Developed Cellulitis on Arm after IVing H - Need Advice!

[ghostworld]

Hello, unfortunately I fear I've developed a cellulitis abscess on the surface of the crook of my arm after IVing heroin (tar). Here's what happened:
I was high and being pretty careless the second time around I got high that night, and managed to get some heroin trapped in my skin (i was shooting above a sterile abscess [side note: I have the world's tiniest veins and its an impossible task to find veins that arent already scarred up]) and it got somehow...lodged..? up sort of above/around the top of the sterile abscess in my skin somehow.. it stayed in my skin for a couple days, and then I thought it'd be a brilliant idea to poke it with a clean needle (I'm completely 100% sterile with my equipment, this wasnt a result of poor hygiene) to see if there was any fluid that might come out. that's when this thing got infected. it's about ~5cm across, the outer edge is red and inflamed and scabbed and crusty, and the inner part is a lighter brown ring (from the h) and in the center is a hole leaking clear pus. it doesn't look AWFUL, but i'm scared it'll turn into some requiem for a dream shit.

so my questions are -
I can't see a needle exchange's wound care clinic until thursday, and I believe this got infected two days ago. is it possible that this would get a lot worse before then? should I just go ahead and call a clinic? I haven't got any insurance (except medi-cal for those in california that could help answer)

is there anything i can do at home to take care of this or prevent it from getting any worse for the next few days?

what sort of antibiotic do they prescribe for this sort of thing and how much is the dosage?

 

[wizekrak]

get it looked at in the ER as soon as possible! Infections, especially cellulitis can be fairly dangerous depending on the bacteria involved and whether or not its entered the blood stream. They'll likely give you a topical antibiotic containing fucidic acid and a broad spectrum oral antibiotic. Dosage depends on the drug prescribed.

 

[Dtergent]

It's true, the best course of action is to go to the ER. It is very possible that it will get much worse before Thursday, and the risk of cellulitis affecting as far as your bone is always real. As wizekrak said, you will probably be given topical stuff and oral antibiotics (e.g. clindamycin). Ask your doc about giving you a second one to substitute if the first one stops to work sometime into your taking it.

Spare no time, brother

 

[pukingcells]

My daughter just recently had a bout of cellulitis on her foot. She is disabled and cant feel much in her feet, so it never hurt her and she didn't notice it for a little while.

She ended up getting a red line from the infection up her foot, so run,don't walk to the ER and with her they gave her IV antibioitics and a script as well as an xray to make sure it didn't get into the bone, because if that happens, you will have a "reqiuem for nightmare".