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diabetic toe ulcer

Discussion in 'Ask your questions here' started by Unregistered, Apr 25, 2009.

  1. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest


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    My dad has an infected toe. He is diabetic and suffered a previous amputation. His nurse has dressed the ulcer on Thursday (2 days ago) and ordered him a weeks supply of flucloxacillin 500mg, which he takes 4 times daily. His dressing was replaced today and the nurse asked if he had got the antibiotics as she thought it was still rather red. My dad says the pain is not just as bad today as it has been, but I am very concerned. The nurse has requested my dad dresses his own toe the next time and she will see him later in the week. Im afraid that my dad will not know whether the infection is responding to the medicine or not and may miss something important. How long does flucloxacillin take to show improvement and what should we look out for?
    Thank you
     
  2. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    DISCLAIMER:
    THE FOLLOWING IS OFFERED GRATIS AS GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY, AND, AS SUCH, MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE TO THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONER AND/OR HIS/HER PROBLEM. IT IS CLEARLY NOT BASED ON ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE AND/OR EXAMINATION OF THE QUESTIONER OR HIS/HER MEDICAL HISTORY, AND IT CAN NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS DEFINITIVE MEDICAL OPINION OR ADVICE. ONLY THROUGH HANDS-ON PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE ACTUAL PATIENT CAN ACCURATE MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS BE ESTABLISHED AND SPECIFIC ADVICE BE GIVEN. NO DOCTOR/PATIENT RELATIONSHIP IS CREATED OR ESTABLISHED OR MAY BE INFERRED. THE QUESTIONER AND/OR READER IS INSTRUCTED TO CONSULT HIS OR HER OWN DOCTOR BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ANY SUGGESTIONS CONTAINED HEREIN, AND TO ACT ONLY UPON HIS/HER OWN DOCTOR’S ORDERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. BY THE READING OF MY POSTING WHICH FOLLOWS, THE READER STIPULATES AND CONFIRMS THAT HE/SHE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THIS DISCLAIMER AND HOLDS HARMLESS THIS WRITER. IF THIS IS NOT FULLY AGREEABLE TO YOU, THE READER, AND/OR YOU HAVE NOT ATTAINED THE AGE OF 18 YEARS, YOU HEREBY ARE ADMONISHED TO READ NO FURTHER.
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    It would seem that your father is under professional care. You have not made it clear as to whether he is being seen by a doctor and the nurse is simply providing nursing care or whether he is under the care of a nurse practitioner who is making her own decisions. In any event, your questions should be address to whomever is responsible for his care. The efficacy of any systemic antibiotic is dependent upon the amount of drug which is transported to the site of the infection by the vascular system, and diabetics typically have diminished peripheral circulation . . in particular in small vessels. That would certainly be a factor in how quickly or if at all the antibiotic might work. As sensory neuropathy in diabetics is common, pain is not necessarily a good barometer of problems or lack thereof. It is especially essential in a diabetic that an infected ulcer be closely managed, and if you are not obtaining sufficient education to do so from the professionals under whose care your father is under, you should have a long talk with those professionals or obtain others if you are not properly advised. A forum, in my opinion, is no place to obtain the specific education you require.
     
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