chronic cellulitis?

[Andrew]

Hey. I'd love some feed back. Sorry, this is gonna be long.

I have what seems to be chronic, very tenacious cellulitis in my left leg. I've had progressive problems with it since 2005, and it became quite extreme the beginning of this year.

I have no health insurance, so I have had four Dr's in free clinics and urgency clinics over the last 6 months seem to concur on the diagnosis, but after four rounds of two types of antibiotics, it still remains splotchy red from ankle to knee. I had an ultrasound a month ago to rule out a blood clot.

I have edema in both ankles, but the left leg is often quite swollen, especially medially, at mid-calf, where it is also very painful to the touch. It's often hot to the touch, usually worse on the lateral. At it's worst, it itches, cracks, peels and then weeps. The weeping is hideous, I have to wash and wrap my leg or it leaks into my shoe. It's clear fluid, and it itches so bad I would chew my leg off if I could.

I had ovarian cancer 6 years ago, and a hysterectomy. My surgeon biopsied at least one lymph node, but assured me at the time it would not cause any lymph edema......... I did 6 rounds of chemo afterwards.

The last round of antibiotics in June was a very heavy dose of an old sulphur type drug, and it made me nauseated and fatigued for ten days, and still didn't clear it up entirely. (Oddly enough, it cleared up the edema in the right leg). I have had chronic stasis dermatitis for about seven years, and have the classic splotchy brown spots on my calves and shins. I am overweight and am pre-diabetic.

I just had an acupuncture treatment on Monday, and am seeing him again next Monday. (no big improvement in the leg yet, but the treatment was wonderful, like a natural mood elevator!)

My immune system is very sluggish - I've been sick about seven times this year, and heal slowly. I am a long time vegetarian, have high blood pressure under control, and take a host of supplements - msm, a pre-natol multi (higher iron), 5 htp, cinnamon, calcium/vit d, exra vit. c, black cohosh, and milk thistle.

I exercise sporadically (walk or ride bike), but try to do a lot of range of motion of the ankle and hip, get regular massage (Swedish), elevate as often as possible during the day, and do cool water soaks, usually in Epsom salts, as needed.

I'm at wits end. If I was a horse, we'd probably throw in the towel and just shoot me! :roll: :roll: (Not an "easy keeper".............)

Do any bells go off for anyone?
savannah

 

[ChipA]

Well, I am taking a class on aromatherapy, so that was my first thought, naturally. What I found just now was this:

#A dd 4 drops of orange oil, 3 drops of tea tree oil, 2 drops of chamomile oil, and 2 drops of thyme oil to a warm bath.
# Soak in the bath for ten to twenty minutes.
# Tea tree and thyme oils are antiseptic, and chamomile and orange oils relax the nervous system.

Now......what I would do, because that is a potentially serious infection, would be to add the essential oils to about 2 ounces of witch hazel and spritz the leg throughout the day. I am very comfortable with tea tree oil (melaleuca oil) and have put it on straight many times. It is very good at killing ickies. If you tend to be easily sensitized to things, dilution may be a better idea. When it is an infection that has been attacked but not killed, using something *different* makes the best sense - another antibiotic may just strengthen the bacteria causing the problem. Attacking it head on and forcefully without damaging another part of you is going to be very hard, medically.

I'd do tea tree oil straight once or twice a day, and spritz the combo of oils/witch hazel every hour or two while you are awake.

*disclaimer...... this is what I would do if it was my leg.....this is not medical advice, as I am not a medical doctor.....blah blah blah

 

[suszcza]

PMing you about homeopathy.
(disclaimer: this IS homeopathic advice, I AM a homeopath, etc!

 

[Mustbe]

Thank you both Sharon and Chris!

And of course Sharon, gotcha. But gotta say, my "medical" advice hasn't been too helpful and has cost me a small fortune.

Do I need to be overly conscientious about brand etc of oils? I already have the tea tree oil, but will need to get orange, chamomile and thyme. Several whole foods places around sell essential oils, but I'm not very familiar with them.

savannah

 

[Kaykay034]

I'd go with German Chamomile, true name is Matricaria recutita. It is recommended for skin conditions over Roman Chamomile oil.

Sweet Orange Oil, rather than Bitter Orange Oil.

As far as brand names go, I don't really know yet what health food stores are carrying that is particularly good or bad. I call ahead when looking for something particular, and since I am just really digging into this, only have a couple dozen oils, mostly bought online. Maybe someone else can pipe in on good brands/brands to avoid and we'll both learn something new this week?

I am totally with you on the expensive and all-to-often unhelpful medical "help". Bleck.

 

[cocoa butter]

I'm not a big fan of antibiotics anyway, and this last year I've probably had more antibiotic than I have in my whole life, with very poor results. I apparently have a low grade resistance to the chepelan family, and the sulphur family, as I mentioned earlier, caused nausea and fatigue. My acupuncturist, who is trained as a medical Dr. in China, said it's particularly hard on the kidneys.

I'm not wild about traditional medicine anyway, but I sure am hoping for an administration change here in the US in the next election. No health insurance has been a very difficult situation the last couple of years.

I may be off line for a day or so, I'm going to be staying overnight with a friend whose husband is home with hospice in the process of dieing. Not sure if I will have time to check in or not. I'll stop and pick up the oils and witch hazel and give that a try and keep you posted. I'm anxious to turn this around and be healthy again!
savannah

 

[pdooma]

Savannah Bloom,
I googled cellulitis last night and found a pretty nice website that talks about CAM care.

http://www.healthandage.com/html/res/com/ConsConditions/Cellulitiscc.html

In the herb section there it mentions that Yarrow is good for cellulitis and I recall my mother telling me that she used to gather yarrow for her grandmother when she was little, and that it was for the treatment of cellulitis. Her great grandmother was part native american so we were sort of into CAM before it was "cool." :

So, lymph drainage massage is contraindicated right now, hm?

 

[Door Knob.]

A nice place to get herbs/oils ect.. is:

http://www.mountainroseherbs.com

and...they are local!
Located in Eugene, OR.

 

[lois]

maestra, that was a good website, thank you.

Thanks for the link p4all!

I've not actually had lymph drainage for this but am thinking it WOULD be very indicated. Any consensous? The LD would be distal to the infection?
Some of the swelling is certainly from the infection, but my gut feeling is that the chronic edema has been the straw that broke the camels back. The original onset was a small break in the skin in the medial ankle in 2005 that took months to heal, even with antibiotics. I've struggled with it off and on since then, but also always having the added issue of the edema.

I have finally, ho hum, begun to wear compression stockings. I'm a child of the 60's who loves bare feet, and to struggle putting them on is like putting shackles around my feet...........but it appears the alternative is worse, so I am doing it. It makes me feel.............so old! (To counter the feeling, I've been wearing tie-dye to a much greater degree! *tee-hee : : )
savannah

 

[ask me a question!!!]

Savannah, I think a lymphatic consult would definitely be helpful, but I would only recommend seeing someone with advanced training. They would best know if therapy would help or hurt during the acute phase of cellulitis. They would also be able to measure you for the right size compression stockings, and even do personalized compression bandaging if necessary. I did a quick search in the Portland area and found 6 Vodder-certified therapists. (I checked Upleger too, but no one locally has completed advanced training through that school.) So, here's a link to the Vodder listings:

Vodder Certified Therapists in Oregon

If you don't have insurance, see if they're willing to work out a payment plan for you. Your body is definitely worth it! I don't mean to scare you, but untreated edema can progress very quickly into a permanent problem, and incorrectly sized compression stockings can hurt instead of help. I recommend calling one of these therapists today. Please keep us posted!

 

[renee]

Thanks for the link Bliss, and the feedback. One of them is quite near my office, I'll check her out.

I've begun a homeopathic and acupuncture, and have had some encouraging results, but I also think the lymph drainage is an issue so I will see about getting a consult. Haven't had a chance to follow up on the aromatherapy as I didn't have any of them on hand, and it's been a hellish week (a dieing friend, so sort of sucked all the remaining energy reserves I had). You all are the best, though! Thank you.

This has been way more encouraging than any of the "medical" advice I've gotten in the last three years, sorry to say. I've gotten zero results from allopathic medicine with this issue, and of course due to the fact that I have no insurance so my continuity of care is compromised, it's undoubtedly worsened the results. savannah

 

[lil g]

Savannah, regarding acupuncture, it is contraindicated to have any needles in your legs. Be sure & let the acupuncturist know. This is because the healing system in your legs is compromised & the smallest puncture can cause a major problem (as you saw with the original onset in 2005).

Keep us posted on your progress. I'm sending healing wishes out to you!