Necrotising Fasciitis, a painful experience
Discussion
Mid March I suddenly had a 'siezure', thought nothing of it,but over the next few days my genital area started to get swollen ,red and very painful. My scrotum swelled to a size an elephant would be proud of. Son took me to A&E, docs took one look and said' perineum abcess, will operate tonight'.
When I came round the next morning I was told that it was more serious, necrotising fasciilitis, or Fourniers Gangrene. My body was eating its self internally and all the tissue between my legs was either dead or dyeing They would need to operate immediatly as this is life threatening. Over the next ten days I underwant three operations ,needed to totally remove all traces of the 'bug'.
I ended up being cut from scrotum to anus, with a 'golf ball' size hole going in around six cms.
I remained in hospital for a further twenty days whilst they monitored me.It was difficult to pack and dress the wound, not able to stitch it.
When I got back home the District Nurses called daily to inspect and repack. At this point I think that virtually every nurse in the area had seen my bum!.
Now on the road to recovery,with wound healing, but still need to wear pads.
What caused it? The main theories were that I cut myself gardening and a bug got into my system and fed on sugers in my body. However my GP had prescribed Dapagliflozin as a 'wonder' drug to protect heart and kidneys.
and it seems my body instead of expelling sugers had allowed them to build up inside and a 'bug' had started to eat away.
Moral of story; whilst this is a rare reaction,check if you are on it and insist on a GP check to make sure everything is ok.
When I came round the next morning I was told that it was more serious, necrotising fasciilitis, or Fourniers Gangrene. My body was eating its self internally and all the tissue between my legs was either dead or dyeing They would need to operate immediatly as this is life threatening. Over the next ten days I underwant three operations ,needed to totally remove all traces of the 'bug'.
I ended up being cut from scrotum to anus, with a 'golf ball' size hole going in around six cms.
I remained in hospital for a further twenty days whilst they monitored me.It was difficult to pack and dress the wound, not able to stitch it.
When I got back home the District Nurses called daily to inspect and repack. At this point I think that virtually every nurse in the area had seen my bum!.
Now on the road to recovery,with wound healing, but still need to wear pads.
What caused it? The main theories were that I cut myself gardening and a bug got into my system and fed on sugers in my body. However my GP had prescribed Dapagliflozin as a 'wonder' drug to protect heart and kidneys.
and it seems my body instead of expelling sugers had allowed them to build up inside and a 'bug' had started to eat away.
Moral of story; whilst this is a rare reaction,check if you are on it and insist on a GP check to make sure everything is ok.
mikyman said:
Mid March I suddenly had a 'siezure', thought nothing of it,but over the next few days my genital area started to get swollen ,red and very painful. My scrotum swelled to a size an elephant would be proud of. Son took me to A&E, docs took one look and said' perineum abcess, will operate tonight'.
When I came round the next morning I was told that it was more serious, necrotising fasciilitis, or Fourniers Gangrene. My body was eating its self internally and all the tissue between my legs was either dead or dyeing They would need to operate immediatly as this is life threatening. Over the next ten days I underwant three operations ,needed to totally remove all traces of the 'bug'.
I ended up being cut from scrotum to anus, with a 'golf ball' size hole going in around six cms.
I remained in hospital for a further twenty days whilst they monitored me.It was difficult to pack and dress the wound, not able to stitch it.
When I got back home the District Nurses called daily to inspect and repack. At this point I think that virtually every nurse in the area had seen my bum!.
Now on the road to recovery,with wound healing, but still need to wear pads.
What caused it? The main theories were that I cut myself gardening and a bug got into my system and fed on sugers in my body. However my GP had prescribed Dapagliflozin as a 'wonder' drug to protect heart and kidneys.
and it seems my body instead of expelling sugers had allowed them to build up inside and a 'bug' had started to eat away.
Moral of story; whilst this is a rare reaction,check if you are on it and insist on a GP check to make sure everything is ok.
Were you gardening naked????When I came round the next morning I was told that it was more serious, necrotising fasciilitis, or Fourniers Gangrene. My body was eating its self internally and all the tissue between my legs was either dead or dyeing They would need to operate immediatly as this is life threatening. Over the next ten days I underwant three operations ,needed to totally remove all traces of the 'bug'.
I ended up being cut from scrotum to anus, with a 'golf ball' size hole going in around six cms.
I remained in hospital for a further twenty days whilst they monitored me.It was difficult to pack and dress the wound, not able to stitch it.
When I got back home the District Nurses called daily to inspect and repack. At this point I think that virtually every nurse in the area had seen my bum!.
Now on the road to recovery,with wound healing, but still need to wear pads.
What caused it? The main theories were that I cut myself gardening and a bug got into my system and fed on sugers in my body. However my GP had prescribed Dapagliflozin as a 'wonder' drug to protect heart and kidneys.
and it seems my body instead of expelling sugers had allowed them to build up inside and a 'bug' had started to eat away.
Moral of story; whilst this is a rare reaction,check if you are on it and insist on a GP check to make sure everything is ok.
(sorry.... had to ask)
mikyman said:
Mid March I suddenly had a 'siezure', thought nothing of it,but over the next few days my genital area started to get swollen ,red and very painful. My scrotum swelled to a size an elephant would be proud of. Son took me to A&E, docs took one look and said' perineum abcess, will operate tonight'.
When I came round the next morning I was told that it was more serious, necrotising fasciilitis, or Fourniers Gangrene. My body was eating its self internally and all the tissue between my legs was either dead or dyeing They would need to operate immediatly as this is life threatening. Over the next ten days I underwant three operations ,needed to totally remove all traces of the 'bug'.
I ended up being cut from scrotum to anus, with a 'golf ball' size hole going in around six cms.
I remained in hospital for a further twenty days whilst they monitored me.It was difficult to pack and dress the wound, not able to stitch it.
When I got back home the District Nurses called daily to inspect and repack. At this point I think that virtually every nurse in the area had seen my bum!.
Now on the road to recovery,with wound healing, but still need to wear pads.
What caused it? The main theories were that I cut myself gardening and a bug got into my system and fed on sugers in my body. However my GP had prescribed Dapagliflozin as a 'wonder' drug to protect heart and kidneys.
and it seems my body instead of expelling sugers had allowed them to build up inside and a 'bug' had started to eat away.
Moral of story; whilst this is a rare reaction,check if you are on it and insist on a GP check to make sure everything is ok.
Really sorry to be reading this; hope you're on the mend as well as you can beWhen I came round the next morning I was told that it was more serious, necrotising fasciilitis, or Fourniers Gangrene. My body was eating its self internally and all the tissue between my legs was either dead or dyeing They would need to operate immediatly as this is life threatening. Over the next ten days I underwant three operations ,needed to totally remove all traces of the 'bug'.
I ended up being cut from scrotum to anus, with a 'golf ball' size hole going in around six cms.
I remained in hospital for a further twenty days whilst they monitored me.It was difficult to pack and dress the wound, not able to stitch it.
When I got back home the District Nurses called daily to inspect and repack. At this point I think that virtually every nurse in the area had seen my bum!.
Now on the road to recovery,with wound healing, but still need to wear pads.
What caused it? The main theories were that I cut myself gardening and a bug got into my system and fed on sugers in my body. However my GP had prescribed Dapagliflozin as a 'wonder' drug to protect heart and kidneys.
and it seems my body instead of expelling sugers had allowed them to build up inside and a 'bug' had started to eat away.
Moral of story; whilst this is a rare reaction,check if you are on it and insist on a GP check to make sure everything is ok.
Unfortunately my wife lost her friend a year ago beginning of this month to this very issue; they say she may have picked it up whilst out hiking or similar... She felt like she had a rotten cold for a few days; got to the docs who sent her straight to A&E and unfortunately she never came out
a friend mine has had this. Picked it up doing one of these "assault course" type events. Only got picked up by a nosey off duty doctor who happened to be in the hospital at the time. She signed the forms to have her leg amputated before she went down for surgery and didn't know if she was going to come back with both legs!
Thanks for the replies. To reassure a poster I wasn't gardening 'au naturel'(not a pretty sight).
At first it was thought that i had cut myself and a 'bug' had entered my bloodstream. It seems that this bodily area is prone to infection because its warm and sweaty,good breeding ground for this type of infection and abcess.
The words from the surgeon I most remember were' i've asked your family to come in.' Then he said I was lucky ! as if I had left it another week it would have eaten my organs in that area,with no way back.As it was he cautioned me that ,whilst he would do his best,I might have to have a stoma.
My wound is virtually healed now, no stoma and back to doing most things,except digging the garden.
The NHS certainly saved me and I am greatful to the very hard working staff in Darlington. Get rid of some of the managers I saw walking around,looking important and the NHS won't need any more funding.
At first it was thought that i had cut myself and a 'bug' had entered my bloodstream. It seems that this bodily area is prone to infection because its warm and sweaty,good breeding ground for this type of infection and abcess.
The words from the surgeon I most remember were' i've asked your family to come in.' Then he said I was lucky ! as if I had left it another week it would have eaten my organs in that area,with no way back.As it was he cautioned me that ,whilst he would do his best,I might have to have a stoma.
My wound is virtually healed now, no stoma and back to doing most things,except digging the garden.
The NHS certainly saved me and I am greatful to the very hard working staff in Darlington. Get rid of some of the managers I saw walking around,looking important and the NHS won't need any more funding.
mikyman said:
Thanks for the replies. To reassure a poster I wasn't gardening 'au naturel'(not a pretty sight).
At first it was thought that i had cut myself and a 'bug' had entered my bloodstream. It seems that this bodily area is prone to infection because its warm and sweaty,good breeding ground for this type of infection and abcess.
The words from the surgeon I most remember were' i've asked your family to come in.' Then he said I was lucky ! as if I had left it another week it would have eaten my organs in that area,with no way back.As it was he cautioned me that ,whilst he would do his best,I might have to have a stoma.
My wound is virtually healed now, no stoma and back to doing most things,except digging the garden.
The NHS certainly saved me and I am greatful to the very hard working staff in Darlington. Get rid of some of the managers I saw walking around,looking important and the NHS won't need any more funding.
Great news you're healing - immune system must still be good! The seizure bit - was that related to the flesh-eating bug or just a "one-off seizure, everyone has one" as the consultants casually describe them At first it was thought that i had cut myself and a 'bug' had entered my bloodstream. It seems that this bodily area is prone to infection because its warm and sweaty,good breeding ground for this type of infection and abcess.
The words from the surgeon I most remember were' i've asked your family to come in.' Then he said I was lucky ! as if I had left it another week it would have eaten my organs in that area,with no way back.As it was he cautioned me that ,whilst he would do his best,I might have to have a stoma.
My wound is virtually healed now, no stoma and back to doing most things,except digging the garden.
The NHS certainly saved me and I am greatful to the very hard working staff in Darlington. Get rid of some of the managers I saw walking around,looking important and the NHS won't need any more funding.
The 'seizure' was just like an electric shock that shook my body. it happened unexpectedly on the saturday lunch time.After I felt ok, but over the next two days my 'under carriage' started to swell and go deep red, so much so that it was difficult to walk.
When I had a two month check up my surgeon was surprised how well it was healing, as from his experience it usually takes much longer. His view was that as I am very active this helped.
It was confirmed that this was a very rare,1 in 10000, reaction to the drug.
My surgeon has reported it under the yellow card scheme for alerting serious and unusual reactions to prescribed medicines.
The brand name of the pills is Forixga. If anyone is taking it ,please alert your GP as i'm sure i'm not the only one to have such a reaction.
When I had a two month check up my surgeon was surprised how well it was healing, as from his experience it usually takes much longer. His view was that as I am very active this helped.
It was confirmed that this was a very rare,1 in 10000, reaction to the drug.
My surgeon has reported it under the yellow card scheme for alerting serious and unusual reactions to prescribed medicines.
The brand name of the pills is Forixga. If anyone is taking it ,please alert your GP as i'm sure i'm not the only one to have such a reaction.
It's a great feeling to be wise after the event!
After two days when the swelling,instead of going down, was getting worse, I did get my son to take me to A&E.
Even the surgeon when he first saw me in A&E was convinced it was an abcess.
When he opened me up he found it was far more serious.
I have never had a GP or pharmacist explain all the possible reactions to any medicine. If they did then no one would take any medicines.
This serious reaction is given as a 1 in 10000 chance, enough in the drug world to merit a yellow card report.
After two days when the swelling,instead of going down, was getting worse, I did get my son to take me to A&E.
Even the surgeon when he first saw me in A&E was convinced it was an abcess.
When he opened me up he found it was far more serious.
I have never had a GP or pharmacist explain all the possible reactions to any medicine. If they did then no one would take any medicines.
This serious reaction is given as a 1 in 10000 chance, enough in the drug world to merit a yellow card report.
Maybe I'm lucky in that I got 3 firm warnings, consultant, GP, pharmacist. All explained symptoms etc and were very clear, any of these signs in these areas don't mess about, and if it's a weekend and GP closed then off to A&E with you sharpish.
GP also stressed, any signs come in, nobody will criticise as if left it's serious.
Seeing as clearly people are treated differently good on you for raising the issue and hopefully prevent others.
Just to add my pharmacist has a regular review of prescriptions and gives advice, ok to take these together, leave this until after breakfast, avoid dairy within one hour of this one and so on.
GP also stressed, any signs come in, nobody will criticise as if left it's serious.
Seeing as clearly people are treated differently good on you for raising the issue and hopefully prevent others.
Just to add my pharmacist has a regular review of prescriptions and gives advice, ok to take these together, leave this until after breakfast, avoid dairy within one hour of this one and so on.
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