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Cellulitus and 3 courses of antibiotics....

Posted , 5 users are following.

Krug22
Krug22

I am writing again re my 79 year old husband. He finished his third course of antibiotics 10 days ago. His legs were still very red but nurse said that this should fade gradually. Over the weekend, he has developed yellow skin round his ankles and they almost look like little blisters - there is some clear liquid coming from the skin and his calves are very swollen. 

We are seeing the Geriatric Consultant this afternoon for other things. It is quite a long journey. I do not know if he should wear socks or if this would rub the skin. I have no bandages available at the moment. I am going to ask the Consultant to look at the skin because it looks really yellow and if there are blisters oozing then surely there is a risk of infection? With Easter coming, I would need to get more antibiotics quite quickly.

Has anyone else had yellowness and blisters?  It is clear liquid coming out. .  

1 like, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • pauluk60
    pauluk60 Krug22

    Posted

    hi krug i had them leaking all over show as far as i remember could not cover them they had to leak so hes going to be in a mess if there bad     is it at the hospital  where you said   ask about i/v antibiotics for him your not winning on your own krug and thats a long way for you both what transport have you got  wish i could help lets see what comes out of it but while your there get at them tell them you need help krug
  • Krug22
    Krug22

    Posted

    Hi

    Thankfully it is an appointment with a Geriatric Specialist made weeks before so I was able to organise Community Transport which is half the price of a taxi. Ambulance service are very strict and would not take me and if his medication is changed, then as the Carer I need to know as I organise this with the chemist. It is not helping that he won't take the lactulose so has gone 8 days with solid motions which may explain the dreadful tummy ache. He is on a lot of painkillers so constipation is a side effect! At the moment, he has socks on but it is along day and he may be better without them as his feet and ankles are very swollen. I am not sure if he would stay in hospital frankly Paul - and whilst he has 'mental capacity' they could not make him. Let us see what the specialist says and I will hopefully get antibiotics sorted prior to the Easter Break. It is hard to deal with someone who won't help themselves. If we get referred to the 'Wound Clinic' as we did with his pressure sore, he won't keep the dressings on and insists on having a bath. I frankly think both legs need a dressing for a few days whilst the blisters heal or it is  risking infection. Thanks for your reply - I am doing my best.    

  • pauluk60
    pauluk60 Krug22

    Posted

    you got your hands full krug       lets hope he follows what they say   what country you in krug ? if you don’t want to say its OK   hope trip goes well FOR YOU Krug   is he in wheel chair   let us know how he/you got on  when you got time
    • Krug22
      Krug22 pauluk60

      Posted

      I am in the UK. We saw a different consultant as she had a cancellation and  ours was running late. She is sending him for a heart scan and a liver scan.She did not think that he needed more antibiotics but she was worried about the oedema. She confirmed it was not psyroasis. She did say I could not treat the feet at home and they needed  dressing by the district nurse so we had to go to the GP. We tried to book an appointment but with Easter, the next one is April 5th. I am very worried about the risk of infection as the skin is peeling in places and weeping and the legs look very swollen with redness up to the upper calf. I guess because she did not think antibiotics were the answer that the cellulitis is under control. I shall keep watching though in case it flares up as infection is a real risk with the peeling skin. 
  • pauluk60
    pauluk60 Krug22

    Posted

    well krug all that for nowt if they need dressing the hospital should have done it surely  than having you run around all day from hospital  to docs  i got blisters to sores but luckily only one went to ulcer which d.nurses put in compression and it healed fairly quickly  but all legs probs individual   hope your happier    are they coming to you or clinic but thats nearby hopefully
  • Katmeow57
    Katmeow57 Krug22

    Posted

    Bright yellow, clear discharge and blistering are textbook sympromos of cellulitis. Please find a way to cover it...and get to the Doc. Sounds like the cellulitis is not resolved.
  • Krug22
    Krug22

    Posted

    I phoned back and we got in yesterday to see a Nurse Practitioner. He sent us to the nurse at the Surgery . She has bandaged both legs and we have to go back on Thursday and then to local hospital on Saturday to have the dressings changes. The nurse did call in a colleague who asked if his legs were always that hot. So they are taking it seriously. Not ideal as he cannot have a bath and given he has now gone 10 days without passing solid motions, he is taking a lot of lactulose. At least if it becomes infected then someone else can give me an opinion and it is not just down to me to decide if things have escalated. Hopefully, antibiotics will be perscribed again if they feel he needs them. 
  • pauluk60
    pauluk60 Krug22

    Posted

    hi krug you sound a bit easier with yourself someone on your side do they know about his bowels looks like thats going to be next thing to deal with   it gets to me when it happens   so it wont help him if he is grumpy    all way to hospital to change  dressings ??? another long trek for you at least somebody’s there for you not on your own  you need a little less hassle   family about??
  • Krug22
    Krug22

    Posted

    Yes I did tell the Nurse Practioner and he suggested lactulose and Cosmocol  as did the consultant on Monday. We have no family - his sisters live other side of the country and they are not really in contact. So it is down to me. He won't take the Cosmocol but is taking the lactulose. Surgery only around 1.5 miles away and hospital is around 2 miles although we have to go by taxi. Just relieved that if the infection worsens it is not up to me to make a decision - someone professional with knowledge will be able to send him to A and E if necessary. 

  • pauluk60
    pauluk60 Krug22

    Posted

    hi krug so it is just yourself   but you seem to be a bit more at ease now which is good   is that lactolose in sachets  i think you can up the amount you can give if he will take it but i would check first  looks to me as though he will need enema  
  • NHS_Survivor
    NHS_Survivor Krug22

    Posted

    Hi,  Don't despair,  my husband is 73 and had bad cellulitis and was in hospital all over xmas and new year last with cellulitis in his leg.  He was on IV anti biotics as they don't mess about up here in Scotland giving tablets as his infection was quite bad,  he was also on Morphine for the pain, but after 2 weeks he was home,   Has to wear compression inner and outer tockings which really help the edema (swelling of ankles and leg).    Since coming home he has had one outbreak after another of water filled blisters,  the nurses just put dressings on them and after a few days they begin to heal but he has to cream his legs liberally every day twice a day as Cellulitis in the elderly who have very thin skin anyway is a problem which can be for weeks or months.

    It gets him down when he discoveres yet another blister as he worries about ulcers forming.  His GP keeps him on low dose anti biotics for life now as Cellulitis easily occurs again.

    Afraid that what you husband is getting is text book in that many cellulitis patients then go on to develop break outs of fluid filled blisters,  just have to manage them best we can,     Don't worry too much, they do clear up until the next one.   keep legs elevated most of the time, and walk to keep circulation going is best course of action.

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