You are here

OT-anyone with medical background here? staph infections

herewegoagain's picture

Submitted by herewegoagain on Thu, 07/12/2012 - 6:24am

Sorry to post this, but yesterday while at my son's dance class I felt a sting on my back...within minutes it was huge. First I thought something had bit me, then I see that my elbow also has a similar bite, although not as red, etc. as I had taken benadryl. I am pretty convinced this is staph and not just a bite. I get mosquito bites ALL the time living by the beach and never do they get infected, even when I scratch like crazy...so I know I am not carrying staph on me. But I have had 3 staph infections in the last 3 2years. Each time it became larger and although the doctors originally stated they were just "insect bites", they later told me it was staph as the "bites" wouldn't go down...sigh.

Anyone here with medical experience that can help me figure out how do I know it is staph vs an insect bite? It seems that doctors always blame it on just an insect bite until it's obvious that it's not...once I ended up in the hospital because of it. I want to go to the doctor, but if another doctor gives me the same BS line of it's just an insect bite instead of listening to what I say, I might lose it.

Comments

just.his.wife's picture

Submitted by just.his.wife on Thu, 07/12/2012 - 6:37am

Walk into your doctors office and repeat this line:

"I think I have MRSA".

Now you have their attention! No one in the medical field likes that germ at all. In fact great pains are taken to kill it at all costs. Explain you have had "staph" infections before, blah blah, but! This time look at these bumps: Nope did not get bitten by anything this bump just 'appeared'.

One they will put you on an antibiotic, you have now mentioned both staph and MRSA, two they will culture the bumps and see what it really is, which they NEED to do so you don't end up in the hospital on a regular basis.

Good luck, be is staph or MRSA, neither are fun Sad

herewegoagain's picture

Submitted by herewegoagain on Thu, 07/12/2012 - 6:45am

Thank you. I will do that. It seems where I live this is so common and people don't see it as a big deal. For me, it's devastating. I appreciate your time. I am going to call my husband and go to the dr this afternoon.

herewegoagain's picture

Submitted by herewegoagain on Thu, 07/12/2012 - 9:04am

Thanks. I don't think it's hives because it's just one bump on my back and another on my elbow, same side of the body. Not many or anything...but who knows. :?

DaizyDuke's picture

Submitted by DaizyDuke on Thu, 07/12/2012 - 9:41am

I had MRSA 3 years ago (thanks to SS13 having it and apparently passing it along since I got it a month after he had it.) Mine started out as what my GP thought was an infected bug bite but when a 2 week course of antibiotics didn't touch it, they immediately referred me to an Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. When I went to see him, he did take a sample, but without even waiting for the results, he said he was certain it was MRSA. I started bawling, I was terrified. He told me that I would be fine, and that it was ALOT more common than most people think, he said he was seeing 6-10 new cases per week of it. He put me on a strong anitibiotic for 2 months and it cleared it up and (knock on wood) I've never had a recurrance.

Maybe if you go to your regular Dr. and they blow you off, see if they can refer you to an IDS Dr... someone who might be more qualified to distinguish the difference?