Anybody had cellulitis?

[Orlando 2004]

Draw around it but go back or go back if you think it has spread. My dh had a bite in 2017. They were worried it might be cellulitis so they drew around it and gave us antibiotics. Luckily it was a lot better by the time we went on our holiday but we took extra antibiotics with us to be sure. My DH also doesn't like hospitals or anything but his leg was so swollen and I think even he realised it needed to be looked at.

[PoohBears#1fan]

I second the draw around the redness & swelling to make sure it's getting smaller, not bigger. Watch out for signs of fever, any increasing redness, swelling, heat in it (or anywhere else), flu like symptoms or any behaviour that's worrying you, get it checked out.

I had cellulitis 12 years ago in my ankle, it was a blister that despite keeping clean I was teaching exercise, so sweat got into it, 6 weeks later I was really poorly and ended up in hospital for a week on IV antibiotics. The redness had spread all the way my inner thigh and my ankle swelled to a ridiculous size, it was the most painful thing I'd experienced and the most ill I've ever felt.

Hope he makes a speedy recovery and please keep a close eye on him and if you're worried about anything, don't be scared to seek help.

[Bellasmummy]

Originally Posted by Orlando 2004

Draw around it but go back or go back if you think it has spread. My dh had a bite in 2017. They were worried it might be cellulitis so they drew around it and gave us antibiotics. Luckily it was a lot better by the time we went on our holiday but we took extra antibiotics with us to be sure. My DH also doesn't like hospitals or anything but his leg was so swollen and I think even he realised it needed to be looked at.

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This is what dhs ankle looks like but much bigger, it’s also on both ankles too.

[Orlando 2004]

Originally Posted by Bellasmummy

This is what dhs ankle looks like but much bigger, it’s also on both ankles too.

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I hope the antibiotics work soon. I think we were lucky and caught any infection early.

[Lisa123wm]

My hubby had it a couple of years ago - it was really worrying as it was on his face!
He’d been playing with our dog who jumped up and caught him on the nose with one of his teeth. There was no cut that we noticed, at the time we didn’t realise he’d broken the skin.
A couple of days later, the area started to swell and spread to all around his eye. It was really bad.
The hospital told us to do as others have said, keep an eye on it and any worse, straight back to the hospital. I didn’t draw around it, but took photos regularly. It took a while to go and he still has a small scar on his nose from where the infection started.
We’ve been told there is an increase of a repeat infection once you’ve had it too.

[Guest]

I had it last summer and the summer before. Both times I believe I was bitten by a horsefly. I went to the walk in centre the first time and my GP the second time. Both did the same, drawing around it and said if it spread, or I started feeling ill with it, to get back in to see them. I had antibiotics.

[Evil queen]

I would mark it as suggested, but any increase in pain, fever or increasing of the redness needs to be checked out. Equally if he becomes unwell in himself for example a high temperature, shivery or any change in mental state needs a trip back to ED.
Assuming he improves over the next few days I would make an appointment with the gp for when the antibiotics are finished as sometimes a second course of antibiotics are required.

[braby]

I've had cellulitis twice in the same leg, was bitten at work both times. The first time I had it quite bad, left it a couple of days before calling 111 and going into A and E, the delay meant I spent the night in AAU on an IV drip. I was released the next day with a cannula in so a nurse could come to my house and administer the antibiotics. I had to have three courses of antibiotics and ended up with an allergic reaction so the drugs were changed. Left some nice scares.
The second time wasn't so bad as soon as I started to feel the symptoms I was straight to the GP and given oral antibiotics so cleared up quickly.
I didn't mark the redness as it was being checked daily the first time, the pain started to subside a couple of days after starting the antibiotics.
I have been told that once you have had cellulitis you are more susceptible to getting it again.

[anneeb]

My OH has had it 3 times, the first was bad but only because we didn't know what it was so didn't pick up on it straight away. Each time he just got antibiotics and used painkillers, plenty of rest.

[LLamb]

It’s definitely not something to take lightly. My Nan got it from a cut on her arm whilst we were fruit picking on a farm. She was in hospital for about 8 weeks and delvelped sepsis from it. Took ages for the actual cut to heal. All fine now but it can go a lot worst quickly.