Infected cut, please help?

Invisible_tears · Post by **Invisible_tears** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 10:17 pm

Hi all! I'm a newbie to the forums, nice to find a place where I can be honest about what I do. I've been cutting for a few months, but I'm kinda worried at the moment, as I think one of my most recent cuts might be infected. It really hurts even a few days afterwards, it's quite sore and red, and kinda yellowly crusty...my question is, how do I deal with this without going to the doctors? Is it dangerous to leave it? I bathed it in salt water tonight as I remembered that's what I did to prevent infection when I had some teeth taken out...but I don't know if this is too little too late? Obviously I don't want to go the doctors for antibiotics, becasue of all my scars, plus I don't know how I'd explain how I got the cut - it's a bit past what my cat could do, bless her, unless she was a tiger

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated, this is kinda stressing me out right now. Thanks everyone

fire.bird · Post by **fire.bird** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 10:27 pm

welcome to BUS.

first of all ... if you do ever have to go to the doctor, for any reason -- it's your right not to have to explain why you're hurt. there's actually a lot of discussion on here about the various laws doctors have to follow, whether or not they're morally obligated to ask if they feel a cut is as the result of SI, etc . ... and there are some really useful posts around here, along those lines. check out the sourcebook forum ... there should be a post in there called Patient's Bill of Rights ... i'll post the link back here if i find it.

however, i totally understand your not wanting to go to the doctor. i'd go ahead and treat the wound like you're talking about already. try to clean it really well, treat it with saline like you said above, and keep treating it with antibiotic ointment ... neosporin rocks my world. change bandages daily.

as for how dangerous an infection is ... depends on how deep the cut is. if it's deep enough that an infection could get into your bloodstream, that's not good. and if there's some question about that, and it doesn't go away soon ... take care of yourself. go to the doctor.

but if the cut's relatively shallow and the infection relatively mild, and you treat it properly for a few days, it shouldn't be very dangerous. it'll have to be a judgment call on your part.

take care of yourself. i hope you find it helpful here.

~b

Invisible_tears · Post by **Invisible_tears** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 10:50 pm

*hugs fire.bird* Thanks for your advice, and the welcome

It's much appreciated.
That's very interesting about the doctor! I assumed I'd *have* to say how I got it...but I think I'll do as you say, and treat it myself for a while...and if it doesn't get better, steel myself for going to the doctor. You have reassured me on that one though, I just won't volunteer any info on how I did it. And thanx for the recommendation of antibiotic ointment, I don't use anything like that at the moment...I must start taking care of my cuts, so I'll definitely be purchasing some ointment!
Thanks again, I can't tell you what a relief it is to just have someone talk to me and give me sensible caring advice, after (what seems like) so long of being completely on my own with this, and having to hide it from everyone...it's been the last couple of days when I got this infected cut that it's really hit me there's *no-one* I can turn to to help/reassure me with anything to do with my SI...so I was so glad to find BUS. So thank you

Green Beauty · Post by **Green Beauty** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 11:46 am

Well i think fire bird has given you the best advice, but i thought i would stop by and just welcome you to bus. Have a welcome cow

I hope everything is sorted now, take care.

Alex

kaygirl · Post by **kaygirl** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 4:49 pm

Have a cow

Fire bird has done an excellent job...so I have just one more thing to add...if you see little red streaks beginning to spike out from around your cut, that's an indication to get to the ER or a doc ASAP. That indicates a spreading infection.

However, if it is as firebird said, then just taking good care of it should clear it up.

Invisible_tears · Post by **Invisible_tears** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 9:21 pm

Thank you Alex88 and savvymegs for the welcome cows!

Am loving them.
Yeah I'm keeping an eye on it and hopefully it'll be fine

thanks for the advice about the red streaks, I'll be getting myself down the the GP ASAP if I see any of them!

fire.bird · Post by **fire.bird** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 9:35 pm

found it!

'k, some links for you:

http://www.buslist.org/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=19361

that's from the "sourcebook" forum. sourcebook is a place to keep really useful posts, and this particular link is to a thread that categorizes them by subject.

http://www.selfharm.net/firstaid.html

tips on first aid from deb's site.

http://www.selfharm.net/er.html

if you go to the doctor/er, read this one first.

http://www.selfharm.net/brights.html

this is what i was talking about before, the SIers "bill of rights." absolutely read it, for just for yourself, but especially if you end up having to go to the doctor, at any time.
______________________________________
don't believe i forgot your welcome cow! good call, alex...

savvymegs, i'm glad you mentioned the red infection lines ... that's a good point...

InvisibleTears wrote:I can't tell you what a relief it is to just have someone talk to me and give me sensible caring advice, after (what seems like) so long of being completely on my own with this, and having to hide it from everyone...

<gentlesmile>

i know *exactly* what you mean.

take care of that cut. and definitely go out and buy neosporin ... like i said, it really rocks my world. not only does it drastically reduce the likelihood of infection, but if you consistently put neosporin on a cut as it's healing, the scar will be much less pronounced. (i actually used to keep a tube of neosporin in my car, my backpack, and my purse, as well as in my house. i swear by the stuff.

)

~b

Infected cut, please help?

Infected cut, please help?

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