Need some more advice please lovely people

[amhayllar]

I was diagnoised with cellutits originally about 4 weeks, maybe a bit more ago. Finally after 4/5 weeks of 3 different types of antibiotics, 4 doctors, the walk in centre, endless painkillers I was admitted to my local hospital for IV antibiotics which seemed to be helping and reducing my swollen/puffy foot however 2 weeks on and my foot and ankle is very puffy and swollen and warm. Ive been resting it and hoped it would go down but no such luck, shoes are a nightmare. My doctor (who i admit doesnt seem to care at the moment or have any interest) is supposed to review my cellutitis leg but who knows when that will be. This endless frustration with my leg is leaving me low in mood and affecting my sleep. Asking you lovely people should i make appointment with doctor sooner rather than later ie thurs or fri? Thanks for advice x

[Lynora]

If it hasn’t already been done, then you need to be referred to your nearest lymphoedema clinic. Get that appointment with your GP and ask to be referred - the clinic will be able to recommend appropriate treatment for the chronic swelling - there may also be a chance that the cellulitis is still hanging around.

[Rockk1]

Yes.Don't sit around waiting for nothing.Get to the Er.You just might have a reinfection again. The doctors will help.If it is red,get to the emergency room.

[Rockk1 in reply to Rockk1]

Listen to Lynora.

[sammyvan]

From your description, I would guess that you either still have an infection, or you need compression bandages/wraps.

Follow Lynora's advice and see if you can get to a Lymphoedema clinic - presuming you have one near you. They are a bit like Hen's teeth! Just don't leave it in the hope it will ''go away'' on it's own. Good luck.

sammy

[DeadfootMo]

The medical service you have had is terrible, you should automatically have gone to A and E, who would forward you to a specific department that deals with Cellitus and other serious skin infections. I did this the first time it appeared in 2014/15, and I was put onto intrevinious antibiotics straight away. These are a life saver as this skin infection can lead to more serious problems that threaten your life. You should ask to see a specialist straight away now so that your New year sees you on the road to proper recovery.

[Andy13]

If you have cellulitis in your lower limb you need to be lying back with your leg raised above the level of your chest AT ALL TIMES. Gravity is now your second worst enemy after the cellulitis itself. So get yourself to bed and stay there with a couple of pillows under that limb. Only get out of bed to go to the toilet. When the infection has finally cleared up do not be tempted to get out of bed till the swelling has gone down. The first time I got cellulitis I didn't stay in bed long enough, I got up before the swelling had gone back to its original size and guess what, it never did. The amount of fluid in that leg must have increased 5 fold after the cellulitis. Also do not use compression while you have the infection, except possibly when you get up to go to the toilet.

Hope you have a speedy receovery.

[amhayllar]

Thank you all for your replies. Phoned to make an appointment at drs today, next app Thurs 4th January. My brother is coming with me, he knows lots of medical stuff and will ask the questions and want to know what is to be done. My foot is horrible, circulation getting worse, purple tinged toes. Thank you for all your well wishes and I will keep you informed. Happy new year to you all, lets hopefully have a better 2018 x

[Stuart1 in reply to amhayllar]

Get to a&e straight away!

[alfie19 in reply to amhayllar]

If your toes are going purple or your leg is red then you must go straight to A&E it could be life threatening if not treated straight away

[PenelopeW]

After going through cellulitis, green sores on legs, lymphodaema in both legs, dressings by surgery nurses for three months on badly discharging legs, I have found that you have to make a bit of a nuisance of yourself to get to the Leg Clinic for assessment as to whether they can do anything for you. The staff there are wonderful and after more than a year I have had no need to contact them again (but please follow their advice to the letter). I am careful to rest and raise my legs frequently and ALWAYS wear my compression stockings each day until I go to bed. Best of luck.

[Hidden]

lymphoedema.org/images/pdf/...

Hello,

I'm hoping the above link will be helpful.

Wendy

[amhayllar]

So I went to the doctors and my brother and sis in law came with me. He didnt like that I had family with me and family that asked questions. My doctor admitted he hadnt read my notes from the hospital so didnt know why i had come to see him. My sis in law told him she was worried about me and the lack of follow up from my cellutitis and my original 2 DVT's I had. He was very uncomfortable being asked questions which he had no answer for. In the end I asked him for a GP referral to the vascular unit in London. Maybe I should take my brother and sister in law every time because yesterday morning I got a text from St Thomas' hospital with an appointment booked 7th February. I will still be changing doctors.

[amhayllar]

Turns out the hospital were treating me for cellulitis but they don't know what it was. I was waiting for my Dr to say 'well if it isn't cellulitis then let's find out what it could be' but he didn't. I realise it's hard to get answers and GP are under increasing pressure but this continuing drama leaves me physically and emotionally low. Let's hope we get some info on 7th Feb and hopefully get checked on more regularly by the specialists. I have been given more antibiotics Doxocyline from my Dr but I can't still get my compression socks on.

[Stuart1]

Hospital that don't know what cellutlitis is? Mmmm!!!

[amhayllar in reply to Stuart1]

More that they didn't think it was cellulitis but treated as such.

[memetime0029]

Hi, by all means seek a doctor who cares. I have found some doctors do not know much about cellulitis or they do not care and its nothing to ignore. I am sorry your doc seems to leave you wondering if you will be seen sooner or later by your doctor.I hope you feel better soon and recover quickly. Please keep me posted on how you are doing, .

[amhayllar in reply to memetime0029]

Thanks. The cellulitis was the start of a medical journey for me. I asked last year in January to be referred to the Vascular specialist centre at St Thomas' Hospital after 11 years of worrying about my legs after two DVT's in my right leg. They did all manor of scans and tests and then January this year I had an operation to have two mesh stents fitted and had iliac vein reconstruction. I am on warfarin again until July and then I will have a review again. I did change doctors but my new doctor is just as useless, messing up my prescriptions etc. I thank everyone on here for caring for me and giving me advice. I probably wouldn't have had the courage to ask for the referral without this support. I have now been told what I already knew, I have a long term medical condition, one that I will have for the rest of my life.

[BedfordBoy]

Hi,

I've suffered a lot lately with this and I can say that I get better care if I stick with the doctor who's had the most success. That's hard in a lot of practices I know, as it takes ages to get an appointment. But in the long term I will get better sooner seeing somebody who is a bit experienced with the condition.

They all get only basic training with this so knowledge is King.

[Sheilamoose]

I would demand to see a doctor immediately -or- go to nearest A&E.