Hi Joyce,
You should ask your doctor if anyone in the area is doing the rapid
diagnostic testing (PCR ) for MRSA. It is a senstive DNA test done
by nasal swab and the results are back in a few hours. The test is
very accurate. There is also the CHROMager test which gives results
back in 16-18 hrs and is 95% accurate. Both these tests are produced
by BD,a biotech co. Regular microbiological clinical cultures, which
take 3 -5 days for results only detect 15-30% of MRSA, so you can be
positive. In Illinois, there are several hospitals now using these
tests and ALL hospitals should be using them to control MRSA and
find who is colonized. Jeanine - MRSA Survivors Network--- In
MRSA@yahoogroups.com, "JoyceB" <crwriter@...> wrote:
>
> My doctor tells me that if something doesn't come up and scream
symptoms he
> doesn't know what to do. I basically have to keel over before
he'll do
> something. I'm 54, so I wonder sometimes if my diet is off or my
veggie
> diet needs more protein. I eat nuts and drink a good glass of
soymilk every
> day. I sometimes eat meat.
>
>
>
> Lack of vitamin B can blow out your neutrophils - cause them to be
> vacuolated. But I don't know what else it can do. This happened
to mine,
> but I was taking a very good vitamin B source. Also can be caused
by
> alcohol use. I don't even drink socially. Ever get the feeling
they don't
> believe you? :-) If all else fails, just don't listen to the
patient. So
> my vacuolated neutrophils were most likely from infection. He did
the test
> to rule infection out, ruled it in, and turned his back on the
test.
>
>
>
> But most of this I've learned in the past week. I've avoided all
this in
> the months past. I just haven't wanted to worry. My white blood
count has
> been fluctuating more up than down, lymphocytes dropping,
neutrophils
> vacuolated. I stopped him from doing any more tests in
September. Now I
> want my blood tested for MRSA and he's balking.
>
>
>
> On a positive note, I went and saw my Nana today; and her color
looks great.
> She seems much improved. On a less positive note, the nursing
home is
> testing none of its workers, so she can become reinfected.
>
>
>
> I do know that the person that didn't seem to know how to do my
nasal smear
> didn't do it right. (ummm - let's see - he said stick it in an
inch and
> swish) She was supposed to do both nostrils. But was she
supposed to do
> the nostrils or the sinus cavities? Does it make a difference?
She stuck
> it into my sinus cavity. I know she can use the same swab for both
> nostrils.
>
>
>
> Anyway, my sinus swab from the one side came out negative, and I
still don't
> have my answer as to whether or not I could have it blood borne
and have it
> not show up in my nose.
>
>
>
> I would be perfectly happy not to have this. I would be surprised
though.
> After eating off the same silverware and eating the same food with
as
> contagious as this is supposed to be..
>
>
>
> My mother has an open skin lesion on her forehead (and one on her
back)
> which is being taken off within the next week or so. They will be
tested
> for MRSA.
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Joyce
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: MRSA@yahoogroups.com [mailto:MRSA@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf
Of Julie
> Levitt
> Sent: Friday, November 03, 2006 4:57 PM
> To: mrsa@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [MRSA] elevated wbc, mrsa cultured in blood previously
and other
> incisions, nasal, throat, eyes, etc
>
>
>
> In a routine blood work run by my pulmonary doc following my
shortness of
> breath 'secondary to MS" and found that my white blood count was
16 with no
> known infection and neutrophils and lymphocytes very elevated. My
SED rate
> is now back up to 30.
>
>
>
> For a period of days I was having bladder irritation and a uti was
suspected
> but the culture was negative and I just continue to fill kind of
icky like
> but that is about it and can't seem to get anyone concerned.
>
>
>
> Like many, my mrsa is assumed in check right now because I have no
open
> central lines to get infected and I'm not scheduled for any
surgeries to get
> infected and so on.
>
>
>
> I saw the email below and wondered about the B supplement as I
haven't taken
> mine in awhile.
>
> My white blood counts like you are elevated (see above0 and my crp
also is
> over 8.
>
>
>
> As usual, I am my own case manager in all of this after 3 weeks of
no
> returned phone calls ..
>