New diagnosis

hi jon cellulitus can be very nasty but hopefully your on the mend  but i cant see you working with heavy workload till its cleared if your having lots of other issues get the doc invollved blood tests etc i have had it 3/4 times last couple of years and am on low dose abs for life but touch wood gone and no pain so there is light for you but make sure you keep on top of it dont know age and health which makes a big differance do you need /want to work  in uk get help luckly i am retired it would have stoppe me working but also other issues as well  hope i have answered ok foryou all the best jon and family

I was rushed to hospital 20-odd years ago with suspected meningitis. After everything was calmed down (including the lovely spinal tap!) the diagnosis was cellulitis. This was blitzed with a strong dose of antibiotics & I was released home around a week later, it was to be another week or so before I could walk properly. Since then, I have had recurring bouts. Fortunately, my GP quickly realised that the usual small dosage wouldn't work so agreed that whenever I felt the twinges, I could ring up and ask for a script for strong dosage.

?This worked really well - although, to be fair, I also discovered the main cause to be the stress my manager was putting me under! When I left, I stopped getting twinges - almost. Now having a weak spot on my leg meant I was going to be susceptible. The slightest knock broke the skin. An injury on the site took twice as long to heal as an injury elsewhere, so there was always going to be problems.

?When my GP passed, I was forced to change surgeries (I was out of their catchment anyway), my new surgery then merged with another to become a huge supersurgery - too big to cope (not just my opinion either).

?As per my history, I managed to get an appointment when I felt first twinges but was told I hadn't got cellulitis, I didn't have the classic signs. I possibly had an infection & was given a low dose of antibiotics. I had about three weeks' worth over a few months (the new system for getting appointments doesn't seem to cater for workers).

?The following year, a large zit on my neck had me booking an appointment. On the afternoon, the zit popped but I still went along as it felt like there was more to come out. I was given a couple of boxes of low dose antibiotics. One for now & one in case it flared later.

?Lucky I had the spare box as I felt the twinges again about three months later. I managed to get an appointment by the time the pills had run out, I think it had staved off a major bout - but there was still mild redness, but not the heat ( I had worn shorts all day) so was given another week's worth. Managed to get another appointment three weeks later (2 weeks after the pills had finished), Told this was just a mild infection so given another low dose, I made an appointment at the desk on my way out. A week later & another course of low dose antibiotics.

?I had registered for the online service offered by my practice so my next attempt at an appointment would be online - the system wouldn't let me, spent over a week trying to get through, eventually abandoned all hope.

?Here I sit, having spent part of xmas day/boxing day strapped to monitors in my local A&E. Had a lovely big bag of antibiotics dripped into my arm & now on 2x500mg flucloxacillin, 4x per day. Got a 7 day course (FREE!!!!!) and have to go see my GP tomorrow - so have to try making an appointment & never mind that I'm unable to bear any weight on my leg/foot due to the excess swelling so no consideration for how I get from the car to the doctor's office!

As for my 'free' remark, every time I get pills, it costs me an hours' wages - per type of pill!, so a script for 1 box A & 1 box B costs 2 hours' wage, a script for 10 boxes A & 1 box B still only costs 2 hours' wages.

There's too much month left at the end of my money as it is so to have to spend what little I have on pills that barely scratch the surface - I do wonder if these doctors have any idea.

?Although one did tell me there is a prepayment system if you are on a lot of meds - Alternatively, you give me a 3 week supply of high powered meds (I only pay one price), I take a course, 1 week should do it) & keep the rest just in case. I'm not an idiot, I'll finish what I need and only keep full boxes ready for the next flare up.

I wish you well with your journey. I discovered the main cause was stress so changed jobs. I barely earn a living but I also don't keep getting recurring bouts.

Worth a thought?

Trouble is, antibiotics (abx) only work for so long - then the bacteria become resistant & you need stronger, then stronger until they no longer work. I converted to organic dairy stuff many years ago when I realised that the low powered abx weren't working possibly as a result of the abx pumped into cows routinely to keep them healthy (organics weren't full of the stuff).

?They pulled a gallon (that's what it felt like!) of blood the other night, I believe their intention was to test for reasons why I had the raging cellulitis - it was so bad that it got me the red carpet directly into A&E, bypassing the heaving throngs who'd been waiting ages (even got to hear the odd comment "he's only just got here" "I've been waiting ages"..

?And this is really why I just want an extra strength dose of abx when I feel a twinge, blast the infection in its infancy before it can get a hold.

Best wishes, and good luck with the work.

The U.S. all for the feedback. It's been 2 weeks, and although my foot is not swollen, I still have pain from walking a short distance, around the ankle area. Considering I am on my feet 12 hours a day at work, I don't thi k I am ready to go back. I am also concerned about having another "episode" while at work. I wouldnt8with the pain on my worst enemy.