Infection

[237SJ]

I`ve been to visit a friend this weekend who`s sister had a lumpectomy due to breast cancer about a month ago. Lymph node tests were clear.
About 2.5 weeks ago the sister went to her doctor because she had chest pains. The GP told her she had post-operative pain and sent her home. A week later the pain was worse and she went back to the GP who said the same and sent her home with painkillers. Last week she had so much chest pain that when her husband touched her back, she was in agony. She went back to the doctor and saw a different GP. He called an ambulance and she went to hospital. They drained 2 litres of pus from her chest. This morning my friend spoke to her sister (the patient) and was very distressed because her sister was in tears and was complaining about pain in her stomach. I tried to reassure my friend who has since gone to visit her sister. When she got there, the sister was complaining about the heat in her ward and was speaking very quietly and was quite listeless. There was no doctor around, only nurses. Somebody said something about a CT scan. I`m hoping her condition hasn`t progressed into sepicimia which is my worry ( I know she would have a low temperature with that). I would be interested to hear any medical peoples` opinions on her situation as my friend doesn`t seem to have got much information. Thanks.

[anneasquith]

my opinion. get next of kin to talk to medical/ nursing staff re concerns of the patients condition.

[237SJ]

He`s tried that but can`t seem to get any information out of anyone because he has only been able to speak to the nurses, not the doctor/consultant.

[anneasquith]

he can ask to speak to a doctor.

[237SJ]

The doctor/consultant who was dealing with her case is not going to be there until Monday. The best she can hope for at the moment are the nurses who can try to contain her situation with antibiotics and drips. I know there must be doctors in the hospital who can visit her if the situation deteriorates but it must be quite worrying that there isn`t anyone who specialises in cases such as hers.

[237SJ]

An afterthought to my comments are that my friend said that her sister had a tooth abscess which was infected and the dentist said that although he had sorted out the mechanics of the abscess the infection might go elsewhere. Could her problems be related to that? (I would be very surprised if that was the case but what do I know)?

[boxtops]

I am sure there will be a doctor on call over the weekend, if not actually on the ward. Are the nurses helpful when your friend speaks to them?

[237SJ]

No boxtops, they weren`t to be honest. No disprespect to them but the patient is on a general ward and the nurses are not specialised in the sphere of medicine that covers my friend`s sister.

[Sqad]

<<<<<They drained 2 litres of pus from her chest.<<<<<

Do you mean inside her chest (which I doubt) or do you mean over the breast where she had her lumpectomy and nodes removed? I would guess the latter and my comments will assume the latter

This certainly sounds like a post-operative infection which came on a couple of weeks after her operation......a long time after I appreciate.

There is nothing more than I can say with the information given, but it should soon settle with drainage and antibiotics. Septicaemia is a possibility, but there is nothing to suggest this at the present time.

P:S 2 litres of pus is a lot...........are you sure that there is no exaggeration here?

Interesting case.....keep me informed.

Today will show how the "cookie is going t crumble"

[237SJ]

Thanks sqad. Originally my friend said the pus was drained from the lung, then she said it was from the chest. She`s been hearing a lot of the progress from the patient`s husband who isn`t a very good coper at the best of times. I`ll let you know the outcome.

[Sqad]

237....thanks.....I can´t believe it is from the lung..............chest wall, yes!

[bednobs]

you have a high temperature with infection, not a low one

[weas]

temp would be high not low , ask to speak to the nurse in charge , and ask when it is possible to speak to doctor in charge of her care. good luck.

[Sqad]

bednobs/weas......I disagree. A low temperature in a rampant infection may indicate a septicaemia or bacteraemia with serious prognosis.

[weas]

core temp is always high

[Sqad]

weas.....we may have to agree to disagree.

[weas]

I have no desire to alarm someone with words,