Recurrent MRSA infection - help!!

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DH got a nasty infection in a cut in September. Then a bad ear infection. Then horrendous cysts under his arm. With flu like symptoms. It was swabbed and turned out to be MRSA. My DC then got it. We thought after hardcore antibiotics that’d be it.

However since then he’s had it back three times and he’s now sick again with a horrendous cyst on his bum. He’s so sick. He’s on antibiotics again and is flu like.

He is 41, very fit and healthy, no underlying health issues. Can anyone help? We’re at the end of our tether and don’t know how to stop this. He’s trying bleach baths too.

Please. Begging for advice.

That sounds awful. Sorry, no advice, just bumping the thread for you.

Thank you @birdling ❤️

I'm sure I read an article about fecal transplants for antibiotic resistant infections. That might not be an option/a bit extreme but makes me wonder if your husband could do anything to help strengthen his microbiome so his own immune system is able to fight this off - eat fermented foods, avoid alcohol and sugar, fast etc?

@LadyChilli thank you illlook into that - just seperate to try and find something out

You may be doing this already but I would try anything to boost his immune system. Vitamin D oral spray is very well absorbed and loads of people are deficient by this time of year. I swear by Sambucol and manuka honey as well, it got me out of a cycle where I kept getting tonsillitis which wrecked my immune system so I got tonsillitis. I’m so sorry OP, I hope things improve soon.

@Babyshambles90 thank you yes I think that’s it he’s in a vicious cycle

It can go away and come back again and your DH will probably be given different antibiotics to try.
I think you can be infected by shared towels/razors that sort of thing.
Just wondering if it's worth checking all those items and chucking away anything that could be harbouring bacteria. Boil wash towels.
However it could just be that it's in his sytems and the advice about boosting health in other ways is good. Food/vitamins/kefir
No harm in that anyway as long as you are taking advice from the GP why not boost up his wellbeing.

That sounds very difficult and I wonder if he is getting the proper care?
What does the GP say ?
Is it actually the MRSA causing the flu like symptoms and cysts?
It's not unusual to carry MRSA and for swabs to test positive.
I don't think it's normally the case that children would catch MRSA from a parent.
I suppose I'm thinking that there might be MRSA and something else going on .

My husband had similar. We all had to shower using hibiscrub and put something up our noses. Think it was bactroban. It stopped eventually but took ages and he has some pretty nasty scars. He also needed antivirals as there was concurrent herpes infections on the body. He needs to be fastidious with hygiene and eat really healthily

Same thing has been happening to me since 2018. My husband then started to get infections and then my son. Truly awful. You can get a cream off the doctor to apply into the nose as that’s where Mrsa can live and a wash for the body to ‘decolonize’ but I’ve never been able to get rid of it unfortunately 😭 I seem to get more infections when run down so may be good to build his immune system. But you have my sympathy it’s a horrible thing.

eurgh awful
you probably already did the usual; deep clean the house, laundry at 60 or with disinfectant, replacing bedding, this awful body scrub, probiotics, washing pets, not raw feeding carnivore pets...

dc had hospital aquired pneumonia with mrsa after an op. luckily it was treated and over quickly but we were given a leaflet by the hospital with all the additional recommended measures.

all the best

The whole MRSA thing does worry me .
There doesn't seem to be much help or advice out there and the attitude towards it from HPs seems rather casual.
I warned my dentist that my nasal swabs were still testing positive and he decided not to clean and polish because it would cause a lot of spray.
I don't know what to make of this.
I'm a carrier and despite repeated use of special washes and creams can't get rid of it.
I don't think I have an infection though.

Thank you all I am reading every reply. I just don’t get this casual attitude to it from health professionals - it’s causing such problems to his life and wellbeing. But it feels like a nightmare to get rid of. Also worrying in terms of antibiotic resistance.

If you want to try out Manuka honey then find a way of using it topically. Eating it is a huge waste of money. If I remember correctly, there is some evidence it has anti microbial properties helpful for wound care beyond just being honey - but only when you use it directly on the wound.

I had medicine resistant MRSA in my sinuses and had constant infections that turned into pneumonia. I was/am on immune suppression medication so not a huge surprise. I always, always swabbed positive for MRSA on my skin, even even I didn't have an active infection.

What really helped for me was improving my gut health. I eat live Greek yoghurt every morning for breakfast with 2-3 types of berries and mixed nuts and milled flax/linseed on top. For lunch I might have stir fry veg but I top it with a generous portion of live fermented home made sauerkraut or kimchi. I take an inulin supplement to feed the good bacteria and a good broad range multi vitamin. I also add in D3 with k2 , vitamin c, magnesium and an extra b complex vitamin. And calcium.

I've been MRSA free for 4 months now after 12 years of problems. I also found that swimming regularly when I had a flare up helped , I imagine something to do with the chlorine.

And for the honey what you need is tea tree Manuka , the higher the + the better. It's very expensive though, but you could absolutely use it topically with a patch.

I also ferment entire cloves of garlic in raw honey and ferment raw ginger. The resulting liquid is an amazing boost for the immune system. I use the cloves in cooking

@greasypolemonkeyman thank you that is very helpful. I have in the past treated myself with diet and supplements for things that the medical professionals seem to have run out of ideas about so we are all up for trying other things

Also I don't eat shop bought bread anymore, I make my own sourdough twice a week. I've been surprised by how much every thing has improved tbh. And I found im craving healthier foods when I never did before. I've replaced crisps with nuts. I still eat chocolate but now have a rich dark chocolate with nuts in. We eat a lot of good quality eggs too.

Is he definitely on the correct antibiotic? DD had a horrible infection on her face which cultures showed was an MRSA. It only responded to very specific antibiotics.

My husband spent 3.5 months in hospital due to catching MRSA after surgery.
He had to have a blood transfusion and lots of IV antibiotics.

When he left hospital he still had to wash with special stuff and use the nose stuff. I also recall getting him some pyjamas from M&S that were lined with silver threads and supposed to help prevent MRSA. This was 16 years ago so I don't know if they still sell them or if they are not a thing anymore.

Despite all this I think it took quite a while for him to test negative for it

Friend who had similar swears by Manuka Honey which her nurse recommended.

Once you get MRSA it's the very devil to get rid of and there's a good chance that you will carry it on your skin for a long time, it's resistant to many antibiotics too. If it was as simple as changing your diet then the NHS would have been doing that for many years. Very high standards of personal hygiene are important, if he hasn't already got Bactroban and an antiseptic bodywash then speak to your gp. Separate towels obviously, rigorous cleaning of the bath or wash basin after he uses them and doing his laundry on its own, hot wash bedding will help to prevent it spreading in the family

Is he definitely on the correct antibiotic? DD had a horrible infection on her face which cultures showed was an MRSA. It only responded to very specific antibiotics.
This^^ is something I'd be raising.

it always makes me angry when reading threads about people with mild illnesses, like a sore throat. the advice usually is 'it's bacterial you will need antibiotics'.

no, in the vast majority of cases you don't. your body will deal with it.
imo antibiotics should be hospital use only to prevent the overuse and reduce resistant bacteria strains.