Lymphoedema and cellulitus

[jaynedawson59]

Ive suffered with Lymphoedema for ten years and cellulitus since last october im currently taking Flucloxacillin 2000mg a day to keep it at bay and have been told that i could be taking this for upto 18 mths has anyone else been told the same ?

[Lindalou]

Ive been taking it for a year now. Don't know how much longer, was told it could be for life!!

[AnneBury]

My sister has been on antibiotics for years (not sure which one). She got lots of cellulitis before then but (so far) non since.

[jaynedawson59 in reply to AnneBury]

Thankyou for that its good to know im not on my own

[Anne16]

Hi there, I was on daily antibiotics a few years ago, but following a discussion with my GP when I changed surgeries, we decided not to continue and now I only take them when I have a bout of cellulitis. This works for me, but maybe not for others.

[jaynedawson59 in reply to Anne16]

Hi i still have the cellulitus unfortunately for me it was still under lyingin jan this year and befween my gp and hspt they decided to keep me on the antibiotic. To add to my troubles i badly burnt this leg due to a another form of medication and wasnt told to keep out of sunlight between 10am-3pm hense the burn which was starting to heal slowly i then became allergic to the dressings which sent the cellulitus crazy. Im happy to say that the burn whilst still recovering since May is doing well but the cellulitus still lingers. Thankyou for taking the time to message me

[stanleydachshund]

I am on Penicillin V permanently at the moment; but I have also been told that if we have lymphoedema then it is Amoxycillin that we should take now not Flucloxacillin; that is for those that don't have lymphoedema.

[jaynedawson59 in reply to stanleydachshund]

Yes i was told that its the best antibiotic but unfortunately i react quite badly to it and that Flucloxacillin is the next best antibiotic.

[Hidden]

Hello,

lymphoedema.org/images/pdf/...

I am hoping thevabove link will take you to the consensus document by the British Lymphoology Society and LSN.

If it doesn't then I am sure LSN will help me out !

I have not heard about Flucloxicilln been given as a prophylactic drug, as someone else mentioned.

I was prescribed Penicilln by Proff Mortimer and took that for about a year but it was then discontinued.

Hope that is helpful.

[jaynedawson59 in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou so much for the above link it made fascinating reading and gave me some questions i can now raisewith my GP.

[Hidden in reply to jaynedawson59]

Good I'm glad it was helpful. I encourage everyone to join LSN and ensure their GPs know about the learning module and encourage them to add that to their yearly learning tariff.

It's worked very well for me but I am lucky that my Practice is responsive and was one of the first to undertake the original version of the learning module.

[CCT67]

Prophylactic antibiotics are a common preventative for Cellulitis for someone with reoccurring cellulitis. The protocol to take a daily antibiotic is usually prescribed after 2-3 episodes of cellulitis in 6 months

[Marjol80]

Hi, I am on penicillin VK, previously 250mg twice a day for two years, then after cellulitis increased to 500 mg two times a day for another two years. I have to take lower dose for life unfortunately. When I tried to take just one dose of penicillin a day, the cellulitis coming back.

[jaynedawson59 in reply to Marjol80]

Oh how awful for you mind im cuming upto 1 year now and have tried a few diff antibiotics now . Will have to see how i go the support socks are doing there job now keeping my lower legs nice and much slimmer than before. Needs must but i hate them awful things you would think they would have more than a couple of colours too but hey we just get on with it. I hope everything ghrns out well for you now and in the future.

[Saftachava]

I have lymphedema and often get cellulitis in fact I am in hospital now for the third time since end August. Have been on IV amoxicillin. Last time for 8 days. Went home with oral amoxicillin. Was home 4 days and the cellulitis recurred, so GP sent me back to the hospital. I am allergic to dalacin and cefamazin. GP has suggested seeing infectious disease specialist which I hope to see in the hospital tomorrow.

[4Gotten]

Taking penicillin for over 15 years to keep the cellulitis at bay, does everyone else pay for this on prescription? Or is it classed as a long term condition?