infection/antibiotics

To: BhumikaMD
I started taking my antibiotics on Saturday morning; Sunday evening I started getting this tingly/ weird feeling in the area of the infection. Would this be due to the antibiotics breaking up the infection? I also noticed this morning(Monday) that the area isn't as hard and round; it's more broke up and soft or mushy feeling? Maybe also due to the antibiotics???

                                           Thank you

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

It is good to know that you are responding to the current treatment.

Usually any antibiotic takes some time for onset of action - that of antibiotics taken orally is longer than intravenous ones.

I am presuming that you are on oral antibiotics - then it would be a little too fast for saying that this breakdown of the hard lump is entirely due to tha antibiotics.

What antibiotics are you taking? it could be that the healing process had already started and was assissted by the antibiotics.

Breaking up of a hard solid lump into a soft mushy consistency definitely points towards breakdown - but it would be best to get a radiological assessment in a week or two.

When is your follow up appointment with the doctor scheduled for?
It would be best to continue tha current plan of management and get a re-evaluation by your doctor before getting any invasive procedure done.

Do let us know if you have any doubts and also keep us updated about your progress..
Hope this helps.
Good luck.

[cotorie]

I am taking CEFADROXIL 500mg. I originally took them 2 weeks ago. Was off for a week and then the radiologist I saw on Friday wanted me to go back on them. They still want me to have a needle biopsy on Thursday the 10th. Would the weird, tingly feeling be due to the antibiotics? Yes, they are oral.

[cotorie]

I forgot to tell you that I am taking the antibiotics twice daily. One radiologist thinks I should wait on the needle biopsy and just do the antibiotics for another few weeks and his partner wants me to go ahead and have it done so he can take a culture to find out what sort of infection they think it is and how best to treat it. What do you think??

                                       Thank you

[BhumikaMD]

Hi again!!

Well, i think that explains a lot. I mean the 2 weeks of antibiotics could have triggered the healing process.

I was starting to wonder about how an antibiotic started on saturday could start a clinical resolution by sunday!

Anyways, it would be infact a good idea to go ahead with a needle aspiration at least. It is almost non-invasive - a short, OPD procedure, with no side effects -a nd it would give us some insight maybe.

The chances that a culture would reveal something are low because the antibiotics have been taken for 2 weeks now, and have started to act too. So any organism growing is doubtful - but no harm in getting a needle aspiration.

Do talk about a clinical and radiological re-evaluation of the lesion with your doctor.

Keep us updated.
Good luck and best wishes.

[cotorie]

I am sorry, I didn't make myself clear. I started the original antibiotics on the 22nd of December - 28th of December. I had no more antibiotics until this Saturday morning.

                     Thank you

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Thats still ok - what i mean is the antibiotics seem to be working well. that's what is evident from your post.

Though it would be say anything with surety without a clinical examination.

About the needle aspiration - i think you should ga ahead with it - it is a very safe OPD procedure and might just reveal something.

Even the antibiotics can be changed if required, depending on the reports.

Discuss this in detail with your doctor too and decide only then.
Hope this helps.
Do keep us posted about your progress.
Good luck.

[cotorie]

Hello.................would a course of antibiotics make an infection less painful? I have been taking the most recent course for 4 days now and  lump seems less painful. I took the first course of them the last week of December.

                                      Thank you

[cotorie]

Hello.................would a course of antibiotics make an infection less painful? I have been taking the new course of antibiotics for 4 days now and the lump seems less painful. I took the first course of antibiotics the last week in December and then didn't have any more until Saturday, January 4. About how long does it take for oral antibiotics to get in your system and start to work?

                                             Thank you

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Well, yes, the course of antibiotics does decrease the pain too - if the infective lesion starts to heal it decreases in size, the pain becomes less, and also the lesion starts to become softer in consistency as a result of the infection breaking down.

Well, Cefadroxil, which you are taking, reaches the optimal concentration in the body in about 2hrs. The effect takes usually 2-3 days; but that depends on the type of infection, the site and severity of infection, whether the infective organisms are susceptible to the antibiotics or not.

You just continue the medication, get a re-evaluation in a few days time. Lets hope all will turn out well, eventually.

Do keep us posted about your health and about your doctor's appointments.

Hope this helps.
Good luck.