Can someone who knows about infections/bacteria etc come and comment please...?!

[misspollysdolly]

Away at my parents at the mo, but have been struggling with a skin infection for about a week. It was so bad on Tuesday that my mother insisted I see her GP (my old childhood doctors) - and that she accompanied! I'm 31! Sheesh! - about it.

They swabbed it, gave me Fucidin cream and away I came, though it has not got at all better in the 36 hours since seeing them. Then this afternoon the GP unexpectedly called my Mum, saying the swab had shown it was a really quite nasty infection and that I needed oral ABx. Can someone in the know just explain to me what this all means...? The post-it stuck to my ABx when my mum collected them said 'Swab results Group A Strep 3+++' and I have been given Augmentin 500/125, which I know are fairly hefty ABx.

I do have some medical knowledge, but I just wondered what these results showed that caused the sort of panicked phonecall and the script for hefty drugs. Affected area has been v sore, but I don't feel particularly ill...am I though?! What would've happened if I had ignored the shove from my Mum to see the Dr?!

TIA MPD

Well you have a strep infection and the fucidin cream wasn't strong enough. Those SA can be nasty and be serious.

Take your ABs and drink a lot of water, rest and eat probiotic yoghurt.

If your mum shows any signs of the infection, she should go on ABs also, as it's contagious esp among genetically close individuals

Here's a treat on Wiki for you!

Get well soon!

I had some sort of skin infection as a child and when I eventually went to the doctor he said it was good that I had come to have it treated as it could have ended up in my eyes. The infection was on my face though.

Skin infections can end up being pretty bad, and you can end up in hospital on IV antbiotics (worst case senario).

Thank you both for getting back to me (sorry about the delay - was away for a few days with DH, hence being at my Mum and Dad's as they were DC-sitting). I did see your responses before going though and have been taking the ABx and Probiotic yogurty things throughout the time away.

The infection is in my belly button - which I was a bit embarrassed to put before. It is a bit better but 5 full days of ABx later (it's a 7 day course) it is still quite sore (though less than a week ago, when I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach), quite inflamed (less red, but still quite raw looking) and still weeping (combination of straw coloured clear fluid and some snotty-looking stuff, which might be dead tissue/skin, or may be pus - not sure - SO sorry for offering TMI!). The most significant different is that the infection no longer smells - it was quite stinky a week ago .

Should I be worried...? Should I sit it out til Wednesday when the ABx are finished...? Or should I try to see my GP, explain what's happened this week and ask to have it re-swabbed...? Not sure whether I should be more worried (as you could tell fom my last post really...)

What do you think I should do...?! MPD

Go back to the GP ,sounds really nasty .

If it is less sore then it is probably healing. I think I would finish the ABs and then go back to doc. I suspect that is what they may tell you anyway.

In the meantime Tea Tree oil is great for bacterial infections so you could bathe the area with that for the next couple of days and see if it helps.

If still no better then I would def go back to GP.

I would go back to GP.
Are you ensuring it is covered ,washing hands after touching it?
Quite contagious -you need to be careful.

carry on taking your antibiotics as penicillin is the drug of choice for strep skin infections. It should be starting to improve but you may need a further week or another antibiotic like clindamycin added in. Dont stop taking it as your infection sounds nasty. good luck.