I scalded my lymphoedematous arm , just a dripping vegetable strainer any one ever done this?

[Bestbrush]

I am on clarithromycin anyway. i ran arm uner cold tap for about half an hour and then covered it withcligfilm. It is very slightly pink over the coldwater area, with a few fine red spots which are likelto be from the strainer,do you think I might be lucky and get away with no infection?

[Lynora]

Get it checked just in case! (Although you should be OK with your current meds, they may not be enough to ward off an infections following the burn - you may need additional cover).

[ninewells]

Hi Bestbrush,

I also got a bad burn but it was from a thermos flask i had on tray going to bed. I should have used my stair life and didn't, the lid was just resting on the top and not screwed down, i tripped on the stair having the wrong slippers on to support me.

The thermos emptied all down one arm and accross my thight.

I was rushed into A&E. I had to have burns dressing on for the next 14 days as they did all blister. I also had antibiotic cover as a back up.

The good news was things all healed up well and left me with no after care problems, Thankfully.

keep an eye on your burn, if you think for any reason it looks angry or its changing pop to see the GP, always better to be safe. The last thing you will need is an infection.

take care

Ninewells.

[Bestbrush]

Thank you both for replying...so nice to get support. Of course you were both absolutely right. I think, Ninewells, luckily, my scald was a much smaller area than yours. With no expert on hand, what I did was to run the cold tap on the arm for about 30 Mins.As I was trying to sort lunch, I put a wad of kitchen towel between the running water and my arm, which meant I could leave and go back to the tap, but keep my arm cold and wet enough.After the 30 mins, I left the arm wet and covered the area completely( not tightly) with cling film, put my jumper over it and after lunch, I went out. At first I saw small spots which could have turned into blisters, but 4 hours later there was no sign of anything.

So I did get away with it!

I guess the cling film kept the moisture in. Apparently its best to discard the first few centimetres of cling film, before applying some to the area, as unrolled film is sterile, but the business end might not be. And of course, I am still on clarythramycin.

Take care, thank you again.xx

[norberte]

bestbrush, you did all the right things!

so you didn't 'get away with it', you managed a very complicated situation

everry time i cut myself & manage it ok, or my skin gets a bit red & i draw round it but it doesn't travel, i get a bit more confident

& i'm on prophylaxis too, which does take a lot of the worry away .... but not all of it!

i still get cellulitis but when i do it doesn't travel as fast & i don't get such high temperatures, so it's easier to manage eveen if it is still a pain in the b*m! (no, that's not where my lymphoedema is!)

so i just wanted to say well done - i hope that doesn't come across as patronising, but it can be hard to notice times we should be patting ourselves on the back!!

[Bestbrush in reply to norberte]

Thank you. Being a nurse often helps as you know what to do...but often you worry more because you know what can happen! I did feel that 'id got away with it' because it isn't always the case! Also, its easier to assess someone else's condition than it is your own!

[Bestbrush in reply to Bestbrush]

What I meant to say was, that my experience and understanding can be very useful to ME when managing my health generally, but CAN work the other way too!

As lymphoedema sufferers we should all gen ourselves up on self care in an emergency and have our meds ready to hand...just in case things happen on say, a bank holiday or when we haven't immediate access to advice.

[norberte]

absolutely, couldn't agree more

my little 'emergency kit' is a make-up bag with savlon spray, plasters, gloves, antibacterial wipes, hand gel, tissues, & i have 'stand by' antibi's at home & take a 2 week supply if i'm going away for that long - even if i go away overnight i take augmentin with me

& of course as a nurse you're going to be used to putting yourself last - but lymphoedema demands our attention & bestbrush done good!

[ninewells]

Hi guy's,

Before my Hubby had called 24/7 and i was taken to A&E, the lady on the phone had told him not to let me keep my body under the cold tab for more than 10 mins, Not to apply any cloths that had been in cold water to help keep the heat at bay, as if the skin breaks or blisters break then infection could be on the cloths. I was in the process of putting cling film over it when i saw the blisters getting bigger, but again i was told not to to keep it clear of anything.

I travelled to A&E, 45 mins later in the waiting room i was screaming with the heat that had built up on the wounds. I rushed to the ladies to try and get cold water put back on them only to be told i couldn't. by A&E staff, it was 1 hour 10 mins before i was taken.

I don't know how people that get severe burns deal with it. the main thing was as soon as they applied the burn dressings it did knock the pain level down quite a bit, but i still have to say even then on the way home i had it out the car window trying to cool it down. I do take morphine for other conditions so i guess when that kicked in things became a lot better.

No matter how small the burn is, the pain is heightened for us L/D sufferers i was informed by the Doctor in A&E. our skin is very tender and painful when not infected or brocken, so to burn it cuased big pain. So please never think your just being a pain or fussing. Look after yourself and don't worry about what others think.

Gklad yours didn't turn out to be as bad as it could have been. xx Ninewells.