Mrsa

[CassCass 0]

Hey all.

I was banded August 7th, and have been off to a really great start thus far.

About 4 weeks ago, one of my incisions (the far one on the left, not the port one) that had seemed to heal up great, developed a "bubble" that finally popped and drained for days. And it HURT! I know I should have gone to the doctor then, but I kept slathering Neosporin on it, hoping it would go away.

It had definitely gotten better, but was still a bit puss-y up until this past Friday, when I went to my regular doctor for a sinus infection. I was explaining to her some other things that were going on - I had started discovering little pus-filled blisters on my arms and breast - and she immediately got concerned and checked my incisions and took a culture of the one that had been bothering me.

I got the call from her yesterday saying it came back positive for MRSA. I went to my surgeon yesterday for my second fill and they refused to do it, explaining that if they did, it risked spreading the infection to the port and band and that it could very well kill me if that happened. So I'm frustrated on that point. I was desperately looking forward to the fill!!

I'm on sulfur antibiotics for the next 3 weeks, at least to see if it clears this up. If not, who knows after that? My main fear now is that the twinges of pain I'm having in my belly is the infection taking over my band. I keep imagining the worst, for sure.

There are two points to this! First, don't be stubborn like I was! If one of your incisions even appears to be slightly infected, don't wait to get it checked out!! (Hopefully I'm in the minority of people who do this!)

Also, has anyone else had this happen? If so, what was your outcome? I'm so afraid of it spreading and them having to take the band out, or worse! :bolt:

[Elizabethdb 0]

I had an infection show up about 2 weeks after surgery on my leg. I ignored it and tried to self medicate it. A month went by and then it got necrotic (Tissue died) and was full of infection. I was on sulfa antibiotics for 2 weeks and it just kept dieing and getting worse. They then admitted me and put me on one of the strongest IV antibiotics treating me for MRSA. Well the culture came back "almost mrsa" if I would have waited much longer it would have turned into MRSA and then I ended up needing surgery to take out the dead tissue and the infection. Turns out that I had a brown recluse spider bite. But, I also got really sick from the infection and could have easily lost my leg if I would have let it go much longer. You are very right, you can not ignore these infections. Get them treated ESPECIALLY after surgery. They said my immune system was down due to having the surgery so I could not fight the infection off myself and as my doctor put it " I was too overwhelmed with infection" and that is why I ended up in the hospital for a week and having surgery.. I earge you to please use caution when you have a skin infection.

[lsullivan68 0]

CassCass- This is identical to what happened to me. I was banded on 8-1-08 and once my tape came off the infection set in. I was given IV antibiotics as well as an oral regiment. It was awful and painful! I won't lie. It took almost 2 weeks for it to really heal and for me to get any relief. I still have more of a scar where my tape was around my large incision than the actual incision site. Once your doctor is aware of MRSA you'll be OK, but it is scary. Hang in there! You'll be OK.

Some helpful reminders from my experience. Wash your hands constantly. Never reuse a towel. Start using paper towels to dry your hands. After you take a bath wash your towel in HOT Water and don't allow anyone else to touch it. Just as quickly as it spread on your body, you can spread it around your house - - - including your pets. Just be vigilant and it'll be OK before you know it.

[Nena 0]

I had a bubble on my large incision, it popped and it was incredibly gross- full of puss. I put a band aid with antibiotic on it then 2 days later it was time for my one month check up. I showed it to the doctor and he said it was no big deal. I could put neosporin if I wanted but that I'm healing fine. The bubble went down and now I have a scab. I guess it varies?

[chocolate_snaps 3]

Ask for Bactrum. It works on MRSA. You CANNOT treat this over the counter. It can kill you. One of my closest friends was hospitalized for a week because of it.

Dont handle children when you have a boil. You cant wash your hands enough.

[lovegrapes 0]

This is a good reminder to all to not discount unusual symptoms. I had to laugh at your use of the word "puss-y" I work on a surgical unit and one of our night shift nurses used the term "pussy drainage" in her charting. Of course it was good for a laugh. People are now careful to use "purulent drainage".

[camjay 0]

Hi there.

Not much comfort but a little advice. As a nurse (and a fellow bandster), in my line of work, I deal with people with or have had MRSA all the time and have never had it or caught it.

Do not worry about passing it to family members or partners. As long as you carry out strict hand washing and keep the area covered at all times, they will not pick up the infection. It would be a good idea to buy some alchohol gel too, this is good for disinfecting your hands after washing.

Wounds which carry MRSA sometimes heal up alone without any intervention (usually in younger, healthier people). Creams alone do not always work sometimes they need to be given with I.V antibiotics. Here in the UK medics are loathe to give antibiotics unless the patient is really ill as the amount of antibiotics that can treat MRSA are few and far between and this infection is becoming incredibly resistant to nearly all antibiotics!!!

Please try not to worry too much. Wounds with MRSA DO heal but can just take a little bit more time.

Can I just add, as a health professional, it makes me so mad the way other health professionals stigmatise people with or have had MRSA - there is absolutely nothing to get in a state about as long as people are using precautions!!!!!