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I started suffering from a leg ulcer, just above my ankl...

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I started suffering from a leg ulcer, just above my ankle, about a year ago, I visited my GP at first, who refered me to our District Nurses Clinic, who treated my condition well, and it nearly healed but I was then refered to an hospital specilist, by my diabetes doctor. The specilist said it was exmah, and informed not top continue with the dressing, but to use a special cream for the condition, I took his word, and now my ulcer has opened up again, and can be very painful on some occassions. My work involves a lot of walking, as I work in a warehouse. Can anybody give me advice.

I find your information very usful. :?

[i:1c997523f3]This message was automatically imported from the original Patient Experience[/i:1c997523f3]

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  • ruthio7
    ruthio7 Guest

    Posted

    Hi. Not sure if anyone will see this as the thread is quite old now.

    I stumbled across this site a few months ago and read about Solcoseryl

    gel.

    I've been using it with limited results...the gel forms a skin across the

    ulcer within quite a short time (mine is the size of a thumb nail about five inches above the inner ankle) this first lart of the healing process is

    thrilling!!... and then over the days a scab forms.

    But I can't get beyond this point in the healing process.

    Do you keep on putting the gel on even when the scab has formed?

    I haven't been doing so, but what happens is the scab eventually cracks

    and leaks liquid from underneath and then lifts off and the whole process starts all over again. It's not healing up under the scab.

    The Solcoseryl is brilliant to begin with but...

    I'm seeing my GP in a week's time and I may request a referral for a graft as I'm so fed up with it.

    Any feedback would be appreciated!

    • catz4me
      catz4me ruthio7

      Posted

      Hi, I've not heard of the gel you mention although, over the years I think everything has been used on my leg ulcers! I started with them when only 32 and have had many since. However, a few years ago the nurses came up with something called Atrauman AG which is a silver dressing. It's supposed to be used short-term but each ulcer I've subsequently had has been treated with this, even for 12 months. It's quite soothing, has never caused the ulcder to enlarge (which most other treatments have) and helps prevent infection. I have 4 layer bandaging at the moment which takes away a lot of ulcer pain although the last two ulcers were cleared with the Atrauman AG and two compression stockings, which gives the same compression as 4 layer bandaging. I prefer the double stockings but since a recent knee replacement my leg is too swollen to wear them  I would urge anyone to try this type of dressing as to me it's amazing.  Last year after breast cancer and radiotherapy, under my breast was burned, then it skinned, weeping dreadfully. I thought I'd try my Atrauman AG and within 3 days it had dried up, also amazing my consultant.  If you try it, I hope it's as successful for you as jit is for me as I've got to the stage now that I won't let nurses put anything else on mine, due to such bad reactions in the past. Good luck.
    • ruthio7
      ruthio7 catz4me

      Posted

      Thanks for the advice, another useful product to make a careful note of.

      Just to update for anyone who's interested....I saw my GP and said I was so fed up of this ulcer not healing, tried so many in different things, she said what makes you think it's a varicose ulcer, I said I just assumed it was as my mum had them in the same place. She sent me for a biopsy immediately, it turns out to be a large BCC (basal cell carcinoma) caused by long term sun damage, in other words sunburn as a child. It's been growing for about ten years. I'm furious with the dermatology people I see regularly for not diagnosing it years ago.

      So on Friday I'm booked for a plastic surgeon to do a large skin graft.

      The moral of my story is always seek a second opinion and

      BIOPSY BIOPSY BIOPSY!!!

    • niki72920
      niki72920 ruthio7

      Posted

      Maybe it's not ready to scab over. This happend to me years ago (been having them on and off for about 15 years) and the nurse actully removed the scab  and put Inadene on it. She said it was not good for it to dry up so quickly as it was too deep and there was more stuff to come out.

  • simon09693
    simon09693 Guest

    Posted

    Having suffered from chronic leg ulcers for over five years, here is my two penny worth, the standard advice is NOT suitable for everyone.  I can also back this up not only with my own experience but that of my Ex-Wife who works as a Nurse Carer in the Community and has treated hundreds of elderly people with the same problem.

        She often mentions how some of her patients are in tears having their wounds tended to, dressed, how compression systems eg Coban mean they are in constant pain with little relief.  She had joked to one of her patients, who kept putting her knitting needles inside her compression dressings as the itching was so intense that she would infect her wounds and risk amputation.  Words said in jest at the time, but several months later she visited the lady and was greeted by her elderly daughter.  She went in to see her former charge and said "Hello Flo how are you ?"  and Flo's daughter said " well Mum is finding it hard after the amputation." True story.

         I can relate to the miserable pain and suffering, waking in the night to find the bedding has stuck to your legs where blood has seeped through etc etc.

      If I wear shoes or socks my legs and feet heat up and start to create new wounds, If I wear long trousers again either my legs stick to the fabric, or the change in atmosphere creates new wounds.  Anything you can get to heal risks reverting to an ulcer in minutes, even trying to show or take a bath can cause me to open new wounds.

         Now I might be an odd chap or unique but, the standard advice from Doctors, District Nurses, Wound Specialists from the Compex Leg Ulcer Service is that moisturising the skin is of paramount importance.  After all otherwise your skin will crack and open and get infected, in my case my skin has opened and cracked and gotten infected precisely zero times.

         What does cause all my wounds, each and everyone of them is using the damned cream in the first place, I must have said a hundred times to Health Professionals "if I use the cream and make my skin soft I start to leek through everywhere and my legs become macerated which leads to all these areas becoming infected and then ulcerate".  I have had a hundred replies now each and every one of them ignoring that feedback and saying "you must use the cream".  My children who have seen the evidence first hand and who accompany me due to another disability are incredulous at how my feedback is ignored.

         After five years now of extensive trial and error, I know what works best and what certainly does not, I cannot use any dressing that has adhesive surrounds as that will open new wounds, using tape to hold a dressing cannot come into contact with my skin or new wound, and on and on.

       Last Friday a saw a practice nurse who put on some dressings, she particularly is terrible and never listens to feedback, we are like oil and water.  I saw her about a year ago as I had bad infections and ulcerations in my left foot, I had seen the Doc the night before who wanted some swabs taken.  Early next morning and went in to have Swabs taken, its her, my heart sinks, here we go again, "I have come in to have some Swabs taken" so lay down on the couch, my son removes my shoe and sock, she glances over from the computer " You dont need them done, it has healed".  Clearly someone who has zero knowledge about these issues,  I try to explain "it may look healed but that scab will go to mush in an hour", "Oh no it wont it has healed, do you know how much experience I have, I know more about it than you".  Giving up I said " actually I dont want them done, it was the Doctor who said I needed them but you must have more experience than him"  walked out stealing the two swab sets on the side, went home, my son swabbed the infected areas, half an hour later dropped off at the Doctors, next morning Metronidazole & Erythromycin delivered by the pharmacist

      Sorry for waffling but when I got home on Friday, I corrected her dressings and saw her again this monday morning, I had managed to see a little improvement so was explaining what had worked.  "Your legs are very dry"  she said, "I know that is what is helping them heal" says I.  "We need to put some cream on them to stop them cracking" she said, "That isnt the problem if we use cream they will macerate very quickly and get worse" said I.  "Yes we need to put some cream on them" giving up I didnt say anything, so she creamed my legs, used a foam dressing pad with external adhesive that makes instant wounds as the foam just sucks more fluid opening the wound even more ( told her they are unsuitable God knows how many times ).  By the time I got home they were getting worse, took the foam pad off the main wound, by last night six or seven more ulcers have opened up.

        Perhaps I should write a book but treatment should be patient specific not blind proforma dogma, the best Nurse I have had was about 65, old school from Matron's Days. exceptional care, beautifully applied full toe to knee dressings that actually even felt comfortable.  Oh for the days when Nursing was a vocation with inspired dedicated ladies.

     

    • AlexandraM
      AlexandraM simon09693

      Posted

      Hi Simon! If you wrote a book I would buy it! I'm resonating with everything you've written. Even nurses in the same surgery disagree with what dressing on what type of wound etc. The pain is just unbearable. I hope you are doing better,best wishes
    • yvette14144
      yvette14144 simon09693

      Posted

      your right the cream is horrible for my husbands as well, his are always worse the day after cream is used, it actually had is spread from the front to the back....and those nurses, KNOW NOTHING....they are half the problem...my husband says no way and even tells them you can see it but my wife is wrapping it lol i have done it for years....just tell them no, they cant make you

      good luck

    • anthony71608
      anthony71608 simon09693

      Posted

      yes simon, i agree my wife is suffering also the doctor and the entire health system seems to be limited in ideas of how to deal with this issue, however i have read thousands of coments on and off the internet, heres my take this condition,it should be attacked three ways, one strict diet, two anticougulant drugs or herbs, three compression elevation and other topical approaches. i feel whats going on inside the leg is more important than what you see outside, when the pathways of circulations are corrected then the wound will begin to cure naturally, however having an open wound vulnerable to infection is also a concern and should be treated with care.Simon i have also noticed that when my wife meets a good gentle and kind nurse, she is in good spirits after her visit and ofcourse less pain. I wish you a speedy recovery my friend.
    • Quandryite
      Quandryite simon09693

      Posted

      I have an insect bite that is infected due to over-strenuous scratching.  I have applied plantain (plantago major) leaves.  They will dry it out, and, I hope, heal it, although it looks like I might have waited too long.

      Yes.  RNs used to provide incredible care.  Many are not allowed to do what they know how to do, given the system.  Many choose "nursing" because it is one of those jobs in great demand, and have no intrinsic desire to be healers.

    • Professer
      Professer simon09693

      Posted

      Dear Simon,

      Some nurses are weary of their job and no longer proficient, maybe even angry at their lives and then take it out on their patients. Learn to be decisive when you are in a situation as you described. Tell the person NO.  ..I REFUSE CREAM. I REFUSE ADHESIVE. YOU HAVE IGNORED ME. EITHER WE WORK TOGETHER or I will be forced to complain about my care. I'd rather we get it right, so are you going to work with me to get it right, or will you continue to ignore what I have been telling you? If you think that experience is the answer, you haven't the experience of walking in my shoes and until you do I say you have none of my experience and you are necessarily ignorant of my body's needs. Tell me if we are all alike ot are we different..if you agree we all are different, then listen to me when I tell you the cream is harmful for me,the adhesives are harmful to me, and I am asking you to now offer me something that will help me and avoid what I know from my own experience is harmful to me. Should that be too difficult, I will certainly make a formal complaint.

    • rita91572
      rita91572 simon09693

      Posted

      It sounds like you are happy with your doctor.  Have you reported this nurse to him?  Must you have THIS nurse?  My doctor told me that I live with my body 24 hours a day-7 days a week where he sees me 30 to 60 minutes a year.  I don't understand her thinking this way.  Can you not get another nurse?  Is your doctor aware of her insisting doing what you already know does not work?

  • bob33372
    bob33372 Guest

    Posted

    I had an ulcer form after a burn near my ankle. I opened a tetracycline capsule and sprinkled contents liberally onto ulcer. It caused a sting for a short while. I loosely covered it and kept it dry. A thick scab formed in a couple of days. The scab came off in 4 weeks to show complete healing (i suspect the tetracycline scab prevented further infection under the scab),

    Pls check with your GP before you try this

  • jenniferjimmy
    jenniferjimmy Guest

    Posted

    Do you know what kind of ulcer is it? If it is a venous ulcer you should see a vascular specialist. And don't wait to long. Hopefully your insurance will cover it.  

  • Quandryite
    Quandryite Guest

    Posted

    I hope your wound is better now.  So sorry that you have been having this problem.
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