I have MRSA sores on my buttox and it was a week that I was in the hospital before the doctors in Massachusetts realized that MRSA could not be treated with CIPRO!!!!!!I was then switched to sulfa and then to minocycline! still no luck and I was never isolated in the hospital!!

I have MRSA

I have mrsa and after heart bypass I am still so weak I can not do any of my housework, and end up in the hospital about once a month. I feel exactly the same as I did before bypass exceptjust weaker. My sternum was removed and I was in the hospital from July 31st till Jan. 11. I would go home and the next week I would be taken back to the hospital. There has to be something that can be done I am only 64 years old I can not pick up my great grands can not go out the front of my house and can not squat down. I feel like I'm a hundred years old.
If any one has better info please let me know.
Imalene Pardon
rip@tds.net

my girlfriend got a very similar mrsa infection to 'new york' above. they first treated it w/ cipro which made it calm down, but then it came back even worse 3 weeks later! finally flux...worked, but it seems like it's always lurking.

After a trip to Northern Florida for vacation my husband noticed that he had a small redish "pimple" type "bite" on his inner thigh. It acted like it was a spider bite. Red and hard in the center with a big halo ring around it that grew bigger each day. When we made it back home he went to the ER feeling horriable and noticing that he had another on his left thigh and one on his finger and one that had gotten really large in the groan area. The hospital didn't do anything to the areas....just gave him a bag of antiobiotics through an I.V. for an hour and sent him home. They never even checked for MRSA or even had a clue of the severity of it.
Later on that night my husband was feeling alot worse and a friend just happened to call to check on us that works in the medical field. They didn't like what little they heard that the ER. had done so they wanted us to come to their clinic so he could check on him himself. (10:00pm at night) If it wasn't for his knowledge of what was going on my husband would have gotten worse over night and the disease could have gotten into his blood or in his bone on his finger. He recomended that we go straight to the Hostpital and be admitted. He recongnized the signs of the MRSA......thank goodness. The hospital Er. blood test results were later found out that my husband had a 15.2 thousand white blood cell count and should have NEVER been sent home.
My husband went into surgery 2 days later and had to have 4 places on his body lanced open and cleaned of infection and drained. These wounds have to be left open and packed with gauze until it heals from the inside out. This has to be packed and changed daily. VERY PAINFUL.
Another odd thing is that the staph infection somehow transfered to me and i had a spot on my leg that had to be treated as well.
I just wanted to let everyone know our story so they will insist on being treated quickly and aggressively with antibiotics if they have any of the symptoms that everyone has listed.
Looks like innocent insect type bites need to be watched more closely to make sure that that is what they really are.

Texas

HELLO,
MY UNCLE HAS BEEN TOLD HE HAS MRSA. HE IS IN SO MUCH PAIN. HE IS ALSO A DIABETIC. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT GIVE HE A LOT FOR THE PAIN. HIS KIDNEY'S ARE NOT FILTERING OUT THE MEDS.
MY QUESTION IS IN A PERSON THAT IS DIABETIC VERY DIABETIC, AND IF IT IS IN HIS KIDNEY'S, WHAT CAN THEY GIVE HIM? WHAT IS HIS RECOVERY GOING TO BE LIKE? ALSO, THEY HAVE LANCED 3 OF THE SORES, 1 ON HIS BELLY, 1 ON HIS ARM, AND THE OTHER ON HIS LEG.
THE ONE THAT IS CAUSING THE MOST PAIN IS ON HIS KNEE, THERE IS ONE ON THE TOP OF HIS KNEE AND ON THE BACK OF THE SAME KNEE. HE IS IN VERY BAD PAIN!
IN THIS KNEE ALSO, A VERY HIGH FEVER!
LOOKING TO HELP A LOVING UNCLE,
TY
LQ

My 12 year old daughter has been treated for 3 months now with MRSA nothing so far has worked. She has had the "wicks" placed in several times and is now very scarred. If anyone knows what to do about the scars please post it. Mary

I had to go in to have day surgery for a port due to the fact
that earlie I needed a blood transfusion & iron. The dr. gave me 12
bags in all and said it was 2 bags to much & that we had to get some of it out or it would kill my liver. within 4 days I began
to have pain in my neck & shoulder and went to the ER where I was
given a shot of rocephin and one of demerol. neither worked and
everyday and nite for the weekend they did it again.. Finally on
Monday I went to see the surgeon and he had the audasity to tell
me there was no way I was in that kind of pain, go home & we'll
watch it for a couple more days. I was so shocked all I could
do was cry but fortunatly my best friend jumped up and told him
that he would be addmitting me immediately. The or else was implied and he got the point. The MRSA HAD GONE TO MY NECK & SPINAL CORD...The cdc dr. said that in another 24 hours I would
have been dead or a quadraplegic....My hospital stay lasted almost six weeks and was followed by doing my own IV at home for
three more weeks,,,,,,,,now comes the scarry part...I went in for
another surgery. I told them to please use Vancomiacin so that
I didn't risk getting mrsa again, they said he had ordered another antibiotic but it was extremely good on skin born infections. I went back to my dr. 24 hours after telling them
my incision was infected and that it looked very much like
mrsa. My neuro-surgeon removed my stitches, leaving a gaping
wound, took a culture, had me deliver it to the local hospital
lab, and gave me some keflex incase it wasn't mrsa. but in the
same breath said he felt certain that I was right and that it was
mrsa and he'd let me know and then we would decide what we should
do this time around. I'm sitting at home for 2 days now with a
awful looking gaping wound on my hand and I feel scared and depressed. I am so confused why did they quarrantine me for 4-6
weeks before and this time they admit they think I have it again
but they are letting just walk around anywhere I want to go.
I feel terrified for my kids are they insane or am I? What should I do???

my husband is in a california state prison. last year he was 'TOLD' by the medical personel he had 3 'SPIDER BITES' on his behind. they were EXACTLY what you all have been describing.
they were a NIGHTMARE and he had all the symptoms. he became extremely ill we excepted what they told us about 'SPIDER BITES'. BIG MISTAKE!!!!!!!!! they also bent him over a table and ripped out the cores with no pain medication or anything. shortly after that i got a bump on my face that grew to the size of a golf ball. it had to be lanced and drained and packed with gauze. it was the most painful thing in the world.I THOUGHT!!!!
1 MONTH later i got another one on my chin. 3 months later i got attacked with 9 of the on my vulva one the size of golf ball. my docter lanced three of them and gave me antibiotics and i have been on them for 1 month. i just refilled my second set of pills. they are still telling the inmates these things are spider bites and they are not treating them with antibiotics. this stuff is dangerous!!!!!!!!!!!!! we dont know where else to turn.
renee flint

My whole family has MRSA. My two year old first, four year old, my husband then me. My husband has been in the hopital for 3 days. Our doctor tested for MRSA immediately. I had the germ once and so far no more break outs. My two yr. old is now three and it is a constint battle. On her buttocks and her pointer finger is where she gets them the most. Every other month it seems she is going to the doctor.

My brother is diabetic and he contracted MRSA in the hospital about ten years ago. He has periodic outbreaks with it and eventually had to have his leg amputated to the knee. The only thing that controls it for him is vanctomycin, the most powerful antibiotic out there. This new version does not always respond to it and the drug has side effects if not given properly. We are from Texas.

My wife got the marsh infection while in the hospital being treated for colon cancer and ending up dying after a 100 day stay in the hospital. I caught the same infection while taking care of her in the hospital and had to have a new hip put in because of the infection and stayed in the hospital for 44 days the hospital said this is normal alot of people get it in the hospital I thought you only got it in dirty hospitals am I wrong. Is there anything I can do to the hospital for this?

I work in the home health field in St. Petersburg, Florida. It is incredible, the number of MRSA cases we see coming out of the hospital. Most of the time the infection is being treated with I.V. vancomycin, as the only truly effective, widely-used antibiotic. This does not guarantee that it will never come back. Doctors have said that once you have MRSA, it is likely outbreaks will reoccur, although this may differ from person to person. Here in Florida (there is some info on the web), beach swimming, diving, surfing, fishing, and marine service (barnacle scraping, boats) have delivered a huge number of MRSA cases in various areas such as Daytona, Orlando and here in the St. Petersburg area. I have seen only one article in the local paper about this problem in the water, and a mysterious "yellow, cloudy" substance in the water, reported by divers who say they have never seen anything like it, prior to the MRSA infection on their skin. I believe that this is deliberately being under-reported, due to the damage it might due to the tourist industry here and in other areas. Tourists come to the south to swim and go to the beach. But, I know that treated (and not-so-treated) sewage from everywhere gets dumped into our salt water bodies of water, and apparently, salt is not enough to kill the bacteria. I think it is mandatory that the Center for Disease Control make the public aware of the hazard to anyone entering the water or coming in contact with marine products, until this plague can be addressed and annihilated. MRSA is reported to be a variant of staph infection that is antibiotic resistive. It has changed it's original form to what it is now. It is only one of several types of antibiotic resistive bacteria. I believe that to fight this problem now, that we must get the facts out to people in general, and not wait for the media to report what is going on, as it may well be too late. There is no reason to think that this bacteria cannot change again and become airborne,
as it can already be contracted off surfaces such as personal items. MRSA has been described as a "skin infection" in the newspapers which is only true in that skin is it's identified entry point into the body. MRSA travels to any point in the body, and has been identified in urine, sputum samples, feces, etc. This description as a "skin infection" does not do justice to warning people of the lethal nature of the infection if left untreated with the right drugs the first time. Now that it also has been identified in the school systems (and who knows where else), it needs to be treated as a possible pandemic in the U.S. It appears to be moving quite rapidly, now that it is apparently in salt water. Thank you for your attention and possibe help in warning people of this.

My son is a parapleic who contacted mrsa in the hospital about five years ago. He recently developed chills and a large swelling on his buttocks. I tookmhim to the emergency room and they immediately admitted him and scheduled him for surgery. He's now in the hospital with an 6inch opening about 4 inches deep, becsause of rotted flesh that had to be cut out, they have him on antibiotics and they pack his wound three times a day. This is awful!!! Now they say they're sending him home because the insurance won't pay for a longer stay. They're not saying what will be done next.

It has been almost 3 months since my husband and i had our ordeal with MRSA. I guess we are very fortunate that it didn't get to our children. We have been fine with no signs of it returning.
I haven't been told before that it could come back. That worries me. I thought we were past it all. Does the infection or bacteria stay dormant in your body?
Thanks for the information from the gentlemen that used to be a health care provider in Florida. This really sounds like a growing problem that really needs to be investigated by the infectious / disease group. this needs to be under control.

Texas

Ignorance is very common in this Area. Not only with the general public but also with the ER physicians who routinely mis- prescribe the wrong antibiotics to treat staff infections do to there inabiltity to appropriatlely test for MRSA infection in an efficient manner. MRSA bacterial is in the nose and or skin of of 3-4 out of every 10 people! Alarming! Even the Center for Disease Cotrol says " MRSA poses a Serious health threat". Well I was given a few weeks to research this subject and treatments.
I was given the wrong Antobiotics (Cephalasporin's- Keflax) for a infection in my hand on my first visit to an ER. No culture of the wound was done! Should be mandatory!. 2 days later it got worse and I was rushed into emergency surgery to have my hand cut open and drained. After a week in the hospital and about 20 bags of Antibiotics(Vancomycin,cleocin) I was released to do a week of physical therapy. Recovery fine from the wound, not the hospital bill. 17,000+. I found out my father and daughter also have MRSA because I told the ER doctor to do a culture to check. Otherwise they would have probably been given the wrong antobiotics without proper diagnoses and probably spread the infected bacteria even more. This is happening to frequently. I have contacted the State and county health dept here in Fla. MRSA is not a reportable disease either by the CDC, States or County health dept. So there are no warnings issued to ER's when outbreaks occur. And no mandated rapid testing procedure. Which is why you have to tell the doctors to do a culture to find out. This needs to change. Which brings us to the next problem. Most hospitals/Testing labs do agur or broth based test on the culture which will tell which antibiotic is most effective in treating the one of 154+ strains of MRSA. This test can take from 1-2 days to get the results and possibly a week before the hospital ER even lets you know if it's MRSA or not. Since the states and counties can not mandate testing protocal for MRSA this is contributing to the spread of Community Associated MRSA. The 6 different Rapid MRSA test approved by the FDA are not being widely used. Some can yield results in as little as 15 minutes for preliminary identification of MRSA. Cultures would have to be done to determine which antibiotic is most effective. However immediate and proper antibiotics like Levoflaxin(Levaquin) can be prescribed which does treat MRSA infections. Since MRSA is so common and approximately 100,000 cases of MRSA in the US each year. I would think the states would adapt a much stronger approach.It's a shame when money and politics gets in the way of public health. Efforts are being made here by volutary reporting of MRSA infections to our County Health Dept which has made a change in the type of Antibiotics being prescribed for certain infections and those so called spider bytes. MRSA will never go away. Mandated testing procedures needs to be applied to detect this early and limit the infection of other family and friends. Education on public level needs to increase. Hand washing is a must. Not sharing personal items, towels, razors, bedding, and showers with MRSA patients needs to be adhered to. Cleaning surfaces, showers etc with 1 part bleach and 9 parts water has to be done when someone in your family gets MRSA. Cover all cuts and small wounds with bandaids, bandages, etc to limit the possibility of MRSA entering a wound. Using gloves to change bandages on MRSA wounds and handwashing afterwards. Bacteria can enter holes as small as a syringe needle. The effects of this bacteria is frightening to say to say the least. It will only be through cooperation of the CDC, State, County regulations/reporting and public education can this threat to public safety be properly addressed. I just hope measures are taken to make this happen sooner than later. Instead of the very lax attitude being taken at this time by those with enough authority to act.

I have been reading with great interest the stories of other people just like me - victims of MRSA infection. I'm more worried than ever now, because I see how many other people have been affected (and infected) and the difficulty of obtaining proper medical care.
My problems all began in June 2003 when I developed a blood clot in one of the deep veins of my left leg. I apparently had it for some time and the accompanying reduction in blood flow (along with my type 2 diabetes) set up the perfect environment for the deep skin infection cellulitis. I was extremely ill and almost died. I ran raging fevers, had disturbing hallucinations, fell out of bed and became so dehydrated that my kidneys failed. Fortunately, the antibiotics the doctors gave me intravenously (Levequin, Tobramycin and Vancomycin) slowly started clearing up the cellulitis and I was released to a rehabiltation facility after four weeks in the hospital. After a week at the rehab center (learning how to walk again), I was sent home with all expectations of a full recovery.
On Oct. 6, I returned to my job as community news editor at our local newspaper in Lockport, N.Y., 30 minutes from Buffalo. It was only part-time because I was so easily exhausted, but it felt so good to be a productive member of society again. My leg was still extremely swollen and very achy, but I was able to function in a normal - albeit slow - way.
I never got more than a week in at work. On Oct. 12, I was again admitted to the hospital because I had a raging fever and the back of my left leg was covered with oozing, horrible-looking lesions. I was in the emergency room from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m., and while there, NO ONE thought to take a wound culture on my exposed, extremely infected leg. It was three days later that the doctor finally ordered a culture and another two days before it came back positive. After finding out that I had a MRSA infection, I was placed in isolation and bombarded with more intravenous Vancomycin. It took three weeks before my doctors would allow me to go home, and then only after my insurance company approved paying for the very expensive Zyvox. Zyvox did not work for me, so now I am on a continuous regimen of mega doses of Bactrim DS and the use of Bactroban ointment.
Yesterday, I saw my surgeon and he applied an Unna boot, which is something like a soft cast. It is simply a stretch bandage soaked in calamine lotion and zinc oxide which is wrapped firmly around the leg and allowed to dry to a cardboard-like consistency. It will remain on my leg for a week, at which time my surgeon will decide to continue with the Unna boot therapy or try something else.
It might turn out that I have to go back into the hospital for IV Vancomycin, or possibly have a Pic line inserted at home for the infusions. Amputation is not being considered yet, but I know the possibility remains.
I don't know for sure where I picked up the infection, but it was either at the first hospital or at the rehabilitation center. All I know for sure is that my life has been changed in a way I could never have imagined. The day after I got home from the second hospitalization, I received a certified letter informing me that I had been terminated from employment (after 12 years of dedicated, hard work) because I can no longer work full-time. It was a crushing blow, to say the least, and it came at the worst time possible, when I was doubting that I would ever be okay again. However, my managing editor called me and said the termination was something the company had to do because of some archaic federal law, and that she is holding my position for me, regardless of the repercussions she may face. So, it is imperative that I return to my job for both my sake and hers, and that gives me more determination to beat this thing.
I hope in some way that my contribution to this site may help someone else, and I echo the message posted by J.H. - that MRSA won't be stopped; that it will continue to wreak havoc and destroy lives and that it needs to be taken very seriously by the medical profession. When AIDS was discovered, that's all anyone heard about on the news or read in the media, but it seems like MRSA has gotten short shrift, perhaps to avoid panic, but EVERYONE needs to know about it and how EASY it is to contract. When I get back to my job, I'm going to write a column about my MRSA experience and let the 50,000 readers in our circulation area know that they are not immune. MRSA is lurking everywhere.

Posted by: C.H. on November 29, 2003 6:10 p.m.

I have been reading with great interest the stories of other people just like me - victims of MRSA infection. I'm more worried than ever now, because I see how many other people have been affected (and infected) and the difficulty of obtaining proper medical care.
My problems all began in June 2003 when I developed a blood clot in one of the deep veins of my left leg. I apparently had it for some time and the accompanying reduction in blood flow (along with my type 2 diabetes) set up the perfect environment for the deep skin infection cellulitis. I was extremely ill and almost died. I ran raging fevers, had disturbing hallucinations, fell out of bed and became so dehydrated that my kidneys failed. Fortunately, the antibiotics the doctors gave me intravenously (Levequin, Tobramycin and Vancomycin) slowly started clearing up the cellulitis and I was released to a rehabiltation facility after four weeks in the hospital. After a week at the rehab center (learning how to walk again), I was sent home with all expectations of a full recovery.
On Oct. 6, I returned to my job as community news editor at our local newspaper in Lockport, N.Y., 30 minutes from Buffalo. It was only part-time because I was so easily exhausted, but it felt so good to be a productive member of society again. My leg was still extremely swollen and very achy, but I was able to function in a normal - albeit slow - way.
I never got more than a week in at work. On Oct. 12, I was again admitted to the hospital because I had a raging fever and the back of my left leg was covered with oozing, horrible-looking lesions. I was in the emergency room from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m., and while there, NO ONE thought to take a wound culture on my exposed, extremely infected leg. It was three days later that the doctor finally ordered a culture and another two days before it came back positive. After finding out that I had a MRSA infection, I was placed in isolation and bombarded with more intravenous Vancomycin. It took three weeks before my doctors would allow me to go home, and then only after my insurance company approved paying for the very expensive Zyvox. Zyvox did not work for me, so now I am on a continuous regimen of mega doses of Bactrim DS and the use of Bactroban ointment.
Yesterday, I saw my surgeon and he applied an Unna boot, which is something like a soft cast. It is simply a stretch bandage soaked in calamine lotion and zinc oxide which is wrapped firmly around the leg and allowed to dry to a cardboard-like consistency. It will remain on my leg for a week, at which time my surgeon will decide to continue with the Unna boot therapy or try something else.
It might turn out that I have to go back into the hospital for IV Vancomycin, or possibly have a Pic line inserted at home for the infusions. Amputation is not being considered yet, but I know the possibility remains.
I don't know for sure where I picked up the infection, but it was either at the first hospital or at the rehabilitation center. All I know for sure is that my life has been changed in a way I could never have imagined. The day after I got home from the second hospitalization, I received a certified letter informing me that I had been terminated from employment (after 12 years of dedicated, hard work) because I can no longer work full-time. It was a crushing blow, to say the least, and it came at the worst time possible, when I was doubting that I would ever be okay again. However, my managing editor called me and said the termination was something the company had to do because of some archaic federal law, and that she is holding my position for me, regardless of the repercussions she may face. So, it is imperative that I return to my job for both my sake and hers, and that gives me more determination to beat this thing.
I hope in some way that my contribution to this site may help someone else, and I echo the message posted by J.H. - that MRSA won't be stopped; that it will continue to wreak havoc and destroy lives and that it needs to be taken very seriously by the medical profession. When AIDS was discovered, that's all anyone heard about on the news or read in the media, but it seems like MRSA has gotten short shrift, perhaps to avoid panic, but EVERYONE needs to know about it and how EASY it is to contract. When I get back to my job, I'm going to write a column about my MRSA experience and let the 50,000 readers in our circulation area know that they are not immune. MRSA is lurking everywhere.

I HAD SPINAL FUSION AND AT THAT TIME I CONTRACTED MRSA, THE DOCTORS FIRST TREATED ME WITH ROCEPHREN, THIS DID NOT WORK AND I ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE I COULOD NO LONGER WALK. NOW I AM ON AN IV LINE EVERY NIGHT AT HOME, THE CHOICE OF DRUG THIS TIME IS VANCOMYICIN, IT IS NOW 7 MONTHS LATER AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT RECOVERING FROM THIS INFECTION WILL BE A SLOW AND LENGTHY PROCESS, AND THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES IT WILL NOT JUST GO DORMANT, I CONTRACTRD THIS INFECTION FROM A DIRTY INSTRUMENT. lIFE GOES ON AS BEST AS IT CAN, HOPE AND FAITH!!!!!!!

My Mother went in hospital in NJ on a Wed and by Sat am, we were told within an hour she would be dead if not put on life support (breathing tube). By Monday told "Staph infection"...then MRSA! INSIDE HER LUNGS... turns out the resp tech tubing or "lack of handwashing" caused it. Mom "suffered" and deteriorated for 17 days....then one by one her organs shut down. So, due to the hospital's mistake, the six of us children lost our Mother and BEST FRIEND! 100,000 people a year die due to "hospital acquired infections". This should be screened for ON ADMISSION!

Could someone personally email me to talk to me about MRSA more, I was found with MRSA in October after undergoing a surgery . I have had 4 types of antibiotics used, no fever anymore but my wounds do not heal (3 months now) and i have also come up recently with the spider bite type of wounds on other parts of my body.
My incision keeps reopening and various drainings do not end.
What more can my Dr be doing for me that obviously they are not doing? Why do i feel so sick all the time? I have no fever anymore.
I feel as if most of the time i was just out of surgery (meaning the inside is so swollen ) and alot of pain is this common with MRSA to still have so much pain? Please i have another Drs appointment Monday the 29th of Dec i need some ammunition to go in with to be addressed. Thank you. Mrs French

I posted my email i pray someone can retrieve it.

I had a hysterectomy and bladder suspension in Walla Walla, WA(requiring a catheter tube from an incision in my abdomen) As a result I have been infected with staph. My insurance expired on Nov 30th. I expected I would have recovered by then. I thought I only had the flu so the staph was very severe by the time I went to the hospital. It was cellulitis- terrible pain, swelling with hard lumps, and reddness across my abdomen. I was hospitalized. The on-call Dr lanced the infection, gave me IV antibiotics and I was released the next day. I was prescribed Augmentin 2000mg for 7 days (very expensive) The incision drained for 6 days. I then saw my Dr who gave me 3 more days of Augmentin 1500mg. The hospital had taken a sample of the infection and sent the results to my Dr. He only told me it was a serious strain of staph. The Augmentin helped. The infection improved except for flattened hard lumps. My Dr minimized my condition. I was not satisfied and insisted on more antibiotics. The Dr prescribed cephalexin 500mg for 10 days. This treatment helped with the redness but the pain and swelling had increased. I asked the Dr to consult with someone who specialized in treating staph infection. He claimed to have called the Univ. of Washington and spoken with someone at the Center for Disease Control. Intrestingly the person he consulted with agreed with every thing the Dr recommended. He said the antibiotics would not take care of the lumps, that they must be lanced agian and stuffed with packing. This does not sound like something I want to do. I didn't feel the Cephalexin was working and I agian returned to the Dr who insisted I was getting better, that I should trust him and finish taking the cephelexin. The antibiotics are gone now but I still have pain, swelling and some reddness. I have an appt with my Dr tomorrow. I have done some research on the internet and have a list of antibiotics I can ask about. I am also going to ask if I was tested for MRSA. The possibility of MRSA is frightening, I was not told the infestion could be contagious and did not take precautions to protect my family. I have never been so sick in my life and I want to be rid of this infection. I work seasonaly for the Oregon state parks and must be well by Spring or risk loosing my job. I am shocked at how many people suffer from MRSA and how little the medical professionals are diong about it!

Update from Karen- I am relieved to learn that I do not have MRSA but I do have Staphlococus Aureus. My Dr claims he has never seen a case of MRSA. I hope this is true. I was glad I had done some research and knew which questions to ask. My Dr refused to give me the meds I had learned about, methicillin, oxacillin and nafcillin. He said they are too harsh and he does not use them. I am having a difficult time fighting off this infection. I did persuaded the Dr to give me another prescription for Augmentin. I am hoping this will help my get rid of the Staph for good!

Ive been fighting with abscesses for 19yrs. They call it hidradenitis suppurativa. This past yr has been horrible, especially over the summer. Constant draining and reswelling and draining, over & over. This is in the groin area. And then over the summmer it got in my armpit/Went to er, had it lanced. Now, right armpit got a HUGE one. Went to ER and this new doc actually did a culture for anearobes/aerobes. The infection was green and smelly the doc said. He said that was indicative of anearobic infection. Over the yrs my other doc (derma) always just threw meds at me without ANY cultures. When i would tell her that it ws making the abscesses worse, she got really mad!!! I told this to the ER doc. He couldnt believe it! Ant's and NO culture? Can you get MRSA from chronic use of antibiotics?? Will the culture he did reveal it if its mrsa? I seen the culture tube and it said aerobic/anearobic culture. I get confused about all this, because for EVER ive been fighting these "horrible" abscesses and given anti;s without tests. I would argue with the doc about it and all i would get is "oh! we dont culture these" its hidradenitis, thats why!!! They are NUTS!!!!! Thats my opinion! I will stand firm on the fact that the anti's she gave me made the abscesses worse!!!

RESENTLY I DEVELOPED WHAT LOOKED LIKE A BOIL ON MY CHIN. IT WAS VERY PAINFUL. I WAS EXPOSED TO MRSA. I WORK IN A NURSING HOME. THE RESIDENT DID NOT HAVE ANY PRECAUTIONS. I WENT TO THE NURSE AND ASKED IF THIS RESIDENT HAD MRSA. SHE SAID HE DID THEN HE DIDN'T. SHE TOLD US JUST USE GLOVES AND WASH YOUR HANDS. I WAS UPSET WHEN I LOOKED UP MRSA AND IT SAID PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN. I WENT BACK AND ASKED WHY WE WERE NOT USING THESE PRECAUTIONS. I GOT THE RUN AROUND. THAT RESIDENT LATER WAS COUGHING UP LARGE AMOUNTS OF SPUTUM. I'M WORRIED THAT THIS THING ON MY CHIN MAYBE MRSA. THE DOCTOR GAVE ME AN ANTIBIOTIC WHICH TOOK THE SWELLING DOWN. THE BUMP IS STILL THERE. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE. WE ALSO HAVE RESIDENT WHO HAVE C-DIFF AND VERY LITTEL PRECAUTIONS ARE TAKEN THE EVEN LET THEM SHARE BATHROOMS. WHAT SHOULD I DO DOES ANYONE HAVE ADVISE?

I'm a 41 year old mother of 4 small children, I started developing absesses about Thanksgiving time, one went away fine the second needed to be opened and drained and responded to Keflex the third grew to a major infection in my Thigh in 3 days on the fourth I was hospitalized given vacomyicin and told it was mersa, my husband has had absesses also, I am really scared after reading all the comments, what are the precaustions, will I get it again, should my husband and children be tested, and am I still contagious, my own father wouldn't hug me today after not seeing me for 6 months. Please share any websites to visit or any and all info, I feel ignorate about what I have.

Hello everyone:

We are documentary filmmakers from Canada, who travelled to Tbilisi, Georgia last October, to film the process of phage therapy, as a possible alternative to antibiotics, in light of the problems with antibiotic resistance.
We learned of the success of Fred Bledsoe's case (patient from Indiana,) regarding the succcessful treatment of his diabetic foot. He was looking at amputation in an American hospital but in Georgia, his foot was saved. (under rather primitive conditions,in this poor country) Another North American with MRSA that was treated was Alfred Gertler from
Toronto. He suffered from Osteomyletis (bone infection) and was facing amputation in a Toronto hospital. His foot was saved in Tbilisi. (There is a lot of information on the internet on Phage Therapy in general and these cases)

If anyone would like information on how to receive treatment in Tbilisi, please contact Yana Samkaradze at the Phage Therapy Centre in Georgia. Her email is yanasamk@yahoo.com. Phone is: 995-32-231616. You can pass my name along as the source of your information.
We will be returning in mid February to do more filming.

Best of luck to you.

Vanessa Dylyn
White Pine Pictures
Toronto
416-730-5580
www.whitepinepictures.com

i have mrsa of my left breast but my left shoulder has been hurting so bad and noithing helps it. my dr. while in the hospital says its arthritis but it started with my breakout which i later to be called mrsa. how do i get someone to check to make sure its not mrsa? please help me i am very scared.

Feb.23 2004 My son is in the hospital from a steel sliver and it got infected, and now has mersa. They say cause he waited to long to come in. But now they want to put a stent in his arm , can any one tell me why?

This must more common than I was lead to believe. I took my 17 year old daughter to the doctor for a "boil" on her upper thigh. They took one look at it and sent me to a surgeon. He admitted her to the hospital to lance it (it was the size of a quarter at this time). This was on a Thursday and she came home from the hospital on Friday. On Monday, the upper part of her leg was red and inflamed and "boil" now was the size of a pancake. I took her back to the surgeon and he admitted her again. She had surgery to drain this on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. She was sent home on Sunday with home health nurses scheduled to see her every day to administer IV antiobiotics (my house looked like a hospital for 3 weeks). She had a port in her neck and I had IV's in my refrigerator. She missed the first 3 weeks of her senior year due to MRSA. She has a terrible scar on her thigh and states "I am not going to wear shorts this summer." We live in Alabama so you know it's bad when she will not wear shorts as hot as it gets. Thanks for letting me vent.

My husbands fellow worker just died of staph infection can you please tell me how it can be transfered to another person....Can you get it by riding in the vehicle he drove or touching his jacket? i am very worried....Thank you

Gwen please e-mail me my daughter (18) was just in the hospital with MRSA for five weeks and is still on IV medicine. We too live in Alabama and am curious where you live in AL.

Opps my email is lsutigerinbama1@aol.com

My boyfriend is in a Florida jail. He just called me today to say that all the inmates are under isolation due to four people being diagnosed with MRSA. He wanted me to go online and see what I could find out about it because we had never heard of it.
Much to my surprise, I am reading all of these horrible stories of how this is ruining peoples lives and I agree with all of you
that more needs to be announced to the public on this bacteria.
Furthermore, if another country already has a cure, the FDA needs
to step up to the table and pass this drug. Or will they wait until more people die or lose everything they have due to loss of employment. It's a shame and I hope my boyfriend does not
contract this bacteria. God Bless to all of you out there that
are having to live with MRSA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First noticed a boil on my back two weeks after getting a tattoo in Miami. When I returned to Pensacola I also visited family in the hospital very frequently. A couple days later, on FEB 29th, I noticed a boil on my left inner thigh (which I ignorantly squeezed and poked with a needle). The boil had become so bad the next couple of days I couldn't walk on my leg. There was a red swollen area around the head of the boil the size of a steak. I saw my dermatologist on the following Tuesday. He prescribed clyndamycin and asked for a follow up Thursday.

The next visit, the site had not cleared up but had gotten worse and had a fever of 103.9 and a low blood pressure. He sent me to my primary care physician, who admitted me to the hospital.

There I was injected with vancomycin twice daily from Thursday (03/04/04) until Monday (03/08/04). My primary care physician discharged me on oral antibiotics - Septra (a sulfa drug) to clear up the remaining infection.

It's been a few days and it hasn't cleared up yet. It left a pencil eraser-sized hole in my leg with tunneling a couple inches towards my groin. In a couple of hours the wound care center will clean it out and dress it...but I've got questions concerning a tough spot 2 inches from the hole. My primary care physician says it may need to be drained at which they'll probably have to somehow cut. I'm becoming increasingly worried upon reading all the information online. My situation wasn't pleasant, but not as bad as others I've read. I sincerely pray this doesn't become a recurring problem.

I've also got questions regarding the bacteriophage mentioned above. Is there anyone else with success of the bacteriophage treatment? I was able to find useful information about it at:

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2263816

Praying for healing for us all

I am a 20 year old female Marine.In october I had surgery on my left ankle, in December I began getting these large boils in different places on my body. I was seen in the er, it was lanced and stuffed with gauze. I returned for 5 day and had the packing changed and that was it FOR THEN... two weeks after that I got another.. I went to the NAVAL HOSPITAL CAMP PENDLETON and was given antibiotics. I did a follow up my area clinc and my don't prescribed a different antibiotic. In early Feb I found out these infections are Called Staphylococcus Aureus. I have recieved over 8 different antibiotics and nothing seems to work. I seen 6 docters each with a diffent answer, but no one know a cure. I have read online that this is deadly.. I don't kow what else to do the docters here to seem to be able to help!!! please email me with any information that my help.....

My brother started getting sores on his legs last summer and went several times to the dr they said he had a spider bite gave him meds sent him home,this all took place after a short time in the county jail the others in jail with all broke out to
any way I have Lupus and I broke out with theses sores upon visiting my dr and convincing her that I did not believe this to be spider bites she did a antirobie test sure enough it was mrsa I drug my brother to her and his was the same thing I was given 5 days of vancomyacin developed an alergy and could not finish the tx a month later I was broke out again a new oral drug called zyvox was given this drug is suppose to replace IV drug vancomycin it worked 14 days later My blood was clean of mrsa this was dec9 2003 it is now march 14 and I some how have been reinfected tonight i am researching why I read on the Iowa department of public health site that a carrier of mrsa won't be sick and could have colonization of the mrsa on there skin and in nasal passages if some one with an open wound or a compromoised immune system such as myself touches this person they could get infected they could also get infected if the nasal passages are bad in the carrier and the carrier sneeses
this is a bad bad bug and I thank the good lord every day that I am alive because I don't think I will be for long more people with lupus die from secondary infections than any thing else this info can be found through the lupus foundation
On another note I pray that all the people suffering from this illness can find some peace and healing in there lives and that there will someday be a cure God Bless all of you

This has been an interesting year so far! I started off the year with a nice Staph Aureus infection in my face (jaw). It was painful! They treated me with a shot of Rocephin 500mg and a prescription of Augmentin 875mg 2 times a day. It was gone. Then I got another one in my nasal cavity. I just thought the one in my face hurt! This one spread to my eye and showed no reaction to Rocephin. (1000mg) The same prescription of Augmentin killed the one in my nose, also moving to around my eye. Killer pain!
This was all in January. Here we are in March, and my wife just got out of the hospital with MRSA. She got it in the "spider bite" format. We were eating out on Valentines when she felt a bite on her side then later on her stomach. This all got very infected and she went to the doctor and he lanced and put in a drain or "wick". He prescribed her Augmentin 875mg like mine. This was to keep her on something while he was screening for MRSA. Turns out on her visit from Friday she was way worse and was dehydrated. He admitted her Friday evening Feb 20. She stayed until tues the 24th. She was SICK! The wound on her stomach was in bad shape and it had to be cleaned and packed daily. It was actually rotting and they had to cut off dead skin. I felt very sorry for her. She was on Vanctomicin during her stay in the hospital. They sent her home with some sulfa drugs. By the way she is also nursing a 7 month old. Vantomycin is safe to nurse with. the Sulfas were also safe. She is doing well now. I hope this crap dont come back! It is costing me a fortune! Just today, the baby has staph (impetigo) in his nose. What a bummer. Dont know what to do... We have cleaned everything! Any suggestions? We bathe in bleach frequently and bleach everything else. We want this to go away!

Hi, I am a 25 year old graduate student in New Orleans, La. I first came in contact with MRSA in May of 2002. I was teaching in a public school and I developed a boil looking bump next to my belly button that started out like a red dot. I tried to squeeze it and it turned into a swollen, inflamed abcess with a hard center. It was very painful. I went to the ER at Oschner Hosp. in Jefferson, La. The ER doctor did not perform a culture; he did lance it and drain it. He packed it with gauze and gave e a shot of Ancef and perscribed 500 mg of Keflex. The Keflex helped clear it up but about 2 weeks later I had another outbreak on my arm. I went back to the same hospital and the same ER Doctor saw me again and treated me with the same meds. About 2 months later, I had another outbreak of MRSA on my right buttock area. It was a painful lesion with fever in it. I tried to treat it myself with Keflex for about a week to wear I could barely sit down because of the swelling. I did not want to go to the hospital because I had no insurance at the time and I already had outstanding hospital bills from the other occurance. Finally, I could not take it anymore, I went to East Jefferson Hosp. The ER doctor immediately called for an incision and drainage, which left a scar. He infiltrated t with Lidocaine with Adrenalin and packed it with gauze. Finally, this doctor ordered a culture since I told him the other hospital kept misdiagnosing it as insect bites. It came back as MRSA resistant to Keflex. Keflex does not treat MRSA. When the results of my culture came back the ER immediately called me to come back to place me on another antibiotic. They gave me Cipro. The Cipro helped heal it, but I had another occurance about a few months later. Finally, my mother who is a Registered Nurse contacted a friend of hers who is an Infectious Disease Dr. He saw me and recommended a combination of antibiotics that worked for me for about a year because I never got another infection until now. He recommended Rifampin 300 mg twice daily for 10 days and Sulfameth 800/160 twice daily for 10 days and Bactroban ointment to apply to the wound and nostrils 2 times a day. I never got another infection for a year; however, the Dr. did say that once you are exposed to the virus you can get it again years later even after effective treatment. He wanted to try Rifampin and Sulfameth first before Zyvox or IV Vancomycin. For months now I have felt tired and worn out. I am always extremely tired. My doctor perscribed me B-12 shots to administer to myself once a week. They help some but not a lot. This week I felt fever, headaches, and flu like syptoms. I noticed two days ago, I had a red, pimple like sore on my right buttocks. Today, it is inflamed and appears to look like a MRSA INFECTION. Immediately, I am applying Bactroban ointment because I always keep a supply at home and I started myself on Bactrium. It is very painful and I am depressed about having this outbreak. I feel sick and do not want to go to the hospital because I had a friend that stayed in their a week recently for an outbreak on his arm. I am in school and do not have time to be in the hospital. So, I don't know, I can understand everyone else's frustration because it makes you feel dirty and diseased. I don't want another scar. I am going to treat it myself and let my mother look at it. I probably will contact my doctor and see what he suggests because my mother is his nurse and says there is an enormous amount of people flooding the office with MRSA and people do not want to except that they have it. They swear it is a insect bite. My advice wash hands, take baths, clean bed linings, and be careful to wash your face area twice daily because if you get a lesion on your face it will scar. My mother said plenty of women have gotten it on their face and had to get lanced because it was huge and they are scarred for life. They need to find a vaccine for this horrible epidemic.

It's me again. Just an update. My daughter got a wicked surprise for her 18th birthday. She developed another boil not 4 inches from the first one on her thigh. However, mom was on the ball this time and we immediately went to the infectious disease doctor (the heck with primary, surgeon, etc.). He immediately gave her 2 IM antiobiotics and started her on oral Minocycline. This stuff makes her sick but it beats the alternative, MRSA. I asked him if this was going to be an ongoing thing with her and how do you get it, etc. He said basically the same thing as D Collier said, some one carried it and you can get it by touching something they have touched, etc. Now if I can find out who this is..... My mother always says that you take care of your children all of their lives. I guess having a child with MRSA it may take longer.

See above. The above occurrence was in January 2004. Today, we went back to the doctor with the 3rd "boil" on her inner thigh. We went to the primary but had surgeon and infectious disease doc on speaker phone and all 3 of the doctors at the primary in the same room. All were bumfuzzled about why my child keeps getting these things. (I swear we bath and clean.) Apparently, this stuff must stay in her system and is building up a resistance to the antiobiotics. (She is already allergic to penicillin drugs.) Well, this place today was cultured and back on Minocycline and Septra DS. Minocycline makes her violently ill but strict instructions were given about taking it - yada yada yah. Mom gets to be a slave to a teenager basically and she is to lay still. If the culture shows this is again MSRA, guess where we are going? Yep hospital inpatient time again. (My room is going to be padded!) Yes, you have to have a sense of humor or you will blow your brains out. I asked nine billion questions about how you get this and why no one else but her in our family has gotten it (there are about 10 people coming and going in our house at all times). 2 of my brothers gets boils all the time but they don't get this mess. I've had one and I checked out ok, but not my kid. People, pray for us, ok???

Hi, I want to say how wonderful it is to speak with other people who are going through the same things. My Mother and Father both have been battling with MRSA sores for two years now, also my 2 year old daughter has become infected. I am a R.N. and the fact that there is no answer besides take the medicine and wait for the next outbreak of sores to appear is no longer an answer for me.

My little one has have 6 sores total all of which had to be drained with "wicks" placed in them. Last night was the latest one and during the procedure (she was sedated this time, twice we did it with a local,) she had to be intibated because the medication caused a reaction in her little body. I almost lost my daughter not from the MRSA itself but because of the TREATMENT for it that WILL not guarentee me that she will not be covered from head to toe with the battle scars of the diease.

I wish to become involoved in joining or starting a support group for people who suffer from MRSA as well as lobbying the medical community to address it in the proper manner.

My email is Mia_Seraph@hotmail.com if anyone is interested or just needs to talk. This is such a lonely diease...
Thank you.

I had a close friend die from mrsa last summer and the thing was it was preventable. I think that has been the hardest part dealing with it over the last year. The doctors think he contracted it through an open gash on his arm but they were still unsure when they took him off the respirater. We watched him get sicker and sicker and it wasn't until he was very ill that he finally went to the doctor. When they first put him in the hospital we were told that he would only be in there over night for observation but then the infection attacked his spine and from there it branched out. In the after math of it all I look back and realize that it would have only taken a doctors visit and he may still be with us now. This infection can kill so make sure to watch it carefully.

Please help, I have a brother with MRSA he has had it for six years he has been in real pain and felt like a 150 year old man he is only 47 yrs old, it is in his groin area he had an open wound in it and he contracted MRSA while in hospital he has all the high tempretures and his white cell count is high, sometimes it is hard for him to move and his legs and feet are bad with it, right now he has symtoms of colone cancer it may be something different we are waiting on him getting tested, he feels it has moved to his throat his throat he is wandering if there is a viral infection that would infect the throat yet have no pain at the inside of your throat. I would appreciate if anyone can help out there we really NEED it.

My brother is in the hospital now for what has finally been diagnosed as MRSA. He originally went in for a spider bite! I am amazed at how many entries I have read about people who thought they had a spider bite!! You don't have to be a doctor to realize when someone comes in with a spider bite, if they didn't see the spider, maybe it wasn't a bite! Maybe all insect bites should first be tested for MRSA!!! Duh! I am so mad right now!! It seems like doctors are being real hush hush about the whole thing too, maybe they're afraid their patients contracted it in their hospital (meaning dirty hospital with lax rules about washing hands and equipment!). My sister went to see my brother and the nurses told her she could or could not wear gloves to touch him, it was up to her! What??!! My sister had no idea of the seriousness of this infection, and she has small children! She did touch him, and drank from his water glass! Isn't it the health care provider's responsibilty to inform patients and their loved ones of all risks and possible outcomes of infectious disease? Gee, I wonder how it gets spread in a hospital, hmmmm. Anyway, I am frustrated with the lack of communication and seemingly easy going attitude from doctors and nurses about a disease that has no definitive cure and can kill you or cause amputation.

I am 21 and all my life have been in very good health. I am in the navy and About six months ago while out on deployment, living on the ship, in close living quarters with about 450 other people, I first noticed what looked like a small pimple near my belly button. I tried to pop it but nothing would come out, it slowly got bigger and more painful over the next couple of days. When it did pop a rediculis amount of pus came out, it was discusting and not fun. It went away and i thought nothing of it. but then about two weeks later i got another one on the other side of my belly button. and it went the same way. I still did not see the docter because i was too embarrassed and didn't realize the seriousness of what was going on. both of those boiles healed just fine but about a week later i got a boile on my neck and then one just above my eye. I finally went to see the docter, all he did was tell me i had ingrown hairs and gave me kaflex. I also had a couple of very small boyles on my legs that weren't very serious and went away within a couple of days. after olive that was gone and i thought i was fine and healthy again, about a two months later i got another one on my nose. I went to the hospital for this one and had to have minor surgery to drain the pus. the docters took cultures and and gave me augmentin. and released me from the hospital. about three days later i recieved a message from the docter that said the culture revieled that i have m.r.s.a. and if i get any more infectoins to see him imedietly. well since then i have been doing everything i can to prevent me from having to pay another visit to the hospital, it has been about three months since my last outbreak.
now every time i have any kind of tiny pimple or small cut, or any tiny little thing on my skin that i even remotly think might get infected i clean it with peroxide or alcohol, and I wash my hands like 10-15 times a day. and take vitimin c every day. so far i am doing goood and have not had any other breakouts, but just last week my girlfriend got a large boyle on her cheek that was exacly like the ones i had. I am so worried i gave her mrsa, even though it has been three months since my last outbreak with it. I am so scared she has what i had, and i am scared that i will get it again. now she understands why i always have a bottle of peroxide around, and she has started using it quite often also. I don't know if peroxide is the answer but it seems to be doing the trick for me so far.
I have never been a religius person, but now every day i prey that nobody else has to go through what i went through. I prey that i don't spread this to anyone else that i work with or any one else in this world for that matter. my story seems very minor compared to the others i just read, but trust me i now realize how seriouse this matter is. now that someone i love may have mrsa also, and most likly got it from me, i realize just how seroius this is. for any docters out there don't take this lightly. my pryres go out to every body out there with mrsa.

I am absolutely amazed that the topical "cleaning" solution for MSRA has never been posted anywhere in the "so-called" medical advise sections by respected Doctors. I was bitten by a spider, a "spiney-orb weaver" and it resulted in all the apperances as the typical brown recluse bites. After 3 days of Cipro doing absolutely nothing, I insisted on an IV antibiotic "cocktail" every day for 4 days. In the meantime, after self-medicating the flesh-eating wound with Bactine, to no avail, the Doctor told me of a solution to be made in my kitchen. Please pass this along to everyone you know with a MRSA related infection. It is the ONLY SOLUTION TO KILL THE STAFF. 1 qt distilled water, 2 teaspoons of CLOROX BLEACH, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Believe it or not, it does not burn. Soak a sterile gauze in the solution and let it sit on the wound. Repeat with another sterile gauze, wiping any debris. Soak a third gauze strip and tape it down to your skin or I had to wrap an ace bandage to hold it onto my leg. Do this 2 or 3 times a day, and you will cut the healing time and will kill any remaining staff on contact. My scar is minimal, with no indentation.

About a year ago, I noticed a pus-filled bump on my hip after I had my baby boy. I thought it was an insect bite so I ignored it. Then I got another one and thought maybe a brown recluse spider bit me, so I went to the doctor. The doctor swore he saw the bite marks on me. He drained the bites, packed it, and prescribed Augmetin. I took a full course of Augmetin and it calmed the bites. I shaved under my arms a couple of days later and the bumps came back, but this time under my arms. One was the size of a golf ball. They were very, very painful and I felt irritated and sick. I went to see a different doctor. This doctor said I had boils and they could come and go. She said she didn't know where they come from. She didn't take a culture but she prescribed me 2 different antibiotics, about 3 courses, and guess what - they didn't work. I stopped taking the medicine. I continued to have the bumps. I went to see a dermatologist. He prescribed an antibiotic and at this time the boils were not fully active, so he told me to come back when I get another bump. Well, I did - I went back, he took a culture, and he told me I had a specific strain of staphyloccocus aureaus. He prescribed an antibiotic, which I refused to take. By this time, I had lost faith in antibiotics. The dermatologist called me back about two months later and I had to ask him what specific strain of staph. He said MRSA. During this time I had been doing some research in natural alternatives to bacterial infections. I have read about everything from echinacea to garlic. I went to see a herbologist. She told me to take probiotics (to put the good bacteria back into my system that the antibiotics took from me), lymph gland cleanse, liver cleanse, Viral Immune Herbal Capsules. Well, the bumps slowed down but did not completely leave. They are more under control. I read about changing diet. So I try to eat more fruits and less fried foods, less red meats, and more green veggies. And definitely more water. On February 28th I went to a meeting about a natural food which my cousin invited me to attend. It was on Aim Products, Barley (a green plant rich in nutrients) and a Herbal FiberBlend (cleansing of the colon and parasites). I have been taking that everyday with water and juice. I have more energy, more bowel movements, my face has no acne, and I feel more healthy. Still, I get these boils that come and go. But they are much more controlled. I told the Aim Product Representative that was at the meeting about MRSA. He told me that he would contact a natural alternative MD if they didnt clear. Well, he called him and the doctor suggested I take Colloidal Silver. Depending on the ppm (parts per million) would depend on how much you would consume. Well, I have been taking that for about a month now. No more boils in my armpits, none on my stomach, and they had just about cleared on my buttocks and hip. I stopped taking colloidal silver last week because I thought the Mrsa was just about gone. I have been eating cake, cookies, and more fried foods than usual. Guess what! Boils reappeared on my buttocks. So the representative suggested I continue taking the colloidal silver for another week. I immediately went back to the health food store to get more colloidal silver. I am now ingesting colloidal silver 1 teaspoon 3-4 times a day, which I will increase daily. I had two big bumps come on my hip and I applied the colloidal silver to the sores and they are healing quickly. I am going to increase my intake, continue taking barley green grass, and I am going to continue taking colloidal silver and go back to eating the way I should. I believe it should also be consumed with water. I have faith that this is going to work. I continue to do research on colloidal silver. I have read good things about this "natural antibiotic" and I have already witnessed for a short time that it can work. My friend told me she told it for a skin infection and it cleared in two weeks. I really believe that I stopped taking colloidal silver too soon before the bacteria was completely out of my system AND I started eating the wrong foods like sugar and fat. It is very irritating and I am disgusted that I now have marks on my body. But I am grateful I still have life and the knowledge I need to move on and tell others about it. I will definitely keep everyone posted on my wellness! And I suggest to everyone on this page that are still having problems with MRSA to first demand a culture from your doctor, if you are taking antibiotics - put the good bacteria back into your system by taking a probiotic or eat yogurt that contains the active culture, ask questions, eat the right foods and drink plenty of filtered water that will help flush your system, do research on alternative natural foods that help heal the body, consult a MD before taking anything, and most importantly Pray to God! If you want to talk email me at edivisions@yahoo.com. Thanks!

I had a very painful MRSA infection on my buttock in early March with incision and drain, and while waiting for culture results, was put on several antibiotics that were not sensitive to the bacteria. Then took the Septra DS for 14 days along with hot packs to the area. Had to cancel knee surgery because of this. Rescheduled the surgery for May and two nights before spiked a fever and noticed a large red area in my groin where there may have been an ingrown hair. So another incision and culture for staph and cancelled surgery again. Now I am concerned whether to even have the knee surgery, wondering if I will get another infection after surgery. Also saw the 60 Minutes segment on MRSA last weekend; maybe doctors will be more aggressive in treating it.

I can't believe how bad MRSA has gotten. I'm 29 years old and just had surgery on my pancreas on April 9th...I've been in and out of the hospital now for a month. The last time I went in with a fever of 104, they ran all kinds of test tring to see what was going on and found MRSA in the wound of my pancreas. I've had a drain tube now for 4 weeks and the drainage when they frist sent me home from the hospital looked bad but they had said it was nothing to worry about...now it's MRSA. I'm being treated at home by a home health agency with IV antibiotic, Vancomycin and Cypro, 2 times a day. I'm terrified with the stories I have read but now I know I'm not alone. I also have 2 small child which I worry about transferring this to. Also I read in one of the entries above that Cypro doesn't treat MRSA, is this true? I'm glad I ran across this, it's been helpful and brings me to make a list to ask the Doctor about when I go back in to see him tomorrow. Please know that each and everyone of you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Sept. 2003, My son tore his ACL in a high school football game.
6 days later he had reconstructive knee surgery to repair the ACL, MCL, and miniscus. 5 days after surgery he became very ill with extream pain in his leg and a 104 temp. His surgeon put him on oral antibiotics and Advil for 24 hours until lab tests came back. The next day he was back on the operating table to sew down the bersa of his knee which had staph, and also to flush the knee with antibiotics, and make sure the knee was sterile. His knee was 3 times the size of a regular post op knee at that time. 3 days later and no break in the fever and 5 other types of oral antibiotics my son was not getting any better. More lab tests and another 24 hours of waiting he was back to surgery to flush knee. This time the surgeon said the Staph had spread to the knee joint and he wanted to bring in a team of doctors from Infectious Desease. There was a chance that I.D. would want to undo the knee surgery, then treat the infection, and then redo the knee surgery after the infection was gone. wow.. Thank God we did not go that route. They immediately put a PIC line for IV in his arm to his heart, and started him on CEFTRIAXONE (ROCEPHIN) for a period of six weeks, which we gave him at home. It was 10 days before he started feeling any better. Just last Friday 5/7/04 he had to go back for surgery #4, to remove 2 of the screws from his knee because they were backing there way out of his knee. There was a major concern on my part that if we went back in to take out these screws, could some of this staph be hideing and spread when air hits it? Well it's Thur. 5/13 and I am glad to say my son is doing fine, (thank God). I just wanted to share this story with everyone because the worst thing about going through any of this, is to think you are the only ones going through this alone. I am by no means a "HOLY ROLLER", but I believe all the prayers were answered.

Does anyone know where to get vancomyicin online? My doctors have tried anti-biotics with out luck. now I must get another swab done! The first one already confirmed the neg. staph! Man I am dying here! fever neck and head ache! What is this world coming to when they would rather you die than to treat you???
if anyone knows more about vancomyicin and where to get it please respond-
thanks Karen

Karen, stick around here long enough and you'll run into any number of online spammers trying to sell their supplies of vancomycin. I suggest you check the front page ( http://drizzten.com/blog ) of my website every morning before 8:30 central time, as that's when I delete the spam. You're bound to find someone selling it.

Or you can get a prescription. Your call.

Like most people,i'm sure, I stumbled along this website researching MRSA. I am amazed how many people have been affected with this. I live in Metairie, LA.
My husband got a boil in the groin area back in Jan. It got so bad he went to the hospital...they said it was just an in-grown hair. The next day it got worst and went to his primary care doctor. He lanced and drained it and gave him a prescription of Septa. After the lab results came back he was notified it was MRSA. Of course he didn't ask any questions...like can it spread and what is it?
A couple of days later I recieved a boil on my buttock. I thought it was just a pimple or something. It went away on it's own so I ignored it.
Then in March my husband got another one on his thigh. That's when I started freaking out and doing a little bit more research on this. That's when I realized MRSA is a form of staph. This eventually went away and being the stubborn person that he is, he never went back to the doctor.
Well 2 weeks ago he got another one on the back of his thigh. This got really swollen and red. So he started taking Septa again. A week after his I got a boil in my arm pit.
So I decided to go to my dermatologists to get it checked. The lab reslults came back as a resistant bacteria. So now it's been since Jan and we are still dealing with this disease!!!
I was put on Bactrum (sulfameth - generic) for 10 days and was given ointment for my nose. My husbands leg still does not look good so he is going back to his doctor on Monday.

All I know is they need to find somrthing to treat this!!! I do not want to live with this forever. Good luck to everyone!

After reading about so many peoples' sufferings from MRSA I feel obligated to share what I have found out. On Oct. 11, 2002, 3 days after my baby was born, my father discovered, after being admitted into the hospital with a raging fever and sores that appeared on his body, that he had MRSA. They kept trying to treat it with Cipro but told us that it was not a cure. I visited my father numerous times while he was in the hospital and when he was back home. Then I started getting boil like sores that were so painful. I really got concerned and knew something was up when my husband got a sore on his leg. Because of the knowledge I had obtained about MRSA we raced to the Infectious Disease Doctor. He told us that now there is a cure for MRSA and it's ZYVOX. We took the antibiotic for a week and meanwhile I had to wash everything in hot water and bleach wherever possible. He said bleach kills everything. I applied bleach to the countertops, doorknobs, tubs, showers, floors and anywhere else that it was feasible. Unfortunately, our baby has started getting sores, about 1 every 6 weeks since January. The only thing I can think of is that he got infected over at my father's house. I am waiting for the pediatric infectious disease doctor to call and tell me when I can bring my 19 month child in. I have purchased an over the counter surgical scrub found at Walgreens Drug Store and I wash him down with that every evening in that it will kill the staph on the skin. The doctor had my husband and I doing that for 2 weeks. What I was told was to take the Zyvox, wash linens and underclothes in hot water and bleach, use the surgical scrub all over my body once a day for 2 weeks and practice scrupulous hand washing. My husband and I have remained MRSA free for several months now. Unfortunately, the doctor also said that it is possible to get infected all over again and that this is on the rise. Good luck to all.

Please help us understand this type of staph infection much more. What medicines seem to work the best on adults and children?

My 70 year old mother went to the ER(in West Virginia) on Tuesday April 27th, 2004 and was diagnosed with a bladder infection, slight dehydration and maybe(they weren't sure)a little pneumonia...she was taken to the CCU(cardiac care unit)because ICU was packed with patients.She was given 2 units of blood on Wednesday April,28th because her hemoglobin was low due to her loss of blood in her urine from the bladder infection. She looked better on Wednesday during her blood transfusion and was sitting up talking and laughing...I called the hospital to check on her Thursday morning 6 am before going to work...she was fine, they said....at 8 am(only 2 hours later)they were calling me and saying that she had taken a turn for the worse and I needed to tell them what code to use on her, if I wanted her on a respirator???? I had NO idea what they were telling me...I rushed to the hospital and was given the run around by ALL hospital staff....I told them to do whatever needed to be done to save my mom's life until I could be told and could understand what was going on. Finally, after hours of asking what happened, I was told my mom had MRSA.....how did she get it? What is it? No one would answer me. I asked them for information about it and was given a simple infection control booklet about proper hand washing. I had my family look up info on the internet about it and bring it to me. I finally understood why I was told nothing about MRSA. MRSA was given to my mom in the hospital and since my mom was elderly, with a weak immune system, she was a prime candidate to get this deadly infectious disease. My mom was placed on a respirator on Saturday, May 1st. and appeared to be getting better..she was taken off of the respirator on Friday, May 7th and talked with us and had us laughing because of her raspy voice and her usual funny nature...we had great hope for her recovery. At 12am that night an RN told me she accidently gave my mom the wrong medicine because the DR. had not changed the order since removing her from the respirator..she was very agitated and could not rest the remainder of that night into the next day, which was Saturday, May 8th..her oxygen level and blood pressure were dropping rapidly and a decision to put her back on the respirator was needed. Her Dr.'s said that her lungs were infected and were becoming enlarged and if put back on the respirator, she would end up in a nursing home and, at best, he would give her 6 months to live...and she would suffer. We decided not to put her back on the respirator,but to let her die. She died at 2:38pm on Sunday, May 9th.Mother's Day and we buried her on her 71st. birthday, Wednesday, May 12th,2004. I am haunted and find it very difficult to accept my mother's death. I am not sure if I ever will be able to accept anything about this. After reading some of your stories, I see that I am not alone. If anyone has any advice for me, I'd gladly accept it because I don't know what to do or how to move on...thanks for listening.
Kelly Turkoly (Barbara Greenlee's daughter)
Glencoe, Ohio 43928

Hi everyone-
I hope I have not been duked! I found vancomyicin on the net. But I heard from another member at this site that vancomyicin doesn't come in pill form! Really nervous about what I'll get in the mail... if anything.
If anyone else has any experiance with this medicine in pill or iv form please write too me and tell me your story.
Thanks

i would like some info on how long you are considered contagise. and has anyone ever been completely cured? my daughter got this in jail and is constanly trying to hang all over her kids. fights break out cause i am trying to protect them from getting this. she won't stay in one room and is constanly scratching. making me a nervous wreck. i am more afraid for the kids. she will be going back to jail soon but in the mean time i have to worry about the kids. and everyone in the house. is there a test of some sort that the doctor can give before the breakouts starts? if anyone knows anything please let me know. this is all new to us. and i pray the kids don't get it. i am so sick of smelling bleach but it is the only thing that seems to kill the germ. and going behind her to try and clean is almost impossible.

I've been reading many of your comments as I've been researching MRSA and want to know how it is perceived by those who have had to live with it. Or are living with it. This is for those people that are angry about not being able to get a cure. It's unfortunate but what has happened is that with the overprescribing of antibiotics many viruses and bacteria are becoming immune because their will to live is as strong as ours. Options are running out, pharma's can't keep up. Even if they do find something, immunity by MRSA is swift. MRSA is not just a "dirty hospital" disease anymore either (though those who have acquired illness because of that have every reason to be angry). There is a cMRSA which is community acquired simply because of close contact situations. AND bitch about conditions and situations that you feel are threatening, a professional should be more concerned for your health. If worse comes to worse take matters into your own hands the best you can.

Your doctor is just a pawn of pharma's who encourage overuse of antibiotics to acquire more profits (and we've been conditioned during this century to follow this train of thought).

My nephew has MSRA, and has been in the hospital in Petaluma, CA for 11 days. It started on his arms, after getting a tattoo. He had blisters and a fever. It then went to his face and he had pus in his lymph nodes and sinuses. They had to lance the inside of his upper lip to drain it. He has been having very high fevers every night; the highest was 105.3. His feet and legs are now very swollen and sore. The infectious disease dr said it was a bad reaction to an antibiotic he was taken, so he was switched to another. She said the swelling and fever would go down in 48 hours, but it hasn't. If ANYONE has any doctors we could talk to, or any information at all, I would really appreciate it. These folks in Petaluma don't seem to know what they are doing and he's just getting worse. Thanks for listening and I hope to hear from you. My email address is raine59@hotmail.com.

A dear friend of my daughter has MRSA and has been treated - but still has occasional outbreaks. Am I being overly protective by keeping her away from this friend - especially during outbreaks?

I work in a hospital and never thought I would pass MRSA to my son. My son is 2 years old and he got boils and the doctor took a culture and said it was staph. The doctor relunctly forgot to mention it was MRSA staph-- not the normal staph, even when the tests said it was MRSA she still treated it with standard medicine for staph -- not the medicine he needed to combat MRSA. I am pissed and should sue the hell out of them. It wasn't till months later and 5 different outbreaks that I put two and two together and asked my doctor if it was possible that my son didn't have spider bites but MRSA. Why yes he does have MRSA the test a year ago says he does. I was speechless of the stupidity from the statement. I said to her, "Why in the hell is he taking Keflex-- that is not recommended for MRSA?" But she just looked at me like I was being an alarmist and that MRSA was no big deal. She had me going to a pediatric surgeon and dermatologist to find out what the cause was of the boils and all along it was the MRSA-- not a spider bite.

Sadly, the colonization of the bug over the year has made it harder to treat with antibiotics. If I would have known earlier that it was MRSA instead of normal staph-- this could have been prevented. Now a precious little 2 year old boy has to live with scars on his leg from the ignorance of a pediatric doctor to MRSA and that it is different than normal staph and requires different medicines.

I LIVE IN A SUBURB JUST SOUTH OF DALLAS TEXAS. ALMOST 3 YEARS AGO, I BEGAN BREAKING OUT WITH LARGE ABSESSES ALL OVER MY BODY. I AM DISTRAUGHT AND FRUSTERATED. THIS DISEASE HAS CHANGED MY LIFE FOREVER. I AM NO LONGER ABLE TO ENJOY EVERYDAY LIFE. I AM A 36 YEAR OLD MOTHER OF THREE. I PRAY DAILY THAT I WILL LIVE LONG ENOUGH FOR MY NOW 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TO REMEMBER ME. I KNOW THAT SEEMS DRASTIC, BUT FOR ME THIS IS LIFE. I AM DESPERATE FOR HELP AND INFO. I HAVE SEEN DOCTORS ALL OVER THE DFW AREA, AND BEEN IN MOST OF THE HOSPITALS AS WELL. EVERYONE HAS A DIFFENT EXPLANATION AND CURE. SO FAR NOTHING HAS WORKED. I HAVE BEEN ON SO MANY ANTIOBOTICS, THAT I AM NOW EITHER ALLERGIC TO OR THE MRSA IS RESISTANT TO ALL OF THEM. MOST RECENTLY I BEGAN SEEING AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST WHO ASSURED ME THAT AFTER 21 DAYS OF A MEDICATION CALLED ZYVOX, THAT THE DISEASE WOULD BE PUT INTO REMISSION. I WAS OFF THE MEDICINE FOR LESS THAN A WEEK AND MY LUNGS BEGAN TO FILL WITH FLUID, I HAD TO SEE MY REGULAR DR. FOR THE NEXT WEEK TO RECEIVE EMERGENCY BREATHING TREATMENTS. I HAVE NOW FINISHED A SECOND PERSCTIPTION (6 WEEKS) AND AM ALREADY SEEING SIGNS OF THE INFECTION RETURNING. I HAVE HAD IN EXCESS OF 80 OPENLY ACTIVE BOILS AT ONE TIME. I AM UNABLE TO WORK IN ANY CAPACITY, AND MY IMMUNE SYSTEM IS SO SHOT. I AM TERRIFIED TO BE ANY WHERE, WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE. I AVOID PUBLIC EVENTS AND EVEN FAMILY EVENTS BECAUSE I AM SO PARANOID THAT I WILL BE EXPOSED TO SOMETHING I WON'T BE ABLE TO SHAKE. ALSO, PEOPLE WHO KNOW ABOUT MY CONDITION, TREAT ME LIKE THE LEAPER OUTSIDE THE CITY WALLS. I NEED HOPE. PLEASE IF YOU HAVE ANY INFO TO HELP...GET IN TOUCH. MY DOCTORS ARE SCRATCHING THEIR HEADS AND MY TIME IS RUNNING OUT.

I LIVE IN A SUBURB JUST SOUTH OF DALLAS TEXAS. ALMOST 3 YEARS AGO, I BEGAN BREAKING OUT WITH LARGE ABSESSES ALL OVER MY BODY. I AM DISTRAUGHT AND FRUSTERATED. THIS DISEASE HAS CHANGED MY LIFE FOREVER. I AM NO LONGER ABLE TO ENJOY EVERYDAY LIFE. I AM A 36 YEAR OLD MOTHER OF THREE. I PRAY DAILY THAT I WILL LIVE LONG ENOUGH FOR MY NOW 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TO REMEMBER ME. I KNOW THAT SEEMS DRASTIC, BUT FOR ME THIS IS LIFE. I AM DESPERATE FOR HELP AND INFO. I HAVE SEEN DOCTORS ALL OVER THE DFW AREA, AND BEEN IN MOST OF THE HOSPITALS AS WELL. EVERYONE HAS A DIFFENT EXPLANATION AND CURE. SO FAR NOTHING HAS WORKED. I HAVE BEEN ON SO MANY ANTIOBOTICS, THAT I AM NOW EITHER ALLERGIC TO OR THE MRSA IS RESISTANT TO ALL OF THEM. MOST RECENTLY I BEGAN SEEING AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST WHO ASSURED ME THAT AFTER 21 DAYS OF A MEDICATION CALLED ZYVOX, THAT THE DISEASE WOULD BE PUT INTO REMISSION. I WAS OFF THE MEDICINE FOR LESS THAN A WEEK AND MY LUNGS BEGAN TO FILL WITH FLUID, I HAD TO SEE MY REGULAR DR. FOR THE NEXT WEEK TO RECEIVE EMERGENCY BREATHING TREATMENTS. I HAVE NOW FINISHED A SECOND PERSCTIPTION (6 WEEKS) AND AM ALREADY SEEING SIGNS OF THE INFECTION RETURNING. I HAVE HAD IN EXCESS OF 80 OPENLY ACTIVE BOILS AT ONE TIME. I AM UNABLE TO WORK IN ANY CAPACITY, AND MY IMMUNE SYSTEM IS SO SHOT. I AM TERRIFIED TO BE ANY WHERE, WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE. I AVOID PUBLIC EVENTS AND EVEN FAMILY EVENTS BECAUSE I AM SO PARANOID THAT I WILL BE EXPOSED TO SOMETHING I WON'T BE ABLE TO SHAKE. ALSO, PEOPLE WHO KNOW ABOUT MY CONDITION, TREAT ME LIKE THE LEAPER OUTSIDE THE CITY WALLS. I NEED HOPE. PLEASE IF YOU HAVE ANY INFO TO HELP...GET IN TOUCH. MY DOCTORS ARE SCRATCHING THEIR HEADS AND MY TIME IS RUNNING OUT.

I have been struggling with MRSA since April of 2004. I contracted it from my ex-boyfriend. I have been going to doctors repeatedly, but nobody seems to have any anwers for me. I've been put on Augmentin and Clindamycin, but they don't help. The soars keep coming back. I have been referred to dermatologists twice, not sure why.
When I had my first soar, it was on my cheek near my nose and eye. My eye swelled shut. It was ugly and painful. I went to the E.R. and they never detected that it was MRSA. They didn't even bother to take a culture. They put me on an antibiotic I.V. and prescribed me some Augmentin. They even gave me a CAT Scan (more money down the drain).
I have been back and forth to different doctors, but they don't seem to have any answers. I had one even tell me that he couldn't treat me as he was looking thru a medical book.
I went to the E.R. today thinking I would have more luck, knowing that I had MRSA and would be able to give the doctor more info, but it still didn't help. They took another culture and prescribed me more clindamycin and am being referred to an infectious disease doctor. Hopefully next week I will have some answers when I see this doctor.
I am frightened because I feel that I am being ignored. I'm not sure how serious this is and am wondering how sick I am. I'm wondering if I'm ever going to get the help I need. I don't have insurance at the moment. I am in between jobs. It has killed my savings account. Does anyone have any answers?? If anyone else is scared, and wants to talk please write. I'd like to hear about it and maybe help some how.
I have never heard of MRSA until my ex-boyfriend got it. This is a terrible infection and I feel for all of you who are going thru this.

kellyjoy73@hotmail.com

Hello,
We are from SW Florida and my family just went thru a not so fun ordeal, very similar to the previous letters, over Memorial Day Weekend! My 8yoa daughter came to me on Friday with a very red and hot site that covered almost her whole right forearm,she also had a high fever 103.9, which she said was a very small "pimple-like" spot she had popped a few days before. Saturday morning I took her to a medical clinic which lanced the site and gave her an injection of rocephin and perscribed a 500mg Augmentin dose 2 times a day. Sunday morning I found the redness had gone up to her shoulder and immediately took her back to the same clinic, which the doctor there told us to take her to the ER. We did and they admitted her and started her on IV antibiotics Rocephin and cultured the site. The ER physician seemed to be very knowledgeable of the seriousness and called in a Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon. The surgeon took her into surgery that night and left the site open packed with gauze and wrapped in a cast like splint. She was kept in the hospital on IV Vancomyacin every 8hrs and had another surgery on Wednesday to clean an debride any dead tissue, still with the Vancomyacin, she then had another surgery on Friday, when they finally stitched up the 6 inch cut on top of her arm, with drains. Friday My oldest daughter 10yoa came to the hospital to see her sister and she had a small "pimple-like" spot on her left outer thigh, I asked the doctor to look at it and he immediately admitted her too for Vancomyacin IV. We were also being seen by the infectious disease doctor that was on staff at the hospital, I think if it were not for her great knowledge in MRSA we would still be dealing with this. She told us that MRSA is found in areas that physicians prescribe antibiotics for illnesses that do not respond to antibiotics, like the common cold or viruses, the dioctors give us medicine because we want something and it makes us feel better when we are taking something for being sick, even tho it is not going to help. This causes bacterias to become resistant to the normally used antibiotics. She also said that MRSA is found in many places and some people can have it and not get an infection and that if she cultured 100 people she would probably find 60 people out of the 100 to have the bacteria on their skin. Bathing with antibacterial soap and washing hands often helps keep it from infecting, you can get infected with MRSA just by a scrape, insect bite or even a pimple that you have squeezed, causing an open area in the skin for the bacteria to get into. She told us that once having the bacteria you and your household can become "colonized" with it and become reinfected more easily. My oldest daughter thankfully did not have surgeries, and both were released on the Monday after Memorial day with oral Clyndamyacin for a week. The infectious disease doctor gave our whole family 2 perscriptions 1) a salve called Mupirocin to put inside our nostrils for 5 consecutive days a month for 3 months and 2) Hibeclens (antibacterial wash) for all of us to shower in 3 times a week. She said this would help to break the colonization, we also got antibacterial cleaner and scrubbed the whole house: walls, floors, all of the furniture and bedding with it. After reading all of the stories previously, I feel very lucky to have the doctors we did!! I hope this can help anyone that is going thru this to stop the return and pain of MRSA. I also agree with the previous persons that said this should be given more attention, and the public better informed, it is very serious and the doctors told us that it is not an uncommon occurance to lose a limb or life to this silent bacteria!!! GOOD HEALTH AND SPEEDY RECOVERIES TO ALL!
If I can help anyone more just e-mail me. I'll be happy to give DR's names and any info I can.

I never new so many other people had MRSA. Last november I had an allergic reaction to a med, and my lips swelled up, its happened before so i didnt think too much of it. I went to work not even thinking that they could get infected. i work in a health care setting were there is mrsa around, and i must have been vulnerable enough becuase the swelling didnt completly go away, and i got impetigo which can be caused by mrsa. I went to the doc and he gave me keflex, it came back, he gave me zithromax, it came back, he put me on keflex for 1 month, i didnt even last that whole month before it was back, i was seeing a new doc at that time, she sent some samples to the lab and i went home. i looked on the internet about treatments of mrsa and i came across tea tree oil. i have never tried an alternative med before, but i did, and it was working. the doctor called me a few days later saying i had mrsa, and i would probably have to be admitted to the hospital. i went to see her to show her the tea tree oil was working, and she was great about it, she said she would let me try it for a while so i could avoid going to the hospital. i went back 3 weeks later and she took swabs from several parts, my nose, mouth, i didnt have it, and as far as she could tell i wasnt a carrier either. that was in april she told me i beleive, and its july now and i still dont have it. i wanted to avoid giong the the hospital at all costs, the antibiotics used have such horrible side effects. i know tea tree oil isnt for everyone, but it worked great for me, i diluted it about 7 drops per gallon of water- it doesnt take alot. and you cant ingest it, so i had to be careful when putting in on around my mouth. i did put it in my nasal cavity to make sure i wouldnt be a carrier.

There is a phenomenal new all-natural product that balances and supports your immune system that many of you might want to check out. Here is the website: www.mylegacyforlife.net/IChooseHealth

I am a healthcare professional that was bitten last year (2003) by a brown recluse spider on three seperate locations (knee, groin, and hip). When I was first bitten my entire right leg was overcome with Cellulitis and I was admitted after three days and three trips to the ER where the Doctors failed to treat the cellulitis as a problem. Once admitted I underwent surgical debridement of the areas and was put on IV Vancomycin. I was discharged on day 5 and was off work for several months. Within a month of the debridement I abscessed in my hip and this process recurred for 8 more times. Each time it abscessed a culture was obtained that showed MRSA as the infectious agent and I was placed on Keflex (PO) by my primary care physician. Throughout this process I was hospitalized on 3 occasions and surgically debrided in the MD's office on all the other occasions. I finally was referred to a different ID person and she had me bath in Phisohex and apply Bactroban to all affected areas and my nares. I had about 2 months of abscess free living when recently my groin became infected again. I was treated this time with IV Vancomycin, Rifampin, Clindomycin, Bleach baths, and Bactroban. Is there any hope in getting rid of this germ? As a healthcare worker (RN) I am seriously considering leaving the profession and doing something that doesn't place me at harms way. Does anyone else have any similar experience with this germ or has anyone had any positive treatment?

WOW!
scarey world we are living in these days. i am so sorry for people suffering from this crap. i have a friend who has this , she is also diabetic. i worked for the dr who debrided her wounds several times i assisted. now my oldest daughter 29 has suddenly broke out in strange pimply rash on both legs, drs say they dont know what it is. then my grandaughter starts getting red bite marks all over her. they look almost like flea bites . some are very large and swollen. no fever in the baby and they will go away for a time then suddenly reapear. can someone tell me if i am over reacting or could this be a symptom of mersa? also my 19 yr old just became a cna in a nurseing home and what kind of precautions should she be taking besides the usual hand washing glove wearing ? she just told me of an incident at this home of a pt. dying and none of the RNS would tell any of them what was the cause of death but they were totally sterilizing everything in her room even the lifts. strange since this friend of mine had also been in this home for two months to recoup from abdominal wounds that wouldn't heal due to her mersa infec. someone with some knowledge of symptoms could you drop me a line? thank you so much and i pray that the universe takes care of all of you physically and spiritally............thanks susie

hey me again susie, just wanted to post my email so if anyone of ya's has any good tips or info agin please drop me a line. thanks and peace to everyone..........susieqqq@hotmail.com

does anyone know how long MRSA stays contagious? i had a wound in my groin with it in it.......how long should i be alarmed?

WOW is right! About 2 weeks ago I developed a boil on my lower back, my husband drained it for me,a couple days later another one showed up on my lower back again,that one als went away with no treatment, eight days ago I developed another one on my back right on my shoulder blade, I did the hotpacks to relieve the pain, when this boil developed a head my husband drained that one also, this time it got bigger, I was in so much pain I couldnt move my arm or shoulder, I am the mother of 3 active little ones. I went to my dr and he lanced the boil, it was 2 and a half inches deep OUCH! he did a culture and I just found out today it is mrsa! I had to go in and have it re-checked and my doc ended up extending the incision because it has gotten bigger, it is now across my back and in my breast, this is the most painful thing I have experienced, it is very depressing. I was put on 3 antibiotics keflex,bactrim,rifampin. can anyone tell me if these meds worked for them, I am sitting here thinking of all these awful things that can happen to me and it is very scary