Aa
Vaginal strep and scabs on anus
I was just diagnosed with vaginal strep (I think A) and it seems I have little yellowish /brownish scabs on my anus, is this normal? That is where most of the pain from this infection is coming from.
It burns and sort of itches. The itching just started today and I've had this for 4 weeks. Most of the 4 weeks it wasn't diagnosed.
I took Bactrim but that didn't work so I'm on cipro now. Is cipro a good antibiotic for this?
Could this be impetigo?
Any input is good, I'm desperate!
I posted this in another group as well.
It burns and sort of itches. The itching just started today and I've had this for 4 weeks. Most of the 4 weeks it wasn't diagnosed.
I took Bactrim but that didn't work so I'm on cipro now. Is cipro a good antibiotic for this?
Could this be impetigo?
Any input is good, I'm desperate!
I posted this in another group as well.
Yes, there are no marks or abnormal looking skin anywhere else.
When I asked for the swab my skin was completely normal looking with no marks at all. It just felt so odd therefore I figured there has to be something going on.
When I asked for the swab my skin was completely normal looking with no marks at all. It just felt so odd therefore I figured there has to be something going on.
COMMUNITY LEADER
That is good that you went in. The fissure was in the anal area only? I'm sorry you are going through all this. You will get through this. It seems like everything happens at once sometimes.
take care,
mkh9
take care,
mkh9
Just to update you, I went to the docs last night and she wasn't concerned. She thinks it may be fissures and/or hemorrhoids. She gave me a prescription to calm the area and it seems to be better today..
Feel like I've been put through a nightmare, this whole thing has been horrible! We'll see how this works now...
Feel like I've been put through a nightmare, this whole thing has been horrible! We'll see how this works now...
COMMUNITY LEADER
No. Not by your description here. Herpes looks like tiny blisters. It hurts a lot. It doesn't look crusty.
mkh9
mkh9
One more question, does this sound anything like herpes? I posted in the herpes forum and they said no but I'll gladly take any input..
Only my sides were swabbed not my buttocks...
Only my sides were swabbed not my buttocks...
COMMUNITY LEADER
Yes, as long as it is just cranberry and not the other chemical. To the best of my knowledge it is ok. I am not perfect.
mkh9
mkh9
I'm taking the cranberry tablets that 'helps flush' and they also have probiotics. I'm at work and I don't have cranberry juice. This one is okay, right?
COMMUNITY LEADER
I just looked up AZO and the regular AZO is just pain relief not treatment for a UTI. They do have cranberry tablets. But if you are not diabetic I would just drink cranberry juice and water. The pain relief ingredient says to ask your doctor if it will interfere with the antibiotic. The pain reliever is phenazopyridine hydrochloride not cranberry. So, I don't think taking it is a good idea unless you ask your doctor. I'm not sure if this chemical will cause any problems.
mkh9
mkh9
Just had little symptoms, nothing super bad but I could tell my bladder was doing contractions after I urinated. It's stayed about the same..
COMMUNITY LEADER
white blood cells and nitrates. As I mentioned they can look for yeast. If they saw a lot they would have asked to have a culture done. The thing is did you have the symptoms then? Is it getting worse?
mkh9
mkh9
They checked my urine, he said there was a few red blood cells but other than that it was good. Not sure what else they typically check for.
COMMUNITY LEADER
If you got strep pyogenes in your urinary tract you would have a infection. Since you are taking pills for strep, in theory it should go away. So, that is why I wonder if may you got something else? You probably should call the doctor and hopefully get a culture instead of more antibiotics. They can also tell from the urine itself. They have a dipstick that has different chemicals on it such as a check for white cells, called leukocyte esterase, nitrate and a few other tests that may help in a quick way to see if it is a bacterial infection. They can look under the microscope to see if there are yeast there too without doing a culture. But if these tests are positive they should do a culture and hopefully a antibiotic sensitivity test.
mkh9
mkh9
COMMUNITY LEADER
He may have given you Levofloxacin. Not sure. Also not sure why he gave you the steroid. It is really not good as it lowers your immunity. It does kind of hype you up though but it is good for lowering inflammation. Since it isn't on the inside I don't know I wouldn't have wanted a steroid shot. Maybe he gave you anti-fungal cream because he thought you had a yeast too? If so you may have a yeast in the urinary tract? I don't know without a culture. I will stay neutral on the colloidal silver. Don't know much about it for this. Mupirocin is good for a topical. I am allergic to it. So I wouldn't use it without a doctors advice as you are not supposed to use it on the vaginal tissue.
I don't think there is a problem with Hybiclens versus other cleansers. Just don't get any inside the vagina.
mkh9
I don't think there is a problem with Hybiclens versus other cleansers. Just don't get any inside the vagina.
mkh9
He originally diagnosed it as folliculitis until we got the results back from the lab then he gave me a shot of antibiotics (I want to say it started with an L) and prednisone, he just told me to finish the bactrim and I'd be fine. Apparently, I'm not...
He did give me hydrocortizone (1%), anti fungal, antibacterial cream. He also said I can put colloidal silver on it. I've been doing all of that, is that okay or not? I don't know if it's made any difference but I've heard about Mupirocin, is that better?
The Prednisone makes me feel really good, I've had two shots and I feel so much better after but they don't last forever...
The doctor didn't mention anything about cleaning the area but I happened to have some hybiclens on hand so I tried it today.
He did give me hydrocortizone (1%), anti fungal, antibacterial cream. He also said I can put colloidal silver on it. I've been doing all of that, is that okay or not? I don't know if it's made any difference but I've heard about Mupirocin, is that better?
The Prednisone makes me feel really good, I've had two shots and I feel so much better after but they don't last forever...
The doctor didn't mention anything about cleaning the area but I happened to have some hybiclens on hand so I tried it today.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Okay, I see.
It sounds more of an impetigo type of infection hence the scabs. I wonder why he didn't treat you with a topical. Except that usually the tissue in those areas is sensitive and might get more irritated with the topical. So to answer your questions:
1. So if you are allergic to amoxacillin you are probably/possibly allergic to all the penicillin and penicillin like drugs like what they call beta lactam drugs. These are cephalosporins or those that have names like cephalothin, cephalexin, ceph anything. Also if you are allergicc to Biaxin that is the same as Clarithromycin so you would be allergic to the macrolides like the clarthoromcyin, azithromycin, etc. It is too bad but you might want to get allergy tested to make sure.
2. The ciprofloxacin has side effects of nausea and vomiting, dizzyness, and so forth. You may want to call your doctor about this. Does it say to take with food or without? If you did and it still causes a problem maybe the doctor can give you an anti-emetic pill to keep you from throwing up. But you should tell them.
3. Yes anytime you get a break in the skin (such as possibly from waxing) you have a chance of getting bacteria in there. That would explain a lot. It isn't worth it. Some people are more sensitive than others.
4. If you wash you can use hybiclens but don't use a washrag only your hands and be gentle. Then rinse and wash your hands. Or you can just use any soap. It doesn't matter. Did the doctor prescribe or ask you to use the hybiclens to aid in getting rid of the infection? If so use it.
5. Of course you can get it cultured but I would see if this antibiotic works unless they tell you to quit it due to the side effects. If so then ask for a culture and antibiotic sensitivity test. Usually with beta strep group A they don't do sensitivity testing because it hasn't been that resistant compared to other bacteria (except if it gets into a sterile body site like the blood or spinal fluid). So actually they probably won't do the antibiotic testing unless they have to. It is pretty well known that Bacterim is not a drug to use so he made a mistake. I think he isn't up to date. They sometimes use clindamycin but that can cause worse problems for the intestines. So I hope you don't have to.
6. If you think you are getting a UTI, Sure you can take AZO or cranberry juice and drink lots of water. That won't disrupt anything even if you take the probiotic too. I hope that you didn't get the strep into the urinary tract though. So you may want to wait on the AZO and tell your doctor about it and have them do a urine culture. Well, Its up to you. If the AZO works why not try it and if it doesn't go away in a couple of days report it.
mkh9
It sounds more of an impetigo type of infection hence the scabs. I wonder why he didn't treat you with a topical. Except that usually the tissue in those areas is sensitive and might get more irritated with the topical. So to answer your questions:
1. So if you are allergic to amoxacillin you are probably/possibly allergic to all the penicillin and penicillin like drugs like what they call beta lactam drugs. These are cephalosporins or those that have names like cephalothin, cephalexin, ceph anything. Also if you are allergicc to Biaxin that is the same as Clarithromycin so you would be allergic to the macrolides like the clarthoromcyin, azithromycin, etc. It is too bad but you might want to get allergy tested to make sure.
2. The ciprofloxacin has side effects of nausea and vomiting, dizzyness, and so forth. You may want to call your doctor about this. Does it say to take with food or without? If you did and it still causes a problem maybe the doctor can give you an anti-emetic pill to keep you from throwing up. But you should tell them.
3. Yes anytime you get a break in the skin (such as possibly from waxing) you have a chance of getting bacteria in there. That would explain a lot. It isn't worth it. Some people are more sensitive than others.
4. If you wash you can use hybiclens but don't use a washrag only your hands and be gentle. Then rinse and wash your hands. Or you can just use any soap. It doesn't matter. Did the doctor prescribe or ask you to use the hybiclens to aid in getting rid of the infection? If so use it.
5. Of course you can get it cultured but I would see if this antibiotic works unless they tell you to quit it due to the side effects. If so then ask for a culture and antibiotic sensitivity test. Usually with beta strep group A they don't do sensitivity testing because it hasn't been that resistant compared to other bacteria (except if it gets into a sterile body site like the blood or spinal fluid). So actually they probably won't do the antibiotic testing unless they have to. It is pretty well known that Bacterim is not a drug to use so he made a mistake. I think he isn't up to date. They sometimes use clindamycin but that can cause worse problems for the intestines. So I hope you don't have to.
6. If you think you are getting a UTI, Sure you can take AZO or cranberry juice and drink lots of water. That won't disrupt anything even if you take the probiotic too. I hope that you didn't get the strep into the urinary tract though. So you may want to wait on the AZO and tell your doctor about it and have them do a urine culture. Well, Its up to you. If the AZO works why not try it and if it doesn't go away in a couple of days report it.
mkh9
Thank you for responding! I have a ton of questions, I'm going crazy!
It hasn't gone into the vagina the major problem is on the outside on the skin (both sides) to the lower end of the vagina and the anus. The skin around the vagina hurts a bit (feels raw almost) and feels like a couple small cuts but I guess that is normal for this condition. You cannot see anything on the skin, there are no abrasions of any sort. I only have the 'scabs' on the anus.
I'm allergic to amoxicilin and Biaxin.
I don't think I have a fever but at the moment I feel horrible, not sure if it's because I ate yogurt after taking the cipro. Read the guidelines too late, feel like throwing up now. I usually take cipro but this time it's making me feel weird, I feel loopy.
I have a sneaking suspicion I got this from waxing, which I will NEVER do again!
Can I wash with hibiclens? Or is that bad?
Can I get it cultured again to see what it's resistant to? My doc said they don't typically do that on the first swab.
Felt like I was also getting a UTI so I was taking cranbery AZO with probiotic, is that okay?
It hasn't gone into the vagina the major problem is on the outside on the skin (both sides) to the lower end of the vagina and the anus. The skin around the vagina hurts a bit (feels raw almost) and feels like a couple small cuts but I guess that is normal for this condition. You cannot see anything on the skin, there are no abrasions of any sort. I only have the 'scabs' on the anus.
I'm allergic to amoxicilin and Biaxin.
I don't think I have a fever but at the moment I feel horrible, not sure if it's because I ate yogurt after taking the cipro. Read the guidelines too late, feel like throwing up now. I usually take cipro but this time it's making me feel weird, I feel loopy.
I have a sneaking suspicion I got this from waxing, which I will NEVER do again!
Can I wash with hibiclens? Or is that bad?
Can I get it cultured again to see what it's resistant to? My doc said they don't typically do that on the first swab.
Felt like I was also getting a UTI so I was taking cranbery AZO with probiotic, is that okay?
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi and sorry you have strep. We are not doctors on these sites but I am a microbiologist. So I understand the condition.
It could be impetigo on the anal area if it is crusty looking, since strep causes impetigo, but since it is inside the vagina it is probably gone beyond the surface of the skin and that part isn't impetigo. They call it vulvovaginal streptococcus pyogenes (group A strep). They shouldn't have given you the bactrim as S. pyogenes is usually resistant to that. That is why it didn't work. It is also resistant to Tetracycline.
Ciprofloxacin can be used to treat strep but it isn't as good as it used to be. I hope it works on this strain of bacteria. If you aren't allergic to Penicillin then Cephalexin is another possibility. A lot depends on how serious the doctor thinks your infection is. If it is more superficial versus a deep type wound. You should start to feel better within a few days of taking it. Do you have a fever? Do you have anyone else in the family that may have it? Some people carry it and you can get reinfected. So you may want others to get cultured to be sure.
Make sure not to scratch it and change underwear and towels etc. Anything that comes in contact with the area. Wash those items in hot soapy water. Wash hands often but don't break the skin, be gentle. Don't use antibacterial soaps as these can cause resistance. These are not good to use.
You might take probiotic pills that are over the counter so you don't get other problems with upsetting your intestinal bacteria. If you do get the type that has lactobacillus and bifidobacteria and others. Also that have 10 billion live bacteria. Let me know if you have any questions or how you are doing.
mkh9
It could be impetigo on the anal area if it is crusty looking, since strep causes impetigo, but since it is inside the vagina it is probably gone beyond the surface of the skin and that part isn't impetigo. They call it vulvovaginal streptococcus pyogenes (group A strep). They shouldn't have given you the bactrim as S. pyogenes is usually resistant to that. That is why it didn't work. It is also resistant to Tetracycline.
Ciprofloxacin can be used to treat strep but it isn't as good as it used to be. I hope it works on this strain of bacteria. If you aren't allergic to Penicillin then Cephalexin is another possibility. A lot depends on how serious the doctor thinks your infection is. If it is more superficial versus a deep type wound. You should start to feel better within a few days of taking it. Do you have a fever? Do you have anyone else in the family that may have it? Some people carry it and you can get reinfected. So you may want others to get cultured to be sure.
Make sure not to scratch it and change underwear and towels etc. Anything that comes in contact with the area. Wash those items in hot soapy water. Wash hands often but don't break the skin, be gentle. Don't use antibacterial soaps as these can cause resistance. These are not good to use.
You might take probiotic pills that are over the counter so you don't get other problems with upsetting your intestinal bacteria. If you do get the type that has lactobacillus and bifidobacteria and others. Also that have 10 billion live bacteria. Let me know if you have any questions or how you are doing.
mkh9
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