Msra!

[Brandi]

Spelled it wrong in the title there! I forgot to mention my dh just had a mrsa infection from what started out a black widow bite! It was not fun and bad timing. We were sculpting and in dirty condtions being in the sand so it went from bad to REALLY bad. They put him on to drugs and he had to come in every other day to the Dr office to get he's bandages changed. And we were not home so we had to go to a place we didn't know. Scary! Keep all wounds clean and your hands and at first signs of infection GO TO THE DOCTORS! That is my lesson to you for the day!
Thank you for reading and good night,
B

[Zen]

That's exactly what I was talking about here:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=19493
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.
Crazy scary.

[mimitabby]

i was wondering what MSRA was :confused:
MRSA!

yeah, I just read that this is killing people all over the US... and it is often just from tiny innocuous wounds.

[Brandi]

I can't believe i spelled it wrong. You can't edit the title.

[northstar]

I heard a lot about this on public radio today...sounds scary. Yikes! From what it sounded like, thorough, very thorough handwashing is a start to trying to keep it contained. Hope everything is ok!

[Tri Girl]

How scary, Brandi! Yikes :eek: Glad your DH is ok!

My ER nurse friend told me yesterday the best way to help eliminate it is to stop using antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers (or if using hand sanitizers, get the alcohol based kind). She said those dang bacteria have mutated so much in recent years because of all of our antibacterial crap, and that's why the mrsa has gotten so much more prevalent recently (she just got back from some big medical conference or something).
She said- use Ivory soap- it's the best.

Very scary little invisible killer bacteria.

[roadie gal]

It's more the mechanical action of scrubbing that cleans things rather than the antibacterial soaps and stuff. They just change our natural flora.

Our whole practice has changed just over the past 6 months or so on how we treat skin infections. The antibiotics that we used for YEARS are now almost useless. We have to assume that all skin infections are MRSA. It's really scary.

[Eden]

She said those dang bacteria have mutated so much in recent years because of all of our antibacterial crap, and that's why the mrsa has gotten so much more prevalent recently (she just got back from some big medical conference or something).
She said- use Ivory soap- it's the best.

Very scary little invisible killer bacteria.


Yeah - I hate all the antibaterial junk that's out these days (besides now they think even the rise in allergies and asthma may be related to the fact that we keep our kiddies too clean these days - let em roll around in the good old fashined dirt and they come out healthier....) I've resorted to buying big jugs of handsoap from a janitorial supply since its so hard to find something in the grocery store that is plain old soap.

[luv'nAustin]

I just saw a news story this morning about another man that is recovering from a MRSA infection on his hand. It was caused by a spider bite too.

I hope that your dh continues to do well.

[limewave]

I've had MRSA 5 times now over 4 years. You ladies will appreciate this, my second infection started as a saddle sore. OWIEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! I had to wear a drain in the "area" for a week to help get rid of the infection.

Apparently the first infection was bad enough that they didn't completely get rid of it and now it lies dormant in my body just waiting to strike again and again.

Nothing gets rid of it but an IV and a good shot in the butt. They've given me oral antibiotics to take but they never help.

[roadie gal]

There are some people who are "carriers" who seem to get infections over and over. Have they had you do antiseptic showers or put antibiotic ointment in your nose (the nasal passage is frequently where the bug lives)? Also, anyone else in the house has to be treated with the showers and ointment.

[Brandi]

You know the funny thing is when he first got this three weeks ago no one talked about. Now it is on every news channel, every paper. My dh says he doesn't feel special anymore! :D

[limewave]

There are some people who are "carriers" who seem to get infections over and over. Have they had you do antiseptic showers or put antibiotic ointment in your nose (the nasal passage is frequently where the bug lives)? Also, anyone else in the house has to be treated with the showers and ointment.

I have taken antiseptic showers and the nasal treatment . . . didn't work. Another doctor said that it can be carried in the gut. So she has me on some medicinal shake every night for two months. Only time will tell if it works.

[Zen]

Did they say anything about eating lots of yogurt, Limewave?

[Brandi]

I have taken antiseptic showers and the nasal treatment . . . didn't work. Another doctor said that it can be carried in the gut. So she has me on some medicinal shake every night for two months. Only time will tell if it works.
ok my dh just read that someone used emu oil and it worked! They are looking into it. Whoever "They" are.

[velogirl]

when my father contracted MRSA in 1997, he was placed in isolation (to protect him) and treated with steroids and vancomycin. vanco (a super-powerful antibiotic) was the only drug effective at treating MRSA at the time. his immune system was already compromised because of the drugs he took for RA and he died about 6 months after contracting MRSA.

two years later my mother had nasal surgery and the docs confirmed that she had colonized MRSA (ie was carrying it all this time). she was placed in isolation and treated with vanco. she didn't die.

in 2005, I suffered a post-surgical infection in one of my salivary glands. my doc confirmed it was also MRSA (apparently I had colonized it 8 years prior). I was not hospitalized (this surprised me) but was treated with vanco. I didn't die either.

I remember a statistic from 1997 when my father contracted MRSA that approximately 80% of all hospital personnel were colonized with MRSA. my father contracted MRSA during surgery (spinal fusion). if my mother and I really weren't colonized in 1997 (as assumed by our docs), one could then assume that we also contracted MRSA during surgery.

hospitals can be scary places. I truly believe you shouldn't stay there any longer than necessary -- it's just too dangerous with lots of germies (like MRSA) just waiting to get you!

[roadie gal]

There are different types of MRSA: hospital and community acquired. The hospital acquired is MUCH worse. It's resistant to many more antibiotics. In fact, they have found some that are resistant to vancomycin, which is scary beyond belief.

The community acquired can be treated with more antibiotics, including some of the older, cheaper ones... so far.

Staph is the big news this week, but many, many bugs are becoming resistant to our antibiotics. Unfortunately, there's a lot more money in erectile dysfunction drugs than there is in antibiotics. So there just aren't that many new antibiotics coming down the pipe.

[Brandi]

My dh just found out yesterday that some mrsa infection are being mistaken for bug bites. When we looked at the pitures it looked just like what he had. So maybe he didn't get a black widow bite?

[roadie gal]

It can look like a little blister, or a bug bite. Usually there's some small lesion that allows the infection into the skin, though. So he might have had a bug bite or some small cut.

[ChickWithBrains]

1. You can't tell if it's MRSA or just run of the mill staph that's causing a skin infection, and while it's scary, the majority of skin infections aren't MRSA. This is changing, but so are doctor's prescribing practices when we see it. A single picture alone does no justice to the vast array of infections MRSA can cause. (I've seen many.)

2. Vanco has never been the "only" drug MRSA responds to; however, depending on the infection site it is sometimes the best drug. In areas where MRSA is pretty prevalent as a skin infection bug, clindamycin or bactrim tablets are often first-line treatment for non-hospitalized patients.

3. Bleeding is the best way for wounds to avoid infection, and it's only at and shortly after the time the wound is caused. Scrub that sucker and let it bleed, then dress it appropriately. Antibiotic ointments don't do squat except help the wound heal with better cosmetic results.

4. Most wounds don't get infected. Rates are surprisingly low, even for wounds that need stitches.

5. No good data yet on whether "eradication" techniques for carriers actually improve serious infection rates, morbidity, or mortality. Underlying illness seems to play a much bigger role.

6. WASH YOUR HANDS!!!! :)

[Brandi]

Just to be clear on this the doc my husband saw did a culture on he's infection to make sure it was mrsa. We never assumed it was.

[jusdooit]

Most people don't take enough time to perform this task. Sing a verse of happy birthday to yourself to get the time right. Also remember staph can reside on your towels so change them frequently.
All this talk of MRSA has made me very nervous, as I have 2nd &b 3rd degree burns on my left hand right now. I am way more paranoid than usual.

[emily_in_nc]

I've had MRSA 5 times now over 4 years. You ladies will appreciate this, my second infection started as a saddle sore. OWIEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! I had to wear a drain in the "area" for a week to help get rid of the infection.

limewave, how did you know your saddle sore was bad enough that it was infected? I have a pretty bad one that's hung around for a long time now, and of course now I'm worried it might be MRSA! :eek: I showed it to my doc when I went for my yearly appt. a couple of months ago, and she wasn't that concerned, but it's gotten worse rather than better since then. :(

Thanks,
Emily

[Brandi]

Oh my gosh! It has come back. My poor dh is in pain! A cyst formed on he's neck. it starting showing signs on monday. He was at the doc's that afternoon. They put him oh meds. Nose swabs and showers. And today when he's lab's came in posative they put him on another antibiotic on top of the other one he is on.
He is so miserable right now. All i can do is feed him. The German in me can't help that.
The infection is right where he's bike helmit strap sits. it is to painful to wear. So he is depressed on top of that cause he can't go for a bike ride!. Send healing vibes our way please. This infection is nasty big time!

[Mr. Bloom]

Oh my gosh! It has come back. My poor dh is in pain!

Yikes!:eek:

Hope he's better soon!

[Brandi]

He Seems to be doing better today. He started on another antibiotic last night and I think it has really kicked in. They gave him pain meds and I was able to talk him into taking one last night before he went to bed. I think that helped him. At least he slept through the night this time. He seemed to be really having a hard time sleeping. I am trying to be posative about this situation and keep he's spirits up that it will go away!

[RoadRaven]

Wow, this is kinda scarey
I hadn't even heard of it before...
Is MSRA limited to the States? Or is it world-wide?

As for antibiotics, I can't remember the last time me, or my kids had them... my partner had them earlier this year for an infected tooth/root canal... but before that I don't know when he last had them either.
We avoid them when possible which is most of the time. They are sooooo over-prescribed!

But this MSRA thing is bothering me...

[wannaduacentury]

Spelled it wrong in the title there! I forgot to mention my dh just had a mrsa infection from what started out a black widow bite! It was not fun and bad timing. We were sculpting and in dirty condtions being in the sand so it went from bad to REALLY bad. They put him on to drugs and he had to come in every other day to the Dr office to get he's bandages changed. And we were not home so we had to go to a place we didn't know. Scary! Keep all wounds clean and your hands and at first signs of infection GO TO THE DOCTORS! That is my lesson to you for the day!
Thank you for reading and good night,
B

Hope it heals quickly. I had friend that her spider bite turned into a staph infection and she had to have surgery and it was not in a comfy place either(her bum). It finally healed and she is fine. Many prayers to you and dh. Jenn

[mtbdarby]

Hey all. My ex called last week and told me he had a cyst thing and went in and it was an infection. He got another one and called and had to have it dranined. I jokingly told him to see if he had MRSA. He called today - another one and it is MRSA!:eek: Seems his gf is an LPN so he's got the bad strain (but apparantly she's not smart enough to suggest MRSA;) )

Anyone know if my ds is at risk for getting it from spending time with his dad? Is there a test he could take?

[Zen]

it can be spread through casual contact, and you know kids aren't the greatest hand-washers nor do they have hardy immune systems. I hope you don't have too much of a fight looming. maybe he'll have enough sense to know he has to stay away from Dar junior for a while. Stranger things have happened.

[surgtech1956]

OMG this is so scary. I work in a hospital and this past spring had a bad UTI and went to the doctor. She told me that she seeing more and more hospital workers with MRSA. I believe it, we wash our hands so many times with antibacterial soaps, betadine, hibicleanse, etc.. Here in Michigan, alot of schools and universities have reported cases and had to close the schools down to thoroughly clean everything.

[Mr. Bloom]

we wash our hands so many times with antibacterial soaps, betadine, hibicleanse, etc.. .

I've become a big fan of the alcohol based hand sanitizers...I like how they feel.

Are these really better/safer than the antibacterial soaps?

[Brandi]

I've become a big fan of the alcohol based hand sanitizers...I like how they feel.

Are these really better/safer than the antibacterial soaps?

I was told to spray alcohol on a lot of stuff around my house and to let it dry not to wipe it off. So yes i would think they are better. The antibacterial soaps do not work on this infection. We are using something called hibaclens. We have to use it from head to toe every single day for a month. I have a bottle by all the sinks and that is what we are also washing our hands with.No other soap works to get rid of this staph. (Sigh)
The worst part is the cyst my dh is dealing with is right where he's bike helmit strap goes. So he can't ride he's bike. And he is showing signs of being depressed over this. I feel so bad for him right now.

[Brandi]

My dh is doing better. Might even try wearing he's helmit tomorrow. But word of caution on the soap they have us using right now. The company that makes it says we can not use it on our head. There is something in it that can cause sever eye damage! I called today just to ask if using shampoo after I put it on my head was ok. The lady was very taken back by the fact that I was putting it on my face and scalp. I don't know what to do hmmm? Blindeness or chance or reinfection? I will take the latter!

[pll]

Maybe your DH should get a new helmet, with clean straps?

Just a thought...

[Brandi]

Maybe your DH should get a new helmet, with clean straps?

Just a thought...
Funny you mention that...I soaked he's straps and the inside of he's helmit with alcohol. Twice I have ,that's how wierded out about it I am.

[Zen]

Not sure alcohol will kill bacteria. How about Lysol?