Cellulitis Questions

Dejaboo

I had never heard of Cellulitis until I got bc...I still didnt pay that much attention to the word...Just would see people post that they had it....I read about it a few times on google searches when I heard someone I knew had it...

But I still have some questions now that I have LE....and see Cellulitis popping up on the LE forum alot!

Since I hadnt heard of it until I got bc...Who normally gets Cellulitis & why?

Those that had bc...Are they more susceptible to it?

 Or mainly those that have LE more suseptible to it?  And why?

Does one take the same precautions to avoid Cellulitis as one would do to avoid a LE flare up?

What else should I know about Cellulitis?  Thanks : )

Binney4

What a timely subject! Unfortunately it seems like there's been a real plague of cellulitis around here lately.

Cellulitis is a skin infection, and it's actually fairly common. Our skin normally has bacteria on it, which can enter the body through any skin break. Anyone can get it from a cut, scrape, a surgical wound, even an insect bite. But when we have LE we're far more susceptible because of the stagnant lymph in the tissue (which provides a warm, protein-rich incubation medium for bacteria) and because our immune system in that area is compromised by the poor functioning of the lymph transport (which normally deals with "garbage" like bacteria and cell waste by hauling it off efficiently to the lymph nodes).

In a sense, women who have had bc are more susceptible; their lymph system has been compromised by node removal (even if it's "only" SNB), surgery scars, and radiation. Because LE can be present even before any swelling can be seen or measured, stagnant lymph fluid may already be there in their tissues, ready to nourish the stupid bacteria. 

Cellulitis and LE is a two-way street, though. Cellulitis can happen because of a compromised lymph system, but cellulitis (following surgery, say, before any LE is present) can also overwhelm the lymph system and trigger lymphedema. It can also further damage lymph vessels and either trigger LE or make existing LE worse (harder to reduce and control.) 

Cellulitis is a sneaky bugger. It can "percolate" for some time without much indication it's around, then burst into a raging infection within hours. It can be hard to get rid of completely and lead to repeat infections that call for an infectious disease specialist and possibly long-term low-dose antibiotics to finally get rid of it.

The same precautions that you use to avoid and control a flare are the ones that help prevent cellulitis. Unfortunately, even with those precautions we can experience a flare and/or cellulitis. But the bottom line is that good care has the effect of lowering our infection rate considerably. In fact, lowering the infection risk is the basis of our insurance coverage LE treatment: treating serious infection is pricier than treating LE. There was a study several years back that showed that women who had therapy for their LE suffered fewer infections. Makes sense!

The main thing all of us need to know about cellulitis is that if you suspect that's what you're dealing with GET HELP IMMEDIATELY!
http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Emergencies_and_Medical_Care_lymphedema.htm

Delay in treating cellulitis can lead QUICKLY to infection spread to bones or blood (sepsis), inflammation of the heart or the lymph vessels (lymphangitis) and -- frankly -- death. 

On the other hand, treating it quickly usually results in a quick retreat of the blasted stuff and a return to normal function relatively quickly. But it's a mistake to underestimate the toll cellulitis takes, so give yourself plenty of time to rest and regain strength before getting back in the swing.

Many of us with LE (and certainly anyone with LE who has already experienced cellulitis) ask our doctors for a prescription for antibiotics to fill and keep on hand. If you do, mark your calendar with a reminder to refill it when it expires. Work out with your prescribing doctor what indications you should use to decide when to start it, and if you use them, call him/her as soon as possible for further instructions.

Hope that helps. The most important thing we need to know (and are almost never told) is that CELLULITIS IS A LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCY.

Once you know that and are prepared to act on it, you don't need to fear it. 

Whew! Does that read like a rant?! It is.

Stay well!
Binney

Dejaboo

Thank you very much Binney,  That really helps me understand it better.