Staph. Infections a Common Yet Serious Problem

Top 81. Oct 26, 2004 11:21 AM

» crystalsnap - RE: staph infections???

My husband is at the doctors office as I'm writing this regarding sores that keep recurring on his arm. Not sure what it is yet. Reason for him going is that they have been happening for about a year now. He didn't think much of it until I got a sore on my arm recently, (which I thought was a spider bite)now our 5 yr. old has two on her. His whole family gets boils occasionally. Everyone except his father. My question is can heand his family possible have had a staph infection their entire lives??? Also, my husband's grandfather on his Mom's side died of a staph infection.

-- posted by crystalsnap

Top 82. Oct 31, 2004 3:57 AM

» Lee48 - Re: Staph infection after hernia surgery

In response to Staph infection after hernia surgery posted by SunnyDeb1:

Good morning SunnyDeb1. My very best friend has been fighting this since 02/2003. She finally had the mesh removed (put in following a hysterectomy) in 05/2004 because of the staph. She was admitted Friday for the third time in 5 months because the staph won't go away despite 3 rounds of IV antibiotics (6 weeks each time). The MRI shows it has grown and it's on her spine, where they tacked the mesh to hold it in. She's 65 and I have felt from the beginning that this would be the death of her. I pray that's not true, but she has lost more than 40 lbs and now can't hardly walk. I type medical reports and know this stuff is tough to get rid of. Is there anyone out there that has actually gotten rid of it for good?

SunnyDeb1, I'm so sorry, I've seen some of what you are going through by watching my friend. All I can do is add your husband to my prayer list and hope he is healed of this soon.

-- posted by Lee48

Top 83. Nov 1, 2004 7:42 PM

» dgt1992 - Re: Re: abscess

In response to Re: abscess posted by brenm62:

I am now recovering from an abcess(off work over a week). My doctor referred to it as a karbunkle. I don't know if it is msra, but i think it may be. I haven't had any surgeries recently and consider myself healthy. I pray no others suffer from this wouldn't wish it on no one. God bless you.

-- posted by dgt1992

Top 84. Nov 3, 2004 10:57 PM

» candy1835 - Re: Re: abscess

In response to Re: abscess posted by brenm62:

This is my first time posting on any type of message board also. I just wanted to say I too understand the pain and frustration you and highschoolgirl are going through. I have been battling MRSA infections for over 2 years now, and no treatments have been successful. I've been put on rifampin and doxycycline which my infections are now resistant to. They've tried bactrim which I was allergic to. I've tried zyvox which runs about $1,100 for 20 tablets. I've had 2 PICC lines and have tried cubicin and vancomycin. The vancomycin landed me in the hospital. All of the medications they have given me are supposed to be the best treatments for MRSA infections. The medicines all make my abcesses go away while I'm taking them, but for some reason they always come back within days of stopping. Now my infectious disease doctor wants me to try taking baths with 1/2 a cup of clorox bleach added. I've also started a desensitization course of bactrim to see if bactrim might help me after all. All I can suggest is getting blood tests for immune disorders to make sure your body is doing it's part fighting of the infection. Medicine only does so much. I've had tests and they have found nothing wrong which is good and bad depending on how you look at it. If you find anything that works for you please let me know. I miss being able to go to the beach. I hate having to wear pants all summer long to cover up all the boils on my legs. I don't want to be contagious anymore! Good luck with your battle.

-- posted by candy1835

Top 85. Nov 3, 2004 11:28 PM

» candy1835 - Re: Sinus MRSA

In response to Sinus MRSA posted by rob667:

I do agree that zyvox isn't the easiest drug to get. I'm 19 and my doctor had me on zyvox for MRSA abcesses. It didn't work. My infection was supressed while I was on it, but it came back as soon as the course was over. The problem with this medication is that it's ridiculously expensive. It costs about $55 per tablet. In order to get this medicine you doctor must first put in a pre authorzation request to your insurance company. The pharmacy requires this pre authorization so that they know it will be paid for by your insurance. Most pharmacies do not stock this medication. They must special order it. They won't order it until they receive the authorization. Some insurance companies won't give an authorization for this drug due to it's high cost. I have universal care and my plan allows for $3,000 in prescriptions per year (hardly enough for a 20 day Zyvox course). My boyfriend has blue cross hmo 100% and hasn't had any problems with limits or attaining zyvox. If your doctor won't give you an rx and you are convinced that you should be on this drug, I suggest you find a new doctor. Go see an infectious disease doctor who understands your need for this drug. Good luck!

-- posted by candy1835

Top 86. Nov 8, 2004 4:33 PM

» FabRoger - Re: Re: abscess

In response to Re: abscess posted by brenm62:
Hi there. I don't know if my story will help anyone, but I'll give it to you anyway. I really credit my healthcare team as a whole with helping me recover to the point I have, but I'm still far from completely recovered. Anyway, I had a lumbar disk fusion surgery on August 26th of this year. Back surgery went great and all was well until about 6 days prior to removal of the staples from the surgical incision, which was at about the 2 week mark following surgery. The incision began to get seriously infected, and extrememly painful. I also had a fever and extreme cold sweats. By this time I was sleeping nearly 24 hours a day. By the time I got in to the doctor to have the staples removed about 5 days later, the infection had spread from my incision on my lower back, clear around to the front part of my sides. I could hardly sit at all. I had the sweats so bad my clothing was constantly soaked through, yet I was freezing cold. The doctor removed my staples and slapped me in the hospital right then. They put me on an IV of Vancomycin which I was on for about 5 days. They were supposed to start a PICC line, but apparantly they were too busy. It took them 3 days to get it done. By then I was so emaciated they couldn't get a vein, so they had to put it in in my arm pit. That's the only place they could find a vein! I was in bad shape. I was so out of it all the time. Unfortunately, the vancomycin was only partially successful. It must've taken care of some of the outward sign of infection, 'cause they were gonna let me go home at the 5 day mark. But I felt like crap still. I was at level 10 pain all during this time and sleeping constantly, I think due both to heavy use of narcotic pain relievers and sickness. Finally on the 5th day following my hospitalization, the partner of my neurosurgeon who performed my back surgery was on rounds at the hospital and he checked in on me. The hospital had been planning on discharging me that day, and due to an off-handed remark I made to one of the nurses "Shouldn't I be feeling better? How long do you think it will take?" She suggested that they better have the doctor look in on me. When he came in and looked at my incision he said it was obvious that "It is still draining in there and that the only way its going to get better is to open it back up and clean it out. Then, we're going to leave it open and let it heal that way." And that's exactly what they did. Then the following day, an infectious diseases doctor (who I later found out is the best one in Portland) came down and met with me and let me know that they would be sending me home and that I would have an IV of Nafcillin for 6 weeks to destroy the staph, which had insidiously made its way into my blood stream by then. Then, 2 days later they sent me home to heal. I had to have home health care 2 days a week and I was so blessed to find that my local home health care agency in managed by a wound care specialist, and man is she great. She knew more than my doctor about healing an open incision like this and mine has healed faster than anyone believed possible. Anyway, I'm convinced that this "healing in an open position" is largely responsible for my healing with no further infection recurrence. Granted, my infection had not gotten extremely deep. They didn't have to remove my fusion hardware. but nonetheless they were able to stop the drainage that was happening inside that was keeping the infection going. Once the wound was opened and cleaned, every time the bandage was changed (initially twice a day) disinfectants and other medicinal agents were able to be placed directly into the incision site. Now, as of Monday, November 7, the incision is nearly closed. It started out 1.5 - 2 inches deep and is now just a couple of milimeters deep. I've had NO further infection and I only see home health only once every other week. My bandage only has to be changed every couple of days, although we change it every day because it gets wet when I shower. My main lasting effect of my infection, and why I checked out this board is that I just completely lack any energy at all. I wear out so easily. I've had an incrediby difficult time getting any stamina back at all. I took 2 months off of work, and have only been back 2 weeks. I have a desk job and its not particularly stressful. By the end of the weeks I'm just dead. Any of you have any advice? My advice for you folks is to maybe have your doc open up those infected incision sites and see if they're still draining in there. Maybe get a second opinion. My answer came from the PARTNER of my operating doc, and I'll never forget his words to me. He said: IF YOU WERE MY PATIENT, I'd open up that incision and clean it out and let it drain. And then I'd leave it open. WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THERE IS ITS DRAINING THEN STOPPING THEN DRAINING THEN STOPPING, AND ITS GOING TO JUST KEEP DOING THAT, AND AS LONG AS IT DOES ITS GOING TO STAY INFECTED. Hope this helps someone. Good luck and God bless. Roger

-- posted by FabRoger

Top 87. Nov 16, 2004 11:58 AM

» Jennifer16628 - Re: Re: Re: abscess

In response to Re: Re: abscess posted by FabRoger:

Roger
I'm happy to hear you are doing much better. You are from Portland -- Oregon? You said you had a great infectious disease doctor. I am from Portland also and am interested to know who helped you. My story isn't as terrible as some that I have read but I am very confused and my life has turned upside down. 5 months ago I was a healthy 28 year old mother who started foster care. Unknowingly I took in some children who were infected with MRSA - somehow I got an infection that landed me in the hospital for a couple of days followed by doxycycline for a week. Fever resumed 3 days after antibiotics ended so on to another 2 week round of the same stuff. All went well except the wound did not heal. Told it was a granuloma. Had it cut out and stitched up. 2 days later back at ER for infection -- tested + for MRSA AGAIN! Left wound open and started a 10 day course Bactrimrim -- that was 1 1/2 months ago - still not healed. Now I have 2 new infections (one on my stomach -- 3 inches in diameter with a necrotic center -- and one on my chest) that I have been put on Bactrim for hoping it will work. Will this ever go away? Any advice would be very appreciated. Good luck to everyone. By the way Roger - if it hasn't been done maybe you need to ask about anemia - I found out that I am now and I guess it's pretty common - had the same symptoms - complete physical exhaustion. Good Luck!

-- posted by Jennifer16628

Top 88. Nov 20, 2004 8:13 AM

» tdrew108 - Re: question about my son

In response to question about my son posted by dolphinchaser747:

Hi my son got mrsa last year dec 04, by the time they tested him for it and found out what he had he was dead. He was a healthy 21 year old and in his senior year at college playing football and he got sick on a tuesday and four day later. I think doctors and the public really need to take mrsa very serious and if you feel you son may be at risk do something about it, it can save your som's life. I watched my son die and I never heard of msra. People need to be aware of it.

theresa drew

-- posted by tdrew108

Top 89. Dec 14, 2004 12:16 PM

» Emmily_Stearman - Re: never ending staph

I have a question for you, you mention that you were pregnant when the staph infection began, did this effect your baby? I get these staph infections every single year around the same time, once it was in my nose and then now they are just coming up under my arm. I am use to having these boils come up under my arm to where i have gotten this stuff called biol ease and i get the nasty stuff out myself, its not as painful and someone isnt cutting me open. Anyways i am now pregnant and i am concerned about my unborn child. Did it hurt your baby at all by you having this infection?

-- posted by Emmily_Stearman