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[osodecanela]

The ID specialist sent me home this evening. His diagnosis is a recurrent Strep cellulitis.

My arm is markedly better and the fever gone since Midnight Friday. I have a PICC line still, but am taking my meds orally. If I tolerate them and continue to improve it'll come out Tuesday or Wed. To keep it patent, I will need to flush the thing every 8 hours with sterile saline, which is a very odd sensation. Leaves me with a sudden chilled feeling deep within my chest (no surprise there), in my right armpit (not much of a surprise), an odd and somewhat unpleasant salty taste in my mouth (which I had not expected and muchly amused the RN's), and a sensation akin to holding an ice cube to my right nipple (WTF?).

Thanks everyone for your calls, emails, texts and general well wishes.

And yes, I will be back at work tomorrow, much to my ID colleague's amusement.

Comments

[broduke2000.livejournal.com]

Maybe someone's psychically putting potato chips in your mouth.

*HUGS*

recurrent Strep Cellulitis

[beartech420.livejournal.com]

Does that mean you can get it again there? With your profession is there any way you can protect yourself? Does the Strep bacteria get into the arm from a cut, or can it naturally slip into the flesh from your skin. Would washing the arm with antibacterial soap after work prevent it from happening again?

3 years ago I had a horrible bout with MERSA infection, partly because of my own stupidity and not having health insurance. After 3 months of antibiotics I got the infection again! The demeotolgist told me that the bacteria can live in your sinuses! The treatment the second time included an antibacterial creme I had to stuff inside my nose.

Years ago I got my first Cellulitis from a dirty jacuzzi at the gym and I misunderstood the warm patch of skin as muscle strain from my workout. That is what I don't understand there was no cut on the skin where it started.

Really glad you were able to understand what was happening to you so you were able to get treatment fast!

Your in my prayers that you never get this again!

BestRegards,
Pete

Re: recurrent Strep Cellulitis

[osodecanela.livejournal.com]

Pete- I suffered a bout of Erysipelas 10 years ago which landed me in the ICU on IV antibiotics. In that illness I sloughed most of the skin on my forearm and the backof my hand AND it destroyed much of my lymphatic drainage system, leaving me with a chronically swollen arm from just below the elbow. I wore a pressure stocking on it for years, but i was hot, uncomfortable and with the amount of handwashing I have to do in my profession very difficult to use. I gave up on it about 7 years ago.

This most recent bout was the 5th episode in the same location. Most have been after an injury to my skin, although the injury may be very subtle. For example, I'm a tiedye artist by hobby; one bout happened after I spent 4 hours with my hands in water, rinsing excess dye out of fabric. It softened my cuticles and raised them enough bacteria was able to enter. I have not been able to identify the entry point for the bacteria this time.

I routinely keep mupiricin at home to apply to an injury the moment anything happens. You have to be able to recognize and injury however. This last bout was odd in that I had fever 6 hours prior to any recognizable signs of infection in the arm.

[eireangus.livejournal.com]

I am just catching up on LJ and wow I am out of the loop! Glad to hear you are feeling better and home and resting. Get well soon!!!