will not get better unless treated with Antibiotics. Do not consider it as an "impediment", something that is just an irritation or nuisance. Left untreated, you will greatly regret it. Want to talk? Talk away and give me "shoutout" here.

hckynut

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

Pook — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 08:39:46 GMT

@Lindsays Grandma My SO had it after a poison ivy exposure that he didn't take seriously. He took strong antibiotics and was told not to move much or he could be hospitilized. It took over 2 weeks to really show improvement.

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

jlkz — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 11:53:48 GMT

@Lindsays Grandma

A very good friend, my maid of honor 54 years ago, had a problem with a knee replacement that acted up a while after the surgery. She developed a severe infection and was on an antibiotic drip..... this was before Covid-19 but they had her stay at home in a bed put on the first floor of her home.

They felt that the infection started at the gum line so she had to have gum work done also to prevent reinfection.

Most folks don't realize that gums can be an entry point for infections. Very important for those with cardiac conditions to keep on top of dental hygiene cleanings.

Good luck with your present issue !

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

AngelPuppy1 — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 11:25:36 GMT

I got this from getting a spider bite! I get bad reactions to insect bites of any kind. This bite kept getting worse and worse and I finally went to the ER. I had heard of cellulitis but had no clue what it was. Well, sure enough -- that's what this turned in to! It's no joke I can tell you that! Massive antibiotics --- yuck!!!

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

wagirl — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 14:12:34 GMT

Yes I get this often-- mostly on my left arm/elbow if I over use it--had breast cancer 2012 with nodes removed as well as left breast removed. Am not supposed to lift more than 5-8 lbs or do any heavy activity with that arm--went to infectious disease dr and others and no one can tell me why I keep getting this--obviously a break in the skin somehow altho it is not an obvious wound like a bug bite. I have a standing rx for anti b's. Haven't had it for awhile but did get it 10x from the end of 2018 up til the beginning of this year. Now I can recognize the symptoms so can head it off before it gets bad. Usually takes 10 days of meds.

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

ripkenfan — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 14:21:39 GMT

I hope you are feeling better.

I was surprised when I read it would recur and then this year it did. I'm going to keep an eye out for any swelling in that leg and get it looked at early. Make sure if anything is wrong with the affected leg that you tell doctors in the future that you had celluitis in the leg so they can check if you have an infection.

I'm sorry you had to go through this. The worst part is that most people don't know how they got it. According to the doctor, you could have the smallest tear in your skin, so small you can't see it, and that's enough to let in bacterial that can cause cellulitis.

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

Effie54 — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 14:25:52 GMT

@Lindsays Grandma wrote:

Unfortunately, recently I was diagnosed with Cellulitis for which I have no idea how it happened. I don't ever walk barefoot, had no scratches or open wounds and yet I am now in the throes of taking an anti-biotic to help cure it.

I do have some questions and would be most appreciative if one of my fellow posters has knowledge of this awful impediment. Can we talk?

Just a question.....did you get the vaccination recently? I've heard that cellulitis is a side effect. I hope you feel better soon.

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

MoJoV — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 16:45:36 GMT

I had a bout of cellulitis from a mosquito bite on my leg I scratched to bleeding. It kept getting worse and worse with little blisters. I was on antibiotics for a week or so. It's a painful thing to deal with, I sympathize with you. I hope you feel better soon.

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

Toppers3 — Sun, 15 Aug 2021 01:48:38 GMT

@Lindsays Grandma wrote:

Unfortunately, recently I was diagnosed with Cellulitis for which I have no idea how it happened. I don't ever walk barefoot, had no scratches or open wounds and yet I am now in the throes of taking an anti-biotic to help cure it.

I do have some questions and would be most appreciative if one of my fellow posters has knowledge of this awful impediment. Can we talk?

Hi @Lindsays Grandma ,

I'm so very sorry that you're dealing with this.

I've also had it several times.

Most recently was in May, on my right foot. I'm not sure what happened either...maybe I stubbed a toe which then caused a break in my skin somewhere?

I'm prone to getting it, too. I especially get it on the skin of my feet--either foot--or on my lower legs.

How do I know when I get it?

My feet or legs have more active pain or nerve pain than usual, and they swell up more than normal, too.

My skin also turns more pink, like a "sunburn."

I'll call our primary doctor's office and if they have an opening they'll have me come in and see someone there or they'll have me go to the Urgent Care Clinic at our hospital instead to get checked out if they're all booked up there without any open appointments.

For me what type of bacteria that can cause it can be anything.

I've had Pseudomonas in the past, and I've also had just regular Staph too, that can cause it.

I've been treated both in the hospital, and as an outpatient.

In May, I was lucky in enough that the infection was mild and it was caught early enough where oral antibiotics were enough to take care of it.

Once you do have it, you'll have to be careful about regularly checking your feet and legs over to watch for any small cuts, etc.

If you do see anything, you'll need to make sure that you clean it and take care of any small scratches that you do see, so that they don't get infected.

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

Lindsays Grandma — Sun, 15 Aug 2021 05:20:36 GMT

@Effie54 ...In answer to your question, no I haven't had the vaccine. Now that you mentioned that Cellulitis is a side effect to the vaccine, I will not even consider getting one. Thank you for your kind words.

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

Lindsays Grandma — Sun, 15 Aug 2021 05:32:00 GMT

@Toppers3 ... You certainly have had more than your share of this horrible disease. I still can't believe this has happened to me. As for healing, it is a very slow process. I first saw the doctor on July 22 and it looks as though I still have a long way to go.

The first ant-biotic he issued did nothing so that was time wasted. I now have a new prescription that seems to be working. Some of the swelling has gone down but the redness still has a way to go.

Thank you so much for your informative post and I hope you never have "it" again.

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

Toppers3 — Sun, 15 Aug 2021 20:07:34 GMT

@Lindsays Grandma wrote:
@Toppers3 ... You certainly have had more than your share of this horrible disease. I still can't believe this has happened to me. As for healing, it is a very slow process. I first saw the doctor on July 22 and it looks as though I still have a long way to go.

The first ant-biotic he issued did nothing so that was time wasted. I now have a new prescription that seems to be working. Some of the swelling has gone down but the redness still has a way to go.

Thank you so much for your informative post and I hope you never have "it" again.

I'm glad that I could help with the information.

Yeah, it's a bummer, itsn't it?

I was talking to our doctor about having to be so dilligent now when checking my feet and legs, to make sure that its not coming back. She was saying that that's just how it is for me, and some people just have certain things to deal with.

If something still doesn't seem quite "right" to you with your infection, don't hesitate to contact your doctor's office about it.

You also want to make sure that the area of redness is reducing/shrinking in size, and is not spreading out and becoming larger, either.

Also, you would want to let your doctor's office know if you feel ill/sick in any way that is not usual for you, or if you develop any knd of a fever.

The concerns with these types of infections is that they can become antibiotic-resistant, and that we can also develop sepsis from them, too.

I will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers that all goes well for you and that you get better soon, too.

Please let us know how you're doing.

Re: ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH CELLULITIS?

Lindsays Grandma — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 00:55:08 GMT

@Toppers...So far the swelling has gone down quite a bit as well as the redness. It looks as though it is getting better but I'm keeping my eyes on it. You can be sure if I notice anything new or different I will contact my doctor.

Thank you so much for everything you have written, It helps when someone shows they care. You are very kind.