Chronic Cellulitis in the left leg so far.....

Hi ladyjack51,

I pray you get better. Be firm with the doctors to give you a STRONG antibiotic that works FOR YOU. Also, it's important that you be consistent in taking them otherwise your body just builds up immunity against them.

When the infection goes, use a compression sock/stocking of an appropriate pressure to squeeze your leg back together.

The above is what worked for my left leg a few years back.

Also, if you get the slightest scrape/insect bite, use anti-bacterial gel. It's great stuff.

Hope that gives you some reassurance.

Stay positive. It can get better.

Peace

I have recently recovered from an 8 month bout of Celulitis, my circulation was already compromised from a bout of Meningococcal Disease 10 years ago. The initial infection started from a scratch on my leg from the foot rest on my wheel chair, an initial course of antibiotics almost got it but the cousrse was not long enough, a few weeks after I thought the infection had gone I woke up one morning and my ankle was just this weeping inflamed poxy mess, I had to use JUMBO size incontinence pads to absorb the fluid that was weeping from it, I had a further 4 months of combined courses of 2 or 3 antibiotics before my GP gave up and sent me to the hospital,I joked with him once that I was glad it was not Golden Staph & he said"I wish it was, what you have is much worse"    The initial infection was caused by Erysipelas,  I was there for 3 days on IV antibiotics then sent home & had a further 3 weeks of in home treatment where a nurse would come every day to administer an IV antibiotic and an Oral one.  My woundhad the dressing changed every 2nd day when another nurse would come to shower me. The wound dressing was  Viscopaste* a Zinc paste bandage wrapped concertina fashion around the wound to allow for swelling, this was covered with a soft cotton for protection then wrapped in a medium elastic gauze bandage followed by a compression tube bandage, the presure from the tube bandage helped a lot with the pain and the zinc soothed the wound no end, it also stopped the weeping.  The skin diseases specialist at the Hospital told me 2 things KEEP YOUR FOOT ELEVATED ABOVE HEART LEVEL AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO DRAIN THE FLUID FROM THE AREA. THREE TIMES A DAY use a  9/1 white vinegar and warm water  (900ml of warm water to 100ml of Vinegar) 1 litre of Vinegar to 9 litres of water, and soak the infected leg in the water for 15 minutes, if you can't soak it then sponge the water over it, drizzle it with a cup if you have to, Celulitis feeds on  Alkaliene substances many antibiotics create alkalies in your blood making the problem worse,  the acid in the vinegar neutralizes the alkalie literally giving the bacteria nothing to feed on, It works !! It will sting the first few times but persevere with it. Don't give up, I have been left with a 10 cm high lumpy purplish scar that gors all the way around my ankle from the initial 5 cent piece size infection site but I came close to losing my leg and foot below the knee so I am lucky, keeping my foot eolevated as much as possible ha stopped the infection returning but at the slightest stinging I will start the vinegar treatment immediately. I have since developed Diabetes so I have to be extra careful.

Please - STOP BORROWING ANTIBIOTICS!!!  Taking anti-biotics not meant to help your condition does more harm than good.  You must tell your doctors what you've done and what you've taken: You've messed up your systems ability to heal. You need help to get back  on track. Until you get that situation settled with your medical help, not much else is going to help.

You must follow a regimen about your leg. Lie with leg elevated, or move about - walk! Don't sit, don't stand still, more than a few minutes. Do not let anything take priority over healing the leg. Adjust your diet to take in more protein and less sugars. Add 3 - 4 cloves of raw garlic - not cooked - into your diet every day. I know it might be distasteful to eat (eat it with something else to help it down, but raw garlic is a natural antibiotic and immunity booster. Use foods that promote healing. Study the medical information about this condition all that you can - and don't just take anyone's word without checking out what we've written online. Your doctor needs to communicate with you and vice versa on all issues pertaining your leg, and coordinate the care that sets this right.

how i feel for you. I have had cellulitis[worsening] for five or six months. I have been having almost constant antibiotics. A nurse comes and bandages my right leg every few days but by the time she retirns the bandage is soaking wet for hours. I am in tremendous pain 24/7 and cant sleep for more than 2 hours a night for pain although i am on morphine. I have asked to see a specialist but so far been fobbed off. Can anyone help me please

Hey your not alone . I too have been battleing cellulitis since dec 15 this is the fourth time it has came back . I've been hospitalized and have seen my primary 7 times . Very frustrating . And it has both of my legs completely infected I get the blisters and running pus . When I first had outbreak was deff the worst il the worst open wound I ever had wrapped from the front to the back . For a second picture laying the size of a football on your leg that's how big it was. Wish I can post a pic . They were talking about amputating it . I was doing more research h last night and it because of athletes foot . How do your feet look? If they look fine maybe a little swollen but u have bad wet cracks between your toes 95 percent chance it's from athletes foot . I was misdiagnosed because the athletes foot doesn't usually show up til 3rd 4 th time infection comes back . It doesn't matter how much antibiotics they give u if u don't treat the at helmeted foot as well it will keep coming back ... Try that bet that's it as long as u don't have diabetes .hang in there

My fiancé is battling something similar although not exactly the same. He's had cellulitis since April. Short courses of antibiotics will almost clear it up but then the antibiotics end and the infection returns. He was misdiagnosed with lymphedema and stasis dermatitis by one inept fool of a doctor. Upon going to another hospital they immediately said no,the swelling is because of the infection. Once the infection clears, swelling will go down and sure enough, 10 days of,vancomycin almost got rid of the infection and his leg swelling faded away totally . Infection has started to return though. My frustration is through the roof because they don't treat for long enough to totally clear the infection up,just enough to start improving! Its possible your lymphedema will clear up some or go away if the infection is ever totally killed out!