Possibly amputating my hand?!


Question: Possibly amputating my hand.?
I'm 18 years old and my orthopedic doctors informed me yesterday that my left hand might have to be amputated. It all started a month ago due to a bad infection, was hospitalized for 3 wks w/IV antibiotics, surgery on it, and been put on a cast as well so bacteria doesn't spread in it. They just took it out yesterday and hoping it would get better, it got worst.
How can this be.? And why do the doctors have to suggest surgery to amputate it.? I don't want to lose my hand... Scared but don't know how to tell or show my doctors ... Help please !
Thanks in advanceHealth Question & Answer


Answers:
Call an alternative medicine facility and tell them your situation. I know that there have been patients with gangrene that supposedly needed to have parts amputated, but ended up recovering after 6 months of IV therapy with either hydrogen peroxide or chelation therapy (can't recall exactly which one it was). Anyway, they may be able to help you. Best wishes. I hope this helps some. Here is an article you may want to read:

http://www.medical-library.net/hydrogen_...Health Question & Answer

They'll only have to amputate your hand if they have to. And if they do, it will be because it will save your life. People naturally think they know what is best for them. But doctors have devoted there lives to knowing how peoples bodies work. Sorry but if antibiotics don't help, then your going to just have to listen to them.Health Question & Answer

You may have heard of the flesh-eating virus .?
You may have a variant of this.
It may be a choice of losing a hand to save an arm,or a life.
I am sure they have mechanical hands that are almost as capable -sometimes better -than regular hands. Think of "The Bionic Woman" TV show ,or Youtube clips of same.
Life will go on.Courage.
Health Question & Answer

Ouch, Just try to keep your arm clean as possible, and tell your doctors that that is really your last option.
Best of luckHealth Question & Answer

do what your doctors tell you to do. they are much smarter than you.Health Question & Answer

**** i feel real bad for you...

if i were u, id go to different doctors to get different opinions...

good luck!Health Question & Answer

Ask them why !Health Question & Answer

Here is an article about a person (a farmer) who was successful in overcoming a bad hand infection in Ghana. You may want to look into the treatments that person received. I am so sorry that you are going through this very difficult situation, and I will pray for you. They used something called silver polymeric membrane dressings along with cleansing and irrigating the wound with a concentrated salt solutiion, which can act to debride and also kill some types of germs.
http://wocn.confex.com/wocn/2006annual/t...

There isn't enough info here to know what the infection looks like and how much tissue damage there is and how far it has spread, what the germs involved,are, is there abscess now, what antibiotics have they tried, etc.

You may want to consult with an infectious disease doctor is you haven't already. Have they tried physical therapy and warm hot salt soaks.?

. You may want to seek a second opinion as a large medical facility such as Johns Hopkins or Mayo Clinic. There is also a great hand institute in Louisville, Kentucky, I have heard.

Maybe see a hand specialist at a large university or Mayo Clinic where they have the latest developments. Call the NIH and ask them.
Here is a website with some info on hand infections and amputations.
http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic224....

http://wocn.confex.com/wocn/2006annual/t...

http://www.assh.org/Content/NavigationMe...

http://www.emedicine.com/plastic/topic30...

.?id=hkpaq19GUqEC&pg=PA52&lpg=PA52&dq=treatment+of+abscess,+hand&source=bl&ots=nuT2_hCLRA&sig=ZgN8JvhGDzlMTk2sDx6Q34pmoWI&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA58,M1" rel="nofollow">http://books.google.com/books.?id=hkpaq19...

You may want to contact this plastic surgeon who has a blog spot and inquire if she could refer you to someone for a second opinion.
.?imgurl=http://www.medscape.com/content/2004/00/46/84/468419/art-bjd468419.fig6.jpg&imgrefurl=http://rlbatesmd.blogspot.com/2007/12/skin-complications-from-drug-abuse.html&usg=__9mQPUh6USNjbP1D7BcgVwJAGwsk=&h=297&w=400&sz=33&hl=en&start=17&um=1&tbnid=XO_c9X2JsvFOYM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhand%2Babscess%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1B3GGGL_enUS213US214%26sa%3DN" rel="nofollow">http://images.google.com/imgres.?imgurl=h...

ADD ON ADD ON ADD-ON
I got an email from the PLASTIC SURGEON about your problem.
She said that you need to SEE A HAND SPECIALIST and GET A SECOND OPINION. "She should ask for a hand specialist. Not simply an orthopedist or gen surgeon or plastic surgeon who occasionally does hand surgery. Someone who does a lot of hand surgery as part of their normal practice or only hand surgery.

It is normal to be afraid to lose one's hand or even a finger or toe. I would find that very scary myself. However, most surgeon's won't suggest amputation unless it truely is needed. If the infection is spreading, it can mean loss of more than just finger or hand.

I hope she will seek a second opinion."

That is what a plastic surgeon recommended about your specific case. I hope this helps.

THese doctors in Louisville, KY have done hand transplants. I heard that the best hand doctors were in Louisville, but I don't know if this is the same group, but if they do transplants, it seems that they would be quite good to at least get a second opinion.
http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/st...Health Question & Answer



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