worried about infection

[sassy]

You may have seen that I spent five days in the hospital week before last with a staph infection at my mast site. Mast was 2/15/05. Everyone is somewhat perplexed about why I got it--secondary and just settled in the weakest area of my body I guess.

Everything is complicated for me because I am allergic to penicillen, sulfa drugs, poor track record with cephlosporins (sp), not really sure what I can take because I've never really had to take antibiotics before--always been pretty healty until BC.

I saw surgeon on Friday, and he changed my antibiotic from erythromiacin (sp) to a tetracyclin, not really sure why, but told me if I had a reaction to that drug, just stop taking it and we may stop all antibiotics and see what happens. Still have some fluid draining from site but it is clear and I don't have any fever. Am scheduled for CBC on Wednesday when I get herceptin, so surgeon said he would check white count from that.

OK--now my worry--the mast site area is really sore now, almost like when I had radiation, but the skin is not irritated. Is this just trama from the infection, or maybe a side effect from the antibiotics?

I know this is long an complicated, but I would appreciate anybody's ideas. Not sure where to go with this.

Sassy
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LIVE SEX WEBSHOWS

[Lolly]

Sassy, I think you should call in or go in to the ER or Immediate Care, since you've been trying to clear up an infection and now are having new symptoms. I'm no doctor, but I wouldn't fool around with this even though it may be nothing. If it's more infection trying to get started you sure want to nip it in the bud ASAP.


<3 Lolly

[aquinis2000]

Agree with lolly 100%. soreness and tenderness are sure signs of infection that is still active. your doctor needs to know about it sooner not later. good luck
aquinis

[Barbara2]

Sassy, you said your mast site area is really sore. Is it only sore at the location of the infection itself, or is it all over?

My mastectomy was in Oct 02, and is still sore to the touch, especially along the incision line. If clothing, or I touch it, it feels like little pin pricks. Some days it seems do be more sensitive than other days.

My onc says he has many complaints from women about soreness at the mastectomy site, and that pain will always be there. So, I guess you need to determine if your soreness is due to the infection, which I think could certainly be the case, or if it is a "normal" soreness.

Barb

[CLTann]

You should let a real doctor examine the sore area, but don't go to Emergency room. I have been to ER in different states and cities. I can only generalize that the staffs in almost all of ER I visited were not knowledgeable and slow. Most of them are interns who already worked 80 hours for that week. Besides, you can easily catch more germs at ER's, where all kinds of germs congregate. Best luck.

Ann

[Lolly]

Good point Ann, but since it was the weekend when Sassy posted her concern, I suggested the ER or Immediate Care thinking something was better than nothing. Hopefully now that the week has started she's been able to get that looked at. Sassy, how are you doing?

<3 Lolly

[sassy]

Thanks for asking Lolly, I will be seeing onc tomorrow and doing full blood work to share with surgeon whom I will see again on Thurday. Surgeon has taken me off all antibiotics, no sign of infection, although CBC will be more telling.

The culprit in the soreness seems to be the antibiotic. Previously this year I was on a Cephlosporin for a number of weeks with a perirectal abcess that had to wait til after radiaiton to be surgically treated. I develped that same type soreness, which I was convinced at the time was bone mets. After discontinuing antibiotics, the soreness subsided.

My body and antibiotics seems to disagree--bothersome, so I will be looking into alternatives and best course of action for future reference.

Thanks for all your help and concern. I'll let you know if we find out anything further.

Sassy
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LIVE SEX

White count on CBC came back at 7.6, so infection is truly gone. Hemoglobin low, somewhat expected so may be going on iron for a while. Still sore, but getting better!

Sassy