My MRSA Story

I was in a California Casino and felt a small pain in the side of my face so I went to my hotel room to check on it. As other reports show it appeared to be a spider bite. When we got to the lobby (within 10 minutes) the pain was increasing and my wife said my face was really swollen. She bought me some Benadryl, I took it and went back to the casino. Within an hour, I told my wife I had to go lay down I was not feeling well. According to her, I was feverish and very sweaty. I slept for about 4 hours and was awakened by my wife to go to eat. By this time my side of my face was was swollen to approximately 3 inches round and 1 inch outward. We got to the restaurant and the waitress called the paramedics on staff. I was taken to a San Diego Hospital where they performed a minor surgery and gave me antibiotics and sent me on my way. Over the next 7 days, between 3 hospitals I had 4 more surgeries trying to remove the puss which was forming faster than they could get it out. On the 5th visit I ran into a doctor who did a rush analysis who found that it was MRSA and then medicated me severely. To this day every time I get sick, I get violently sick. When I get an injury they take an excessively long time to heal, if they ever do (some cuts I got on my arm have not gone away in 6 months). The actual infection has not resurfaced again and other than the scaring from the surgeries you could not tell by looking at me that I had been infected but it still affects my imune system constantly.

I have been dealing with the same painful infections for the past year. It has been diagnosed as MRSA and the only treatment that I have ben given is general antibiotics which keep the infection under control only when on the medicine...approx two weeks off the medicine and tht infection comes back bigger than the last time. I have tried to involve myself in studies so that I may help in any way to rid people of this painful bug but have got nowhere, I would love to know what you were treated with so that I may suggest to my doctor another form of treatment?

Kevin wrote:

I was in a California Casino and felt a small pain in the side of my face so I went to my hotel room to check on it. As other reports show it appeared to be a spider bite. When we got to the lobby (within 10 minutes) the pain was increasing and my wife said my face was really swollen. She bought me some Benadryl, I took it and went back to the casino. Within an hour, I told my wife I had to go lay down I was not feeling well. According to her, I was feverish and very sweaty. I slept for about 4 hours and was awakened by my wife to go to eat. By this time my side of my face was was swollen to approximately 3 inches round and 1 inch outward. We got to the restaurant and the waitress called the paramedics on staff. I was taken to a San Diego Hospital where they performed a minor surgery and gave me antibiotics and sent me on my way. Over the next 7 days, between 3 hospitals I had 4 more surgeries trying to remove the puss which was forming faster than they could get it out. On the 5th visit I ran into a doctor who did a rush analysis who found that it was MRSA and then medicated me severely. To this day every time I get sick, I get violently sick. When I get an injury they take an excessively long time to heal, if they ever do (some cuts I got on my arm have not gone away in 6 months). The actual infection has not resurfaced again and other than the scaring from the surgeries you could not tell by looking at me that I had been infected but it still affects my imune system constantly.

been on comp for a few years with lots of injuries
somehow i ended up with a mrsa infection. have had alot of back procedures and had a cortisone shot on my foot that was giving me a fit and then within a few days i was very ill had to be in the hospital and had surgery and it will not heal.

Was this infection cultured as MRSA?

spacekitty wrote:

been on comp for a few years with lots of injuries
somehow i ended up with a mrsa infection. have had alot of back procedures and had a cortisone shot on my foot that was giving me a fit and then within a few days i was very ill had to be in the hospital and had surgery and it will not heal.

Kevin wrote:

I was in a California Casino and felt a small pain in the side of my face so I went to my hotel room to check on it. As other reports show it appeared to be a spider bite. When we got to the lobby (within 10 minutes) the pain was increasing and my wife said my face was really swollen. She bought me some Benadryl, I took it and went back to the casino. Within an hour, I told my wife I had to go lay down I was not feeling well. According to her, I was feverish and very sweaty. I slept for about 4 hours and was awakened by my wife to go to eat. By this time my side of my face was was swollen to approximately 3 inches round and 1 inch outward. We got to the restaurant and the waitress called the paramedics on staff. I was taken to a San Diego Hospital where they performed a minor surgery and gave me antibiotics and sent me on my way. Over the next 7 days, between 3 hospitals I had 4 more surgeries trying to remove the puss which was forming faster than they could get it out. On the 5th visit I ran into a doctor who did a rush analysis who found that it was MRSA and then medicated me severely. To this day every time I get sick, I get violently sick. When I get an injury they take an excessively long time to heal, if they ever do (some cuts I got on my arm have not gone away in 6 months). The actual infection has not resurfaced again and other than the scaring from the surgeries you could not tell by looking at me that I had been infected but it still affects my imune system constantly.

you need to see an infectious disease specalist you never had a spider bite. mrsa will stay in your body and will make a cold bronchitis. ect.. Long term cultures are essential, there ia only one known cure, that is done only by an infectious disease specialist, two weeks I.V. antibiyiots. It will not ever get better or go away. contact the CDC for help. too bad you did not go to Scripps.

I had what appeared to be a spider bite on my leg and the Dr. told me it was an infected hair folicle.
over the next 6 months more infected sites occoured. No one ever took a culture the dr. said he knew what it was. I finally saw a Dr. that did do a culture and she discovered it as MRSA. Again another lesion appeared oh I'd say the 5th one and this time I was hospitalized and had to undergo surgery. I.V. therapy and zyvox. Lots of pain involved. Just this past Christmas one lesion appeared on my lip and another trip back to the hospital and pain, I.V. Vancomycin and sent home with antibiotics. I'm lacking my energy and would love to know if anyone suffers from the after effects of this MRSA? My family no longer wants me to visit them for fear they will catch this horrible stuff. Leaves one really depressed.

recently hospitalized with MRSA infection on left middle finger, surgery and vancomycin treatment, 4 days in hospital. wound healing slowly. I have had some success self-treating 7 other lesions using alternating wash of clorox and common vinegar, both of which burn, but over a few days reduce the lesion. this last one got away from me and required intervention from doctors. It is most important that a person does not pick at or squeeze the lesion to remove pus for any reason. It appears that the bug releases toxins into the surrounding tissue which create a more widened, harder and infected area. I applied clorox straight with a Q-tip and later (2 min) flushed with water. good luck and Godspeed.

In addition to my ordeal, my wife has been dealing with a similar type infestation of actual bug that resembles a tiny scabies-type bug that produced numerous lesions from head to toe. these are not raised/volcanic type but form small scabs. the main body of the bug is under the scab, but the head can separate if picked off and remain. We found the only relief in a vinegar wash or bath which kills the bug, turns it white and raises it to the surface. Scab can then be removed and will gradually heal. Some of the bugs in the top of her head and on her face were more difficult. The bugs reproduce and a vinegar wash will raise the babies to the surface where thay can be removed with tweezers, where they appear as tiny black splinters. I have removed hundreds of these bugs in this manner over the past year. Other attempts, such as 5% permithrin (used for scabies, reccomended by our physician) have proven futile. If anyone else has encountered this type of infestation, please post this site

My best friend has had MRSA for over a year. She had hundreds of lesions. One doctor radiated her with light and told her to take
Clorox baths. She finally went to specialist who prescriber oral medicine and a nosespray. Although most of the lesions are scarred she is still getting new ones. What can she do? Also, since these pus-filled spots are all over her body, is she contagious?

doxycycline, probiotics, alkanalize body, build immune system with vitamins and minerals, up oxgen in body

ruth duryea wrote:

doxycycline, probiotics, alkanalize body, build immune system with vitamins and minerals, up oxgen in body

Did you have MRSA? You sound knowledgeable. Have been doing all of the above and MD is wanting me on doxycycline. After all the intestinal/immune rebuilding is doxy going to put me back at square one?

My six year old & I traveled to Virginia to visit friends & while there I had been sure to check frequently for ticks or other critters. We went to the beach & he spent a lot of time in my girlfriends pool & trampoline. I noticed that he had a bump in his head after he got out of the pool. There were about five total & all had puss & seemed to be stuck in his hair. I checked them out & they just appeared to be sores I didn't see any sign of a tick or anything else. I didn't want to pick at it for fear of hurting him. I put vaseline on each of the scabs,hoping that what I was told was true about ticks backing themselves out when covered in vaseline. Nothing ever happened with the vaseline. It took about three weeks for the scabs to heal & now you can see a faint red mark where they once were. I am now having a CBC lyme test screaning done for my son. I don't want to take any chances. If anyone else has had this experience please post here!

i am really REALLY afraid of getting MRSA and i am doing everthing to prevent it but i have a TON of realy small rased bumbs on my arm that are white heads, or pimple and they dont hurt but they are on both arms and they they are kinda white does anyone know what these are I AM SO WORED ABOUT GETTING THE STAPH INFECTION is it rair to get? I AM SO FREAKED OUT!!!!!!!!!

I just got out of almost a week hospital stay for MRSA on my face. it is a scary thing.

We think I got bit by a spider, and within two days, my face swelled up to three times its size. I spent one day in the ER, treated with three antibiotics and sent on my way, but, it was so much worse the next day. My mom drove up (Im only 21) and took me back to the ER, and with the help of her and my doctor, and a really great doctor there, they got me admitted. Tygrasil, saved my life. literally. It took over 12 different antibiotics to fix me. I had a minor surgery done when I was awake to drain an abscess, and now I am at home recovering. I am on antibiotics for a long time... and the side effects are so bad.

Advice for all of you fighting MRSA. IV Tygrasil is AMAZING. it makes you really sick, vommiting nausea headache etc, but it works. it really does.

Good luck! This thing is scary!

MRSA-GA wrote:

I have been dealing with the same painful infections for the past year. It has been diagnosed as MRSA and the only treatment that I have ben given is general antibiotics which keep the infection under control only when on the medicine...approx two weeks off the medicine and tht infection comes back bigger than the last time. I have tried to involve myself in studies so that I may help in any way to rid people of this painful bug but have got nowhere, I would love to know what you were treated with so that I may suggest to my doctor another form of treatment?
<quoted text>

ASK FOR TYGRASIL.

My first experience with mrsa was last aug 2007....I was doing some paper work for a client and noticed a small pimple on m left for finger....within an hour it kept getting bigger and bigger........I went to a medical clinic immediately....they did a culture and put me on an antibotic.......my finger continue to grow with this and by the time the culture came back the mrsa was in my bone......I had to be admitted to the hospital and had an operation and nearly lost my finger and or hand and life.....I was put on vancomycin for 30days iv and then sent home with pick line..........MRSA returned in feb 08 and was put on 3 antibotics for 20 days this was my right hand finger.....this past monday morning the orginal left finger where i orginally contacted mrsa started again and immediately saw the doctor and this culture came back with a heavy mrsa as before in feb it was moderate.....I am seeking help from the Long Island Infectious Diesese Center next week.......I am so fearfully to what this is doing to my organs.......

I contacted mrsa in 2005.It was a big absess on my left foearm. I was put in quarateen for 36 days,cut opened and drained, given antibotics,and steriods. I finally got control of it. Two months ago it came back this time all over the top of my head, and forearms. This time it is small little bumps that itch like crazy, needless to say Im' back on antibotics(sulfamethoxazole/tr imeth) hopefully it will control this devastating disease. I feel like a leper. If anyone can relate give me a E-mail mkb1217@hotmail.com It bothers me that our medical experts cant' find a true treatment for this shit!

I was diagnosed with MRSA about 2 years ago. I had what I thought was an ingrown hair from shaving on my bikini area that grew to the size of a golfball with several other small ones around it. Needless to say it had to be lanced and drained several times over a few weeks. About 6 months later I was camping and felt this small blister on my butt cheek, it popped as I washed myself. Over the next few days it felt raw and painful and then developed into another giant, painful boil that had to be lanced and drained over several weeks.6 months later another painful golfball boil, this time in the lower bikini area. The insurance I had at this time never offered to drain it. It was the most painful thing ever, all I did was take hot sitz baths and try to get it to drain on it's own. It finally did and was never ending pus and blood for about 45 minutes. Each time I was put on antibiotics which seemed to work at the time but now I keep having a new episode every 6-9 months. Most recently about 2 months ago I had this weird, red dime size spot on my cheek. I saw a doctor, they thought it was a bite and told me to put neosporin and cortaid on it. Didn't work, It grew to 6 times the size and became dry and itchy. I went back in and they told me to stop the neosporin and cortaid. That hasn't worked either, it's the same size and still dry, red and itchy. For the 3rd time in 2 months I went back to the doctor and suggested it was MRSA so they put me on Bactrim. Hopefully this works. Anyone have a similar MRSA infection on the face?

I actually do have MRSA right now on my face. A large nickel-ish size lesion with several smaller ones on my cheek. I went to bed and they were practically nonexistent, but when I woke up -my face was on fire...I knew what it meant b/c I have literally had MRSA 10 times before (on legs, arms, chest, face, and likely on my back). I'm at the point now where my doctor doesn't even need to do a culture swab to check for it. She can just look and tell. I've tried a lot of medication and it's cleared up temporarily -but always came back. The infectious disease specialist recommended me shower and use Hibicleanse. It's this smelly soap stuff that doesn't lather well, but it's used in surgery, hospitals, etc. Plus, I'm allergic to sulfa now b/c I guess it's been overused. So I can't use bactrim or bactroban. I've been on Xyvox, Rifampin, and some others. Right now, I'm just taking Doxycyclin. Supposed to go see a dermatologist soon to see if there's anything else I can do. I feel your pain though. I cried at the doctor's office b/c I'm just so frustrated with getting this. Question...do you get really sleepy when you get it -like super lethargic?

suzi wrote:

I was diagnosed with MRSA about 2 years ago. I had what I thought was an ingrown hair from shaving on my bikini area that grew to the size of a golfball with several other small ones around it. Needless to say it had to be lanced and drained several times over a few weeks. About 6 months later I was camping and felt this small blister on my butt cheek, it popped as I washed myself. Over the next few days it felt raw and painful and then developed into another giant, painful boil that had to be lanced and drained over several weeks.6 months later another painful golfball boil, this time in the lower bikini area. The insurance I had at this time never offered to drain it. It was the most painful thing ever, all I did was take hot sitz baths and try to get it to drain on it's own. It finally did and was never ending pus and blood for about 45 minutes. Each time I was put on antibiotics which seemed to work at the time but now I keep having a new episode every 6-9 months. Most recently about 2 months ago I had this weird, red dime size spot on my cheek. I saw a doctor, they thought it was a bite and told me to put neosporin and cortaid on it. Didn't work, It grew to 6 times the size and became dry and itchy. I went back in and they told me to stop the neosporin and cortaid. That hasn't worked either, it's the same size and still dry, red and itchy. For the 3rd time in 2 months I went back to the doctor and suggested it was MRSA so they put me on Bactrim. Hopefully this works. Anyone have a similar MRSA infection on the face?

Rachel wrote:

My best friend has had MRSA for over a year. She had hundreds of lesions. One doctor radiated her with light and told her to take
Clorox baths. She finally went to specialist who prescriber oral medicine and a nosespray. Although most of the lesions are scarred she is still getting new ones. What can she do? Also, since these pus-filled spots are all over her body, is she contagious?

Make sure that she cleans everything with bleach water. Spray shower before and after with bleach. Staph is very contagious and require a lot of work to get rid of it. Wash bed linens every day change if you can rotate sheets to reduce your laundry load that's great. Throw away contaminated items from dressing changes and such in a seperate bag tie it up then put in trash can. Through hand washing is a must. Make sure you clean all surfaces that could even be possibly contaminated with bleach. You really have to become a bleach cleaning nut. If you have kids don't put toys in the bath tub or let wash clothes sit in shower. You can soak all toys in bath tub with bleach to rid them of staph. This stuff is no joking manner and has to be taken seriously or you will never get rid of it. You also need to see your doctor and get antibiotics to kill the staph it won't go away just by squeezing the pus out and keeping clean dressings on it. All I can say is Bleach, bleach, bleach, and antibiotics. If not treated properly can lead to bone infection which leads to bacteria in the blood which can lead to septic shock and death. DON'T Play with staph.