Cellulitis while healing from a mastectomy?

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Engine104
Engine104 Member Posts: 301
edited June 2018 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

The redness and swelling on my wife's surgical site is cellulitis. She's been on antibiotics (IV while in patient and oral now that she is home).

Did any of you have this? Did they delay chemo until it resolved?

Thanks,

-Larry

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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited May 2018

    I had it and it wouldn't have delayed chemo because it healed pretty quickly. Hoping for quick healing for your wife.

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  • Engine104
    Engine104 Member Posts: 301
    edited May 2018

    Hi Wrenn,

    Thanks so much. I hope my wife's cellulitis goes away soon.

    So far, she's not seeing much improvement. It's been several days now on Cephalexin. As long as she doesn't get a fever back, we'll wait until we see the onco on Tuesday.



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  • Engine104
    Engine104 Member Posts: 301
    edited May 2018

    Well, it got worse over the weekend. When there was some drainage this morning, we went into the medical center where they started IV antibiotics. They ended up taking a huge amount of discharge out of her surgical incision and admitted her for a few days so they could continue the IV meds.

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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited May 2018

    Oh dear. Sorry things got worse. I had IV meds for mine. I hope this clears it up. Keep us posted

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  • Engine104
    Engine104 Member Posts: 301
    edited May 2018

    Hi Wrenn,

    Thanks. My wife is doing a little better today. They are putting another surgical drain back in right now. They may send her home tomorrow. I hope so.

    Obviously, this sets back the send round of TC chemo, which had been scheduled for tomorrow.

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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited May 2018

    That’s good to hear. I wouldn’t worry too much about chemo dates being changed. My surgery was Aug. 16th and chemo didn’t happen until Nov.25th (different reasons) and I am fine 5 years later. Hang in there. It is scary times to have complications.

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  • Engine104
    Engine104 Member Posts: 301
    edited May 2018

    I agree.

    I'm kind of thinking they should have waited a little longer before the first infusion, just to let everything heal.

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  • nrioffe
    nrioffe Member Posts: 12
    edited June 2018

    Im dealing with cellulitus exactly 3 weeks post op within hours of them pulling out my drains. Both breasts.... Was immediately put on Picc line for a month with IV antibiotics..

    After being off the drugs one breast relapsed.

    Im trying to get answers on which drugs to take that can actually kill off this infection once and for all. Thankfully no fluid buildup, otherwise i would have had the expanders removed asap


    What meds did your wife take on the IV?

    I just need to find the right combo of drugs



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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited June 2018

    Hi nrioffe, I only had to take IV ceftriaxone for 3 days as an out patient and then a week of Keflex when I got cellulitis after drain removal. It cleared up. I hope yours will heal quickly.

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  • Engine104
    Engine104 Member Posts: 301
    edited June 2018

    It turned out in my wife's case that it wasn't cellulitis, but rather an abscess that turned into sepsis. That caused a second hospitalization and two weeks of IV meds at home, which I infused every 8 hours. I think it was the same med that Wrenn had.

    They removed the drain and the PICC (Midline, really) when the IV antibiotics were done, but it started to drain a little from a spot on the incision, so they put off restarting the chemo for another week. If the drainage stops, she will have her second TC infusion next Thursday. The infection is gone, thankfully, but they are worried with fluid still there that it will come back when the counts drop, hence the addition delay of one more week.

    I hope your cellulitis clears up and stays away this time.

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