MRSA

[scbusf]

I have had the kind of week where you just want to hide under the covers!!!! This is only 1 thing that's happened.

i went to Urgent Care last weekend for a sinus issue. While I was there, I had them take a look at a skin biopsy site on my stomach that was looking green and goopy as well as being painful. They took a culture and it came back as MRSA. I had already started Amoxicillin for the sinus infection, but the doc wants to switch me to Tetracycline, I think.

Anything else I should be aware of? How concerned about this should I be?

[ktgrok]

MRSA means it is resistant to multiple antibiotics. But that doesn't mean it is resistant to all of them. As long as it has a few that still work you will be fine. And it sounds like they know what will work from doing the culture. It just means that the normal antibiotic that they might choose won't work. That's all. 

[EmseB]

I would say that as long as you're keeping it clean and taking a cycline it's probably going to be fine, so what I'm going to say isn't intended to scare you, but it was something I didn't know until it was quite late in the game for us:

If you see red lines spreading from the site or develop a fever, get to the ER immediately and show them the site and tell them it has been cultured as MRSA.

[blondeviolin]

I'd just keep an eye on it because MRSA can get nasty quickly. 

[snickerplum]

There is a wash called Hibiclense that can help stop it from spreading. 

[prairiewindmomma]

Hopefully they told you about the Hibiclens washing protocol.

Also, Manuka honey. ?

[aaplank]

Manuka honey has been scientifically proven to be very effective against MRSA. After cleaning with Hibiclense, slather the wound with medical grade Manuka honey, preferably the highest UMF you can afford. 

[lanabug]

I always recommend hot compresses, as hot as you can stand, every few hours. And a drop of oil of oregano twice a day on the spot will clear it up. If the wound is slightly open, the oregano will burn like fire however. My daughters and I have all dealt with MRSA multiple times. It always resulted in having the boil lanced and drained, along with a round of strong antibiotics, until we discovered the oil of oregano. Now, it clears up the spot without ever getting to the point of needing to be drained.

I'd also do manuka honey.

[SamanthaCarter]

We’ve found oil of oregano is effective too. I’m a carrier, as is probably most of my family, but we don’t have trouble with it now that we’ve learned how to spot and treat a potential boil. I actually think we’ve developed an immunity to it (the strain I carry) if that’s possible. 

[StephanieZ]

My DR friends have advised me that soap/water/hygiene is your best friend with MRSA.

If it were me, I'd take whatever antibiotics they prescribe . . . load up on probiotics . . .

And:

+ Single use towels ONLY. Launder your own bedding and towels after every use. Keep the wound/site covered and wash everything thoroughly as frequently as humanly possible.

+ Whole house -- wash towels daily. Replace all hand towels with paper towel rolls. Wash bedding as frequently as feasible. Wash, wash.

+ For the MRSA person -- only use one bathroom, and clean it every day. Go nuts with soap and water. 

+ Wash wound and surrounding areas with soap and water as frequently as allowed by DR.

+ Keep wound area isolated/covered all the time!

+ Consider using honey wrap/bandaging if not prohibited by your DR. It's magic and nothing is resistant to it, so far as I know.

+ Keep your hands out of your nose and away from any other sensitive area. Wash like crazy. 

+ Assume all your bodily fluids are MRSA contaminated. Keep them away from other people and especially away from wounds/scratches/noses/eyes/mouth.