General Medical issues thread

[JohnK]

You should wear whenever possible a German or similar heavy denier medical compression stocking to reduce the oedema.

I wore Jobst compression stockings many years ago. Very uncomfortable and the cuts moved from ankle to just below the knees.

I'm not a medical expert but compression stockings are not the answer to my swelling issues. I'm not sure there is a simple answer.

 

[cove]

Ice and elevation are the two ways to reduce swelling according to my knee surgeon.

 

[prozac]

I wore Jobst compression stockings many years ago. Very uncomfortable and the cuts moved from ankle to just below the knees.

I'm not a medical expert but compression stockings are not the answer to my swelling issues. I'm not sure there is a simple answer.

Then they were not fitted properly. You need someone qualified to measure and fit to suit. Answer to swelling problems? Maybe not, but I no longer need to wear mine, although I will sometimes wear on long haul flights.

 

[Quickstatus]

The left ankle/leg still swollen

nice bloody 2 inch scratch on the shin

Everyone gets leg scratches. It not everyone gets recurrent cellulitis. I suspect the underlying issue is the leg oedema (whatever the cause is) +/- whatever immunosupressives you are on.

Do you have any brown discolouration in your ankles.

 

[JohnK]

Everyone gets leg scratches. It not everyone gets recurrent cellulitis. I suspect the underlying issue is the leg oedema (whatever the cause is) +/- whatever immunosupressives you are on.

Do you have any brown discolouration in your ankles.

It's a long story. I've had swelling for 20+ years. Saw heart specialist, no issues. Why the swelling? No one knows. Part of life.

First cellulitis 18 months ago. Lasted 2+ months. Ankle looks like it has collapsed. Increased swelling in ankle and foot right down to the toes. With swelling comes pain and discomfort.

Rheumatology outpatients took an interest in cellulitis and increased swelling. Various tests including MRI. Still no explanation why the ankle/foot has excess fluid. Told it's part of life and to put up with it. Now rheumatology outpatients has discharged no one to follow up excess fluid.

August 23 second cellulitis infection, 12 months after first and now 6 months later 3rd cellulitis infection.

In September 2023 it was hard to get the left golf shoe on in Thailand. Then December 2023 it was even harder to get left golf shoe on and it was very tight.

There are too many chronic conditions to give this full focus + no one seems to care why my left ankle/foot have excess fluids. Uncomfortable but I can put up with it. What I was saying up thread is I need to recognise cellulitis infection as soon as it occurs and be able to self medicate. I went to GP with the symptoms on Monday and first thought was covid. I don't want to play this game.

Play the cards you've been dealt and learn to play them well.

 

[prozac]

It's a long story. I've had swelling for 20+ years. Saw heart specialist, no issues. Why the swelling? No one knows. Part of life.

First cellulitis 18 months ago. Lasted 2+ months. Ankle looks like it has collapsed. Increased swelling in ankle and foot right down to the toes. With swelling comes pain and discomfort.

Rheumatology outpatients took an interest in cellulitis and increased swelling. Various tests including MRI. Still no explanation why the ankle/foot has excess fluid. Told it's part of life and to put up with it. Now rheumatology outpatients has discharged no one to follow up excess fluid.

August 23 second cellulitis infection, 12 months after first and now 6 months later 3rd cellulitis infection.

In September 2023 it was hard to get the left golf shoe on in Thailand. Then December 2023 it was even harder to get left golf shoe on and it was very tight.

There are too many chronic conditions to give this full focus + no one seems to care why my left ankle/foot have excess fluids. Uncomfortable but I can put up with it. What I was saying up thread is I need to recognise cellulitis infection as soon as it occurs and be able to self medicate. I went to GP with the symptoms on Monday and first thought was covid. I don't want to play this game.

Play the cards you've been dealt and learn to play them well.

Once you have had cellulitis once your chances of a repeat performance are high. This is why it is important to learn to manage it properly. 25yrs ago I'd get cellulitis if I looked at my leg the wrong way. It was almost constant. Now it might be once or twice a year and if I notice symptoms and act straight away it might last just a few days. Cellulitis can kill you in a week. Take advice and learn to manage this John.

 

[JohnK]

Then they were not fitted properly. You need someone qualified to measure and fit to suit. Answer to swelling problems? Maybe not, but I no longer need to wear mine, although I will sometimes wear on long haul flights.

They were measured and fitted properly.

 

[Quickstatus]

It's a long story

But do you

have any brown discolouration in your ankles.?

And is it both legs or one leg only?

 

[JohnK]

But do you



And is it both legs or one leg only?

Hard to tell as I'm olive coloured and skin is darker but no brown discolouration that I can tell.

Excess fluid only in left ankle/foot and only after first cellulitis episode.

 

[Quickstatus]

Excess fluid only in left ankle/foot

Hmm, interesting...

Speculating out loud.... Sometimes "cellulitis" can be the outward manifestation of a DVT. A leg DVT can affect the valves in the veins leading to chronic leg swelling.

Have you ever had it investigated for Venous insufficiency - a Venous Duplex ultrasound scan?

 

[JohnK]

Hmm, interesting...

Speculating out loud.... Sometimes "cellulitis" can be the outward manifestation of a DVT. A leg DVT can affect the valves in the veins leading to chronic leg swelling.

Have you ever had it investigated for Venous insufficiency - a Venous Duplex ultrasound scan?

We checked for DVT in left leg/ankle in August 2022. No DVT, just cellulitis. We have checked for DVT again towards end of last year with new pain in my left lower leg. No DVT.

I was diagnosed with venous insufficiency 20+ years ago. From memory they checked with Ultrasound and injected dye in the veins and noted that just below both knees the blood drops out and the muscles push blood back to heart. Saw specialist/surgeon. He said he can operate on valves but no guarantee issue won't occur again later in life. Note when this was diagnosed my calves used to hurt a lot which is why we checked in first place. I don't recall having this pain the past 5-10 years so not sure issue is stable now or has gotten worse.

I know the most common cause of Venous insufficiency is DVT or past DVT but I've never had DVT.

The biggest issue with all these ailments is that it's time consuming to try and work out why and even then there is not always an answer.

I take comfort knowing the simulation has chosen to give me all these challenges in life to make me stronger.

 

[mrsterryn]

Is it just par for the course that as one ages that skin becomes more fragile ? Husband is on that slope towards to 70 and does have health issues..have noticed that when he knocks his shins or suchlike the ....area affected seems more affected if that makes sense.

 

[Quickstatus]

We checked for DVT in left leg/ankle in August 2023

But was that after the first cellulitis event?
In any case its a moot issue now as it appears the cause of the swelling is Chronic Venous insufficiency - CVI (whether or not due to DVT in the past which was not picked up at the time - there are other causes). Cellulitis is one complication of CVI
CVI treatment

I'm not a medical expert but compression stockings are not the answer to my swelling issues

For people with the CVI simulation, it is DEFINITELY part of the solution - (and not the only solution - meaning there is no one simple solution)
I do suggest wearing graduated compression stockings as antibiotics for recurrent cellulitis is only treating one of the complications of CVI. Eventually you will develop antibiotic resistance - Staphs and Streps are notorious for turning into multiresistant organisms.

skin becomes more fragile

Thats true, but additional reasons as above will complicate things.

 

[JohnK]

But was that after the first cellulitis event?
In any case its a moot issue now as it appears the cause of the swelling is Chronic Venous insufficiency - CVI (whether or not due to DVT in the past which was not picked up at the time - there are other causes). Cellulitis is one complication of CVI
CVI treatment

Yes should have read August 2022 tested for DVT after first cellulitis infection.

I'm not arguing the point and they are more than likely all related

- I get swelling everywhere
- the collapsing of the left ankle only occurred after first infection August 2022
- the swelling in the left foot appears to be recent

The first cellulitis infection was the worst as I suspect I had it for at least 1 week but dismissed it as regular chronic pain. I'm sure I was close to sepsis if not already there as I was hallucinating and had issues with lymph glands. I could hardly walk and could not play any golf at the time in Thailand.

The second infection August 2023 did not last long as I caught it early and I was playing golf mid-September without issues.

The latest infection think I caught it early and now day 3 of Dicloxacillin treatment. Just a little pain and discomfort when walking and sitting in general.

Fact. It's extremely difficult trying manage so many chronic conditions. I cannot fully focus on any single chronic condition. A lot of the things most people take for granted become very difficult and when something becomes difficult it can impact the management of another chronic condition.

 

[QF WP]

The antibiotics are usually Dicloxacillin/cephalosporin//penicillin/Clindamycin/Augmentin
If there is an open wound that is associated with it then a swab is important

I had a fight with a tree branch before Xmas 2022, which opened a wound on my R leg mid-calf. Initially, it formed a scab but it got infected and I was self draining it. It wasn't getting better so I ended up going to doctor after abut 4 months. He swabbed it and pathology was that I had a bug in it (keep forgetting the name) and started on antibiotics. It wasn't getting better so each time I'd go for repeat prescriptions, he'd swab and check.

Ended up even having an ultrasound to ensure no residue from tree was in wound. Nothing, was a relief. Soon I had a staph infection as well. So now I'm on Amoxicillin and Ciprofloxacin and it's slowly forming skin over the wound. Dressing daily with Solosite and Opsite Post-Op dressing.

 

[RooFlyer]

A bit over a week ago my nephew texted me saying that his daughter was ill, and had been tested for anorexia. Its been a thing developing for a while. Clinic failed to send on the test results which would have enabled the treatment path, incl psyc. Results had missed being 'compiled'

Three days ago, in absence of results they took her to Emergency. Daughter is now on 24 hr watch, drip fed and will be taken into a child mental health facility in a few days, as she has incredible mental health aversion to food and does irrational exercise (like, at 2am). One parent taking next 6 weeks off to provide almost constant care; other parent taking the next 2 off, then see.

Daughter is 10 years old. 10 !

Moral - if I come on here with some moan or whinge, just tell me to STFU, will you please?

 

[MARTINE]

A bit over a week ago my nephew texted me saying that his daughter was ill, and had been tested for anorexia. Its been a thing developing for a while. Clinic failed to send on the test results which would have enabled the treatment path, incl psyc. Results had missed being 'compiled'

Three days ago, in absence of results they took her to Emergency. Daughter is now on 24 hr watch, drip fed and will be taken into a child mental health facility in a few days, as she has incredible mental health aversion to food and does irrational exercise (like, at 2am). One parent taking next 6 weeks off to provide almost constant care; other parent taking the next 2 off, then see.

Daughter is 10 years old. 10 !

Moral - if I come on here with some moan or whinge, just tell me to STFU, will you please?

That is such a sad sad story.
@RooFlyer - wishing the very best for your nephew and his family. Thankfully, she is now getting specialist care; it is a long road and so stressful for the whole family.

 

[Seat0B]

Today I had my 4th round of “experimental” treatment for my severe chronic cough which results in vomiting and stridor most days (which is very scary) that I have had for 10+ years.

After being tested for everything under the sun with nothing found (bronchoscopy (multiple), gastroscopy (multiple), Bravo capsule, allergies, asthma, barium swallow, manometry etc, doing speech pathology for 2 years, allergy shots for 4 years, and being prescribed so many drugs - symbicort, codeine linctus, esomaprazole 40, domperidone, tilade and some other asthma drugs that I forget , spiolto, antihistamines, gaviscon etc, I was finally referred to an ENT specialist in Sydney who is doing some new treatments for long COVID chronic coughers in conjunction with a speech pathology professor, and they let me into their clinic. This involves injecting a 50:50 mix of a local anaesthetic and a steroi_ bilaterally into the superior laryngeal every two months. It’s quite unpleasant, but does seem to knock the edge off the coughing for 4-6 weeks quite well. On a good day after treatment I only cough10-20 episodes which is way less than a bad day, when I might cough 180 episodes (yes I’ve had to keep a cough diary several times), vomit 2 or 3 times and have an episode of stridor.

They have me continuing on all my current medications and speech pathology tricks as the aim of the treatment is to retrain the brain to be less sensitive to stimulus to cough under the cover of the physical effects of the injections, and eventually hope it might settle down.

if it can just stay around 20 episodes a day, I will be very pleased and it’s worth making the 8 hour round trip by car from Canberr to Sydney every 8 weeks, although I do hope to find a local ENT to take it over eventually. I am pleased to see a small silver lining of Covid in treating things like chronic cough, chronic fatigue, POTS etc.

edit: DYAC on the iPad

 

[Seat0B]

PS and yes I have jet lag after returning from Japan! Hence the late night and early morning posting.

TR will follow shortly.

 

[cove]

I try to exercise at least 5 times a week in a warm 30 degree hydrotherapy pool by walking,stretching and doing upper body exercises. The deep warm water lowers my body weight to reduce the wear and tear on my feet, ankles, knees and hips in the 75 minute sessions. I won’t go in if I have any broken skin or open sore as there are bugs in that pool.
i do a wash down at the pool and then at home I use a chlorine removing soap from Amazon.
So far it has worked.