I’ve seen a nurse at my GP practice today (no doctors in!) I’ve got red swollen lower legs, that feel warm. She said it’s cellulitis and I’ve got antibiotics to take. Surprisingly she said she’d heard of ET, but just knew it was something to do with blood. Anyway apparently I’ve caught it early. She said I’d probably got it because of low immune system, no breaks in the skin.
Has anyone else with ET had it and did it clear up ok?
I've had cellulitis and was told it was very rare to get it in both legs at the same time. It's also really painful. In your position, although I would take the antibiotics to be on the safe side, I would try to see a doctor, ideally your haematologist, to see what else might be going on. I have also had what was diagnosed as stasis dermatitis, which manifests as red patches and warmth in both lower legs. I had it in the months before my MF diagnosis. Hope it gets resolved.
Thank you, I’ve started the antibiotics, the swelling has started to go down, I don’t have swelling in my right leg, just red patches. I’ve got an appointment at Haematology next week - seeing an actual doctor face to face - first time in over 3 years!
Hi. I had cellulitis after a dog bite. It cleared up fine with antibiotics. I hope you get better soon.
Thank you 😊
I was really interested to find cellulitis could be related to ET which I have had for many years. The cellulitis started a few months ago in both legs. It has got better but not yet gone completely. I am due my quarterly app on thursday so will ask his opinion Elsie R xx
I suffer from CALR + ET but cellulitis doesn’t consider me to be interesting enough to inflict itself on me.
Hi there, so sorry to hear you have Cellulitis. I am patient with ET Jak2+ and had Cellulitis while ago on my left foot. I was told that it is very dangerous infection. I took antibiotics but it did not cleared fast and completely. So I took second lot of antibiotics and it took while to clear up the infection. After that I had swelling on my foot for a long while. Wishing you well.
I am recovering from the red swollen legs. Doctors say it was not cellulitis. My medical records indicate a possible diagnosis. I am also recovering from a blood clot in my right leg. Interesting that the left leg is more red, swollen and painful. All Doctors agree that this is related to the ET. All this is very new to me and I am still a but overwhelmed. Six months ago I would have said I was very healthy.
Have any of the medicos considered that it's erythromelalgia? It's a particular, uncommon side effect of MPNs. (You can google it). It's a micro vascular disturbance. Treatment is aspirin 200 - 300mg for 3 days. Red, warm patches without broken skin. If the nurse doesn't know much about ET they probably aren't familiar with it. It looks a bit like cellulits. Cellulitis unlikely if skin not broken.My GP diagnosed cellulitis 7 times over 18 months, prescribing antibiotics each time, until the haematologist picked it up! Hope you get answers soon. Best wishes.
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