Staph Infections
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Staph Infections
April 2010
I was wondering if anyone has successfully eradicated MRSA from
their family. If your doctor was particularly helpful, I'd love his or her
name. We have had repeated MRSA staff infections (two cases lab
confirmed in two members of our family, one early in the cycle that we
suspect was MRSA in a third family member). The most recent
landed my two year old in Children's hospital with a high fever and
needing IV antibiotics. I recently read ''Superbug, The Fatal Menace of
MRSA'' and I'm terrified that my family's next bout with MRSA will be
more serious. We're obviously colonizing MRSA in our noses. We did
one round of bactrim in all of our noses, but still had the recent
outbreak. We tried Bactrim again, along with sanitizing, washing towels
every day, frequently changing linens, bleaching every surface, tons
and tons of handwashing, etc. We are washing with antibacterial soap
in the shower. What frustrates me is we have no way of knowing if our
most recent round of antiseptic measured is successful until we get
another outbreak. In the meantime, I worry we are infecting others in
the community. I feel like I need an infectious disease expert. Can
someone recommend a doctor who might have a lot of experience with
MRSA and can help us eradicate this deadly bug once and for all?
THANKS!
The Oakland MRSA Colony
Get a referral to an infectious diease expert TODAY. If
you have not seen one thus far, your doctors are remiss.
My spouse got MRSA and the children did as well. I did
NOT. We were referred to an amazing Infectious Disease
person for our support. She was brilliant.
We lived out of state so I do not have the local contact.
But our doc has noted that the UCSF team of infectious
disease would be a good option. My husband is still very
diligent. The oral Bactrim did nothing for any of the
patients. All did the Vancomyacin route - all three were
put in a pic line and had the IV at home for 6 weeks. If
you do go this way - ask for the IV bottles that are
pressurized. (THey do not need to be hung on a
pole...especially helpful if you have little kids) My
husband was able to keep his IV bottle in his pocket while
being medicated and join us at the park.
If you are diligent about all the items you mentioned you
will not spread it.
It has now been 2 years with no outbreaks. WE do watch all
lesions or sores like a hawk - drawing circles around them
and checking for soreness. It never really leaves your
mind.
I empathize with you and I am hoping for the best.
MRSA wife and mom
Maybe it's not so nice to hear this- or maybe a little empathy helps- you are not
alone! My husband, myself and my daughter- when she was 4 months old- all
got really nasty infections and did the whole bactrim up the nose, major
antibiotics, bleach baths etc. It was really scary and gross and made me feel like
a leper. About 4 months after the initial infection, my daughter had another
infection- right under the nose- and we treated it immediately. It's been 4 years
now and we haven't had any other problems. We've been in contact with
infectious disease doctors, pediatricians and dermatolgists and none of them
have given us cause for alarm. Most people already carry the bacteria. Fun stuff.
Infected
Jan 2007
Help! My husband has had a staph infection in his nose for more than
two years now. None of the doctors seem to be able to figure out
what it is or how to treat it. Should we try alternative medicine?
Anyone have any experience with that?
I cannot believe that your doctor cannot figure this simple one
out - I and several I know get semi-regular staff infections in
our noses (I think it is contagious and I know it lives with us
all the time) and all were given Bactroban AKA Bactatracin (a
prescription antibiotic ointment like neosporin but stronger)
and apply it per the directions (3 X a day maybe?) and it is
gone within a day or two. So simple!!!
Anon
April 2006
I'm wondering if anyone out there has dealt with MRSA, the nasty
staph infection that results in painful boils, requires lots of
antibiotics and is really hard to get rid of. My husband, baby
and I have now been through a couple of bouts of it, starting in
November, and several courses of oral antibiotics and stuff that
you put up your nose. I noticed this week, to my dismay, a new
bump on my leg that has all the characteristics (painful like a
pimple, with a pustule).
All the information we've gotten has been confusing and
contradictory. We've been told that once you're ''colonized'' by
the bug, you've basically got it forever, living in your nose,
and that lots and lots of people are carrying the bug. If that's
the case, how come only some of us get the nasty boils?
I'm really concerned about how and if we can ever get rid of this
bug and the whole thing makes me feel kind of gross. My sister
who's pregnant can't stay with us at our house and my mom who's
getting surgery was told to be really careful.
What can we do to make our house cleaner? Never use the same
towel twice? Change our sheets every day? Never wear the same
clothes more than once? Do we have to worry about rugs? Do we
have to clean our bathmat every day? Do we have to sterilize all
our baby's toys every day? How fastidious do we have to be????
I'm guessing that the cleaner, the better but who has time to
clean all the time and work full time and have a baby? If such a
course is needed, how long do we have to conduct this assault on
our house?
It's driving me slightly nuts. Every bump I find on any of us
arouses our concern.
Mrs. MRSA
I recently had a staph infection that turned out not to be the
one you describe, but they thought it was, at the Tang center,
until they tested it. But, they told me, as did my
pediatrician, that this infection you describe was going around
this winter and LOTS of people had it--kids, college students,
whomever--so please don't feel gross. One of the doctors, when I
asked her how to protect myself and my baby from other super bugs
said you can preven 99% of infection by washing your hands really
well, including between the fingers. So, just follow your
doctors' advice and keep clean! and know you are not alone.
anon
I had a similar recurring staph infection and the dermatologist
finally gave up on me after several allergic reactions to
antibiotics, and my nursing daughter (and me) getting thrush
repeatedly from me being on antibiotics. I too used the up-the-
nose anti-bacterial cream as well as the topical on the staph
infection itself.
I went to see Christine Ciaverelli at the Hahnemann Medical
Clinic in Albany and she had me do a completely different
regimen that included grapefruit seed extract. I am happy to
say that I am totally infection free and it's a huge relief.
There is no sign of it at all for at least two years, and the
dermatologist also told me that i would have it for life.
Don't give up, you can get rid of it, it just takes some
creative thinking.
Good luck
anon
I really feel for you! My dad was in the hospital for over a
week last year with MRSA. I asked him about recontamination and
treatment of staph, and here was his reply. First, kudos that
you got a diagnosis, because apparently, this is tough for some
docs to catch. MRSA is drug resistant, so do everything you can
to kill it and yes, it can be killed to the point of not
reoccuring. This means be on the verge of paranoid. You, your
hubby, and child are likely recontaminating each other and you
can spread this to others, so be diligent. Wash towels, sheets,
cloth napkins, clothes, etc. every single day in hot water with
detergent. Use bleach or alcohol to clean surfaces (my parents
used them even on the toilet seat until my dad's sores dried up
completely). Stay out of public areas like swimming pools. Take
the antibiotics as prescribed for the entire course of drugs,
even if your sores clear up before you are done with the
medication. My dad recommended a detergent skin cleanser such as
Hepiclens (available over the counter...ask the pharmacist). Use
a brand new, disposable razor every time you or your hubby shave.
Do NOT share towels, etc when any of you have open sores. You
can keep the sores covered with gauze to prevent too much spread.
And talk with your doctor! She/he should know all about how to
better inform you. Unfortunately, MRSA is on the rise, which is
just scary. Good luck and as I said, be paranoid with
cleanliness. Try this until your whole family has been clear of
sores for at least a month.
Sympathetic
This is a correction to my earlier reply. I am the person who
mentioned that my dad was hospitalized with this last year. My
correction is that the detergent soap I mentioned is spelled
Hibiclens (not hepiclens). It is available at Walgreens (and
likely other drug stores). Also, everything I have shared is
based on family experience. I am not sharing this info as a
health professional. Good luck.
Sympathetic (again)
Hi there-
I didn't see the original post on this one, but I just read
someone else's reply to you.
We (our family) had it recurring for about a year. Make sure
you all treat your noses (inside) at the same time with
bactroban. And the person who gets the sores needs antibiotics.
My daughter would get little pimples on her butt and they would
go away on their own but just reappear again and again. It
wasn't until she took the antibiotic that they finally
disappeared. I got several boils from it and my son only ever
got one boil. We took antibiotics for the boils but I was at
first taking antibiotics that the MRSA is resistant to because
it took us awhile to figure out it was MRSA. My son's
pediatrician is the one who finally figured it out and sent me
to my own doc to have my nose cultured since I was getting
recurring sores. My husband never got any. My nares (nose)
cultured postive so I was a carrier after being exposed and
needed the nare Bactroban treatment. Many persons who
continually get the boils are reinfecting themselves with their
own fingers. I read the average person touches their nose many,
many times a day. Be diligent about NO nose picking! (I know!)
We treated everyone with the bactroban twice for 10 days each
time because they came back in between. Don't give up! MRSA
is a persistent bug but it can be gotten rid of. The medical
community still disagrees about treatment but I say be upfront
about what you want.
If you have any questions, you may contact me through the
moderator.
Once in your shoes
July 2005
Does anyone have any information about a natural or alternative
treatment for a staph infection on the skin for an 8 year old.
This infection is on the skin right behind the ear. It's an angry
red color and gets very dry and peely. The doctor has said it is
not eczema, but is staph. We really would rather avoid
antibiotics. Thanks for any help you can give.....Jason and Linda
jason
Please see a doctor and please take the antibiotics any time
you have a bacterial infection like this. Not only are they
contagious, but people die from staph infections. I had a
friend in college, a healthy young man, who had to be hospitalized
for a couple of weeks for a systemic staph infection that started
out as a small irritation on his toe. Do a google search to learn
more about staph infections - they are nothing to fool around
with. Please take the antibiotics.
In regards to your staph infection. I hope by now you've seen your doctor or spoken
with one.
Just last month I contracted staph and another bacteria through an open blister. It
spread very quickly and became blood born. I became infected on a Tuesday and
was in the hospital ICU by Friday morning. I was very sick and contracted secondary
problems from the infection while in the hospital.
Please don't take such infections lightly. I am a very healthy and relatively young
person and I still became deathly ill. The antibiotics I was given were toxic but saved
my life.
michelle
March 2004
I've had a recurrent skin staph infection for four plus months,
since giving birth to my daughter. MRSA, the methicillin
resistant staph has been ruled out. Now my 4 & 2 year old have
it as well, and I'm trying to keep my baby from getting it. We
have all done multiple rounds of oral antibiotics and are using
bactroban in our nostrils. It goes away for a week or two after
each round of antibiotics, then recurrs with large painful
boils. I know how dangerous staph can be if it becomes an
internal infection.. so I'm very worried, washing hands,
clothes, linens constantly and doing all that I know to do to
get this out of my family. Any other ideas/success stories?
Please no ''staph killed my cousin stories'' I've heard enough of
the horror of it, I just need help or ideas. We've also used
phisohex, which keeps it away a little longer, but it always
comes back and my most recent Dr (kaiser) says it'll become
resistant to that if we keep it up..
thank you.
anon
I developed a staph infection of the breast 1 month after
giving birth to my son. My OB took it VERY seriously and after
it didn't respond to oral antibiotics she eventually
hospitalized me for a week so an infectious disease specialist
could oversee my treatment and I could receive IV
antibiotics. Although your infection seems to be responding
to oral antibiotics, but continues to recur, maybe you could
ask your doctor for a referral to an infectious disease
specialist to be sure you and your family are getting the best
treatments possible. Hope that helps.
anon
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