What, me? Cellulitis strikes again.

karen333

carol57, I got cellulitis 3 years after my surgery from a slight yeast infection under my radiated breast.  As you say the speed at which it travels is unbelieveable, from a slight rash, to a Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer breast.  I went that same day to my OB/GYN, he sent me cross town to a surgeon, who marked the area.  He sent me straight to my BS' and MO's hospital in the city rather than my local hospital, he called ahead and I was immediately admitted, it had spread to my shoulder and down to my stomach.  I was put on IV's, I  am allergic to Keflex and penicillin, so they had to prescribe other drugs, I was on 4 IV's for 8 days and oral for 1, as you said it didn't hurt.  I was on the antbiotics for a month, now if my PCP sees anything - she refills my prescription.  Hope I never have it again, did have a great roommate, we had such a good time, we now meet for lunch, and the nurses were absolutely marvelous. I was the hit of the teaching teams as no one had seen cellulitis get quite that big, red and sudden.

Binney4

Oh, goodness, Karen! Being the hit of the teaching teams is the pits! But thanks to your "participation" in the educational process--I'll bet there are lots of docs and nurses now who will never brush off cellulitis when they see the earliest signs of it. YES!! Thanks for being such a good sport about making the medical world safer for all of us!

Once is plenty, though--stay well!
Binney

Anonymous

Familiarity breeds contempt..... anyone?  or is it a case of forgetting (chemo brain Arimidex...blaaah) ?

Thankyou for this thread. Thanx Binney for the step up article which is good to read, and reread....and reread again. Thanx kira for the reminder that this is NOT to be ignored. I had one ocurrence of Cellulitis before BC and that is all. Try as I might I am constantly dealing with hangnails; AND those tiny little skin bits around your finger ends; burns from pots pans stove; sore under the nails from processing food ie digging out strawberry tops with thumb nail; allergies galore like urticaria and hives; fluid retention issues which make it harder to keep tabs on LE, which I have on one side and supected LE on prophy side. I do MLD daily and wear compression both sides all day. I do forget to oil my skin and should do this more.

This said I always carry antibiot cream and at the first sign of any break in the skin I apply it. So far so good. I had no issues with getting My Doc to allow me to keep antibiots. At first I just kept the script, but here in NZ if you dont use it in 6 mths or something, it expires and time flies when you don't want it to, plus you pay $12 for every script B4 you go to the chemist. Much easier for me to fill the script and put the pills in a dark dry and cool cupboard, where they will keep better.

Anonymous

This is something I should hang on my wall and read daily til it sinks in.... PERMANENTLY

Excerpt from step up.....

http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Emergencies_and_Medical_Care_lymphedema.htm

Get medical attention immediately –

DO NOT WAIT!

Even if you recognize the symptoms of infection and understand the reasons for quick action, it can still be easy to ignore an impending problem or deny its seriousness. Here are some of the excuses you may be tempted to use to delay seeking medical help:

• This can't be happening to me – I've been taking good care of my lymphedema.

• If I call my doctor and tell him I think I have an infection from a paper cut, he's going to think I'm a nut/wimp/hypochondriac.

• I'm sick of doctors and hospitals!

• It's after hours and I'll have to go to the emergency room – who wants to wait five hours to be seen?!

• Nobody in the emergency room will know what to do about lymphedema anyway.

• No point panicking – it's more sensible to watch and wait.

• I'll just try some Tylenol first and call the doctor in the morning.

• Who ever heard of a hangnail causing an infection anyway!

Anonymous

Just thought I'd add for minor burns, when I get these I IMMEDIATELY run under the cold tap. This is no wives tale stuff. It really works and has saved me numerous times. The longer I put it off the longer the burn takes to heal and the more painful it is. Of course some are worse than others but immediate action has made the pain of superficial burns only last a very short time or nothing at all.

carol57

Musical, I wish you could find a product called Qtica Intense Cutical Repair Balm in NZ--seems unlikely, but worth looking for.  After years of the same problems you describe with nails, hangnails, etc., this stuff finally, finally keeps everything moist and unbroken.  I tried all manner of oils, lotions, petroleum jelly, A&D ointment, and nothing worked, but this does. After getting LE, I understood that I really had to find a way to solve the nails/cuticle problem so went on the hunt for something that really works. It has a host of ingredients, starting with water, but no parabens.

Marple

I have similar type cuticles like you describe Musical.  My solution is by no means ideal but when sitting watching tv I massage Bag Balm onto them.  It's messy and a bit time consuming but I find it helps.  I'm not sure how safe B.B. is but I use it anyway.

purple32

Thanks for that info, Carol.

The Qtica Intense Cutical Repair Balm is right here :

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=pd_sl_81ymkxrs5b_b?rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aqtica+nail&keywords=qtica+nail&ie=UTF8&psrk=Qtica+Intense+Cutical+Repair+Balm

  It's great to have these forums here permanently so that even ppl in the future can benefit!

Anonymous

Carol and Marple, thx. I will look for the one with no parabens! thats what I like to hear. I shudder at the stuff they put in household items like toiletries and cleaners etc etc. Bhutyl this propyl that...Arggh. There's a lot of scams out there. I was using Extra Virgin Olive Oil but I've found it is anything BUT pure. It is supposed to be a nice light green colour and cold pressed. Ours on the shleves has a distinct yellow hue which is bad bad bad. Additionally I read that when Olive oil goes rancid it produces some nasties in it, so Im ditching it because it can't be trusted.

At present I use organic coconut oil for my moisturiser....um when I think of it. It's really nice. I think the problem more lies with me getting organized.  I have to wear my sleeves all day now and I get brassed off if I have to take them off and put them on again. grrrr. If I oil just before bed then I have to wait for the residue to soak in or it gets all over the sheets. I dont want to oil in the morning as I can't get my sleeves on immediately after. It's hard enough as it is.I used to oil about mid avo to evening but certainly not every day. Its just getting into a routine about things.

My skin isn't oily or dry but because of fluid retention issues I can be more likely to get cellulitis. The skin is tighter and as has been mentioned, a little minute split in the skin is all it takes to get a nasty into your system. Thats actually how I got cellulitis.

Ive  noticed since I was taught how to put my sleeves on another way (without having to wear out a zillion yellow rubber gloves...) it's great but become hard on my hands and causes those little skin snags. Its not only on the cuticles its usually anywhere on the top part of the finger after the 2nd joint. Mmmm try pulling those little skin snags the wrong way... ..... LOL  just kidding...

Yes purple these forums are a wonderful resource, I agree.

Anonymous

1. A helping hand in the beauty stakes - Life & Style - NZ Herald News

   
   

   www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6... - Cached

   
   20 Jan 2012 ... Guard against this by using a good hand cream and applying cuticle oil regularly.
   ... QTica Overnight Intense Hand Repair Balm $92. In salons ...
   
   

WOW look at that price!      Carol what did you pay for yours?

carol57

Musical, about $11 for a half ounce.  But you only need the teeniest, tiniest smidge to cover all ten fingertips.  You'd need a bit more to cover more of your fingers, but still, a little goes a very long way.  Double-check that you're looking at cuticle repair balm, not hand repair balm: could that make a price difference?  

Anonymous

LOL Carol out of all that google listed..... I would have to choose the only one that wasnt for cuticles. 

OK, 0.5 of an ounce = 14.17476 grams.  Saw it listed from a hair salon.  15gms for $65... / 11 = almost 6 times the price you lovely ladies have to pay!!!! NZ  COME ON YOU ARE RIPPING US OFF Grrrrr!!!  By the time you add into the equation shipping and exchange rate, at the very most you'd expect double the price.

Thx Carol for your headsup but same old story here. UNNECESSARILY prohibitively expensive. Sorry for the rant but I get tired of people here (in NZ)  who think you come down in the last shower, think of a number, double it then triple it ...then...... 

For now guess I'll stick to my coconut oil.

carol57

Musical, seriously, that's outrageous profiteering!  Let's put our hopes on coconut oil!

Anonymous

Indeed Carol. Ive a jolly good mind to email and them and give them a blast.

purple32

Musical

Did you look at the link that I posted ( from amazon I think ) ?  It wasnt nearly that pricey.

Anonymous

Hey purple, thx for your link, Im from New Zealand and the price I've spoken of above reflects NZers getting ripped off, but at the same time, for certain reasons I only buy something if I can get it here. 

purple32

Oh , I see musical!  ok

Outfield

Did it to myself again, I think scratching my incessantly itchy irradiated parts.  But oh boy did things work better this time.  I felt crappy but no cough, stomach problems, etc - kind of mysterious - so I took a look in the mirror at all my numb areas.  There it was, right smack around my incision.  Got myself on antibiotics very fast and did not have the kind of spread all over I had the first bout.  

I'll take that as a lesson learned.  If you have areas that are numb and you feel like crud, check them for redness.  Cellulitis may not hurt if it's going on in a place you can't feel anything at all.

carol57

Seriously good advice! I'm glad you figured it out so promptly, and thanks for thinking to post your wise conclusion here, outfield.