lymphoedema/cellulitis
lymphoedema/cellulitis Dear everyone,
I had breast cancer 2004 with right mastectomy, chemo and herceptin. I have lymphoedema of my right arm.
I am just having my first episode of cellulitis and am really pissed off with it. It is quite mild which is good but means I feel diagnosis is uncertain and still wonder whether I/my GP over reacted. The redness was really blotchy and I didn’t feel unwell but 48 hrs after antibiotics the redness is much better.
The only thing I can put it down to is a scratch on my arm 3 weeks ago when I was mountain biking in Spain. I was wearing my compresssion sleeve which tore slightly and left a tiny superficial scratch on my arm. The redness occured 3 weeks later when the scratch had completely healed but around the same area.
I am on Amox/Fluclox and the redness is definetely subsiding.
Has anyone had similiar experiences? If you get one episode cellulitis does it tend to recur?
Has anyone taken preventative antibotics after one episode?
The other thing is my white cells are persistently low, neutrophils 1.4 to 1.7. I don’t know if this is due to chemo/herceptin and now tamoxifen. Also I don’t know if the low neutrophils are predisposing me to cellulitis? I am getting my blood count checked again and my GP is going to ask my consultant what he thinks.
Anyone had similiar experience or have any advice please?
Thanks,
Rowena
Rowena Like you I was diagnosed with bc in 2004. I have had a right mastectomy and have lymphoedema in my right arm, chest and back. I am now on preventive penicillin as advised by Prof Mortimer (lymphoedema guru)!! I had 3 bouts of cellulitis before I was advised to take the preventative antibiotics. I have now been well for 15 months with no recurrence of cellulitis.
My advice for what it is worth is to try and get an appointment to see Prof Mortimer who is known as the best lymphoedema specialist in the UK.
Another tip is I also always have a tube of antibiotic cream to hand, prescribed from my GP. Whenever I scratch myself I put a bit of this on the injury and as I am an avid gardener this is quite often…
Keep well.
Joanx
thanks, Joan Hi Joan,
I think we have discussed lymphoedema in the chat forum in the past as well. Thanks for your reply. I have just been enquiring about an appointment with Prof Mortimer. I would have to see him privately as I’m in Sheffield but I think it might really help me, pyschologically if nothing else. Do you see him regularly?
Could I ask you when you had your 3 bouts of cellulitis how far apart were they? And how long did you take your antibiotics for each bout?
I really hate my lymphoedema and was so upset when I got cellulitis. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone but one of the hard things is that no-one else seems to have it. I know a few people locally with breast cancer/mastectomies etc but no-one with lymphoedema. I find it very hard to explain to my friends how horrible it is and always feel they must think I’m making a fuss about nothing.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Rowena When I had the recurring cellulitis my GP was actually giving me the wrong type of antibiotics. That was when I made the appointment to see Prof Mortimer privately at the Parkside Hospital, Wimbledon. He advised me to take Clarithromycin 500mg for the minimum of a two week period. In fact I ended up taking them for over a month to clear the cellultis. From then on I have taken the Penicillin as a preventative treatment. I think that because I was taking the wrong type of antibiotic that made the problem worse, as I think that the cellulitis never actually cleared up - I was getting breakthrough cellulitis at one time within a monthly interval.
Prof Mortimer has written advising all GP’s to prescribe Clarithrymin for at least a 2 week prescribed dose in cases of cellulitis in bc patients. Most GP’s only prescribe antibiotics for a week…
I think that you should try to see him to get the best advice for you as an individual. I found him to be very helpful and a very approachable person.
Just a thought do you have regular MLD treatment for your lymphoedema?
Joanx
Hi Joan Dear Joan,
Thanks for your reply. I have made an appointment with Prof Mortimer and I’m hoping that he will be able to help me. My lymphoedema practitioner was very supportive and is going to write a referral letter.
I had MLD for 2 weeks a couple of yrs ago but didn’t think it helped. Then I had another one-off session which I thought actually made the swelling a bit worse. Ironically when I got the cellulitis I was booked in for a 2 week course of MLD which had to be cancelled cos of the infection. I’m hoping to rearrange it soon.
Best wishes,
Rowena
So glad you are seeing Prof Mortimer I think you most certainly won’t regret seeing the Prof. I find that sometimes after having a session of MLD my arm initially seems more swollen but you do need to have a few sessions to get the true benefit of MLD.
So I will be interested to know how you get on when you see Peter Mortimer.
Keep well.
Joanx
Hi Rowena,
I also had an infection in my right arm -GP didn’t know what it was so decided to give me amoxycilin to “be on the safe side”. The arm was terribly painful, and red blotches.
This happened to coincide with the check up with my breast surgeon. He noticed that I had lymphodoema; and so I have to see the clinic now and get the sleeve.
But it also coincided with my starting on a new diabetic tablet regime. -I’ve recently been diagnosed with diabetes.
GP really does not know. I will have to watch this one carefully.
Good luck girl.
x
Lambkin
important guidelines Dear Lambkin,
If you have not already come across these I highly recommend you have a look and then you can print them off and take them to your GP if necessary.
The wevsite is the one run by NHS Direct. I don’t think we’re allowed to put website addresses on here so I will try to explain how to get there. It’s the usual www then patient.co.uk.
Then click on ‘guidelines’, then on ‘L’ for lymphoedema. Then the document is called ‘Consensus Document On The Management Of Cellulitis In Lymphoedema.’
It is an excellent and up to date (2006) resource.
Best wishes,
Rowena