Infection? Start antibiotics?

[Dyke Jonze]

I pinned by right bicep the other day and it is now a little pink (not red though). It is also a little warm to the touch. I've had infection in my arm before and it hurt and swelled so much I couldn't extend my arm. This time however it hurts very little.

Should I go ahead and start a course of antibiotics just to be safe? I currently have on hand Bactrim, Cipro and Keflex.

I thought to go ahead but then you always hear about people overusing antibiotics so I wanted to come here and ask someone more knowledgeable than myself to be sure.

Thanks guys.

 

[bblazer]

Do you have a gram positive or gram negative infection? Do you intend to do a loading dose with a titration down of the Bactrim or are you aiming for a stable plasma level? Speaking of plasma levels, what dosages of the antibiotics are needed to achieve proper dermal concentrations.

Do you get my point here?

Unless you have MD after your name, you have no business treating your own infection. Infections are very serious things.

Go see your Dr.

B-

 

[Stock69]

Personally, I dont like using antibiotics unless absolutely necessary. To really tell, give us a more specific time line than the other day.

 

[Dyke Jonze]

It was Monday morning.

And yes I see your point, but I've had this happen twice before and both times I was simply given Bactrim and Cipro and both times it was cleared up in a few days.

 

[Stock69]

Any Fever? If none by Friday, I would say that your own body took care of it. That is what I would do, but it is your body. How does this compare to the twice before?

BTW, you should look for a new source if you have had two infections from the gear.

 

[bblazer]

It was Monday morning.

And yes I see your point, but I've had this happen twice before and both times I was simply given Bactrim and Cipro and both times it was cleared up in a few days.

And I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Go see your Dr.

B-

 

[Dyke Jonze]

No fever.

Before the pain was much worse and the redness/warmth/swelling started the day of the injection.

Congrats on the hotel stay... though I don't see its relevance to the issue.

 

[bblazer]

Its a reference to a series of commercials done by Holiday Inn that gave the impression that a night at one of their hotels made you an expert at just about anything.

Good luck playing Dr. with yourself.

B-

 

[Dyke Jonze]

Oh I see.

I don't have a problem going to one... but I have no insurance and like I said, the last two times I went, I got "Yup, it's red. Here's a script [for meds I already had btw]. That'll be $200."

 

[needtogetarmy]

I agree with bblazer on this 100%. Insurance shouldn't be the deciding factor. I personally know people who attempted to self-treat an abscess and wound up in the hospital and I have read of people who have died. If you think a $200 doc bill is expensive, add up the costs of being put in the hospital for a few days, or think of a worst case scenario. It is your health we are talking about here. You can't put a $200 price tag on that.