Cellulitis

[Eve]

I was diagnosed with cellulitis last week on my ankle and top of my foot and was put on 625mg Amoxiclav 3 x a day. It cleared up pretty well but has flared up again today.

Have now been told not to walk about and to keep my foot raised above my heart and am curious as to how having the leg raised will help, can anyone shed any light?

Am trying to pin down a cause. There are some pigeons which have been nesting in a wall behind me for ages now. They cleared the nest (and a few dead birds and eggs) out a few times but they kept coming back so eventually blocked the access off and eventually got rid of a couple of loads of digusting smelling stagnant water which had also gathered there.

Two of us kept getting bitten, I assume from some kind of ticks or something from the pigeons. Mostly on the arms but got a bite on my foot last week just before the skin infection started.

The pigeons are back having now renested in the other side of the wall as they only blocked one side off!

Is it feasible this is the cause?

Any help appreciated :)

[Emz26]

A few years ago, I had what I thougt was a simple insect bite which after a few days made my thigh swell up and go dimply and black. A trip to the hospital confirmed cellulitis and a couse of antibiotics soon cleared it up, so perfectly feasible. Hope it gets better soon.

[shaneystar2]

Snap Jenna !
Can most certainly be caused by a bite ..I am now in my fourth week of hobbling about with a walking stick due to cellulitis .It was so bad my GP thought I may have had a blood clot and I had to go and have an anticoagulant jab and scans on the leg .The skin split open and ulcerated .Three weeks of two sorts of antibiotics and anti -imflammatories.
I was advised to elevate the leg up above the level of the heart as much as possible ,because this has the effect of pumping the blood back up the leg and helps the swelling go down .
You may find wearing a support pop sock type thingy will help too.Like a flight sock .
Hope you soon feel better :)

[Razzle09]

Jenna...having leg raised above heart will reduce retention among other things.

The condition can be caused by something as simple as athletes foot. While it keeps returning......return to your GP ...I know a number of people who have had the condition and it returned several times before it was cleared up.

[burbie]

I had cellulitis is my arm, and I could see the infection creeping up my arm, under the skin.
My doctor gave me antibiotics, but warned me that if itdidnt clear, I had to go back and might have to go to the hospital and probably have antibiotics by drip.
Fortunately it did clear with the tablets.
I wouldnt be worried about how you got it, but if it isnt clearing, dont wait, go straight back to your doctor or to the hospital.

[Eve]

Thanks for all your advice :)

Been keeping my foot up and the swelling seems to be going down but still not good to keeping my fingers crossed it starts to shift soon.

Got a prescription for clarithromycin to pick up tomorrow if still bad.

Aww Shaney, hope yours clears soon! I have some tubi grips and flight socks somewhere for my arthritis so will dig them out and see if they help :)