Cellulitis

Keith W

Keith W

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Has anybody here ever had Cellulitis?

I think I may have it in both lower legs, started last night and has got steadily worse.

I am just wondering if it is something I can leave to sort its self out?

Its just that trying to make an appointment to see my GP can be a royal pain and it can often be weeks before you get seen

I also don't want to bother the people in A&E either as they have enough to deal with as is.

I also have a dodgy ticker if that has any bearing on things.

So you great medical experts of TP what say you?
 
Can you head for a walk in centre if no gp avaiable. I wouldn't leave it
 
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Should not be left - get thee to A&E
 
Just left a message for a medic friend, will see what she thinks

Starting to worry now, I mean how am I supposed to carry all my gear if my legs drop off LOL
 
absolutely DO NOT leave it to itself... if you can't get to a doctor tomorrow, then either a walk-in centre or A&E. It's far from trivial, and the sooner you're on antibiotics for it the better it will clear up. I ended up in hospital with IV antibiotics with it one time (I contracted it whilst riding my MTB, leg got scratched by some brambles that were "below dog pee level" - washed the cut out and rode home. That night had what felt like a dose of the Flu come on, so had an early night to sweat it out of me - woke up 4am with one leg twice the size of the other.

Called ambulance, was shipped straight into hospital... they basically drew a line around the outside "redline" of the infection, and put me on IV antibiotics (I'm allergic to penecilin which doesn't help...)

It's very nasty indeed... especially the main complication of it, blood poisoning....
 
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sorry - just noticed you said it started last night... in which case GET TO THE MEDICS ASAP...
 
Keith W said:
Bugga, that bad???
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Yep it definitely can be, but quick treatment is the major factor in how bad it gets so as long as you get in asap it will be fine

I'd be tempted to go to A&E considering it's a sunday and no walk ins available
 
TheBigYin said:
absolutely DO NOT leave it to itself... if you can't get to a doctor tomorrow, then either a walk-in centre or A&E. It's far from trivial, and the sooner you're on antibiotics for it the better it will clear up. I ended up in hospital with IV antibiotics with it one time (I contracted it whilst riding my MTB, leg got scratched by some brambles that were "below dog pee level" - washed the cut out and rode home. That night had what felt like a dose of the Flu come on, so had an early night to sweat it out of me - woke up 4am with one leg twice the size of the other.

Called ambulance, was shipped straight into hospital... they basically drew a line around the outside "redline" of the infection, and put me on IV antibiotics (I'm allergic to penecilin which doesn't help...)

It's very nasty indeed... especially the main complication of it, blood poisoning....
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Couldn't agree more here.
Have it looked at immediately.
Infections like these absolutely will not just resolve themselves.
Much better safe than sorry Keith.
 
Well the overwhelming advice, including NHS 24 who I have just called, is to attend my local hospital ASAP :(

Will just finish my coffee and hop on the next bus
 
Keith W said:
Well the overwhelming advice, including NHS 24 who I have just called, is to attend my local hospital ASAP :(

Will just finish my coffee and hop on the next bus
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Good luck....take a book!
 
What did I say up-thread ??

Get thee to A&E yesterday !!
 
I have a friend who did NOT heed that advice :(

The results were not good
 
Good luck Keith. A good friend of mine suffered badly with cellulitis.
 
Many thanks everyone

Well I am back from A&E after hours of being prodded, poked and loads of blood taken.

Now on a course of antibiotics with strict instuctions that if things dont improve, or get worse, to go straight back to A&E
 
And I'm sure you were also given warnings about what could happen if you don't complete the course of treatment or ignore things if they aren't getting any better.

Hope things now start to improve
 
This is a GP case not an A&E case but unfortunately GP land is f*****g s***e and therefore we have to tie up emergency departments (not the posters fault)
 
andyscott said:
This is a GP case not an A&E case but unfortunately GP land is f*****g s***e and therefore we have to tie up emergency departments (not the posters fault)
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I've never known a GP surgery to hold Sunday opening hours, and as cellulitis can result in very severe consequences if left untreated, I would never have an issue with someone taking up A & E time with it.
Emergencies don't always constitute broken bones, gushing blood and heart attacks.
 
viv1969 said:
I've never known a GP surgery to hold Sunday opening hours, and as cellulitis can result in very severe consequences if left untreated, I would never have an issue with someone taking up A & E time with it.
Emergencies don't always constitute broken bones, gushing blood and heart attacks.
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If left untreated, It would be treated by a GP therefore not left.

From doing my A&E rotation I am more than aware what the cases are.

I don't blame the OP I blame the ridiculous GP system meaning you can't get an appt for weeks
 
andyscott said:
If left untreated, It would be treated by a GP therefore not left.

From doing my A&E rotation I am more than aware what the cases are.

I don't blame the OP I blame the ridiculous GP system meaning you can't get an appt for weeks
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I understand.
What I'm saying is that yesterday was Sunday. When have GP appointments ever been available on a Sunday?
 
And when you phone on Monday the phone line is either busy or there are only life or death appointments available two days hence .

The system just isn't working !
 
camerassassin said:
And when you phone on Monday the phone line is either busy or there are only life or death appointments available two days hence .

The system just isn't working !
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Dont worry, "Dave" has promised 7 day surgeries to solve all the problems. Dont hold your breath.
 
viv1969 said:
I understand.
What I'm saying is that yesterday was Sunday. When have GP appointments ever been available on a Sunday?
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They haven't but cellulitis generally could wait a day or so.


And GPs did used to do on calls at a weekend ;)
 
viv1969 said:
I understand.
What I'm saying is that yesterday was Sunday. When have GP appointments ever been available on a Sunday?
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Yes, and the OP phoned NHS 24 and followed the advice given. If anyone thinks that they may need a doctor and cannot get to see a GP then calling NHS 24 is a good move.
 
The GP system isn't working because of the pressures - demand from patients (encouraged by MPs), lack of staff and resources. There are GP surgeries that are closing. The hospitals are under pressures with targets, staff and resources. Both small GP surgeries and small hospitals are being set up to fail. Out-of-hours is covered by private companies in most areas but it's still GPs (and nurse practitioners) who work there.

Keith, you did the right thing and I hope you get better.
 
arclight said:
Yes, and the OP phoned NHS 24 and followed the advice given. If anyone thinks that they may need a doctor and cannot get to see a GP then calling NHS 24 is a good move.
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No it's not, the NHS phone line is a waste of time, the amount of people who turn up at the ED because they were told to, and yet have a problem that can wait is ridiculous. You are through to nurses that follow on screen algorithms, don't take a full history as a nurse practitioner or doctor would.

If you read my posts I am not blaming the OP at all.
 
andyscott said:
No it's not, the NHS phone line is a waste of time
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I agree it's not set up properly. Yet for most areas, it's the only way to access GP services out-of-hours. When you see people being sent to A&E for trivial things, you wonder what gets missed. I remember a statistic showing an increase in ED attendance following the introduction of 111 because that's where they were largely being sent to.
 
Well as a slight counter balance... I went to see GP this morning. Already fairly certain I have raging gallstones [appt made a week ago, before the now maddening pain was quite so horrendous and verging on unbearable], the GP confirmed what I thought and started the ball rolling for ultrasound scan, bloods etc and sent me off to collect antibiotics and what have you from chemist.
This included her own shock at calling hospital in hope of speaking to a doctor about a specific course of treatment and getting straight through on a Monday morning.
Got home and called my local hospital to book the blood test. I was asked if the form said urgent, which it did. This was at 10.15am. She gave me an appointment for 10.50am. Slightly shocked I headed over there. I was back in the car at 11am!! Which btw was parked in the FREE car park. Double bonus!
I don't think I have ever been in the hands of anything so efficient in our NHS, still mildly in impressed shock. :wideyed:
 
Yv said:
Well as a slight counter balance... I went to see GP this morning. Already fairly certain I have raging gallstones [appt made a week ago, before the now maddening pain was quite so horrendous and verging on unbearable], the GP confirmed what I thought and started the ball rolling for ultrasound scan, bloods etc and sent me off to collect antibiotics and what have you from chemist.
This included her own shock at calling hospital in hope of speaking to a doctor about a specific course of treatment and getting straight through on a Monday morning.
Got home and called my local hospital to book the blood test. I was asked if the form said urgent, which it did. This was at 10.15am. She gave me an appointment for 10.50am. Slightly shocked I headed over there. I was back in the car at 11am!! Which btw was parked in the FREE car park. Double bonus!
I don't think I have ever been in the hands of anything so efficient in our NHS, still mildly in impressed shock. :wideyed:
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Tell the truth Yv.....you're actually calling from the mother ship, yes?
FREE PARKING?!?!?!
:runaway:
 
andyscott said:
No it's not, the NHS phone line is a waste of time, the amount of people who turn up at the ED because they were told to, and yet have a problem that can wait is ridiculous. You are through to nurses that follow on screen algorithms, don't take a full history as a nurse practitioner or doctor would.

If you read my posts I am not blaming the OP at all.
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Never said that you were.

NHS phone line "a waste of time". Is it really. I don't believe that. Never met anyone who had a bad experience (Heard of a few who phoned, but could only give vague answers to questions. That cannot be be easy to deal with). I have used it twice. First time (eye problem) was told so phone my surgery early next morning and say I needed an appontment that day with my GP. Got that and a referral to an eye hospital the following morning. .......... That was spot on.
Second time I was told to see my practice nurse next day (ear injury). Did that followed by a GP check a few days later. Spot on.

Yvonne wrote "I don't think I have ever been in the hands of anything so efficient in our NHS". Apart from a few minor things I go along with that sentiment.

Rudolph - I hope everything progresses well for you. Good that you quickly got into professional hands.
 
viv1969 said:
Tell the truth Yv.....you're actually calling from the mother ship, yes?
FREE PARKING?!?!?!
:runaway:
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I know!! Up to 3 hours free. The hospital is relatively small, doesn't have an A&E dept but does have a drop-in centre and was bulldozed and totally rebuilt opening again last year as I recall. Even before, when it was an old victorian building, it was still quite a good little place if a little decrepit around the edges.

They were one of the first of the drop in centres opened, and in fairness, have always been pretty good and efficient. Pretty much always used them as I am not one to go to GP for minor ailments that I know will sort themselves out anyway, so only really needed medical attention when its been a step up from GP stuff but not A&E when a centre like this available. Like when his lordship broke his finger. ;)

As Doug says above, I can't really complain, even trips to A&E in the past have usually been as efficient as they can be in the circumstances, but as I haven't really our GP to the test until now, remains to be seen what sort experience that will be.
 
Can't complain here really.
There's a drop in mobile clinic twice (or it might be times) a week in Asda's car park, so parking's free there too :lol:
 
Thanks everyone

Just for the record the advice I was given yesterday was that if you suspect cellulitis then to get in seen to straight away and do not leave it for any length of time
 
You have my sympathy Keith, I had cellulitis last year and by Christ is it painful...it took 4 weeks of strong antibiotics for me to clear it I hope it's quicker to clear up for you
 
MWHCVT said:
You have my sympathy Keith, I had cellulitis last year and by Christ is it painful...it took 4 weeks of strong antibiotics for me to clear it I hope it's quicker to clear up for you
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Cheers Matt (y)

It is uncomfortable that's for sure
 
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