Infection

ashleyftaylor
ashleyftaylor Member Posts: 4
edited June 2014 in IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

I was diagnosed in July 2011. Lumpectomy in Sept., Partial Breast radiation in Oct. Started Chemo 10/24. I had completed 4 chemo treatments. I was doing fantastic. The surgery had gone great. Partial radiation was better than I expected and chemo was not taking the toll I was worried about. I was feeling incredibley lucky. Then BAM!!! On a Wed. I started thinking, I must be getting radiation recall(I had it after 1st chemo). I went to Radiologist on Friday. They said it was infection and gave me Augumentin 875mg. I called over weekend and made appt for Monday as it had gotten worse. I went in at 8am and they called in my surgeon. I went to his office in the afternoon and he put a drain in and told me to keep taking antibiotics. By my appt on THursday my breast was so swollen I had stretch marks. My surgery scar was pulled apart and full of infection(much worse than on Monday). Little pustules had spread even farther. My surgeon told me to wait until Tuesday. Antibiotics needed more time. On Sat I called on call Dr and was told to go to ER. They were waiting for me. They did partial debridement. Gave me some locals but since there was so much dead and infected tissue I wouldn't feel it. I was hospitalized for 11 days. Given IV Vanco and had 2 OR debridements. I am now in outpatient hydrotherapy and hyperbaric treatments Mon-Fri for 30 days. 

Has anyone had any infections like this? My cultures never grew so they do not know what caused the infection.

Also, has anyone done hyperbaric? I'm hoping it will help heal but am a little concerned about cancer growing. My Dr.'s say that since my margins were clear and I was node negative that we are going ahead with treatment and I am cancer free.

Thanks for any input. Maybe I just need to vent. I think my Dr. dropped the ball and all of this could have been avoided if I had gotten hardcore antibiotics sooner.  

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  • pminxy
    pminxy Member Posts: 44
    edited January 2012

    Infection I feel where your coming from for after getting home from hospital after my lumpectomy, and then seeing the doctor shrtly after where I was told I needed a radical mastecomy, I dealt with that but a few days later theleft breast was getting sorere and sorer and talk about growing! My work mate from nursinghome came down and took me to lunch and I was telling her about the pain and she said you need to see a doctor, I said I would that following week as it was the week end. I went to bed early for I was really unwell and work up and called mum(who was living on the sunshine coast) she told me to call the hospital and I did , I got told to drive into them and come to emergency-I was in no condition for that I told the lady; she said get a cab then! I said in regional qld there are no cabs ; so she said well you had better call and ambulance then hadn't you and hung up! I was to sore to be upset or disgusted with the person but called the ambulance, it turns out due to poor hygiene etc I had an abcess in the lumpectomy site+ Stayph in some form plus another virelent infection, they still did the radical mastectomy that Monday but  things went wrong in theatre leading me to having a ful blood transfusion etc and I was on IV antibiotics for a very long time and they had to change the bung site regularly as the drug was good at collapsing veins! I learnt that when you have cancer be very wary of odd aches and pains and get help ASAP . I have had other hospital grade infections since then and it really scares you and makes you wonder at the fact we are supposed to have the greatest system im the world what the heck are the hygiene care/WPH&SOs doing when so many people are getting so sick from things they shouldn't be!

    I have never don hyperbaric but have heard it can be very good in knocking off infections, good luck with everything and if in doubt question until you are happy with the answers or matter they are. You have had a rough trot, I really hope from the bottom of my heart that things will get better quickly for you and you will get out there and be the best you can be for you!

    PS Infections attache themselves very easily to those in cancer treatment as you have little to no imunity to anything and that means if relatives/ friends are unwell for your own good ask them to keep away for a simple cough could make you very ill!

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