Cellulites-has Anyone Had It? Dx Fri Am After High Fevers

[Judyin Philly]

sure hope someone can give me some advice.

I started getting chills Tues nite and the shakes so bad for 2 hrs. Then get hot and cold. thanks Patti for telling me to take my temp!

Had a cough for 2 weeks before so was thinking pnemonia. called dr office Thurs and my dr gone but had another dr's nurse call me back. wanted me on tynolol to get fever down force fluids and my dr would see we next am at 10:00

When i got up had the huge red swelling and rash circleing left ankle almost to the knee

Dr said how serious celluites was and i have been on this drug...could take for dental work per' surgeon b/c covers staf and strep infections.

have done nothing but sleep and take meds since Fri. Tonight my foot is swollen...

He say if there were any changes in color, heat of rash, or temp won't come down to call him this weekend but it not better would have to go to hospital for IV drugs Mon.

I don't do well in hospitals...esp becasue only IV drug is vancomycine (?) and it gave me such "D" after hip surgery...the treatment on hospital was 'horrid'

the risk of getting something else 'there'is worse than going in.

i'll see him before i go but can they do the IV's at home rather than in hospital like in lyme disease?

thanks for helping. I was praying the antibo would have worked by now but have only taken 6 so far and one more at 12:00 tonight

Hope someone has as information for me...my cat did bite me Sunday (other side of body on R hand) this is L leg----and it was a puncture wound and of course cleaned it well..then read 4 sites on line about celluites and it menioned it. dr seems to think it was some entrance into L foot while gardening with out proper shoes and socks. did find a splinter he took out but wasn't infected said it could get into a slight abrasion etc...

do you have to have the swelling where the infection entered? Articles didn't say.

judy in philly

[trents]

sure hope someone can give me some advice.

I started getting chills Tues nite and the shakes so bad for 2 hrs. Then get hot and cold. thanks Patti for telling me to take my temp!

Had a cough for 2 weeks before so was thinking pnemonia. called dr office Thurs and my dr gone but had another dr's nurse call me back. wanted me on tynolol to get fever down force fluids and my dr would see we next am at 10:00

When i got up had the huge red swelling and rash circleing left ankle almost to the knee

Dr said how serious celluites was and i have been on this drug...could take for dental work per' surgeon b/c covers staf and strep infections.

have done nothing but sleep and take meds since Fri. Tonight my foot is swollen...

He say if there were any changes in color, heat of rash, or temp won't come down to call him this weekend but it not better would have to go to hospital for IV drugs Mon.

I don't do well in hospitals...esp becasue only IV drug is vancomycine (?) and it gave me such "D" after hip surgery...the treatment on hospital was 'horrid'

the risk of getting something else 'there'is worse than going in.

i'll see him before i go but can they do the IV's at home rather than in hospital like in lyme disease?

thanks for helping. I was praying the antibo would have worked by now but have only taken 6 so far and one more at 12:00 tonight

Hope someone has as information for me...my cat did bite me Sunday (other side of body on R hand) this is L leg----and it was a puncture wound and of course cleaned it well..then read 4 sites on line about celluites and it menioned it. dr seems to think it was some entrance into L foot while gardening with out proper shoes and socks. did find a splinter he took out but wasn't infected said it could get into a slight abrasion etc...

do you have to have the swelling where the infection entered? Articles didn't say.

judy in philly

Several years ago, before I was diagnosed with Celiac disease, I mysteriously developed cellulitis on the inside of my left knee and it went part of the way down the calf. I never could find an entry point. There seemed to be no wound or abrasion. My doctor said there had to be one, however. Since then I have read on the internet about a new and potent form of staff infection that has been showing up in the Oregon prison system. It seems to be able to penetrate intact skin. Anyway, I was on oral antibiotics for my cellulitis and they didn't work. I got pretty worried because it was spreading. I talked the doctor into giving me a more potent antibiotic (Rocephin) by injection. It made a difference immediately. After one shot the doctor put me on an oral antibiotic again and the infection started to get worse. I went back to the clinic and explained to my physcian's PA what was happening and asked for Rocephin injections until it was cleared up. I don't know if the cellulitis was related to my Celiac disease but it is possible since we all know that Celiac disease has a mulitdimensional affect on our health, probably including the compromise of or at least the over stressing of our immune system.

Steve

[mouse]

Judy, I just remebered something. You know how sluggish my brain is since I got so ill before the diagnosis. About 14 years ago, my knee swelled up and had a rash. I ran a high fever. A girl friend took me to the doctor for an emergency appt. We had a heck of a time getting me in her car as I could barely bend the knee. He took one look and had her drive me to the hospital where I was immed. admitted. They started IV drip and major antibiotics. They had specialists look and no one knew how the knee got like that. I had no cut or even a scratch on the knee. They gave it a name, but I don't remember what they called it. They drained my knee twice a day for three days and on the fourth day I was allowed to go home with still more antibiotics. It was very painful, probably because the skin was stretched so tight. I don't think I would mess with the swelling. Hugs and prayers for you to get well fast. We all care and worry.

[Judyin Philly]

Thanks Steve and Armetta

i so appreciate your information.

bet you wonder why i'm still up...esp since the leg is to be higher than the heart---

well, figure this one out...how can you accomplish that and not lay down for 1/2 hr after taking the dang pill.

??? I'm going nuts here.

Well have 7 minutes to kill till i can lay down...

Hubby just said, well you didn't stay off your feet all day.. hell i think 22 out of 24 hrs is pretty darn good..had to go to bathroom get fast nukes 3 meals, pills, and tynonal..etc and I slept all the dang day away with foot up....

do either of you have drug allergies...I mean this is the ONLY one i can take exvept the IV one i mentioned before.

Steve I agree I think this is just what's happening..

I don't know if the cellulitis was related to my Celiac disease but it is possible since we all know that Celiac disease has a mulitdimensional affect on our health, probably including the compromise of or at least the over stressing of our immune system.

That strain of it in Oregon, is so scarry to me.

Armetta, love to know what your was???

I have a dear friend who lives 2 doors up from me. She is a PA in the dr's office where I go and if I think it is not getting better I'll call her tomorrow and ask her to take a look.

So Armetta, relax, I'll be careful...I'm just scared and from my 25 surgeries over the years...IT IS NOT A SAFE PLACE FOR ME''' I didn't even have to do rehab for hip for 2 weeks in hospital..my dr wanted me out of there and sent a daily nurse and pt/ot/ to the house.

well my 7 minutes are up and i can NOW LAY DOWN AND GO TO BED. HOT DOG.

JUDY IN PHILLY

[mouse]

Thanks Judy for posting. I will sleep fine knowing that your Dr's PA lives 2 doors down from you. I understand about your feelings about hospitals. I had a GP in Illinois who always wanted me out of the hospital as fast as she could get me. Everytime I would be in intensive care for respiratory or some such thing. She would stablize me and then get me the hell out of there. Of course I had to guarantee that I would remain in bed until recovered. But, I agree that you can catch to many things in those places. I am allergic to Compazine only. With that one, I try to swallow my tongue which is virtually impossible, since I am literally tongue tied. Hope you get some sleep. I am also going to bed and leave the forum to the night owls.

[plantime]

Judy, my son had cellulitis when he was 6. He almost lost his leg to it. He was stung by a wasp, that's how he got it. You can get it from a pinprick that is not necessarily visible to the eye. If you were out gardening without proper shoes and socks, you probably got it that way. The only way it could be treated for my son was with strong steroids and antibiotics through an IV. He was in the hospital for 2 days. He did not get chills and shakes, his leg just swelled and swelled like a fluid-filled balloon. The swelling went from just above his knee to his toes. The nurses kept his leg elevated and wrapped in a hot moist pack. To this day, my son is afraid of red wasps.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Hi, Judy,

Sorry you're having such a miserable time!

I had cellulitis about 18 years ago. I thought (but was never quite sure) that mine started from a bug bite on my leg. I was in Massachussetts playing in a music festival, so had not local doctor. A friend of mine called her local doctor, who told me to go to the ER, where I was immediately put on IV antibiotics. The rash part started a couple of days before the fever (which was very mild, but that's typical for me--my immune system is pretty retarded and seems not to know how to mount a fever; at least, I hardly ever get fevers).

You should be able to do some kind of home thing, especially if you explain the life-threatening allergy thing. I had home IV care for pregnancy-induced hyperemesis. The nurse came, put a port in my wrist, showed me how to attach the IV to it, and left me with three days worth of vitamins and lactated ringers solution. It's definitley worth asking about.

Good luck--and please keep us posted. I hope you get a good night's sleep and are better in the morning.

[Judyin Philly]

'Fiddle-Faddle'-Dessa Steve and Armetta

It was so nice to wake up and have notes from you.

first nite i slept all through the nite.

temp is now 96.9 this is good, i think

I'm going back to bed in 7 minutes when i can lay down after taking the 'pill' with food of course so trip to kitchen to get almond milk cause it has to be in refrig...

I promise to call my PA friend and know she'll come over to look at it..hope she's home...

Your info has been 'helpful' in that it 'scared the p-j out of me but I know how serious this is...just don't want to get sicker in the hospital..

i know you can relate to hospital worries...if it's hard enough for me to eat gluten-free and no cc from gluten at home the hospital...just isn't going to happen.

another dear friend i worked with for 15 yrs wrote a kids activity book on celiac for kids and a chapter in Danna Korns book and speaks all over US on celiac so can call her in a emergency if i need too about 'coping' with celiac and allergies in the hospital but...not going there mentally untill OR IF I HAVE TO..

OPTOMISTIC AND POSITIVE...GOOD MEDICINE TOO.

WELL, MY 7 MINUTES ARE UP SO GOING BACK TO BED AND LAY DOWN.

THANKS AGAIN, YOU GUYS...

DON'T KNOW WHAT I'D DO WITHOUT YOU AND (kAREN TOO)

JUDY IN PHILLY

[nettiebeads]

My sil has had cellulitis. I read where it's suspected that ladies who shave in the shower and keep their razors there have a higher chance of developing it. As my sil was NOT the outdoorsy type in any way, that's probably where she got hers. But she was treated at the Navy hospital so I won't tell you her outcome. You are getting better care than she got. I pray this passes quickly. I think upping your vit C might help some. I've read that it promotes healing in the tissues. Just a thought.

Annette

[wolfie]

Judy,

I hope that you continue to improve throughout the day. Many prayers for you. I have never dealt with what you are going through, so I don't have much advice.

Hang in there! ((((HUGS)))))

[jenvan]

Judy Judy Judy... aw my friend, got yr e-mail...thanks for filling me in. I am praying for you each day as you get through this--and now I will pray for safety to if you are in the hospital, and safety in your treatment. Wanted to keep this little surprise...but so you have something to look fwd to you should be getting something in the mail soon...probably Tuesday Keep us updated when you can! (PS-Are you going to take any probiotics with the antibiotics?)

[Chako]

Cellulitis is not something to mess with for certain. I am so sorry that you have it and I hope you are able to find some relief soon.

My son was about 2 or 2.5 years old when he ran into a beaded toy (you know, the educational ones) and he nailed his little toe on one foot. We did not see any wound at all and after a good cry and a hug we were on our way about our day and did not think anything more of it. Until bathtime that is when I took a look at his foot and saw that the toe looked broken and the streaks shooting up his foot. We were very lucky that he responded to the antibiotics. Every day we had to mark the progress of the streaks and give him multiple epsom salt foot baths.

It sounds a wee bit commonplace here for celiacs to be prone to cellulitis, doesn't it?

Oh, and to answer a question along the way, I do believe that the entry site is the area of the body affected by the cellulitis. For instance if you have a cat bite on the right hand it will not show up on your left hand and such.

[darlindeb25]

I too had cellulitis--was 4 yrs ago last week, Memorial Day weekend, I remember well. My doctor told me that you don't have to do nothing, even a cold can cause it to happen. My knee was injured almost 1 year previously to this happening and I still have the scars on my knee. It swelled terribly, was like a balloon ready to pop. It was on fire, red, hot to the touch and the worst pain I have ever had and I had 5 babies. He gave me a very strong antibiotic. I am so lucky I survived it, I could not take time off work without pay and I worked with the worst pain I have ever had. I worked a service desk at Kmart at the time and I cried through my pain. I was off 3 days for the holiday and that helped. My son's dog rammed his nose into my knee and it burst open, the infection leaked out for days--was terrible. I hope I never go through it again. My knee still is red, the color may never go back to normal, I still have fluid on that knee and it still swells often, but that is from the old injury too. By the way, I fell over that same dog the first time I hurt this knee. My grandson Colin, used to touch my knee and ask me if there was still fire in there. Feel better! DEb

[Rachel--24]

Judy,

I never had cellulitis and dont know too much about it. Just wanted to say I read your thread last night and I've been thinking of you. I'm sorry you have to go through this now too.

Hope you feel better again soon!

[debmidge]

Judy

Please take care and hope you get better quickly

my mil had cellulitis last aug & was in hospital for a week. No point of infection entry..her legs swelled due to her congestive heart failure and the skin couldn't take the stress of the stretch from the swelling. This must have lead to a break in skin (?) which lead to the infection.

[trents]

Trouble is with these things sometimes, esp. if you have to go to the hospital, is that you may get the orignal infection cleared up but wind up with some colonized drug resistant bug (MRSA if you are familiar with the medical jargon) that hides in your body and waits for some opportunity to pounce on you again. I work in a hosptial and this a huge and growing problem. It seems the bugs are winning!

[Judyin Philly]

Trouble is with these things sometimes, esp. if you have to go to the hospital, is that you may get the orignal infection cleared up but wind up with some colonized drug resistant bug (MRSA if you are familiar with the medical jargon) that hides in your body and waits for some opportunity to pounce on you again. I work in a hosptial and this a huge and growing problem. It seems the bugs are winning!

Thanks so much for all your kind thoughts and advice and imput.

Trents, to worked in a hospital for 15 years as medical librarian and did search for drs who were running into these issues ALL THE TIME.

that's why I;m so afraind..if this doesn't get me 'the hidding bugs' with my already shot amuine system will.

NA can said the rash was getting higer but fever gone was the best point.

made me promise to call dr asap in morning as he asked me to..

if i have chills in the nite i have to go to er.

Can use all your prayers.

going to put leg up again.

love and hugs

judy

[Guest BERNESES]

Judy- First, love and hugs! I'm so sorry you are going through this. You poor, sweet woman.

PLEASE do not hesitate to go to the ER if your fever goes up or the redness gets worse. I know that hospitals aren't necessarily safe places but maybe your husband can bring you gluten-free food if you need to go.

Cellulitus is really serious. I had it in 2003. I had a blister on my foot and it really hurt. Noticed a red line traveling up my leg from it so I went to the ER and they diagnosed me but never told me how serious it was. Told me to take antibiotic and stay off my feet. My sister went into labor that day so I wasn't off my feet (I know you are) and Monday I showed it to a friend who is a PT and she freaked on me and drove me back to the ER herself. It was really bad.

Maybe your doctor or PA can get you intravenous antibiotics AT HOME if you need to go that route. i hope you're OK. please keep us posted if you can. ((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))) Beverly

[Judyin Philly]

thanks again to all you you.

this is what i'm praying Beverly.

fever still down and red rash but not bumps coming up to almost knee, but not feeling as bad as i did.

calling dr at 9:00 am to see me if...I'm still doing ok.

have to take antibo at 11:00 and then to bed

hugs

judy

['quote name=BERNESES' date='Jun 4 2006, 04:35 PM' post='148550]

Maybe your doctor or PA can get you intravenous antibiotics AT HOME if you need to go that route. i hope you're OK. please keep us posted if you can. ((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))) Beverly

[Guest BERNESES]

all my hugs and prayers to you. please check in tomorrow if you can and let us know how you are. Sleep tight tonight and we'll all think good thoughts for you, Beverly

[Canadian Karen]

Judy,

You make sure you remember what I told you last night: "DON'T MAKE ME COME DOWN THERE!!!!" The minute it gets worse, get your butt up to ER pronto!

Ya know, I have never even heard of this "cellutitis" before, but it seems every single celiac has had a bout of it..... interesting...... definitely a connection, eh?

Hugs.

Karen

[Kaycee]

I had cellulitis about four years ago, on my leg below the knee. It started off as a pimply looking thing. It became quite infected very quickly and was so painful, swollen and angry looking. Dr dianosed it immediately, wanting to know whether I had been bitten by a spider, specifically a white tailed spider, and gave me antibiotics telling me to go back if no improvement. It took about a week to come right, and thankfully I recovered fully, without even a scar or mark.

But then a couple of Christmases ago, my son Bradley contracted the disease on his hand. All of 14 and Christmas Eve, he was admitted to hospital and placed on an antibiotic drip. There did not appear to be any entry wound, just a raised red swollen lump. He spent Christmas in the adult ward, as at nearly 6 foot they probably thought he would've been too big looking for the littlies in the childrens ward. But I worried about him being with adults as he is a very quiet 14 year old.

Christmas was different, and the traditional feast was all but of memory of previous years. We the family had ham sandwiches (Prior to my diagnosis of celiac), and Bradley had the traditional meal. Bradley went home after three days in hospital. We did have the option of running backwards and forwards to the hospital whenever he need the antibiotics administered, but I felt he was probably better off under their care, and I did realise how serious this infection in, and I remembered how miserable it made me feel.

He is fine now, and we never did work out how either of us happened upon the infection.

So I am thinking of you, and hope you have a speedy recoery and that the anitbiotics work ultra quick.

Cathy

[Judyin Philly]

thanks again guys

Karen agree sure seems to be something in this a others have said to me 'diabetes' can be a along with this too..URG>>>

temp is 96.3 sure that's good...but why so low...?

not going to think, going to bed and let you all know what dr says in am

thanks again,

judy

[Guest BERNESES]

Yeah- it can be very dangerous. A friend of mine who is a musician got it from a sspider bite and almost lost his finger (not good if music is your career).

Judy- please let us know how you are! I'm with Karen on the DON"T MAKE US COME DOWN THERE!

[Judyin Philly]

Promised I'd post

Dr just called back will see me in 1/2 hr...Jim will drive me and I hope he goes in with me this time as I'm so cold and mentally and physically exhaused not sure I will remember what he said. Temp is 96.8 maybe why so tired at least looks better to us but foot so swollen since Sat.

Please say some prayers for me, guys, I'm kinda at my breaking point.

j