Topic : 04/01 The Superbug

Your Father was only 70 when he died of a massive heart attack?! Both you and he were blessed with his living into his golden years. My father died from a massive heart attack at the age of 47. He died away from home on his way back to Colorado, he built golf courses, on New Year's Eve. He was buried on my 19th birthday. I wish my dad had lived 1 more year, 5 more years, 20 more years, I wish I had just 1 more day with him. He left behind 4 almost grown kids and my little sister who was only 10. In one year my Mom lost 3 family members, first she lost her mother at the age of 63 to cancer, 6 months later she lost her 49 year old brother to a heart attack, and then 6 months later she lost my father. She was only 43. The shock of it all threw her into early menopause the following year. At 67 I consider myself blessed to still have her. My husband lost his 20 year old son in a car accident, are you starting to see my point? It's always hard to lose a parent or any loved one but be grateful for how much time you had with your father for you are truly blessed in my eyes.

Jewelsf, thank you for the kind support!  I am so glad things are much better for you and yours.  Personally, I don't "fear" this as much as I fear spreading it around.  I hope I don't seem to be "picking your brain" with my next few questions but its information you may have that I could never get either of the 4 doctors to agree upon!  UGH!!  LOL  First, is it true that once you contract it, you always have it and it can flare up at any time?  Second, I've been told that continual use of anti biotics can actually become a problem as there are only 2 or 3 anti biotics that will treat the MRSA and if taken for too long the body can actually become immune to these anti biotics and cease to work.  Third, at what point when I have a "spot" should I become concerned.  I know those horrid knots are pretty tell tale as they are unlike any other type of abcess I have ever had, but even a blemish on my chin can make me concerned.  Lastly, is there some everyday OTC vitamin, mineral etc that could assist in keeping the out breaks at bay?  ROFL, hope this isn't too much of a quest for information to throw at you just seems you and your husband have found a course of action that could put many peoples fears to rest.  Any information would be greatly appreciated!!

 
I came close to losing my life from MRSA in June of 2007 after having an emergency C section to dliver my baby girl. I knew something was wrong before being released from the hospital but none of the doctors would listen to me. I kept telling the nurses and doctors that the pain I was having, to the point I couldn't walk, was not normal as I had had abdominal surgery before. I was told that I was just having anxiety and put on anti anxiety medication and released from the hospital. Less than 24 hours after going home and bringing my baby home for the first time I developed a fever of 104 and began shaking uncontrollably. After my husband callled 911 I was rushed back to the hospital. The doctor told my husband when we got there that if he had any final arrangements to make he should make them then because I had an infection in my blood and I was in septic shock. After 13 hours in the ER I was admittted and put on IV antibiotics. I spent the next ten days fighting for my life. I completely missed the first two weeks of my babies life as she was not allowed to come visit me. We were given no information from anyone as to what was going on with me or what my chances were for several days. It was not until they posted signs on my door and everyone who came to see me had to wear bio hazard suits and my family started asking questions that we found out  I had MRSA.

Although I was released soon there after I was so sick for the next three months or so it was hard to get out of bed. It has been almost a year now and I still have occasional boils from the MRSA on my skin and have not felt healthy a day since. I have been told now that there is nothing my infectious disease doctor or anyone else can do for me anymore. I will just have to live with this for the rest of my life as I am now a carrier.  The skin erruptions are painfull and scary. I live in fear every time I gt a small cut on my finger or scrape my leg that it will re enter my blood stream and this time I won't be so lucky.

I am extremely angry at the way I was treated by the staff at the hospital after my surgery, how my fears were written off as nothing when I could have died. I am angry at the doctors who preformed the surgery as this could have been prevented I have heard by them doing something as easy as changing their lab coats in between c sections. I am angry that with this disease killing more people than aids why there are no further treatments to rid those who are suffering of this infection. I am angry that I missed the first part of my daughters life. I will never get that time back.  But what can we do? I am told time and time again the answer is nothing. Lawyers will not take MRSA cases in this country, although they have been successfull in doing so in other countries. I believe there is a big cover up going on in this country to protect hospitals and doctors from being sued for negligence.

IF HOSPITAL STAFF WERE MORE CAREFULL THERE WOULD BE NO SUCH THING!!

I completely understand how you feel. I contracted MRSA during a c section and came close to losing my life from it as it entered my blood stream. I  too have been told that I probably had it before and this was just how it got into my blood stream was through the surgery. I want them to prove it!  I had abdominal surgery 1 year prior and guess what? No MRSA. I believe  them saying that is just a cover up by the medical community to try and prevent millions of law suits for negligence. I wish you the best with your children  and understand your fear for them as well. I too have other small children at home and worry constantly.

 Two points here: first, I question the CDC position posited by Dr. Arjun Srinivasan on the show, that if hospital tactics don't reduce MRSA according to tracking, then they need to go further - if there is a further to go, why would any healthcare institution be holding out to see how it goes? Has cost containment become more important than actual health care?
Second, I would also like to hear some information on one of the primary venues for antibiotic resistance, the practice of routinely feeding antibiotics to livestock animals for decades now. It isn't just patients and practitioners who have used antibiotics recklessly, as what was almost a placebo in reality (as many patients with viral infections come into physicians' offices demanding antibiotics, and in the past that was often thought to be a harmless way to placate), but also the fact that we have introduced resistant organisms into the bacterial stream in a very significant way through common livestock managment practices. No analysis of resistant organisms can justify overlooking this aspect.

And ok, one more thing: Dr. Sears, do you carry your lysol spray and spray the atm machine, the keypad at the checkout line, the door handle you touch, the hanger on that shirt you were looking at? And by the way, why lysol, other than your endorsement? Why not a bottle of isopropyl alcohol?

We have created this problem, not with the intelligent use of antibiotics which horribly backfired, but by reckless and wanton use of something we really didn't understand. "Oh what the heck, it can't hurt" is not a good motto. The absolute best way to avoid contracting MRSA is to avoid hospital settings. The next most important practice is to support a healthy immune system - we all know how that works:  eat real food, get healthy exercise, maintain a healthy weight, don't smoke, blah blah blah....everyone already has all this information. I would also say, eat only organically raised animal products, and don't take antibiotics unless truly necessary. But that's just me, right?

My 45-year-old sister is currently on her 11th day in the ICU fighting MRSA. Until a day ago, we did not think she was going to live, and a set-back could kill her still.

In the three months that we suspect that Becky had the MRSA virus, shesaw numerous doctors and was even hospitalized for ten days, but the diagnosis went from RA to polymyalgia rheumatica to osteo arthritis to whatever else they could come up with that was causing her odd and diverse symptoms. MRSA was never discussed or even thought of.

As a result, the virus went undiagnosed for over three months, and by the time it was discovered it had eaten away much of her intestines and all of the muscles in her shoulder's rotator cuff. It has also cost her the sight in one eye. (Whether that eye will have to be removed altogether is still unknown.) Today she is having her fourth abdominal surgery to clean out pockets of bacteria and pus.

If Becky hadn't gone into Grand Mal seizures early on a Sunday morning (due tothe infection reaching her brain), and was placed in ICU where they finally performed the right tests, she would no longer be with us.

As an immuno-compromised adult (due to a kidney transplant ten years ago), you'd think that SOMEONE would have checked for MRSA before it got so bad, but they didn't. Now Becky is looking at months, if not years, of recovery time, and we don't yet know the quality her life will hold.

My sister never had the bumps discussed on Dr. Phil, so if you are experiencing strange symptoms (like swollen sore joints that are hot tothe touch); even if they seem impossible to relate to this virus - for your own sake ask your doctor to do the MRSA culture, especially if your immune system is less than optimal!!!

This is a very scary disease folks. Take it seriously!!!!

 on a computer. Look up the term - just because something is unfamiliar to you doesn't necessarily mean it's obscure. Did you watch the show?

I HAVE A SUSPICIOUS LOOKING LUMP ON THE INSIDE OF THE LEFT THIGH.   IT HAS PUS IN IT & WILL USUALLY DRAIN ITSELF IN 2 DAYS.   I BELIEVE THAT I GOT IT FROM USING THE SAME BAR OF SOAP THAT A  NEPHEW, WHO'D HAD THE SAME THING, USED... (THE DOCTORS TOLD HIM IT WAS A STAFF INFECTION, BUT NOTHING ELSE).   THE LUMP I HAVE CAME UP OVER 1 1/2 DAYS & IS MARBLE (LARGE MARBLE) SIZED.   THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THAT I'VE HAD A LUMP COME UP IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE.   THE PUS WILL DRAIN & THE LUMP GOES DOWN SOME, BUT IT'S STILL THERE AND IS PAINFUL.    ONE TIME I WENT TO THE ER ABOUT IT AND THEY TOLD ME IT DIDN'T NEED TO BE DRAINED AND THEN SENT ME ON MY MERRY LITTLE WAY.

I'D REALLLLLLY LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS COULD BE MRSA. 

THANKS.

 

HELLO.  It's called an opinion.  I have a right to despise people who use their family members death for financial gain and free care.  I have the right to be cold.  I'm an RN and have kept people in contact isolation until those MRSA cultures came back negative.  No one has EVER died from MRSA at my hospital, I know it CAN happen, though.  People get the proper treatment and hygiene is stressed!  I hate that people have to project their grief on medical staff- and try to end someone's career over something that's relatively rare. 

 

Most people won't DIE from it- I'd be worried if I was a pt who was 1) Immunosuppressed, 2) Chronically Ill 3) Has an open wound that isn't covered and treated 4) Has invasive central lines.

One stud from the CDC says:

 

"There were 988 reported deaths among infected people in the study, for a rate of 6.3 per 100,000. That would translate to 18,650 deaths annually, although the researchers don't know if MRSA was the cause in all cases.

If these deaths all were related to staph infections, the total would exceed other better-known causes of death including AIDS _ which killed an estimated 17,011 Americans in 2005 -- said Dr. Elizabeth Bancroft of the Los Angeles County Health Department, the editorial author.

 

A survey earlier this year suggested that MRSA infections, including noninvasive mild forms, affect 46 out of every 1,000 U.S. hospital and nursing home patients -- or as many as 5 percent. These patients are vulnerable because of open wounds and invasive medical equipment that can help the germ spread.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/conditions/10/16/mrsa.cdc.ap/

 

Do you know WHY deaths from MRSA exceed those of AIDS?  Because of advances in antiretrovirals (AIDS medications) that prolong the lives of HIV/AIDS pts.  Also, AIDS pts are also susceptible to MRSA, because their immune systems are unable to fight that nasty bacteria, so that's what some of the AIDS pts die from. 

 

Point is, I'm cold, and I have a right to be cold to people who spread fear from their own negative experiences that do NOT accurately reflect reality.  Try reading a few of my OTHER posts and you'll know where I came from!

For the person who wrote in that he or she has never heard of a superbug I can assure you that it is real.  It is also not new. It has been picked up in doctors' offices and hospitals to the point that it is an epidemic now.  This morning was the first time I have seen any information about it in depth on TV.  My mother died from MRSA while in the hospital in December of 2004. My sisters and I visited her on a Friday night discussing her coming home for Christmas she seemed fine. I was called the very next morning being asked if my mother had a living will. She was gone before Christmas. Cause of death on the death certificate, MRSA. We had no idea what that was so my sisters and began to research it on the internet. Well, it was at epidemic proportions then.  I don't know what has taken this long to make the public aware. I have inlaws who are quite elderly. I've had to take them to the emergency room a couple of times. I am petrified to have them admitted for anything. What do you do if you have people who need medical attention but you are afraid they will be worse off in the hospital?