Cellulitis and Bacterial Infection After C-section

I never had this after c-section, since I never had a c-section, but I recently had cellulitis and bacterial infection. Do not rub the are too hard while cleaning, but do clean it well. Also dry the area well. I was given a cream to help and also antibiotics. I need to apply the cream 2-3 times a day and antibiotics 4 times a day. I would say that heat doesn't help. That just lets the bacteria grow. Clean and dry, that should help.

I had hot swollen areas on my incision that were full of liquid that the doctor evacuated with a syringe and needle. I was not put on antibiotics. I was told to put hot compresses on it several times a day. After a week, it got better. To this day (22 years later) as a diabetic, I still get fungal infections on the scarline if I don't keep it dry and clean. Good luck.

I agree with Susan and Deanna - go see a doctor asap. Better safe than sorry. Also, my first thoughts about applying heat were the same as Deanna's - doesn't heat make bacteria spread faster?? I could be wrong I'm not a doctor, but I would think ice/cold pack to relive the pain, if anything...
Good luck and get yourself taken care of! ;)

J.,

I have had one C-Section and experienced distress of the wound from the way I was tapped up during my first night. But, my OB caught it right away and did recommend a follow-up. Please get in touch with your doctor and demand a new appointment. Once my son had a staph infection and it cleared up in few days with meds, but we had to go back several times for checks of the area.

Also, not sure why you would heat an infection...wouldn't that make the bacteria grow faster?

If you need to get a second opinion. Good luck, congrats and feel better!!

Cellulitis is a STAPH infection. Did you know that? It can spread or get worse... affecting other tissues.
Here is a link:
http://www.medicinenet.com/cellulitis/article.htm
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/152663.php

GO for a follow-up.
You just had MAJOR surgery... if the infection is not contained or clearing up with antibiotics... you need to get another type of antibiotic. Not all antibiotics work.

I had c-sections too... and I never had an infection from it. My Doctor would not have let a c-section infection go on for that long... and he would REQUIRE a follow-up exam.

Were you stapled shut or sutured shut?
Perhaps are you allergic to any of the bandages on the incision? I was sutured shut and had steri-tabs on my incision.

Is putting heat on it, recommended? By your Doctor? You shouldn't do that unless it was prescribed to you.

You need to get a follow-up on it, and especially because it is a Bacterial infection and it is not clearing up. I"m surprised your Doctor is not worried about it.
You don't want the infection to get worse, not heal, or turn into a bigger more severe infection....

Or go the the ER, since your Doctor does not seem responsive to this.

All the best,
Susan

I do not know much about this at all, but doesn't heat spread infection? You should ask your doctor.

Hi, I just had this too! I had my c-section on 6/10, we discharged 6/12, and readmitted to the hospital on 6/14 for 3 days for 48 hours of round the clock anti-biotics. GO TO THE DOCTOR right away if you are not feeling well! I am glad I went when I did because it could have turned into something much worse. They admitted me back right away because mine was so bad. I am still having some mild issues, but nothing that my doctor is not watching over. Please be certain to take care of yourself. Congrats on your little one! Please update us on your status! This is my same exact story and I did not know it was so common!

S.

This did happen to me. What caused it? The outside incision healed before the internal incision. You need to see your Dr. again now. They caught mine within a couple days of me being released. They reopened the incision and packed it with saline covered gauze. I had to let the incision heal from the inside out. You really need to have them look at it closer or get another dr.

I am not a doc, but is the heat a good thing?? Bacteria grows better in heat as far as I know. I would say let it air out instead. Call your doc, you may need a stronger antibiotic. Hopbe this gets better soon, you have enough on your plate already. (((((())))))

i had the same things happen as toby-the lady who posted before me...i developed a seroma and had to have my incision opened, packed and then it healed from the inside out. it is not an infection but a buildup of excess fluid.

you should really go see a doctor!

good luck, hope you're better soon!

go to AbdoMend.com, contact the people there- its al about c section healing-
you need to dry skin brush around the incision, reduce coffee intake, there are some sprays you can get that support healing, you need to let incision breathe, you need to support and massage abdomen area and around incision- good luck and contact them, there is also another site csectionrecoverykit.com- good luck

Hi J.,

It can be very difficult to differentiate infection from large scale inflammation in some cases, so it is possible that you're just dealing with the inflammation. But, it's also quite possible that the bacteria causing the infection are resistant to the antibiotic the doctor has prescribed. Hospital-aquired antibiotic resistant bacteria are on the rise -- not just the well publicized MRSA, but many other organisms.

I suggest you return to the doctor and request a change of antibiotics ASAP. If the wound is still open at all, or is weepy or pussing, the doctor should culture the site for the bacteria causing the infection and should also have the bacterial culture tested for antibiotic sensitivity so that an effective antibiotic will be prescribed. Also, that fluid you're seeing is an indication of an extensive (normal) immune response to the infection. The immune response itself can be very harmful if it becomes systemic and over-exuberant. Talk to your doctor about taking an antiinflamatory, such as ibuprofen, to help quell this response.

At the same time, it would be a good idea for the doctor to take a swab of your nasal nares. There is a preponderance of evidence in the medical literature showing that this is the primary reservoir for MRSA, and that patients who carry the organism in their nares are likely infected with it elsewhere, especially at the site of surgical incisions. If you do have a MRSA infection, make sure your doctor understands that this organism is not just resistant to methicillin. It is resistant to all antibiotics ending in cillin or penem, beginning with ceph, and aztreonam. BTW, keflex (also marketed under the names Panixine, Biocef, and Zartan) is often the drug of choice for skin infections. Its generic name is cephalexin and MRSA is resistant to it. Cyclines, such as tetracycline, and sulfa drugs work very well to combat most strains of MRSA.

Not to scare you, but there is some risk of severe sepsis and septic shock with abdominal incisions. If you find that you are very thirsty, dizzy, your pain is increasing and your urine output is reduced for the amount of fluid you're drinking, get to an ER immediately and demand appropriate attention. Express your concerns about the nonhealing infection of an abdominal incision. If you feel you're not being treated seriously, direct the ER staff to survivingsepsis.com and ask them to download the treatment bundles.

I hope you feel better soon!

Dear J.,

Last September I developed cellulitis on my leg, just above my knee. My doctor lanced it and gave me heavy duty antibiotics. It hurt alot and looked horrible. The doctor mentioned that she had seen other patients who had it and it probably was contracted at the gym. It took several weeks (around 6 weeks) to heal but left a bad scar that looks like a bruise about the size of a plum. Since then, I have had two more bouts of cellulitis in the same general area. This stuff is serious and I recommend continuing your course of action. I am so sorry that you have this after childbirth because you have so many other things on your mind. But PLEASE take care of yourself. If left untreated, you can get really sick (infection can spread throughout your body). Be sure you are fully healed before stopping the antibiotics. God Bless You.

after i had my csection i got a really bad infection, got out the hospital went back in for a week, they opened me back up. once released they sent me home on a wound vac and a nurse came out for 3 months. i still have probblems associated to that and it has been 8 years.

I am so sorry you are having a difficult time, and not being able to enjoy the new baby as much as you should be.

You need to be icing the area, heat spreads infection very quickly and are making the antibiotics useless. Stop heating it and it should start responding within 24 hrs, if it doesnt, go back and see your doctor immediately.

Good luck,

D.

My mom had an infection at her incision and used a sitz bath of chamomile tea which cleared her infection so fast that the doctor asked her what she did so he could recommend to others.
I hope this might help you too.
S.

homeopathy can help with your simptoms. the remesdy in your case has to be chosen by progessional homeopath only. you can find one here:
http://www.homeopathy.org/directory.html
Good Luck
V.

I had a horrible time after my c-section. When my daughter was 8 months old, someone shared a dvd with me that changed my life. If you are interested, let me know.

God Bless!

J.

ps. my scar had a puffy thick spot and brown stuff leaked from my body for months. it was awful. i am healthy and strong now.

weird..is he sure? i had a lump..so did my friend..and i had to have it lipo'd..it was like a golf ball..it sucked..
i wonder if you have that too and your doc doesn't want to admit he sewed you up bad? My doc blamed me..it was all my fault.. hmmm...so i had it lipo'd and it's gone..maybe you need it to be drained? you might want to make sure it's not the way he sewed u up.

Cellulitis can only be cured by taking Intervenous Antibiotics. Be sure to have them take a Sensitivity test on the bacteria. (Culture) so they can determine which medication will be best to take. Cellulitis can return if you have a MRSA infection also. I have had Cellulitis 3 times in one year. I recently found out I have a MRSA infection that is why I kept getting the Cellulitis over and over. Be adament about having them take a culture of your infection. It is very important.