Cellulitis

ML1209

I posted this elsewhere, but it didn't seem like that post was very active so posting here as well. I have had cellulitis 4 times in the past 2 months. Just looking for advice. It clears up on antibiotics, but then here it comes again. Painful and you feel crummy and those of you who have had know all too well. Also, not ideal to be on antibiotics so often. My doctor wants to see me since it keeps recurring, but first available is May 8th. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. Hard not to worry if there is something else going on. Thank you!

RosieRed

I had cellulitis in early January. I had to stay in the hospital and get IV antibiotics (vancomycin) once per day for 4 days. No fun. Hope your doctor can find out what’s going on. Good luck!

vlnrph

Sometimes a ‘maintenance’ dose of antibiotic is required to prevent infection. I always thought that, if I started having repeated instances of cellulitis, I would look into surgical remedies like lymphovenous anastomoses...

Have you seen the www.StepUp-SpeakOut.org website?

sbelizabeth

I was getting cellulitis very frequently and needing hospital admission for IV antibiotics. The last time, they sent me home with a PICC line and a bunch of doses of IV antibiotics to administer at home. They were packaged in a tennis-ball looking unit that I hooked to my line three times a day. That, along with hyperbaric therapy every time I had DIEP revision surgery, prevented any more cellulitis.

Luwusu

dealing right now with my first bout of cellulitis. Cancer- the life experience that never stops giving.

ML1209

Luwusu - definitely true. Hope your cellulitis is better.

sbelizabeth - would you please tell me about the hyperbaric therapy? My lymphedema therapist mentioned this yesterday at my appt.

ML1209

sbelizabeth - would you mind telling me about the hyperbaric therapy? My LET mentioned this to me yesterday.

LAstar

ML1209, did you resolve the cellulitis? If so, what did the trick? I got cellulitis from swimming in a river last year. I'm probably going swimming there again today and am nervous that I am just going to have issues.

melalymphatl

I had 6 cellulitis infections in 1 year. Last Oct I started seeing an infectious disease doctor at Emory in Atlanta. Dr Balter is awesome. He has put me on a preventative antibiotic. I had the option of taking 1 pill per day or getting an injection once a month. But he said this is just a bandaid. I have been trying since to get my insurance to cover the lymphedema surgery. The surgeon at Emory did a poor job explaining the medical need. I am now waiting to see Dr Chen at the University of Iowa. He has called me several times on my cell and explained everything in great detail. He said he has had success getting my insurance company to cover it. I am hopeful. If not, they have a self pay option that is $100,000 less than Emory's quote. While still very expensive, for me it's necessary.

You may want to see if you can get your doctor to put you on a preventative antibiotic. It helped me.