symptoms of mrsa in lungs

Was in hosp this past week to rule out CHF because of suspected fluid volume overload..and to correct both the fluid issue  related to low sodium etc. along with a COPD exacerbation with sputum not clearing the usual way with Zithromax...  The kicker..my roommate I believe had MRSA because of a variety of facts too numerous to go on with.  She was 86 and admited the same day I was with an infection in her foot that was the consequence of a recent removal of melanoma on that foot (!?).  The next day after admission an infectious disease research specialist told her within my earshot that she had suspected MRSA (culture not thru yet) ad would she sign up for double blind study for an alternative to vancomycin.blah,.blah.blah.  I confronted him about isolating her and he said we aren't sure..but we will.  Have followed up since leaving hosp (without CHF) and we both still think they are not telling her because they know I am trying to help her not be frightened since I left.She has cellulitis.  I took all the precautions I could but..what are lung symptoms?  I think I'm out of space for the question..
Oh ..so I got thrush from the prednisone I'm weaning off of, I could be developing resistance to zithromax, a reaction to the 2nd pneumonia vaccine i thought I was being smart about when I got admitted last week, or MRSA
could be why I still have darker sputum.  No fever chills, nausea or loss of appetite.  So again, is shortness of breath the only marker for knowing that I am in trouble enough to call 911 or should I be watching for other things?
So far, I use my ventolin every 4 hrs--very unusual for me..but with fluid restriction to one liter a day for the sodium issue I am dry and suspect it is harder to clear mucus.  Throat definitely thrush says my Pulmonary Dr. as of yesterday and am getting some relief from Nystatin.  So...what do you think?  Many thanks..  

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!
Symptoms of MRSA, other bacterial, viral, fungal lung infection are almost same—fever, cough with sputum, chest pain, breathlessness, increased heart rate, chills etc. So symptom wise it is difficult to say. If you have a cough then the sputum can be cultured. Bronchial lavage can be performed. Also since your doctor diagnosed thrush in throat, maybe you have thrush or fungal infection in lung. Your health condition is quite serious, and it would be best to discuss with your treating doctor, and since you are not getting much relief from your puffs, yes an immediate medical help. So if going to emergency is the option, then please exercise it. Keep your treating doctor informed.
Take care!

[jung419]

My lungs are clear on xray and when listened to--no chest pain, increased heart rate, chills, or breathlessness unless coughing spell that lasts some time (seldom).  The issue is that a "normal bronchial" infection for me hasn't occurred in six years..have had two pneumonia vaccines..five years apart, the culture is what showed (now I know) mrsa..Pulmonary doc thinks I was colonized some time ago(had Staph Epidermis..gram neg) with hip refraction and spacer, vanco etc. in 2008--hip replacement.  Will be seeing infectious disease doc on friday for consult regarding whether or not to involve hip surgeon again and what to do there.  Pulmon doc said he might not even tret mrsa as he thinks (pcp also) culture is from colonization, not from "coming down with mrsa in the bronchi"  if that makes sense.  I have no symptoms as he said.  So I was only imagining the worst before I knew the culture results.  Now I await instructions as to how to proceed.  It doesn't seem, if i stay with my health routine, that vanco will be necessary..ie, it is not systemic.. I don't have a raging infection with the fever, chills, etc.  Believe me, if I did I would be stat in hosp. by him.  So by friday I hope to have another culture..I suspect I gave a nasal early morning back of the nose drain mucus along with several coughing sputum ssmples and they chose the darkest..from the nose.  Make sense?  That's where mrsa lies. I feel enormously better..little hacking cough now or uncontrolled coughing.  (Iwas in hosp for edema, fluid overload imbalance and COPD exacerbation.  All docs are attending to the fluid issue as well as the breathing..strict restrictive fluid and sodium, plus daily weigh-in..I am definitely responding and have worked two full days.  Many thanks for you atttending to this. Dr. Diane Howard

[jung419]

P.S. the Dr. Howard at the end of the last post was one of my attending ..didn"t mean to use her name..Jung419