Need internet medical advice

[Monkeyleg]

Last week Thursday I had surgery up in Nashville, a bit over 100 miles away. The biggest concern with this surgery is infection, and so the discharge papers instruct the patient to call if he has a fever of over 101 degrees.

I've been running at 98-point-something for the last week. Today I pushed myself a bit too hard. I checked my temp tonight and it was 101. I immediately retired to bed, took some Tylenold, and am again taking it easy.

I called the hospital in Nashville, and the woman said I'd need to deal with a doctor here in town. There's nobody to drive me around, so I'd need to call an ambulance to see a doc.

After taking some Tylenol and taking it easy, I've got my temp down to 100.1. I'm thinking I should just rest tonight and see what it's like in the morning.

Does that sound right, or should I call an ambulance?  I know it's stupid to ask on a forum, but I guess doctors don't dispense advice over the phone.

[BlueStarLizzard]

You really need to make friendly with the neighbor's at some point. You keep having these issues with needing minor assistance and not having anyone available.

That said, and I am not a doctor... I wouldn't call for an ambulance. I'm also the one that wouldn't go to the dentist until I had a dying impacted wisdom tooth and was nearly out of my mind with pain, so I'm probably not the best person to take advice from on the subject.

[41magsnub]

Call a cab

[roo_ster]

Alternate tylenol and advil and see if that manages things over the next 12 hours.  If not, call uber or a cab when the time comes.  Pack an overnight bag when you head to the doc.

[BobR]

7 days out, about the time for those nasty bugs they worry about to start growing. You could wait and end up with something so bad you end up as an inpatient, or you could go in now, get some labs and find out by going in now a dose of IV antibiotics and then oral abx at home. Bottom line is you are an adult and you know what is right, whether or not you choose that path is your choice and you own the consequences which could include death. Hope I didn't sugar coat it too much for you.

bob

[Hawkmoon]

100 is not over 101. I would wait until morning.

I am not a doctor.

[Bob F.]

Roll the dice, Baby!!!

[Monkeyleg]

Yeah, I'll call the surgeon's office in the morning and see if they want me to go see my  GP or go to a hospital.

I really think it was due to trying to do too much today. I was hurting something fierce by 5 pm.

I hate laying around.

[vaskidmark]

Jeeze!  You really need to chillax a bit.

Activity will raise body temperature.  How long it stays raised is the issue.  Also, things like if there is drainage or discharge from the surgical site.  Chills?  Mental confusion (beyond your normal)?  Swelling around the incision site or of any of the lymph nodes (jaw, neck, armpits, groin to start with)?

stay safe.

[K Frame]

Are you able to see the incision? What's it look like?

[lee n. field]

Uber or a cab.   An ambulance to go see a doc?

[Monkeyleg]

Temp went down overnight to 99.1. It was just the overdoing it yesterday.

I remembered that there's a strip of time-release antibiotics on the inside side of the stitches, so any regular antibiotics is unnecessary,
 unless there's something more than expected.

I know I should chillax, but this is major stuff. An infection means they have to rip out everything they installed, and try again in a year.

As for transport, there's no Uber around here. Just regular taxi's, and they stop running at about 9 pm.

They shaved the whole groin area before surgery and now stubble is growing in. Everything is scratching and burning. I haven't had 30 seconds of sleep in the last five nights. Another sleepless night and I may get hallucinations. I hope they're good ones.

[mtnbkr]

you got one of these?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3385604/End-vasectomy-New-implant-allows-men-turn-fertility-flick-switch-inside-scrotum.html

Chris

[Monkeyleg]

Nope. Had a vasectomy in 1980, and don't want any kids now.

A vasectomy is simple. It's a doctor's office visit, and you can go to work the next day.

[Northwoods]

They shaved the whole groin area before surgery and now stubble is growing in. Everything is scratching and burning.

I wouldn't say that was the worst part of the hernia surgery recovery, but it definitely made it worse that it otherwise would have been.  Especially since the swelling resulted in that stubble rubbing in places it wouldn't have without the swelling.