One Friday 4 weeks ago, I woke up with a strange stiffness in my elbow. "Must've slept on it funny." As the day progressed at work, it really started to tighten up and grow progressively painful. Friday after work, it was swollen and warm. Great.
The subsequent Saturday morning 4 weeks ago, it was worse. And of course it's a weekend. So, being in the line of work that I am, some Cephalexin 500mg four times a day was started until a doctor's visit Monday. I'm generally not one to cry wolf or even GO to the doctor unless I really need to, so the admission 2 days ahead of time that I need to go is significant.
After a weekend of Cephalexin and no real headway in swelling, pain, or heat reduction, the doc changed me over to Ciprofloxacin 500mg twice a day for 10 days along with a dreadfully painful Rocephin 1gm shot in the arse. Ouch.
10 days later, just a subtle change in swelling and heat. The only portion that completely disappeared was the radiating redness and warmth down my arm. So, it was a jaunt over for an x-ray and a follow-up with the orthopedic office that worked on my knee (the 2nd time). X-rays negative for bone issues (outside of some degeneration) and just show soft tissue swelling (duh!). Antibiotic round 2 of EES 400mg (erythromycin) four times a day for 10 days.
Finished a 2nd round of 10-day therapy and granted the heat and the swelling have allllmost subsided, the level of pain has not diminished in the least. I have full range of motion, but if I bang it or touch it in just the right way....a jolt of burning pain.
Follow-up appointment today results in the scheduling of an MRI early next week. Thoughts of surgical procedures and INPATIENT hospitalization antibiotic therapy are bandied about. Shit. Not happy, and just a little bit scared and concerned. 4 weeks of elbow pain with no traumatic event to tie it to? WTF????
Updates to come...
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