MRSA and multiple resistance

[Yourinmyspot]

I’ve had MRSA on and off for about three years now. I have a skin condition and quite a few large open areas of skin predominately on my hands, arms and chest.

I’m on daily doxycycline and have been for almost two years. On top of that I’ve had three courses of Flucloxacillin, 2 courses of Clindamycin and 2 courses of Trimethoprim. Each time I was swabbed first and it showed they were sensitive to it.

I had another swab last Friday to see if it had finally cleared but it’s come back as resistant to a lot of antibiotics. My GP spoke to the microbiologist and the only oral antibiotic left to try is co-trimoxazole as it’s resistant to all other oral ones. He’s prescribed me a week of these as my arms are very hot, red, smelly and weepy. He said that it might well become resistant to these too then it will be tricky.

He’s going to speak to my dermatologist too to try and sort out an action plan. But it’s a bit worrying to me that it’s becoming so resistant. It dosen’t help that I’m on quite a high dose of immunosuppressants for my skin. If I drop my dose my skin gets worse anyway, it’s like being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Sorry to hear of your illness, it sounds very uncomfortable and difficult to treat. I'm sorry but I don't have any personal experience of it, however my neighbour had it while in hospital and to say the least of it, it was very unpleasant. He's recovering slowly and is feeling a bit better now, but the infection is not fully cleared yet either a few months down the line unfortunately.

I can only point you in the direction of possible support groups, and Facebook is very good for such things. Try MRSA support groups in a search and see what comes up. It's great to communicate with others who have the same thing. I know I found endless information on my own complaint (Atrial Fibrillation) and went on to have a procedure that has helped enormously. I was encouraged by the outcomes of people on my group.

Wishing you the best in what must be a very trying time for you.

If I'd exhausted all the medical options I would try something natural OP - turmeric mixed in coconut oil or something like that. Turmeric is a powerful antibacterial and so good for skin conditions. It is worth a try. I know this probably sounds a bit stupid in the face of everything you've tried but you've got nothing to lose.

Except that it might hurt like hell and irritate her skin condition even more?
Has your dermatologist got any ideas for other methods of keeping the quantity of bacteria down? Like maybe diluted bleach or dettol in a bath? It’s a question for your medical team and not random untrained strangers on Mumsnet really.

or it might work? you suggest natural methods might irritate the skin yet suggest bleach or dettol in a bath FFS.

Both coconut oil and turmeric have been used safely on skin for millenia. But feel free to suggest nasty chemicals like bleach. Wow.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6271166/

Here's a study on turmeric on MRSA

https://docsmedicalgroup.com/docsurgentcare/how-to-care-for-a-staph-infection-at-home-before-visiting-urgent-care-in-stamford-ct/#:~:text=Coconut%20oil%20has%20soothing%20and,anti%2Dinflammatory%20and%20antimicrobial%20properties.

And here's a link suggesting trying coconut oil

Coconut Oil
Coconut oil has soothing and antibacterial properties, making it beneficial for treating staph infections. Studies suggest that coconut oil can be an alternative to antibiotics and modulate the immune system. It possesses both anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.

• Application Method: Apply a dab of coconut oil to blisters for a cooling effect and faster healing. The oil’s antibacterial properties help reduce infection and promote gentle healing.

Well hopefully there are enough random untrained strangers reading this and realising it’s not ok to not finish their course, or take the ones they had from an earache last year, or the ones they bought off prescription in Spain.

antibiotics are a precious resource as need guarding as such. The more people realise this is the consequence the better.

i hope you manage to get on top of it o/p. MRSA is a bitch.

I have eczema. The difficulty with eczema is that it can be a result, or partially a result, of allergic reactions. I know coconut oil is somewhat anti-fungal, which might be helpful, and coconut oil might suit some people, but others might be sensitive to it and find it makes their skin worse. Turmeric would stain your skin? And again, there’s a risk of a reaction.
I almost never buy natural plant based products to put on my skin, particularly if it’s a mix of bunch of different plants, because the likelihood of something irritating me is high.
Did you notice the part where I recommended OP ask her dermatologist about the idea of bleach or dettol baths rather than just trying it? It’s a legitimate treatment for infected eczema (and possibly other skin conditions, I wouldn’t know) that is sometimes recommended. It kills bacteria on the surface of the skin in a different way to antibiotics and so might conceivably be helpful in OP’s case. Obviously you don’t put neat concentrated dettol or bleach on your skin. A dr tells you what quantity to put into what quantity of bath water. But I only know that because I have been advised to try it by a dr at one point. I do not know whether OP’s derm would recommend for her or even whether advise her changed since I was recommended this treatment.