Cellulitis, not to be taken lightly

[Torn Mind]

Don't know exactly how I got it, whether from dirt outside or a slab of ground bison or ground beef coming into contact with some raw skin.

Swelling, a "numb tingling" in the area. It's been a week and the swelling has gone down, but the tingling remains. I did go to urgent care, got doxycycline. Didn't bother to wiki it...so I might have lowered the efficacy due to a relatively high intake of calcium-rich foods.

 

[TheVrolok]

Don't know exactly how I got it, whether from dirt outside or a slab of ground bison or ground beef coming into contact with some raw skin.

Swelling, a "numb tingling" in the area. It's been a week and the swelling has gone down, but the tingling remains. I did go to urgent care, got doxycycline. Didn't bother to wiki it...so I might have lowered the efficacy due to a relatively high intake of calcium-rich foods.

I see doxy and I know you went to Urgent Care immediately.

Was your cellulitis oozing pus or with an abscess? If not, doxy is a terrible choice, but constantly prescribed by UC providers because, frankly, they don't know what they're doing.

 

[Torn Mind]

I see doxy and I know you went to Urgent Care immediately.

Was your cellulitis oozing pus or with an abscess? If not, doxy is a terrible choice, but constantly prescribed by UC providers because, frankly, they don't know what they're doing.

There was no oozing nor what I would call an abscess. It was swollen, stiff, but no weak points nor liquid in the skin.

 

[TheVrolok]

There was no oozing nor what I would call an abscess. It was swollen, stiff, but no weak points nor liquid in the skin.

Yeah that's what I figured. Glad it sounds like you're improving, but it's likely you're just doing that on your own and doxy had little to offer.

This is pretty basic fundamental knowledge that unfortunately many, particularly UC providers (often APPs) lack for some reason.

Just for fun here's what the Johns Hopkins antibiotic guide says about doxy for non purulent cellulitis. Hopkins and the Stanford Guide are probably the two best antibiotic stewardship guides out there.

The informality used here in "No, no, no" is pretty uncommon in the guide underscoring the point.

 

[Torn Mind]

Yeah that's what I figured. Glad it sounds like you're improving, but it's likely you're just doing that on your own and doxy had little to offer.

This is pretty basic fundamental knowledge that unfortunately many, particularly UC providers (often APPs) lack for some reason.

Just for fun here's what the Johns Hopkins antibiotic guide says about doxy for non purulent cellulitis. Hopkins and the Stanford Guide are probably the two best antibiotic stewardship guides out there.

The informality used here in "No, no, no" is pretty uncommon in the guide underscoring the point.

I wonder if my Medicaid status matters. It was a Kaiser Urgent care.

I heard the guy say prescribing amoxicillin when he left he the room. I mean both are generic but maybe doxy is cheaper by a hair?

 

[TheVrolok]

I wonder if my Medicaid status matters. It was a Kaiser Urgent care.

I heard the guy say prescribing amoxicillin when he left he the room. I mean both are generic but maybe doxy is cheaper by a hair?

Nah, both pretty dirt cheap. Amox woulda been a better choice for sure.

 

[Torn Mind]

My primary care doc also told me to wait 4 weeks for the nerves to heal up. I told him (and he should have seen) the doxy prescription.

I guess being young, on Medicaid, etc means letting things run their course.

 

[TheVrolok]

My primary care doc also told me to wait 4 weeks for the nerves to heal up. I told him (and he should have seen) the doxy prescription.

I guess being young, on Medicaid, etc means letting things run their course.

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

 

[Torn Mind]

Well, it appears cephalexin is having a noticeable effect on me today.

After the return of the tingling sensation on the 16 and not going away, I went to the ER and was prescribed that antibiotic.

 

[TheVrolok]

Well, it appears cephalexin is having a noticeable effect on me today.

After the return of the tingling sensation on the 16 and not going away, I went to the ER and was prescribed that antibiotic.

Hopefully in a positive way? Cephalexin would be typical first line therapy for non purulent cellulitis.

 

[Torn Mind]

I have no idea if a species is still alive or if I'm just dealing with post-infection damage.

Anyway, it seems the "numbing or dullness" has gone away to a more pronounced tingling on contact and I guess, "neuropathy" if I'm not doing anything else. The sensations also shifted in location on the thumb more to the left half than the right. But maybe the damage was always there but "numbed" by one of the infectors, which subsequently got killed.

Nothing to make me think I'm going to lose an appendage or get some severe complication, but it is annoying having compromised grip and a resulting unwillingness to use the thumb.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Few things to try:

Dip thumb in alcohol.

Cover it with pure honey.

Keep it warm to accelerate healing.

The lauric acid in coconut oil is a potent germ inhibitor. Maybe apply the oil to affected area?

 

[Torn Mind]

The graveyard hospital is indeed pulling some BS. I come back stating things are getting worse, the doc literally says it's not the infection and it's something like a stroke or something neurological.

So I get the first CT scan and MRI in my life. And the specialist neurologist thinks no stroke but rather a pinched nerve. Even though I stated the tingling started in the thumb and is spreading, now to my forearm.

 

[igor_kavinski]

I would advise to immediately get 500 to 1000mg vitamin C per day, 30mg Zinc, 400mg Magnesium gluconate or malate and minimum 400IU Vitamin D ingested with a tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Also, apply the EVOO to the affected area.

You may want to use an infrared lamp to increase the blood flow in the affected area to ensure that your body is at the optimal temperature to fight the pathogen(s) because enzymes need at least 40 degrees Celsius to work at peak efficiency (that's why temp is raised during fever).

 

[WilliamM2]

The graveyard hospital is indeed pulling some BS. I come back stating things are getting worse, the doc literally says it's not the infection and it's something like a stroke or something neurological.

So I get the first CT scan and MRI in my life. And the specialist neurologist thinks no stroke but rather a pinched nerve. Even though I stated the tingling started in the thumb and is spreading, now to my forearm.

Exaclty the symptoms I had when I pinched a nerve in my neck (ruptured disk eventually) before the arm whent completely numb. Took surgury and cervical fusion to fix.

They started out thinking it was a shoulder issue, as I had some signs of a laberal tear. Do you expect them to know what's wrong without any tests?

 

[WilliamM2]

I would advise to immediately get 500 to 1000mg vitamin C per day, 30mg Zinc, 400mg Magnesium gluconate or malate and minimum 400IU Vitamin D ingested with a tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Also, apply the EVOO to the affected area.

You may want to use an infrared lamp to increase the blood flow in the affected area to ensure that your body is at the optimal temperature to fight the pathogen(s) because enzymes need at least 40 degrees Celsius to work at peak efficiency (that's why temp is raised during fever).

Hilarious...

 

[Torn Mind]

I would advise to immediately get 500 to 1000mg vitamin C per day, 30mg Zinc, 400mg Magnesium gluconate or malate and minimum 400IU Vitamin D ingested with a tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Also, apply the EVOO to the affected area.

You may want to use an infrared lamp to increase the blood flow in the affected area to ensure that your body is at the optimal temperature to fight the pathogen(s) because enzymes need at least 40 degrees Celsius to work at peak efficiency (that's why temp is raised during fever).

I have eaten plenty EVOO and oranges. A can Red Salmon over three days when the shift occured. Omega 3s by fatty fish over the course of the past two years.

My vitamin D was near 100 ng/DL last I checked.

I have magnesium citrate and I have eaten meat with zinc.

I have eaten shellfish, almonds, and a daily single Brazil nut. Just ate some seaweed. I did eat some junk in the form of Walmart fig bars and a Cadbury chocolate bar.

 

[Torn Mind]

Exaclty the symptoms I had when I pinched a nerve in my neck (ruptured disk eventually) before the arm whent completely numb. Took surgury and cervical fusion to fix.

They started out thinking it was a shoulder issue, as I had some signs of a laberal tear. Do you expect them to know what's wrong without any tests?

I don't expect them to outright rule out infection when those symptoms did not fully clear and started on the infected thumb and to a lesser extent, the left index finger. My other three left hand digits don't have tingling. Despite the words of the doc, he did order cultures.

This hospital has built up a rep so bad strangers who never met each other call it "Shady Grave".
I don't think I taxed my body that heavily?

If anything, I was doing some trigger point work on my neck and loosened up the scalenes.

 

[igor_kavinski]

I have magnesium citrate and I have eaten meat with zinc.

Citrate is bad for your bowels. Sure, it will get them going but if you take MgCit regularly, your body may become dependent on it and then you will get constipated without MgCit. It's only a problem with this particular form of Mg. Should never be taken for prolonged periods.

Not sure if the amount of meat you eat will provide enough zinc. For that zinc to be absorbed, your consumed meat should get digested really well.

 

[Torn Mind]

Citrate is bad for your bowels. Sure, it will get them going but if you take MgCit regularly, your body may become dependent on it and then you will get constipated without MgCit. It's only a problem with this particular form of Mg. Should never be taken for prolonged periods.

Not sure if the amount of meat you eat will provide enough zinc. For that zinc to be absorbed, your consumed meat should get digested really well.

My bowels are actually very resistant to laxative effects, especially if protein is in the system. One pill MgCit with food is nothing. My mom experienced no bowel effects from a single pill either.

 

[Torn Mind]

My first neighboring patient was diabetic. The current one has asymptomatic high BP and she's a researcher. She is on a cocktail and she couldn't handle Amlodipine anyone. She has an Indian accent(from Asia) and might know her doc's parent or something. She is also very active.

 

[Torn Mind]

Now Neighbor number 3 has entered my knowledge.

Dude got ill soon after returning from Paris. Can't eat anything and vomiting up everything. Another intellectual type.

 

[Torn Mind]

I got moved to observation and well, I got around to checking some of the lab results online.

B12 is 472 pg/mL
Folic Acid is 18.0 ng/mL
I learned googling that Japan and Europe hold under 550 as deficiency.
I haven't been eating as I wrote recently, so that explains the folic acid. Some pizza, fig bars, maybe a bit too much fruit and nut butters.

On Ancestry, they pointed out I had a trait for generally lower B12, and it looks like this is true despite eating B12 sources

Elevated AST at 47, AST 30, so AST/ALT ratio is 1.5 corresponding with results indicating start of fatty liver. And this despite a super low weight of about 125lbs and I no longer eat breakfasts.

Naturally, hospital food is sugary or starchy, so I ate just the asparagus and microdose of butter. My Waterpik isn't here, and I actually should have been fasting for a while, and I literally don't feel hunger anyway.

 

[Torn Mind]

Neighbor #4 has stents and even one in his finger.
African American male. Had been under observation for at least a day.

He request a laxative maybe 4 hours ago when I just got there. They only gave it to him just now.

I get the vibe I'm the very rare bird there.

This hospital makes things as uncozy as possible in the first steps of the emergency department, likely to deter "divers".

 

[igor_kavinski]

Elevated AST at 47, AST 30, so AST/ALT ratio is 1.5 corresponding with results indicating start of fatty liver.

Clinical relevance of reporting fatty liver on ultrasound in asymptomatic patients during routine health checkups

Ultrasonography is an efficient technique for detecting fatty liver. Its sensitivity and specificity in detecting moderate to severe fatty liver are comparable to those of histology. Fatty liver is associated with abnormal lipid and lipoprotein metabolism ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ask for ultrasound diagnosis to be sure.