Hospitalization for cellulitis, what to expect

I was on AB's IV for 6 days. In hospital that long too.

CherryHill, good luck!  Lots of women reading this thread will be sending you prayers and wishes, right alongside Binney's.  All that focus on you getting better fast has got to help!

Just saw the link. IV abx for me fir 3 weeks. Followed by 3 weeks oral abx. In the hospital 2 days. Praying you got this covered now and can go home faster. Much love. 

YAY!!  Glad you are home and doing ok.  Thanks for the update.

Can anyone tell me if the knowledge of  which antibiotic to use for cellulitis in the ER is any better than other medical facilities? I guess I should explain why I'm asking. This is my first experience with cellulitis and I new what it was as soon as I saw red blotches appear on my bicep, even though I had not recently cut myself in that area by the way. Anyways, maybe it was still not fast enough because after visiting the urgent care facility every day for the last 4 days I don't think there is much improvement from its worst, which was probably around day 2 of my visits. The first two days we did an IV with a more agressive antibiotic but it was not as broad spectrum. The last 2 visits I got a direct shot in the butt and have also in parallel been taking another antibiotic orally as well as an antiviral drug. I'm looking forward to seeing what it looks like tomorrow for my 5th visit and third shot, ouch.

I should mention that I have had three different doctors there but wish I would had the last one first (although I think he is also an ER doctor). He actually took the time to look up online if there was any suggestions for someone in my case with LE!

Anyways, better sleep and elevate. It just seems like it's taking an awful long time to find the winning drug and I wonder if that happens to others both inpatient and outpatient.

Thanks for your reply Wintersocks, I'm guessing it is not so cut and dry which antibiotics are going to work for which cellulitis infection in each person. In my case I had 5 days of Rocephin injections along with two oral antibiotics. What really messed me up was a poor choice by my first urgent care doctor of antibiotics and two days were wasted where the infection just got much worse. Now I am still on the oral drugs, clindamycin and cephalexin, but the infection seems to be hanging on with a light pink color now. I will probably go back to the doctor I have been working with in the next day or two, and get another cycle of antibiotics. I did manage to avoid the ER, but the infection does seem to be taking forever to completely go away (I'm currently on day #8).

 I will mention Flucloxacillin when I talk to him next, but it sounds like at this point my arm just needs more time for the infection to completely go away.

What kills me is the major amount of swelling I now have in my arm, basically the worst that it's ever been. I'm sure I can get it back to it's "normal" state eventually, but ugh not a fun process.

Regards...

pkeiles,

My arm remained 'pinkish' for some time, when I saw the L'dema nurse she described it as 'staining' and I was told it would eventually go It did .although there is still some evidence of it, shortly after that it began to look like sunburn with peeling going on  It took much longer than 8 days to improve, so perhaps you need to give it a little longer. You do seem to have been on a lot of AB's. As I say the derm wanted to change me and the microbiologist was adamant that I stay on  fluclox a few days longer and it would improve and it did. My arm was a complete mess with several large patches. It was described as 'atypical' because of this. 

It's difficult to know why the medics make their choices isn't it?  Maybe they have a different protocols in the UK/USA

You are certainly right in saying it's not fun. I felt completely washed out for weeks afterwards. I was also told I am likely to get it again...

Just to end on a 'fun' note there!

I do hope things improve soon for you.  

Thanks all for your input?everyone. I will write the names of all these antibiotics down so if I get it again in the future, I can get on the best medication immediately, but I'm hoping to avoid that if at all possible. I think the cephalexin is similar to the Flucloxacillin in some ways, which is maybe why it is getting better. And thanks wintersocks for the description of the pinkish color after effects, that makes me feel a bit better.

Hi Amy, thanks for the advice. The swelling is getting better from compression, but I still have to make an appointment to see my LE therapist soon. It's been ages since I saw here, perhaps wishful thinking on my part of being "cured" after my LNT surgery over a year ago. 😄

Does anyone else get itchy skin from this darn infection? The doctor was going to give me something for it but I don't want to take yet another medication.

Yes, I had both present at the same time. I did not have any itching at all. The 'pink staining' as the L'dema nurse called it, is still not completely gone. She said there was no more infection present when she saw it.

I am going back to see her week after next, I think it is. I have so many appointments coming up, it's difficult to remember them all!.

She has recommended that I have AB protection before my diep procedure. I also have to wear a sleeve that she has ordered.

Hope you can get off those AB's too.

If they don't let you wear your night time sleeve, they will wrap your LE arm and make a very big deal about not touching that arm for any reason. I know this because that's what happened to me during each of my 5 post-mastectomy surgeries.

Good luck to you

Amy

Hi Amy and wintersocks,

I was thinking of wearing the sleeve during surgery mainly just to ensure that they do not try to do anything with that arm while I am under. Since this surgery has nothing to do with my breast cancer (it is for the removal of half of my thyroid due to a large growth), I was even more concerned that the doctors/nurses might not be as used to patients with lymphedema in their arm(s).

And wintersocks, I only wear a night sleeve because I found that in my case I can get away without wearing a sleeve during the day pretty much if I wear one at night. Fortunately or unfortunately, it seems like ever persons lymphedema is different, and most of what I discovered that works for me is through trial and error. For example, my swelling can be very minimal visually, but I still have a minor ache in my forearm and elbow at times if I ignore sleeves altogether for too long. Sometimes I find it is almost a wash between the annoyance of wearing a sleeve and the slight ache that I feel at times in my arm. Basically things are not cut and dry, but hopefully you won't have too much to deal with if your swelling is very mild and not causing you too much annoyance.

It is totally normal to go through periods of depression and frustration with this whole thing!!! I personally would rather have had more cancer issues to deal with than lymphedema, although I know this is not logical. Then I also get pissed a lot, especially because I think things would have been different in my case with a more knowledgeable surgeon. But as mad or down as I get, I still try to let my intelligence take over during these times. I do realize that I never know what would have resulted had I gone down a different path, and that I can only look forward not back, I am lucky to have a great family and life still, etc., etc, ... (all the other profound cliches). Alas sometimes my intelligence wins the fight, and other times I sit and fume (or cry a bit) for a while. This is all normal, and if it helps you to vent or exchange experiences with any of us on this forum, please communicate as much as possible!!!

Alright, back to work I suppose...

(PS> I miss the UK! I lived in Essex county for 4 years while on a foreign work assignment in the early 90's. I just had so much fun living over there!!!).