u/Hopeful_Ambition_441

I have bilateral lower leg lymphedema since about 6 years ago and possibly due to a spinal cord injury (compression) 14 years ago which limits me to using a wheelchair or walker today to get around.

I’ve had 4 bouts with sepsis in 5 years with 2 of those bouts just 2 months recently. The first of those 2 was no big deal- I knew the signs (dizziness and very warm lower leg on 1 side only) and started treatment with 3 x 300mg Clindamycin per day for 7 days. I already had the antibiotics on hand from a “just in case” scrip from my Dr..

I should have but didn’t refill that scrip because I was going to wait until my next Dr’s appt. in 3 months to do so. But a 2 months I had sepsis again and had to go to the ER it hit so fast.

My questions are;

1- Do any of you who’ve had repeat sepsis keep a “just in case” scrip of antibiotics on hand? I know there are different antibiotics used for different bacteria. I believe my taking antibiotics so early not only kept me out of the ER for a week but also prevented the serious lower leg wound I developed 2 months later when sepsis hit me again.

2- Do any of your doctors prescribe a prophylactic dose of preventative antibiotic for periods of time or even for life?I’ve been on 1 x 300mg Clindamycin per day as a prophylactic ever since my ER stay and leg wound 2 months ago. My regular Dr. prescribed this despite the C-Diff dangers with Clindamycin ( I take daily probiotics) to bridge the gap to my first Infectious Disease Specialist appointment which will finally be later this week.

My regular Dr. said if the particular bacteria were known , likely either staph or strep, I could take a prophylactic dose of a safer antibiotic.

I’m 74 and all for life long antibiotics to prevent the delirium, fever and leaking leg wound caused by my latest bout with sepsis. I have this feeling though that an Infectious Disease Dr. won’t go for that, not that it could cause me problems but the fear the medical industry has about creating antibiotic resistant “super bugs”. If those Dr.s went through what I did this last time I bet they’d have no problem prescribing prophylactic antibiotics for themselves.

Anyway, just trying to get a feel for preventative antibiotics. thanks in advance for any info.

I have bilateral lower leg lymphedema since about 6 years ago and possibly due to a spinal cord injury (compression) 14 years ago which limits me to using a wheelchair or walker today to get around.

I’ve had 4 bouts with sepsis in 5 years with 2 of those bouts just 2 months recently. The first of those 2 was no big deal- I knew the signs (dizziness and very warm lower leg on 1 side only) and started treatment with 3 x 300mg Clindamycin per day for 7 days. I already had the antibiotics on hand from a “just in case” scrip from my Dr..

I should have but didn’t refill that scrip because I was going to wait until my next Dr’s appt. in 3 months to do so. But a 2 months I had sepsis again and had to go to the ER it hit so fast.

My questions are;

1- Do any of you who’ve had repeat sepsis keep a “just in case” scrip of antibiotics on hand? I know there are different antibiotics used for different bacteria. I believe my taking antibiotics so early not only kept me out of the ER for a week but also prevented the serious lower leg wound I developed 2 months later when sepsis hit me again.

2- Do any of your doctors prescribe a prophylactic dose of preventative antibiotic for periods of time or even for life?I’ve been on 1 x 300mg Clindamycin per day as a prophylactic ever since my ER stay and leg wound 2 months ago. My regular Dr. prescribed this despite the C-Diff dangers with Clindamycin ( I take daily probiotics) to bridge the gap to my first Infectious Disease Specialist appointment which will finally be later this week.

My regular Dr. said if the particular bacteria were known , likely either staph or strep, I could take a prophylactic dose of a safer antibiotic.

I’m 74 and all for life long antibiotics to prevent the delirium, fever and leaking leg wound caused by my latest bout with sepsis. I have this feeling though that an Infectious Disease Dr. won’t go for that, not that it could cause me problems but the fear the medical industry has about creating antibiotic resistant “super bugs”. If those Dr.s went through what I did this last time I bet they’d have no problem prescribing prophylactic antibiotics for themselves.

Anyway, just trying to get a feel for preventative antibiotics. thanks in advance for any info.

I’m a newbie to this sub and also to the more serious side of the lymphedema-cellulitis-sepsis sequela even though I’ve run the gamut 4 times in the last 6 years. I’m 74 and either walker or wheelchair bound from a work injury many years ago with some serious bilateral lower leg lymphedema.

The latest 2 bouts with sepsis were only 2 months apart with the last one the most serious I’ve had by far landing me in the ER delirious and fevered 2 months ago. Vancomycin and some other infusion (“Bactrum” maybe ??) cleared my head in an hour in the ER. After release I took Clindamycin 3 times a day for a few weeks and the same med once a day ever since as a preventive until I see an ID Dr. No bacteria was cultured in my blood.

For some reason it’s been very difficult to get an appt. with an ID Dr. who I still haven't seen and won’t for another 2 weeks. Also tough was to get the wound care appt. my general Dr. referred me to. After release from the ER I got the rash with the horrible itching and then the blistering followed by a month and a half real surface damage with loads of leaking lymph fluid from mid calf down to my ankle all the way around my lower leg.

I understand what was going on, my immune system was freaking out. The problem was that there was 6 weeks of this before the wound care people responded to my family Dr’s “STAT” referral. During that time my family Dr. admitted he didn’t know how the wound should be handled other than elevation. That left me with the internet and “DR. AI”.

I’m aware of the dangers in that but I had nothing else. I hadn’t found this sub yet and followed AI up by reading the sources of information it used. The advice was to do everything to dry the wound out.

It’s taken 2 months but the wound is dry now. It’s “armor plated” with a very hard layer of dried lymph slough.

So to my question. I’ve finally had my initial evaluation with what seems a very competent and knowledgeable wound care nurse. She says we have to debribe the wound and get down to the new forming skin. She told me to shower every day with lots of water running over the wound then carefully removing whatever will come off without ripping the new skin. I do that and overnight what was moist and white is hard and yellow again.

It seems from what she’s said the nurse wants the “scab” off so her company can begin lymphedema compression wraps. She’s going to be coming to my house once a week and this Friday is bring me a tall bucket and Hibiclens so I can daily soak the wound and speed up getting the scab off.

AI sources are telling me not to do that, that at this point my scab is actually good. I believe those sources. The scab isn’t all that thick and daily I can work the edges with my fingers (not finger nails) and the scab crumbles off in tiny pieces. I can tell I’m not harming the new skin underneath and the white this reveals underneath stays very dry and doesn’t turn back to yellow scab the next day.

So wet or dry? Any of your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

I’m a newbie to this sub and also to the more serious side of the lymphedema-cellulitis-sepsis sequela even though I’ve run the gamut 4 times in the last 6 years. I’m 74 and either walker or wheelchair bound from a work injury many years ago with some serious bilateral lower leg lymphedema.

The latest 2 bouts with sepsis were only 2 months apart with the last one the most serious I’ve had by far landing me in the ER delirious and fevered 2 months ago. Vancomycin and some other infusion (“Bactrum” maybe ??) cleared my head in an hour in the ER. After release I took Clindamycin 3 times a day for a few weeks and the same med once a day ever since as a preventive until I see an ID Dr. No bacteria was cultured in my blood.

For some reason it’s been very difficult to get an appt. with an ID Dr. who I still haven't seen and won’t for another 2 weeks. Also tough was to get the wound care appt. my general Dr. referred me to. After release from the ER I got the rash with the horrible itching and then the blistering followed by a month and a half real surface damage with loads of leaking lymph fluid from mid calf down to my ankle all the way around my lower leg.

I understand what was going on, my immune system was freaking out. The problem was that there was 6 weeks of this before the wound care people responded to my family Dr’s “STAT” referral. During that time my family Dr. admitted he didn’t know how the wound should be handled other than elevation. That left me with the internet and “DR. AI”.

I’m aware of the dangers in that but I had nothing else. I hadn’t found this sub yet and followed AI up by reading the sources of information it used. The advice was to do everything to dry the wound out.

It’s taken 2 months but the wound is dry now. It’s “armor plated” with a very hard layer of dried lymph slough.

So to my question. I’ve finally had my initial evaluation with what seems a very competent and knowledgeable wound care nurse. She says we have to debribe the wound and get down to the new forming skin. She told me to shower every day with lots of water running over the wound then carefully removing whatever will come off without ripping the new skin. I do that and overnight what was moist and white is hard and yellow again.

It seems from what she’s said the nurse wants the “scab” off so her company can begin lymphedema compression wraps. She’s going to be coming to my house once a week and this Friday is bring me a tall bucket and Hibiclens so I can daily soak the wound and speed up getting the scab off.

AI sources are telling me not to do that, that at this point my scab is actually good. I believe those sources. The scab isn’t all that thick and daily I can work the edges with my fingers (not finger nails) and the scab crumbles off in tiny pieces. I can tell I’m not harming the new skin underneath and the white this reveals underneath stays very dry and doesn’t turn back to yellow scab the next day.

So wet or dry? Any of your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.