Medications for Sickle Cell Foot Ulcers

There are a variety of medications used to put on top of and treat foot and leg ulcers. The following is a list of medications my doctors have prescribed me.

 SILVER SULFADIAZINE CREAM
This is a thick white cream that is generally used for severe burns and leg/foot ulcers. It's an antibacterial cream that helps prevent infections. In my case, I have used this cream each time I cleaned and dressed the wounds, which was usually twice a day.
This has been a very effective medication for my wounds. It causes no pain when applied and is usually very soothing to the wound. It wasn't until I struggled with the two wounds that have refused to heal that other medications were used on my ulcers.

 SANTYL COLLAGNS
This is also a thick cream and is almost transparent. My doctor has advised me, when using Santyl, to clean and dress the wound only once a day.

The human body is an amazing and interesting machine. In an effort to protect the wound, the body will cause a mucus like film to form over the ulcer called slough; it's often yellow or white in color. Instead of protecting the wound, it actually prevents it from healing. So, to help the wound heal, the slough needs to be removed; also called debridement.

Santyl helps remove the slough from the wound so it has a chance to heal properly. If the slough and other dead tissue isn't removed, infection can set it. I have been amazed at how quickly an ulcer can turn from bad to worse.

 MUPIROCIN
This is another debridement ointment like Santyl. As with any illness, there are a number of medications available for a doctor to use. Due to the sensitivity of my wounds, Santyl and Mupirocin have both been hard to tolerate at times. But has my ulcers improved, I've been able to tolerate them better as of late.

 POLYSPORIN
This is a white powder that looks like flour. It's an antibiotic powder that is often used in first aid. My doctor has instructed me to sprinkle the Polysporin in with the Santyl. I put a small amount of Santyl in a tablespoon, sprinkle a little Ploysporin on it and mix the two together. This gives my wound the debridement benefit of the Santyl and antibiotic benefits of the Polysporin to help further reduce the chance of infection. The use of Polysporin with Santyl greatly reduced the amount of discomfort I felt when I used Santly alone.


 LIDOCAINE
The process of cleaning and dressing the wound can often be quite painful. The medication--such as the Santyl or Mupirocin--applied to the wound can sometimes cause pain. The kind of Lidocain I use is thin jelly that comes in a tube. I apply it to my wound if the pain gets too severe.

When I clean my wounds, sometimes the pain is at a level where I need to use the Lidocaine. If my wound is especially sensitive on any given day, I will use the Lidocaine before applying the Santyl. This has worked really well to help me tolerate the various medications my doctor has prescribed.