MRSA & Crohns

MRSA is becoming more prevalent--especially in public areas.  I work in a hospital and see it all the time. Ranges from adults to babies.  It is very contagious so be diligent in washing your hands and linens and making sure people around you also are dilligent in washing hands and not sharing towels etc with you. 

It also is very important that you get help quickly once you take care of this episode because it has been shown to come back and the quicker that you get treatment, the quicker it gets better.  Sometimes it looks like an ingrown hair, or pimple or spider bite.  If you wait too long, sometimes they have to scrape the area to take the infected tissue out and then pack it until it seals back up.  (since you were going to the doc on the 20th they might have done that)

Don't be afraid to seek treatment.  Depending on the severity of the infection, we treat patients with IV antibiotics and they seem to work very quickly in getting the infection to quit spreading.  you just have to come in frequently until progress is being made (I forgot how many hours per infusion) but usually for outpt treatments it's like 3-4 times.   Also once it gets under control, you can take antibiotics orally. 

definately take probiotics.

I have been undergoing treatment for the past week for a staph infection after a tonsillectomy 2 weeks ago.  They sent in 2 samples that both came back positive with one reacting to antibiotics and the other not certain.  I am on heavy dosages of oral antibiotics, but have been informed that if the other test comes back positive for MRSA staph that I will have to recieve an I.V. antibiotic called vancomycin.

My father, who is diabetic, had an open wound on his foot that got MRSA.  It took nearly 2 1/2 years of treatment to heal it it.  He had to numerous surgeries and multiple hospitalizations, but they were able to keep his foot because of the vancomycin.  If you do have to undergo this treatment, I would recommend asking for a pickline I.V., because if you are like most of us here, getting an I.V. is always a difficult experience.  I have had a pickline and recommend it for anyone getting longterm daily treatments.