Fibromyalgia Support Group

I have the 3rd case of cellulitis in 2 years and was wondering if anyone else here has had it. I can't figure out why my body can't fight off this simple infection. This is usually a diabetic problem or someone who has severe neuropathy...I do have some neuropathy but it is a mild neuropathy in touch and a slight drop foot..(I am hypoglycemic but not diabetic)

Anyway, I was wondering if this in some way could be part of fibro? I've been cropping up with some little auto-immune conditions and am starting to worry that I might have something else underlying...Any help would be great. (angio edema and auto-immune urticaria, with raynauds syndrome)

I think it's just that our immune systems get battered by our fatigue and pain which leaves us more suceptible to infections and other illnesses. But I don't know of anyone else who's having problems with cellulitis. I'd never even heard of it before you mentioned it a while back.

Have you found a decent doctor yet Tara? It sounds like maybe you need to repeat the tests to rule out other problems, like lupus, thyroid, diabetes, and maybe an MRI for MS.

I know hypoglycemia can turn into diabetes pretty quickly, how long has it been since you had fasting bloodwork done?

I'm so sorry, I'll bet this is painful, huh?

Hugs

Hey rayn...I still haven't found a doc...I haven't had a fasting bs test done in a couple of years...I've been wondering if it has changed....Yea it's pretty painful..and the ER doc didn't even give me anything for the pain or even ask if I had something for the pain...I was given 2 tylenol in the Emergency Room yesterday LOL...geeez They finally gave me an rx for zithromax because the other 3 they tried to give me was on my allergy list...I told them when they handed it to me that I couldnt take bactrim...then they wrote a different rx and when hubby went to fill it the pharmacy refused one of them because it was on my allergy list too...so the one that was left happened to be the exact one they gave me the last time that I could not take due to severe buring in throat, esophagus, and stomach for 3 days after one dose..I called them and told them immediately that I could not take that one...and they never called me back at that point...but the ER tried to give me that same one again!! Hubby paid for it not knowing it was that same one...So then they finally gave me the Zithromax which I have tolerated fine in the past but insurance would not pay for more than 3 pills at a time...So i only got 3 pills ll

Well that sucks!! You need to make a list of all the drugs you're allergic to and keep it in your purse for those ER visits. I know my brain freezes up completely when I'm sitting in the treatment rooms and I forget what I'm on, what I'm allergic too, which drugs failed....

Have you tried going through the Arthritis Foundation for a referral to a doctor? Or doing what Debbie suggested a while back and researching online the doctors in your area who treat fibro and who prescribe Suboxone? It sure seemed to save her a lot of grief.

I can't believe the insurance company can get away with saying how many antibiotics you can have at a time!! Just to get more co-pays out of you....have I mentioned how much I hate insurance companies????

I've done some ambulance runs with people with cellulitis and from what I've seen it's very painful. I've never had it thank goodness. I think like rayn, that the constant pain will lower your immune system. You have some other autoimmune issues already so that doesn't help. I think you do need to get a primary doctor and/or a good rheumy to begin taking care of all of this. You really need to redo the fasting bs. Along with checking the other stuff again. Blood work can change.

I haven't looked into any foundations for referrals but it looks like that's what I need to do. I tried just looking up rheumatologists online to see if there are any in my area but I couldn't bring one up within 30 miles so I'm assuming I'll have to go an hour and a half away to see a doc. I did find a D.O. (female Thank God) that does rx suboxone. So I'm gonna try to contact her office this week...If she is comprehensive and takes ownership of my health then she may just solve my mysteries!

I loved my DO! Best doctor ever, but she didn't believe in pain meds for fibro. She did the gentle manipulations (not all DOs do them) that gave me back mobility in my neck. I'd been treated by so many doctors, chiropractors, therapists and a physiatrist but none of them had ever done any long term good for my neck. I was even given a 7.5% permanent, partial disability because of how little mobility I had in my neck. She got rid of the knot I'd had on the side of my neck for nearly 30 years in one session. After that I'd go in one or two times a month and she'd work all the kinks out of my neck & upper back while we talked about fibro. She was great!! But she took away the valium I'd been taking and put me on flexeril instead. I STILL miss my valium <sigh> ... I hope she's as good as mine was...since you're allergic to so many meds, a D.O. is probably the best match for you. Good luck, Tara!

Oh wow thats great news then..That actually gets me excited about calling her office. Sounds like she believed more along the lines of a chiropractor about the body etc..

Can you believe the story on one of these posts (can't remember who) but they went to a chiropractor that did not believe fibro. was real and actually rolled her eyes and said "don't even go there" and walked out of the room!! YES a woman too!! I thought I would NEVER hear that..how improbable...a WOMAN a CHIROPRACTOR and does not believe in Fibro...and was RUDE TOO!!! I just can't believe it!

Thanks rayn!! You are the greatest!

D.O.s are the greatest! She was great about RXing other meds, we tried Effexor, Lyrica and Cymbalta. She wouldn't give me back my valium, but she let me have as much flexeril as I needed. She gave me two different RXs for sleeping pills and was kind of disappointed that I didn't want to try Ambien. She went to bat against the insurance company so I got to stay on Cymbalta. She was even going to give me Provigil, but I lost my job, my insurance and my reason for needing to be awake during the day LOL....she just wouldn't give me painkillers or valium.

I think a DO will be great for you Tara, just try to remember and write down all your med allergies before you go see her.

I couldn't believe that chiropractor either....how weird!!