Infected Elbow Joiny Capsule

[BathshebaKnickerStickers]

I work in a primary school. My body collapses at the end of every term.

i thought i was doing well.

2 weeks ago term ended.

Saturday I woke up and i thought i had banged my elbow but didn’t remember doing it. .. but you know..

Sunday morning… I’m sure I didn’t bang it

sunday afternoon…did I bang it..?

Sunday evening - fucks sake Bathsheba - you clearly had no arm control even if you didn’t remember it

Monday morning - arm related appointment with the nurse practitioner at my drs.

i have bursitis in my elbow. Take paracetamol and ibuprofen and use painkiller gel but don’t take ibuprofen then. It’ll last a week.

agony

pain

agony

ITS GOT WORSE.

Back to the drs.:: it’s infected. Like all the other places in your body that get infected when you are tired. THERE IS NO INLET FOR INFECTION.

antibiotics from Tuesday but it’s not clearing up well.

oh you want a picture..

Blimey!

I know…!!! It’s really not calming down and I can’t imagine being in a cloakroom with 75 7 and 8 year olds on Monday morning without them all banging into it. Because it’s not calming down

if the swelling isn’t going down you should get to the GP (of even A&E) ASAP. You may need more powerful antibiotics to get it sorted.

Oooh you poor thing! Echo the pp - do consider getting another opinion

I’m at the end of day 4 on 500mg of fluclox and I’ve taken every dose religiously… it’s not really broken the back of it and I’m supposed to be in school Monday morning.

I really can’t go to anywhere out of hours as this is literally 14 days old

You can’t go to work like that?

Go to a doctor urgently you need a different antibiotic.

If you call 111 you can get an OOH GP appt. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been going on as it’s not improving.

Oh you poor thing, looks so sore. Make sure you let your gp know it's not going down.

It doesn’t matter how it happened it could’ve an insect or spider bite ?
It’s infected and those antibiotics are only keeping a lid on it, they are not working, you need to get seen by a doctor urgently.

Yeah, that’s what Monday morning is looking like. I have another day of taking my antibiotics but no, I can’t go to work on Monday and I need another appointment.

my drs surgery is absolutely brilliant so hopefully I’ll get something

On day 5 of 500mg of flucloxiciilin surely everyone would dismiss me on “you need to finish the course “. As I’m currently on medication surely I need to take it all first. No-one in a&e or minor injuries would entertain someone 14 days in on day 5 of antibiotics even if it looks like thus

Is that photo from today? If yes then you cannot wait, they are not working and you need other antibiotics.

I thought generally you’re hoping to see some
improvement within 48-72 hours - I really think it’s worth a call to 111 rather than waiting another 60 hours letting that infection bloom…

What do you mean ‘ entertain ‘ and 14 days in? Sepsis and cellulitis can develop in hours? The antibiotics are just keeping a lid on it, they are not curing it. If that is a photo from today then you should see a doctor urgently and don’t wait until Monday.

If it’s not improving at all by now you really need to be seen. Looks like you need different treatment. You will not lose anything by calling 111.

Ouch that looks sooo sore!!! Hope you feel better soon OP 💖

I think if you have only 1 day of antibiotics left and it hasn’t got any better at all you can and should get it seen to. It’s either the wrong antibiotic or you need stronger/IV antibiotics.

The last serious infection I was given oral antibiotics for I was told to seek more help if it hadn’t started improving after 24hrs of a 7 day course or if it got worse at all.

Another vote for get it checked ASAP

I had antibiotics for mastitis. 3 days in and it only got worse. I went back to GP who sent me to A&E to be admitted for IV antibiotics and monitoring and I hadn't finished the course of original antibiotics

I think you need to go to A&E
Regardless of how many days into a antibiotic course you are on, you may need iv antibiotics

You absolutely can and should seek medical attention for an infection that isn't improving after 48 hours on antibiotics. If you're on the correct antibiotics, the response is usually pretty swift (which is why you get the problems with people not completing their course of antibiotics)

I find the NICE guidance a good reference for what should be being done (and to point medical professionals to if you feel care isn't adequate). The one for Infected Elbow Joiny Capsule is here: https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/olecranon-bursitis/

This paragraph in the management section is key for you:

• Refer urgently or seek specialist advice if there is no response, or an inadequate response, to an antibiotic in septic bursitis — a change in antibiotic, intravenous antibiotic, or incision and drainage may be required.

Good morning OP, if it’s no better today please ring 111 and get an emergency appointment. My DD ended up in hospital for 3 weeks with a stubborn arm infection, initially diagnosed as sepsis. She had to have an operation to reduce the pressure of the swelling. Hope you are on the mend soon

Wee update - called 111 and they have passed me on to our local out of hours.

I hope you got seen by a doctor today and are on the mend soon.

Hope you got some answers! I came here to say it could be a bacterial infection which you could pass on to the kids!

That looks nasty and wild. Hope they’ve given you some different AB s and that you’re watching if it spreads.