Potential staph infection - more antibiotics..help!

[sevla]

Hi everyone, I am here at the doctor's office panicking and crying my eyes off.
I got a pimple on my neck and wanted to check it out as all of my nightmare started because of a staph infection that ended up having me admitted for 3 days in hospital taking IV antibiotics and then PO keflex. All of this started my battle with c diff. Because of my history the doc might want me to take antibiotics- even it is a small pimple now.. She is looking for an ID doctor that could see me today still.

My whole body is shaking. I have only been off Dificid for 4 days now.... The thought of starting allniver again is making me sick to my stomach.

Quick question - what are the best probiotics out there to help the gut while taking antibiotics? I don't have much hope that I won't get c diff again if I have to take antibiotics..but I want to at least feed my gut with something that might help...

[Lisa33]

Hi Sevla,

Try to stay calm. I know it's hard not to panic, as we all get sick to our stomachs at the thought of taking an antibiotic, especially so soon in recovery. Isn't there a way to test it first, so that you can know for certain that there is bacteria for staph present? Maybe you can ask your doctor if there is a way to know for certain before you treat unnecessarily? I also think that an ID should definitely be involved if treatment is essential. I would pose the question to your doctor.

Hang in there,
Lisa

[seekingcure]

Oh, Sevia, I'm so sorry. Believe me, I know exactly where you are coming from. As you know, I'm in a very similar situation, just had the FT less than two weeks ago and now on antibiotics again. I understand the terror you feel. Does the doctor think it would be okay to try the Bactroban for a few days and see if the spot responds to it before going to something systemic?

S boulardii yeast is the only probiotic I know of that has been proven to have activity against c-diff. It apparently neutralizes the toxins. My GI also recommended VSL-3, so I am taking both of these again now, along with the Primadophilus Optima Women's that I take for urinary tract health (since I have so much trouble with recurrent UTIs).I also drink homemade kefir daily and try to eat a few spoonfuls of sauerkraut daily, even though I really don't care for the taste of it.

Praying for you to get through this without relapsing.

[roy]

About 25% of healthy people carry staph!
Magnesium sulphate paste applied to a pimple as a poltice usually makes it burst in a couple of days.
If its a minor pimple antibiotics are not always the best way to go.
If it spreads or gets a lot larger then thats when treatment is needed and maybee even then it could be lanced and left to heal.

[sevla]

Thank you everyone. I am one of the lucky ones to carry staph on my skin. How wonderful...
So for now the doctor said to wait and see. If it gets bigger or if I get chills or fever I should go to the ER, and according to her "maybe have IV antibiotics and antibiotics for c diff"...ugh, I just want to wake up from this nightmare.
I am trying to see an ID doctor but appointments are days/weeks from now. I will try what Roy suggested and also maybe tumeric and some type of honey that is supposed to be good (thanks to Nikki's advices as well).
Thank you all again - this is very overwhelming at times..

Seekingcure - I hope you get rid of the UTI without relapsing again. Sending positive thoughts! I know how you feel..we shall overcome this!

[Bobbie]

Sevia,
Try the simple things first but keep a close watch on the area.

Do keep trying to see the ID - they know more about meds than most doc's.

Prayers and good thoughts.

[sevla]

Thanks, Beth. One last question for the day (hope that it is ok). If I do need to go indeed on antibiotics for this, shall I also take antibiotics for c diff as prevention (as my doctor said I would have to) or shall I just take extra lots of probiotics and hope for the best?

Thanks again for the help and for the prayers.

[seekingcure]

Since you are so recently off Dificid, my personal opinion would be to take Dificid along with whatever antibiotic you have to take, but that's a decision you and your doctor will have to make together. That's what my infectious disease doctor recommended for me for a while after finishing my taper/pulse of Vanco the last time I had c-diff. I would also try to pick one of the least likely antibiotics to cause c-diff. See the list in CDI. I would still keep up on the probiotics as well. I would not take Vanco, but Dificid. As you know it kills less good bacteria.

I am not taking c-diff antibiotics along with the antibiotic I am taking for the UTI because I don't want to wipe out any potential good bacteria I got from the FMT and since Macrobid is one of the safest. If I had just treated with Vanco and not had the FMT, I would have taken the Vanco again along with it. I'm still very nervous being this soon after the FMT. Lots of prayers for us both! I'm betting you can treat this topically and not have to take oral antibiotics. Bactroban is used for MRSA, I believe, and you started it early so chances are good it will do the trick.

[sevla]

Thanks so much for the advice, Bea. It is so interesting that there are contradictory opinions among the doctor community about this topic. For me it makes sense to not take vanco though because it kills more of the good guys, but then it also kills c diff. I agree that I would rather take Dificid, but am not sure if they would agree on that. My GI is of the opinion not to take any antibiotics additionally to the one I would take for staph. So if I end up going to urgent care or ER, I believe they would not agree with Dificid either.

Let's hope bactroban does its job though!
I also keep the fingers crossed that you will get rid of the UTI withouy any further c diff troubles! Hang in there! I think taking all those probiotics and eating fermented food is a good thing to do.

Sending positive thoughts your way as well!

[seekingcure]

My thinking is you so recently finished the Dificid, it would almost be like just taking a longer course of it and maybe it would keep the c-diff at bay during the treatment with the other antibiotic. But there are apparently a lot of conflicting opinions about this among doctors. I think Beth recently wrote that taking Vanco along with the other antibiotic could increase the chances of a relapse rather than prevent it, but I don't know if that would apply to someone so recently off treatment. Beth, correct me please if I'm mis-speaking. I can't find the post I'm thinking about and I could be remembering it wrong.

I really wish you could see the ID doctor quickly. They would probably know more about it. I wonder if just taking one Dificid a day along with the other antibiotic would work? I guess it would also depend on which antibiotic you had to take. If it's one of the safer ones, maybe you would be okay without Dificid. At this point, we'll just hope that the Bactroban clears it up and you don't have to make the decision regarding Dificid.

[beth22]

I would try Bactroban ointment. I had an infected biopsy on my hand last year and the doctor thought for sure I would need oral antibiotics, but because of my c diff history, he gave me the Bactroban to try with instructions to go to ER immediately if I got worse. I put it on at night and when I woke up, things were much better and I did not need the antibiotics. I had to use it for a week or so. The ointment is supposed to be effective for MRSA, so I would try it before I tried oral meds. Ask your doctor. It is a common medication, but you need a prescription.

[getwellsoon]

I also used Bactroban for an infection in the nostril. I started to get loose stools so I panicked and the Dr. said to just discontinue it and try neosporin. It worked and the infection went away. He told me to use some moisturizing ointment in the nostrils because I use a CPaP and tend to get dry nose. This has helped me. Hopefully the bactroban will clear it up and you will be fine. Hang in there and don't panic. Stress does no good right now, think good thoughts if you can. I know its hard but try not to worry. Let us know what the ID says.

[sevla]

Thanks, everyone. The pimple/boils looks a little better to me - at least it does not look worse, which is good. I do have applied bactroban ointments in the last 24h, so let's see what happens. Hopefully it will all be good just with this cream! I also heard thag this Prid cream is amazing dor boils - it's a drawing salve. I read the reviews on amazon and some people mention how it cured their ongoing boils and staph infection as it draws all the stuff out. I am afraid of trying multiple things so I will stick with bactroban today to see what happens.
Thanks again, everyone!

Bea, I hope that you are doing ok with the UTI.
Hope everyone has a good day.

[Dobies#1]

Keeping you in my prayers that the cream will work! Hang in there and keep us posted. XOXO!

[sevla]

Thanks, Dobies! In the last 24h I switched bactroban to Prid - a drawing salve. This thing is really working so far! The pimple is less red and it looks a little better. So hopefully no antibiotics for me! That would be so wonderful... I have an appointment with an ID doc on Monday and will talk with him about preventing these pimples/boils (which I sometimes get because I have atopic dermatitis - hence I am most likely a staph carrier).

Dobies, I am glad you are feeling a little better youself. It will be good to go home and be in your own environment and comfort zone (also be able to eat better).

Wish you all a good day (free of pain, D, anxiety, etc). Sending positive thoughts to everyone.