Reoccurring Staph

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  • kip63
    kip63 Posts: 3 Member
    I totally agree with Aaron_123. His advice is consistent with training and experience in sound medical knowledge. I would suggest your best option is to consult an Infectious Disease physician. They are up on the latest algorithms of treatment. Press your Family Practice doc to refer you to that specialist. If he/she won't refer you, then find out from your Medical Center who their Infectious Disease physician is and make an appointment to see them. He may have an N.P. (Nurse Practitioner) who is trained as the Infectious Disease Nurse. That nurse may be the best person to begin helping you.
  • kip63
    kip63 Posts: 3 Member
    I was an operating room RN, recently retired, but worked in the OR for 36 years. My forte' was Orthopedics and yes, like mij140, we dealt with MRSA practically every day. Of course, we wore protective clothing and always utilized precautionary techniques. Every one of our patients (both Total Hip and Total Knee Arthroplasties) went through a rigorous pre-op MRSA protocol in a effort to protect them from getting wound infections. Aaron_K123 is correct on how devastating an infection, especially MRSA, e-coli, c-diff or other insidious bacteria can reek havoc on post-op results. It's not the best subject to talk about, but you must "take the bull by the horns", BlissGlitch. Demand and/or impress upon your husband to become an advocate and participator in your care. It is imperative that you take care of yourselves, because your fastidiousness on this issue may save you from future difficulties to you, your children and/or your loved ones. Seriously, keep up the good work of finding an infectious disease physician to help you.
  • Lovee_Dove7
    Lovee_Dove7 Posts: 742 Member
    MikePfirrman wrote: »
    mij140 wrote: »
    I’m an inpatient registered nurse and I deal with MRSA on a regular basis. Please push for an appointment with an infection disease specialist. If you’ve been seeing the same PCP and you’re still getting recurrent infections...it’s time for a change. Best of luck to you.

    While I agree with everything you (and Aaron) are saying, my family (my sister, niece and sister in law are all nurses) is filled with nurses. All of them were basically useless to me. My sister, who ran a well known heart surgery unit said basically, "after you have MRSA, you'll always have it". They told me just keep taking the antibiotics prescribed and hope for the best. Well, there are people that have had staph infections for years and years. I wasn't about ready to accept that personally. I've had no sign of MRSA or staph now for over four years. While it took patience and a total diet change to fix it, I did. It's incredibly hard to get rid of (assuming that's what it is). You have to attack internally and externally and be meticulous.

    I'd work with an infectious disease specialist but also take diet and add in Holistic treatment too. I'd still have it likely if I hadn't taken matters into my own hands.

    That is awesome I am really happy for you!
    My husband is a nurse in the trauma/post op unit, and he would back up what you say.
    So glad you were able to resolve such a scary condition. :)
  • staraly
    staraly Posts: 54 Member
    Another angle to think about is having a healthy gut microbiome. The microbiome is responsible for about 80% of our immune functioning and there is an increasing amount of research linking an unhealthy biome to many illnesses. Also, I remember an episode of The Food Hospital (British TV show) which featured a woman with severe boils who had a heck of an improvement in her symptoms through a specific diet to support her gut and therefore her immune response. Something to think about anyway.
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    @ Aaron, no question, without the antibiotics I'd have been dead. Antibiotics, though, also destroy your microbiome (something just mentioned) and you're right, I did have recurring staph even months after taking vancomycin. As you yourself mentioned, a certain part of the population carries it around and I couldn't completely get rid of it until the complete change of diet and behaviors. Perhaps it was reinfections on my skin only, not sure, but they have found that MRSA can live for up to six months on furniture.
  • koda0071
    koda0071 Posts: 40 Member
    I have had three bouts of serious staph infection the first one a little more than a year ago. I didn't really notice what was going on with my lower leg and within 24 hrs of first noticed symptoms (high fever) my lower leg was red, swollen, hot to touch and lymph nodes in groin were the size of an egg and painful. It was late Friday afternoon and urgent care wanted to rule out DVT since I had no prior history and needed ultra sound to do that. I was admitted into the hospital for the weekend for an US, given IV antibiotics for infection, and they did blood cultures. It can rapidly cause serious problems so don't leave it unchecked. It came back two times afterwards about 2 months apart and switched legs, but was still in my lower leg from ankle to calf muscle area. The second and third time I recognized what it was before it progressed and was give oral antibiotics to combat it. I was nasal swabbed to check for MRSA carrier, came back negative. After the third time I was determined to figure out how I was either coming in contact or why I was susceptible. My first question was how I was coming in contact if it was from an secondary source. As already stated here, we all carry staph on our skin it just needs a way in to take hold. Broken skin of any kind will do. I still evaluated my possible contact sources which are many since I work in and around an autopsy suite at the hospital and my wife is a nurse. I used hibiclens wash on my legs, I figured it would not hurt, but it is not something I use continuously now. I started to make sure any clothes that I wore or my wife were immediately put into the wash after a days or nights work. Given the location of my infections I was curious if the pants leg touching floors or touching my shoes was getting it on my lower legs so I am more cautious about those things now. I think the biggest issue I had was poor circulation and the swelling in my feet and legs due to my weight and lack of physical activity at that time was maybe a bigger culprit. If staph was and is on my skin and the skin is stretched to the point it provides a micro break in the skin barrier it had a entry point. My poor circulation was not helping my own immune system tackle the problem either. Since that time I have dropped 120 lbs through diet and exercise and my legs are no longer swollen and the skin looks much healthier in my lower extremities due to better circulation. I still take the same precautions with possible contaminated clothing and use hand sanitizer on my hands and arms after using gym equipment that I have to touch. I do not wear shorts in the gym (not blessed with pretty gams so most people are grateful) so my legs don't come in direct contact with gym equipment. I have not had another bout in almost 10 months and I am hoping this trend continues.

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