Skin Infection Alert

From today's news and probably something all of us should "file" away, especially if we're on the treatment drugs:

Full Article here:

Excerpt:

"Researchers at UCLA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, accounted for 59% of skin infections overall, from 15% at a hospital in New York to 74% at one in Kansas City, Mo.

The finding suggests that doctors should consider drug resistance as a factor when diagnosing and treating skin infections, says Rachel Gorwitz of the CDC, a co-author of a study in today's New England Journal of Medicine.

The study results should "encourage doctors to obtain cultures from skin infections, which hasn't been standard practice," Gorwitz says. Doctors use cultures to grow bacteria in order to identify them."

[jmjm530]

Here's the "missing" link. LOL.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-08-16-msra-germs_x.htm

[hep-c-alot]

colloidal silver ?

[EquineLori]

Jim, you never fail to amaze me.  I've begun an entire hard copy file of info. you've provided.  Thanks a million, Lori

[Kalio1]

This is a big problem in CA. I had this infection and the doctor told me at one point I might lose my hand. I got it from a sma scratch I go while gardening. I asked the dotor "where is it?" and he said "everywhere"
They told me if you get a sratch or sore and it becomes VERY painful and red very fast then be seen right away. I happen to have had a doc appt. so I was seen the next day but they said had I waited a day or two it would have been a bad scene. I still have my hand and it did heal but I had to see the dotor everyday for awhile. I guess it is much worse for those with compromised livers.

[Kalio1]

I should have said those with compromised immune systems.

Thanks for the link Jm.

[cuteus]

both antibiotic resistant MRSA and c difficile are on the rise in the community and have been for a while. c diff releases a toxin in the intestines that can cause significant damage and it is associated with antibiotic usage, which we use quite a few times while on tx.

[Kalio1]

Glad to hear you were able to go and shop, I dont know how you handled Costco! That is the mother of all shopping trips!
Listen, please dont use those patches and smoke! I dont want to scare you but that is not a good idea. Just forget the patch, don't risk it. Smoking on the patch can be a lethal combo. You have enough going on with this tx in your veins!

[sfbaygirl]

Geez, I just posted this long ol' comment and it never appeared! Maybe it will show up. Yep I think you need a new laptop...

No patches today, I figured if I couldn't not smoke, I wouldn't use them. Anyway, hope the rest of my post turns up......grrrr

[bnowik]

THAT IS HOW I WAS TESTED FOR HCV
I HAD GOTTEN A STAFF INFECTION.  TOOK BUNCH OF SERIOS ANTIBIOTICS AND HAVEN'T HAD ANOTHER EPISODE YET, ANYWAYS.
YES PAINFUL AS ALL GET OUT!

[Kalio1]

hahaha. ummm.
Dang this keyboard! I think I have worn it out. Good excuse for a new laptop, eh? It has gotten such a huge amount of use this last year!


He said it was this icky staph MRSA that Jm posted a link about. Luckily they were able to kill it but it took lots of pills and visits. This was before I was properly diagnosed and supposedly having an "allergic drug reaction" to the steroids they injected in me so I didnt know I had a compromised liver then. Good thing it cleared up... can you imagine how bad my typing would be one handed??

How are you feeling today? I am white knuckling it with no smokes. Hope you are feeling pretty good.

[sfbaygirl]

Good for you! I put a patch on yesterday and still smoked...one of these days.

I went to Costco today and shopped!!!! I am psyched. That was the first time I have made it through a store since I began tx. I bought myself a camera to take photos of the grandkids. We are going to Santa Cruz tomorrow. Hope I can make that one...sounds daunting! I feel like I had a whole workout today. Shot yesterday and fever today, but I still made it. Spent some big bucks. I had my buddy with me to load, or I would not have made it.

How are you doing? Sounds like you are getting some exercise too. Have you been riding your bike?

[sfbaygirl]

says:  I got it from a sma scratch.....

You mean a smegma scratch?  LOL

Yuck that hand sounds awful. What did they say it was? I had a paper cut once and it didn't bleed. It began hurting so much, I went to the dr. He said if I had been a day later, I would have been dead. It was blood poisoning. You never know, huh?

[jmjm530]

Try it, I liked it :) http://www.smokenders.com/
As Kalio says, nicotine patch plus smoking can be a lethal combo.

[sfbaygirl]

Don't want to start a NASTY= (not another smoking thread YUCK)  but I have been smoking more than ususal and am not liking it at all. My PCP is Dr. Quit. He wrote "The Idiot's Guide to Quitting Smoking". He thinks I have too much going to stop smoking on tx. His office has individul appts. to help figure out a plan for people. He says a combo of a program and pills (there are new ones out) could work for me. I quit before, I can do it again. Pehaps when my sx are a bit less, or after tx I can do this. John buys me the patches, as he wants me to stop. They are great for airplanes though!

[Kalio1]

A trip to Santa Cruz wow! You are so brave. Today a trip to the john is daunting for me
LOL

I agree with your doc ( my doc said the same) that you have enough going on now, you can worry bout the smoking later. I hope me stopping didnt make you feel pressured! I sure didnt intend that, the last thing you need is more stress guilt and worry right now! Hope you are feeling ok today still cant believe you managed Costco! I tried a time or two with Nick and we had to leave LOL poor guy, he is used to his high energy mate now he has a slower than a slug mate!

[sfbaygirl]

Yup, I made it through Costco. I didnt' hit all the aisles and tried to sit a few places, but I bought food and filled a couple baskets. My friend Lamar loaded, unloaded and now is cooking up a storm in the kitchen. He loves my Food Saver. Food stays fresh so much longer and he wants to make extra stuff for me in the freezer. I still don't know how I did it! I had to lay on ice for a while for my back, but no horrendous fatigue.

Yes, I am off to Santa Cruz with the grandkids, kids etc. Wow, I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but I'll just put one foot in front of the other. I may hang out on the beach. I am already on a ride, why do I need another?

My fever is over 100 again today. Somehow it's not keeping me down like those low 95-96 temps. This is the first time on tx my temp has been over 98.0 in 17 weeks! A new day. It's sure strange how things and sx change from day to day.

You not feeling well today?

[Kalio1]

I think I am hitting the anemia wall. My Hgb was down to 10 anc is droppng two weeks ago and with stopping smoking I swear the Riba is hitting me harder. I have been off the super duper high doses over a month and on 1200 the doc ordered but the riba seems worse now then at 1600. I know that is probably not true about the smoking but it sure feels that way. Lots of IBS like symptoms and just flat out zero energy nausea and the feel like I will faint thing if I stand up you ( and most everybody here!)know the drill.
There might be something to my theory, maybe there is more oxygen in my blood now without smoking that the Riba can attach itself to. My doc is closed fridays so I will talk to them Mon. and do some blood work. I might knock off some riba and do 1000 unti monday if it keeps up at this pace.
Hope you have a great time in Santa Cruz. I also hope it goes ok and you dont have to do the driving. Take some pain meds with just in case all the activity  gets to you, only if you arent driving of course LOL! Those grandkids will be so happy you came. talk to you soon.