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Pregnant, Have A Large Bump Under Armpit. Diabetes Test Negative. Taken Keflex. What Can It Be Other Than Boil?
I am 16 weeks pregnant. At 12 weeks, I developed a large hard lump under my right armpit that hurt when I touched it. I went to the Dr. he checked for diabetes and it was negative, he thought it was a boil . I washed twice a day with antibacterial soap , used 4 hot wet washclothes a day for 20 minutes, and took Keflex, antibiotic , all for 7 days. The lump got smaller and did not hurt, and they did not open it up to drain it. It came back and hurts to touch it, and I called the Dr. and hes putting me back on Keflex for a week and I have to continue with the washclothes and washing. I just noticed that my tonsils are swollen. He said if it doesn t go away I had to come back. What else could this be other than a boil? It is not near my breast . What else they do to diagnose it?
Sat, 4 Aug 2012
Hello
Welcome and thanks for your question
I would be pleased to help you with your Question.
From you history mentioned about pregnancy and the presence of boils in the underarms , It would be very important for you to treat the condition . It looks like a condition called recurrent folliculitis or Furuncles. . The first step into figuring out how to prevent this is to get your blood sugar level done (both fasting and after a meal). Diabetes is a common cause of Recurrent Folliculitis.
If the sugar level is high then controlling it will prevent new lesions. Besides this here is what I recommend:
1. Mupirocin ointment twice a day for 5-7 days whenever the bumps come. If there is no improvement within 3 days of this then you will require a 5 days course of an oral antibiotic like Dicloxacillin 500 mg three times a day.
2. Dial Antibacterial liquid soap for bathing. Continue this even when asymptomatic.
3. Mupirocin cream twice a day in the inside skin of the nose for 14 days. This may seem strange since you have no symptoms there but this is the commonest site of carriage of the bacteria that causes this condition (staph). Infection keeps recurring from here through carriage by the fingers to other parts of the body.
NOTE: Dicloxacilllin and mupirocin will require a prescription so I would recommend discussing my recommendations with your GP/family physician. Bacitracin is an OTC alternative to Mupirocin cream.
Please feel free to ask if you have any queries.
The above medications are safe in pregnancy in second trimester.
Thanks and Take care
Welcome and thanks for your question
I would be pleased to help you with your Question.
From you history mentioned about pregnancy and the presence of boils in the underarms , It would be very important for you to treat the condition . It looks like a condition called recurrent folliculitis or Furuncles. . The first step into figuring out how to prevent this is to get your blood sugar level done (both fasting and after a meal). Diabetes is a common cause of Recurrent Folliculitis.
If the sugar level is high then controlling it will prevent new lesions. Besides this here is what I recommend:
1. Mupirocin ointment twice a day for 5-7 days whenever the bumps come. If there is no improvement within 3 days of this then you will require a 5 days course of an oral antibiotic like Dicloxacillin 500 mg three times a day.
2. Dial Antibacterial liquid soap for bathing. Continue this even when asymptomatic.
3. Mupirocin cream twice a day in the inside skin of the nose for 14 days. This may seem strange since you have no symptoms there but this is the commonest site of carriage of the bacteria that causes this condition (staph). Infection keeps recurring from here through carriage by the fingers to other parts of the body.
NOTE: Dicloxacilllin and mupirocin will require a prescription so I would recommend discussing my recommendations with your GP/family physician. Bacitracin is an OTC alternative to Mupirocin cream.
Please feel free to ask if you have any queries.
The above medications are safe in pregnancy in second trimester.
Thanks and Take care
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