I have heard that overuse of the Muprocin (SP?) cream
can cause the MRSA bacteria to become resistant to the
cream itself.

I had an MRSA infection on my leg just above my knee
that was misdiagnosed as a spider bite at first but i
finally got it properly diagnosed but it had already
made a 1.5 centimeter tunnel in my leg.

I had been very tired and run-down, overworked, and
then slept in a sofa bed in a very nice Vegas hotel (I
wont name names since i cant prove it was from there)
and the next evening i noticed what looked like a zit
on my leg.

I think the staph got in through an ingrown hair
follicle. My wound is almost all the way healed (I did
a week of IV vancomycin) and then finished up with
Rifampin and Bactrium. My system didnt agree with
either of the oral pills but i toughed it out and now
the hole in my leg has healed up and is just a red
scab.

This is just my opinion but I dont think we need
OVERLY paranoid about washing all the time with
hibiclens as I have heard that getting TOO much
bacteria off of our skin screws with the natural
"flora" of good and bad bacteria that is meant to live
on our skin, but regular showing with regular soap,
then occasionaly showering with hibiclens could be a
good idea. I will not over use my muprocin cream as i
have heard about MRSA becoming resistant to it.
Bacteria can morph and evolve at a speed many times
faster than science can keep up with it.

The advice my infectous disease doctor gave me on my
way out the door after my last visit was sound. Keep
your nails short. Keep purel or hand cleaner nearby to
use occasionaly (dont overdo it.. it will dry out your
skin and it looses effectiveness if you get too crazy
with it). Wash sheets regularly in hot water, dont
share towels or razors, and wash your hands after
going to the bathroom or picking your nose or
sneezing. Sing the song happy birthday while you wash
your hands in warm water. Make sure you clean under
your nails and then dry your hands off completely.
Lastly, if you start to noice a bump or boil starting
on your skin, she said to put vinegar on it for a few
minutes.
Clean and cover any wounds and of course, eat a well
balanced diet and get plenty of sleep so your body's
immune system stays strong. Also wash your body before
and after sex, and do not go into public hot tubs or
pools with an open infection and shower before and
after swimming or hot tubbing (actually, personally i
would recommend not hot tubbing at all really... think
of that warm water just breeding bacteria and funk....
ICK)

If you have had MRSA you should be really careful
about not becoming diabetic or hiv +. Also know that
once you have had an MRSA infection, you theoretically
become more likely to get one again and there is a
good chance you will be a carrier for life. Again, i
preface all of this by the fact that I'm NOT a doctor,
but i have done alot of reseach on this and am just
trying to pass along what i thing is good solid advice
for living with MRSA.

Lastly, my doctor never said it specifically and I
haven't seen anything about it in print or online, but
I think anyone who has ever had this owes it to any
sexual partners to let them know about it. You just
need to be armed with the facts and let them know what
is risky and what is not. Safe sex doesnt just mean
wearing a condom anymore. Shower before and after sex,
dont have sex if you are run down or have recently
taken anti-biotics, obviously always wear protection
and cover any open wounds and insist your partner do
the same.

You would be suprised how people who have not had this
or havent even heard of it will be open to listening
to you and wont run for the hills if you are straight
forward and factual about what has happened to you in
the past. They will be interested in hearing how they
can not only have safe sex with you, but how they can
be safe with other people as well. Safe sex with
someone who has MRSA is safer than casual unsafe sex
with someone who you dont know the condition of and
you are careless about things.

I look forward to thoughtfull discussions about this
issue that is only going to get more widespread as
more people overuse antibiotics and do not complete
their courses of them.

Bryan






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