Dear Runnermom,
Cassie and Pat have asked me to respond to this. I am a licensed Occupational Therapist and Certified Lymphedema Therapist and owner of my own lymphedema clinic as well as one of the moderators of the group.
This is a question that has not come up before and so I'm going to address this from a professional point of view.
Cellulitis is caused by bacteria entering the tissue through openings in the skin, generally wound type openings. Even the smallest opening can be a portal for bacteria to enter. Your lymphatic system is a major component of your immune system. When you have damage to the lymphatics, as from your surgery, the lymphatics to that area of the body -- in this case, the lower pelvic area -- has compromised immunity because the cells that normally take care of bacteria that enter the body cannot get through the lymphatics in sufficient quantities to control the bacteria and cellulitis results.
The best way to prevent this bacteria from entering the body is to remove it from the surface and that means a good cleaning with soap and water. Antibacterial soap is good but not necessary; a good washing will clean 99% of bacteria and other germs. Since you contract cellulitis each time you have sexual intercourse, it means someone is carrying bacteria on their skin -- either you, your partner or both.
Prior to having not allowed, be sure to cleanse the vaginal area thoroughly and pay special attention to the vulva and labial folds. Wash again immediately after having not allowed. In addition, your partner should make sure his genitals and pubic area are also clean. If a condum is used, wash the outside of the condum (after donning) as it is unlikely they are manufactured under sterile conditions. Anything that comes into contact with your genital area must be clean. While careful attention to cleanliness will go a long way to reducing the risk of contracting cellulitis, it won't eliminate it entirely and so I would also strongly suggest keeping antibiotics on hand and take them at the first sign of infection.
As for avoiding another pregnancy, there are two things you can do: allow at least one week before your normal menstruation (period) and at least one week after the menstruation before continuing sexual activity. Secondly, have your partner wear a condum (and follow the cleaning instructions above). Otherwise talk to your doctor about other methods of birth control.
With regards to controlling swelling in the genital area, I would like to also suggest that you consider purchasing a Swell Spot (by Solaris Medical) to place inside the compression garment. This is an inexpensive manufactured pad designed to fit certain anatomical areas to reduce hard-to-control swelling and will provide additional compression to help reduce the swelling to the genital area. Go to
http://www.solarismed.com, scroll down the left sidebar to "Products" and click on "Swell Spots". Some models to look at: Labia Swell Spot (# SP-15-F), Sweet Spot Swell Spot (# SP-19) and Oval Swell Spot (#SP-04).
Hope this helps.
Tom