abscess

[sway2]

been clean for 12 days, but prior to that i shot something in my ankle and it got swollen and hot and painful. it is trying to come to a head, like marble sized. i am taking erythromycin and i think it's helping. any thoughts or advice?

[wannabefree330]

If you have had endocarditis before, your chances of getting it a second time are two fold.  If you see any redness or red lines traveling up your leg, don't wait just go in.  Also, something helpful ........get a marker and draw a line around the reddened area surrounding the abcess.  this will help you see if the redness is increasing in size or decreasing in size.  Regardless of whether it heals on its own or not, with your history of endocarditis.......you need to get to your doctor.  If you get any bacteria colonizing on your heart valves again, thats bad business.  You're talking months of IV antibiotic therapy (and do you think you'll be able to go home with an IV in being an IV user.......NO!) Not only that, if a piece of this bacterial blob breaks off, it will travel to your brain and cause a stroke, or end up in your arteries that feed your heart and cause a heart attack.

Don't take this lightly......just because the other one healed.  

[morganave]

I was working with a Dremel tool making jewelry.  I laid down for a while because the tip of my finger hurt so bad.  Like a fool I put ice on it.  Then went to bed with a hot pack.
As I laid there I could feel the infection draw through my finger into my hands and down my arm.  I turned on the light.  Look and saw the red line and knew I was in deep S..t.
After a very long night in the ER, I was moved to the heart hosp because I was now in heart issues.  The hand dr came and and within a few minutes had it all figured out.  It was "STREP" No not STAFF- STREP.  It started on my finger tip and would have taken my hand in a matter of a few hours if I had not gone to the ER.  I had to have a operation right in the ER and spent 5 days on IV antibiotics.  Worse pain then labor.  I even lost feeling in my finger tip and had to play in rocks and sand to get it back.  DO NOT play around with this.  If it is STREP it can spread so fast and even affect your heart.  Even STAFF can cause you to lose limbs.  Run, DO NOT Stop to collect your $200, just Run as fast as you can to the nearest ER.  Do not go to a clinic, they will not know what you have.  Let us know what happens.  GOOD LUCK

[sway2]

thanks for all the responses. i had one of these in my wrist about 30 years ago. it eventually went away, of course i wasn't walking on my hands. i also had endocarditis about 25 years ago with no skin symptoms at all. i'm gonna give it the weekend, and if it doesn't improve, then off to the E.R. i go. blessed be, sway

[worried878]

agree....have seen people loose their arm from this stuff.....if u were using ur leg then ur arm veins are already shot..please get it checked

[wannabefree330]

As my previous post says, I am an ER nurse and please DON'T be embarrassed to go in.  That is what we are there for.  There may be some who look down on you, but you are a human being, with a potientially life threatening infection.  They may not give you any pain medication (and i would hope you don't want any), but they will treat your medical problem.  Whenever anyone comes in w/ drug induced trauma or illness  I always treat them with respect.  It takes courage to reach out for help.....may not be ready to quit using just yet, but truth be told we wouldn't be able to cure addiction anyway.  Get in and get well my friend!

[mtgoat911]

be careful, i had vascular surgery when i was 19, from doing stupd stuff like this
just suck it up and goto the er
whats the worse they can do to you
yeah its embarassing, but you need to do it
taking care of ourselves is part of recovery
go do the right thing
post a pic if you can AFTER you goto the er

[wannabefree330]

chances are whatever bacteria that is festering there is not susceptible to the antibiotic you have.  Many of the patients we see in the E.R. that come in with abcesses related to injecting are MRSA positive. (a very tolerant bacteria that is only killed by one or 2 antibitotics.)  (Methicillin-Resistant-Staphylococcus-Aureus).  You can google it and find out more info.  Only way to be sure what bacteria it is, is to have a culture.  Like theeagle said, you need to see an MD.

Arent you glad you won't have to worry about that anymore?  good job on the clean time

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

If you have an active marble sized abscess at your ankle from missing a vein with an unsterile solution you will want to see a real doctor...............this is not the time to self medicate...........

[liscamdave]

you shot something into your ankle?? WHat?