Knee replacement surgery and cellulitis

[Gymboz]

I had knee replacement surgery on right leg about 10 years ago. Everything fine until last year I grazed my lower leg on an outdoor wood fire burner. To make a long story somewhat shorter. This abrasion eventually turned into infectious cellulitis. My right shin would swell up like a big ole boiled ham, with horribly painful ulcers all over it! It took about 8 months to get rid of it, after 6 or 7 antibiotic treatments. Doc put me on lasix to help reduce swelling. This worked for about 6 months. Now it's BACK! Its as bad as it had been, if not worse. I've been to primary doc Several times, infectious disease doc, wound center, Dermatologist, Emergency room 3 times. I am in so much pain! I have been forced to retire early because of missing so much work. My leg continually leaks fluid, which then gets my sock soaked, and shoe soaked. Then the condition is worsened by ankle & foot chapping. When I was young i boxed for 7 years, many other contact sports I have had every kind of injury imaginable. Nothing compares to the pain I have with this cellulitis! Scale of 1-10 it is usually pegged on 10. And due to the opiate discussions in Congress, doctors have gotten to the point where they just will not prescribe anything for me! Even when the nurses have tears in their eyes while trying to help remove bandage!the doc sees this horrific looking horribleness and still nothing! But, beside that has anyone else been through this or know if there is a type of specialist I'm missing? I live in VA, planning to take a trip to Ohio to visit the Cleveland Clinic. See if I can finally get some relief! This is so bad it is making me just crazy! A person can only take so much pain and misery!

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

Pain Management New Orthopedist

Your current doctor is evil, lazy, and cowardly for letting you suffer because he is scared of the DEA.

Doesn't he know there are exceptions for people with real pain?

You need to speak up to your representatives in state and federal Congress.

They need to know they are causing you to suffer. So do the pharmaceutical houses, who can override

the doctors' prescriptions. It's a dark day for people in pain.

Make a video, take pictures, see the reps in person and show them your knee, your soaked sock and shoe,

the fact that you are retired early because of this problem, even though you'd prefer to be a functioning,

contributing wage-earner instead of, I assume, disabled.

This just makes me so angry. Situations like yours were predictable. All because of some drug-abusing

vermin, spineless doctors, overbearing pharmaceutical houses, and congressional representatives who

have not heard from and actually seen enough people in agonizing pain.

In your case, maybe the best route is to consider removal of the prosthetic knee?

I wish you the best of luck.

Can you go to Canada? Mexico? Germany? Are laws there any better?

[Orca, ADN, ASN, RN]

The lack of treatment is inexcusable. I am hoping that your trip to the Cleveland Clinic provides you with some competent care, because you certainly haven't had it up to this point.