Cellulitis

[ZippyBlueViper]

I'm currently in hospital with cellulitis in my foot.
I had never heard of cellulitis until i got it and quite frankly I'm scared.
I've been receiving treatment for just over 48 hours and no improvement. In fact it's spreading.
Does anyone else have any experience of it?

Yes I’ve had it twice before, relatively mild patches on my face and on my wrist. Both times the speed at which it spread was quite frightening.

Sorry you’re scared - quite understandable. Hope you’re being looked after and that you’ve told a nurse/doctor that it’s still spreading?

I've had it before. Are you on a antibiotic drip?

Thank you the speed it's spreading at is definitely alarming me! I was treated in a and e Wednesday sent home with antibiotics. It spread rapidly throughout the night rang and ambulance and was admitted. I've been on an iv drip since. It's still spreading. Today they've changed to a different antibiotic to try that and so far had 2 doses of it but it's still spreading. I'm so scared that'll ill get blood poisoning and die or that my foot will be amputated. I've never been away from my kids for more than one night. Tonight is my second night without them. I just want it to get better. How long did treatment take?

Sympathy to you OP. I've had it tm
wice before both times from an insect bite. Both times I was hospitalised and put on an intravenous drip. Both times it carried on spreading then I was given Clarithromycin 500mg 4 X a day. They were huge yellow tablets to swallow. After two days with the cellulitis gone from the bite on my ankle to almost up to my knee it finally started to go down. It was very painful and I was terrified when it kept spreading up my leg. I had 2 weeks of those antibiotics and it cleared it up completely.

Dh is currently under investigation with possible Cellutits possible blood cloth. The hospital is unsure so he is on blood thinners and antibiotics to cover both bases.

Dh is in a lot of pain and struggles to walk. Spent most of the day dozing. He is on flucoxacillin. 500mg x 4 a day. 1 day in no improvement 2 days for blood thinners.

I almost wish they had hospitalised him as he is really poorly with it and I wonder if he would have been better medicated if they had kept him in. Seems so unfair he can continue in pain. Until possible next Thursday when the next scan is

Dd3 had it in her eye age 10 that was really horrific and she was hospitalised for 4 days with it. Her eye looked it it was about to burst. She however responded well to antibiotic

Hope you're feeling better soon op 💐

Cellulitis can take weeks to recover from, if you have it badly. Doesnt mean you'll be an inpatient for that length of time, they'll just keep you in until they get on top of it, and then likely send you home with oral antibiotics.

Thank you everyone I'm glad to hear that people have recovered fairly straight forwardly! I'm also 30 weeks pregnant which massively limits what they can safely give me.
@caringcarer how long were you hospitalised for? Watching it spread is defo really scary. It makes me panic everytime i look at it.
@Enko your dh sounds the same as me. I've been given blood thinning injections as because i can't move around it's put me at risk of blood clots, the pain is unreal and it's very frightening. I've had to get my oh to help me shower when he's been to visit and need nurses to help me get to the toilet as i just can't put any weight onto my foot at all. I hope they get to the bottom of it for you dh. I was discharged at first then got an ambulance back because it had spread so much. Don't hesitate to take your dh back.
@coxesorangepippin thank you! @Imhereyetagain I'm really hoping they get on top of it soon. They've classed mine as a severe case because it's not responded to antibiotics yet ☹️

@ZippyBlueViper I went in on a Tuesday evening and got out Thursday after lunch. They drew on my leg with a black pen every 4-5 hours and when it stopped going up higher they said the antibiotics were working. Hope yours starts to go down soon. I know it's a worry.

@caringcarer yeah they're doing that with me I've lots of lines on me with times of spreading. I've been in since Thursday early hours so really hoping I'm home soon

My full sympathies.

I was admitted early hours of Saturday 26th went through 2 A&E units with a red leg by lunch time Sunday 27th I’d grown a ball of fluid I said can’t you just pop with a sterile needle no we’re going to theatre - non negotiable.

Don’t remember anything about the surgery apart from waiting to go through and a dear nurse hugging me (who fortunately saved the day at lunch as I nearly bite into a sandwich unaware they were going to operate) just before they put the mask over, don’t remember recovery but apparently that is the best type of op. Hallucinations night of surgery and next day. I really got it into my head the ward was renting out hotel rooms and that first evening there was a loud concert going on after midnight of the same song like a national anthem - it was a generator outside the window!

It has been non stop iv antibiotics and lack of sleep - the last trio of doctors to come by one of them screwed their face up on sight of the leg. There has been official pictures taken. Fed up of people poking it now and I’ve wanted to be shot before now.

My teeth have gone slightly black and feels like a film over them but I’m hoping tonight is going to be the best sleep ever finally. Who am I kidding they’ve just walked in with a 2 hour course of IV.
Walked 3 times now. (short distance to bathroom)
Got mobility equipment sorted and careline alarm in place for when home in case of falls. NHS have supplied commode, walker, perching chair and toilet arms for home. I already have the right type of bed. Really hopeful for discharge end of this week but apparently I have to keep coming to the hospital to have it dressed but least some talk of switching to oral antibiotics.

I had hoped the blood thinners of injections would stop as soon as I stood but I got told nice try.

Haven’t been able to determine cause. If I ever feel shivery, sick and disoriented as I did on 23rd April, temporary sore throat for 24 hours, sweating next day and tired with leg and foot immobilising gradually and then slept in on on morning of Friday 25th being late for work (mortified) I will know there is a problem next time.

Hopefully I can get the sensation back in the toes. 🙏

@Ladymuck2022 what a horrendous time you're having I'm so sorry! Yours sounds more serious than mine, I've not had to have surgery. The pain is unreal though, I've never known pain like it!
Do you have anyone at home that will be able to help?
I've asked when i can go home and they've said once the infection markers in my blood improve which they're showing no signs of doing in a hurry ☹️
Hope you are feeling loads better up having my night time Iv. I feel your pain!

If you are worried about him or it is spreading do take him back in