Cellulitis or Sunburn?

[Pkstracy]

Hi all, I don't know if I have cellulitis or not, my cat punctured my leg with his claw on the seventh and I did the usual cleaning, it bled for a short while, and then had clear fluid flow out for like four hours, I do tend to get swollen ankles and legs, from sitting too long, I was just a tiny bit swollen before he did it, my leg and ankle swelling went down and kept checking wound for two days, no signs of infection, on the second day i went outside to sit with my pant leg of that leg up to just above my knee and ankle socks on and long sleeve shirt, I come in and check wound again throughout day no signs of infection, I go to bed wake up and my leg looks all red from bottom of knee to ankle where I was unprotected, I did contact an after hour doctor who did a video chat with me and gave me antibiotics, and did the draw lines to check to see if it recedes, I have no pain, no swelling, it was very warm to touch,but not now and no blisters, I am just wondering how quickly cellulitis rash happens and what are the exact symptoms?

[Pkstracy]

Oh I forgot to add that I just started antibiotics yesterday, but I am just really worried, as I said I have no pain at all, nor did my leg swell up. I did run a fever and did get sick with what felt like the flu but I think I was already coming down with something, and I felt like I also had post nasal drip or some form of sinus/chest congestion, my "flu -post nasal drip symptoms " went away and do not have a fever, I still have my cough like you do when you have been sick and coughing and hacking up phlegm. I am still not seeing signs of swelling or any redness coming from wound itself, actually wound did scab over and I pushed on it to check for pus like infection, only a tiny bit of the usual wound clear fluid came out when you have a scab and just a tiny bit, and the scab came off. I would be really grateful for any feedback or anyone that has dealt with cellulitis to comment and tell me what they went through or what their symptoms were and are.

[Lynora in reply to Pkstracy]

Never take chances - cellulitis can cause problems even with what people perceive as minimal symptoms. Take the antibiotics for the whole course. For cellulitis, the recommended dose should be taken for 14 days. There doesn’t have to be pain, or a rash, but there is usually localised skin reddening around the wound, and the fact that your cat had scratched you, was enough to allow the ingress of Staph A which goes on to create the infection. The clear fluid was probably serous or lymph fluid.

Where are you in the world? A video chat with a doctor may mean you are somewhere remote!

[Pkstracy in reply to Lynora]

I am in San Diego and there is a service called postural that allowed you to video call a doctor

[Pkstracy]

Also what do you mean localized wedding around the wound you mean like what I described U never saw any redness until I went out in sun

[Pkstracy]

Oh and he only have me seven days worth, as I said this was a video chat so nothing has been confirmed, to determine if it is or not I was told to go to local doctor after 3rd day if redness has faded

[Pkstracy]

Sorry for typos the service is called plush health, and wedding should be reddening and u is I and that is hasn't faded

[CCT67]

Hi, The protocol for Cellulitis in a lymphie is 14 days not the standard week. Below is the medical consensus document for treatment you can show your doctor.

Having had Cellulitis twice my advice is to avoid putting your bare limb in the sunshine. Keep it elevated inside. Although you haven’t had hot skin or a large area of red rash, the fact you had a fever suggests some Cellulitis infection. The antibiotics should knock it on the head - do take for full 14 days even if you appear to be infection free as the infection goes dormant only to return to ‘live’ infection if too short a course of antibiotics if you are feeling better it means the antibiotics are working so carry on taking them 14 days minimum. It doesn’t hurt to have tea tree oil on hand for any time in the future your scratched again. Put the oil around the scratch area - topical treatment straight away helps to prevent full blown Cellulitis. I keep my cats claws cut low to avoid her scratching me (she’s a fully indoor cat so short claws doesn’t put her at risk of being unable to defend herself or escape up a tree)

lymphoedema.org/images/pdf/...

[Pkstracy in reply to CCT67]

Thank you I am going to see a doctor face to face today here in an hour, my husband keeps saying oh it's just a sunburn, I have never had this before, so I am worried. just to be sure, it's been 72 hours and I am seeing no improvement at all, so I am going to try to get a actual confirmation,Yeah after I sat in the sun two days after cat got me, I went to bed the day I sat in the sun and when I woke up the next morning I have what looks like a sun burn, as I stated this happened a week ago on the seventh with him scratching me, then the ninth I went and sat outside, the 10th I woke up with redness. thank you for the link, I'll try to show it to the Dr. Oh and I don't even know If I have Lymphoedema, I haven't even been diagnosed, when I was a kid I used to swell if I ate to much salt, parents to me to dr, he just said watch her sodium they did for awhile and never told me about it when I was older I just assumed I got swollen if I ate to much salt, sat for too long, got to hot, I have never had the leaking of the fluid from a leg wound like that as I have never been wounded on the leg when I am swollen, thank you for your advice I am about to go to dr as I said I will update when I get back.

[Lynora]

CCT67 has given a reply like I would have done. Take the advice and run with it!

[CCT67]

If you don’t have diagnosed LE it’s pissible you do have it from your account of swelling. Even if you do not have LE, a case of Cellulitis can cause a normal limb to develop LE. So it’s important to follow medical advice to address whatever the problem you are encountering. The watery fluid you describe is likely lymph, a protein rich fluid that we all have.

Hopefully the doctor you see is on the ball. Not all doctors know anything about the lymphatic system as they only receive 30 minutes on it during 4 year medical school/ degree.

Let us know how you get on

[Pkstracy]

OKay I just got back and yes I do have LE, and cat scratch cellulitis, I also got updated on my tetanus, okay I have never dealt with this so please feel free to give any advice for a first time LE person with cellulitis . Oh he took me off the Keflex and put me on Augmentin. For ten days, I have already taken three days of the Keflex and I have to see him in seven days. Thank you all for answering.I told him I always swelled as a child and always had the pitting, so he recommended I get compression stockings, any advice on those?

[Lynora in reply to Pkstracy]

You need to get compression from someone trained to measure and fit.

As you are in the USA, you need to go to lymphnet.org - the National Lymphedema Network where you can find a list of professionals who should be able to help. This site is based in London.

[Pkstracy in reply to Lynora]

Hi my cellulitis has improved I finished my antibiotics, however the skin is peeling like a suburn, is this normal and what's the best lotion to get, I have been reading that lubriderm is good or what do you recommend? I have been putting lotion on but it has a scent and I read you shouldn't use any with a scent

[Lynora in reply to Pkstracy]

Yes, peeling skin is a normal outcome. Don’t be tempted to exfoliate!

I’m in Scotland, so not sure what’s available on the US market. You could talk to your nearest pharmacist. A quick google for recommendations of emollients your side of the Pond, came back with Theraplex and Cutemol.

[Pkstracy in reply to Lynora]

okay thank you Lynora, I'll look up the emollients, thank you again for answering my questions and doing the search.

[Pkstracy]

I am in the USA

[Lynora in reply to Pkstracy]

Please see my post above - you may find help via lymphnet.org - the US support group.

[CCT67]

Hi

Follow Lynora’s advice re NLN website - look for a Certified Lymphedema therapist/CLT locally. I recall you’re in San Diego so you should be able to find a local knowledgeable therapist who can advise and measure you for medical compression garments and how to care for your leg including lymphatic drainage therapy

In the meantime you could get flight socks which offer more compression than normal socks

[Hidden]

I have had cellulitis several times ... when I have it I start my antibiotics immediately for 10 days............... when on vacation or without meds the cellulitis spreads quickly for me (67 yrs old) end up in ER ... leg get blotchy red thick and I can feel it "vs no pain or discomfort when normal ....once I got horned by a catfish fishing through my foot and I had intensive antibiotics for 12 days... 10 years. ago in between all is pretty good.