Staph infection... scary stuff: UPDATE

[AustinTink]

My husband has a staph infection in/on his nose. 3 days ago he said he felt a painful pimple in his nostril. The next morning he woke up with his nose swollen twice it's size, bright red and warm.

We intially thought allergic reaction and gave him benedryl all day. I would never have thought staph. The next morning it was not better and he went straight away to the doctor.

He got a antibiotic shot and a prescription for 10 days of a tetracycline derivative.

How scared should I be right now?? I've been scouring everything he touches. I haven't slept in the same bed with him for 2 days as a precaution. I've washed sheets and pillowcases and even threw a couple of pillows out.

My son has eczema and I'm terrified he will catch this thing. The doctor didn't swab for an MRSA test. Should I send him back to the doc for a test?

If you've had a severe case of staph how long did it take to heal?? Should I be this scared?

 

[Stitch's mom]

I know you are concerned...I went through this with my 14 year old son who wrestles. He had what looked like a pimple in his hairline and it exploded into a massive rash of blisters on his forehead in 12 hours.
We went to the doctor and were given a ten day course of antibiotics and no shot. I was diligent in the antibiotic and the topical prescription antibiotic. It cleared up and has not resurfaced. Don't worry about MRSA. That is Staph that doesn't respond to the antibiotic and is a term that gets thrown around. Don't go on the internet...it'll scare you even more. Eleven wrestlers came down with it and two had to do a second course of antibiotics. It should be noted that the two were the only students to go back to school immediately after be diagnosed. Once my sons "blisters" dried up, I took him back to the pediatrician and he was given the all clear.
Use the hand sanitizer frequently. I know some of the wrestlers have skin conditions but they never caught it. It'll be okay. In a couple of days you will see improvement but do yourself a favor don't read up on it...

 

[wdwmom0f3]

Try to relax. I freaked out last year when my DH was told that he had staph too. His was on his elbow of all places. His did the same thing. It swelled up, turned red and was very painful and hot to the touch. He too had a shot and a round of antibiotics. No one got it from him.

Hope your DH gets better soon!!

 

[AustinTink]

I know you are concerned...I went through this with my 14 year old son who wrestles. He had what looked like a pimple in his hairline and it exploded into a massive rash of blisters on his forehead in 12 hours.
We went to the doctor and were given a ten day course of antibiotics and no shot. I was diligent in the antibiotic and the topical prescription antibiotic. It cleared up and has not resurfaced. Don't worry about MRSA. That is Staph that doesn't respond to the antibiotic and is a term that gets thrown around. Don't go on the internet...it'll scare you even more. Eleven wrestlers came down with it and two had to do a second course of antibiotics. It should be noted that the two were the only students to go back to school immediately after be diagnosed. Once my sons "blisters" dried up, I took him back to the pediatrician and he was given the all clear.
Use the hand sanitizer frequently. I know some of the wrestlers have skin conditions but they never caught it. It'll be okay. In a couple of days you will see improvement but do yourself a favor don't read up on it...

So, they all got it from the mats they wrestle on or skin to skin contact, I guess? Were they all back to wrestling after the 10 days course of meds. I'm just wondering when we can get backk to business as usual around here.

 

[AustinTink]

Try to relax. I freaked out last year when my DH was told that he had staph too. His was on his elbow of all places. His did the same thing. It swelled up, turned red and was very painful and hot to the touch. He too had a shot and a round of antibiotics. No one got it from him.

Hope your DH gets better soon!!

I have to ask... did you sleep in a separate room while he had it? My husband says I'm nuts, but he rolls all over the bed and usually ends up smothering me all night. So, I'm staying away.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I have to ask... did you sleep in a separate room while he had it? My husband says I'm nuts, but he rolls all over the bed and usually ends up smothering me all night. So, I'm staying away.

Heck yes! I didn't take any chances.

 

[Stitch's mom]

They think another kid picked it up at a non-school match and brought it in. The week he got it they were working on using their foreheads while wrestling (can you imagine?) The department of health shut it down for several days. The school had to replace the under matting but not the one year old mat. Of course, they didn't contact me about it at anytime. When he said one of his teammates was diagnosed with it I didn't believe him because the teammate left the doctor's office and came BACK to school. My son missed several days and when he had a patch of very dry looking skin on his ear, I had to take him back to the doctor to be cleared for school again. At first I was frustrated, but then I realized they were being extra cautious...if only parents were like that.
As far as sleeping and contact, I wouldn't. Mommas can't afford to be sick! This was the first time in many years that my 14 year decided he wanted to hug me all the time. I was constantly saying "back off". My doctor said that if it looked like it was spreading to come back. His looked "oozy" but I think it was the oinment. It never spread and ended looking like road rash across his entire forehead. He was embarrassed since it took forever to completely go away. It is still pink like healing skin and this happened early November. I KNOW he will get better. Just keep your baby away from him and he'll be fine too. It's just the drug resistant age we live in. The kids that didn't heal didn't take the same stuff as my son. Please post when he is better as I empathize and will keep you all in my prayers!

 

[castmember19]

Don't freak out! I had staph about a year and a half ago. I caught it on my feet, where I had an open wound and had a pedicure at a dirty nail place (at least that's the only thing I could think of as to why it happened.)

The worst part was not knowing what it was and before the diagnosis, when they were hurting and I couldn't walk and my feet were swelled and I couldn't sleep. Once I had the antibiotics, it gradually went away and my feet are now nice and pretty again. It'll be okay now that you know what it is and are having it treated.

I don't know just how contagious it is honestly. My doctor didn't really seem concerned about that much, just getting it under control before it took over my foot and needed amputation.

 

[disfan07]

I get frequent staph infections because I have severe eczema and am on immunosuppresents.

A large portion of healthy individuals carry staph in their nose and it never causes a problem. What probably happened was that your DH probably had a small cut somewhere (in his nose, around his nose, etc) and some of the staph bacteria got in there.

I've had 5 staph infections in the past year. All on my skin. I also had a staph infection in my lungs a few years ago. My infectious disease doctor said it was probably because of post nasal drip going into my lungs with a combination of my asthma and compromised immune system.

From what my dermatologist and infectious disease doctors have said, its much more common than people realize. They rarely give me antibiotics anymore for skin infections (it can create a resistant strain...such as MRSA). Instead, i just use bactroban ointment most of the time. You can also use bactroban in your nose. I only get antibiotics if it gets worse or does not get better after 10 days of using it.

For me, if my infectious disease doctor is not overly concerned about it, than I don't really worry about it.

 

[jaminmd]

Staphylococcus is part of your normal flora, so you're covered in it. You do not need to sleep separately from your husband, you do not need to boil sheets, etc.. As long as you have no open wounds and you aren't rubbing them into his nose wound, you are ok.

Germs are my bread and butter (infection prevention & control nurse). Hope your DH feels better soon. PM me if you have any questions.

 

[Mermaid02]

Staphylococcus is part of your normal flora, so you're covered in it. You do not need to sleep separately from your husband, you do not need to boil sheets, etc.. As long as you have no open wounds and you aren't rubbing them into his nose wound, you are ok.

Germs are my bread and butter (infection prevention & control nurse). Hope your DH feels better soon. PM me if you have any questions.

This is what I was going to say, staph is EVERYWHERE. Don't freak out. My daughter had what we thought was a spider bite on her knee once, and it may have started out that way- but it got progressively worse and we had it cultured. It was staph AND strep, nobody caught it from her, these germs are just little opportunists and sometimes they find "an in" but mostly they just hang out minding their own business.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I get frequent staph infections because I have severe eczema and am on immunosuppresents.

A large portion of healthy individuals carry staph in their nose and it never causes a problem. What probably happened was that your DH probably had a small cut somewhere (in his nose, around his nose, etc) and some of the staph bacteria got in there.

I've had 5 staph infections in the past year. All on my skin. I also had a staph infection in my lungs a few years ago. My infectious disease doctor said it was probably because of post nasal drip going into my lungs with a combination of my asthma and compromised immune system.

From what my dermatologist and infectious disease doctors have said, its much more common than people realize. They rarely give me antibiotics anymore for skin infections (it can create a resistant strain...such as MRSA). Instead, i just use bactroban ointment most of the time. You can also use bactroban in your nose. I only get antibiotics if it gets worse or does not get better after 10 days of using it.

For me, if my infectious disease doctor is not overly concerned about it, than I don't really worry about it.

That is good to know. My dad is dealing with staph. He still does not have his antibiotics. My mom tells me last night that the place they get their scripts from is having issues. I freak out of course but I am relieved to read this.

He has it in his nose and knee and gut. He had surgery and now has it in those areas.

My mom said the one on his knee is looking bad, like "getting deep".

They are going to do some "gel bandage" for him. Not sure what that is about.

Timely thread for me OP. Hope your dh sails through this.

 

[AustinTink]

Today he's in a bad mood, because I've been avoiding him. Gimme a break!!

 

[prncess674]

My Dad has a staph infection in his nose and Mom was more worried about him picking it up again around the house. I don't think people realize how much you touch your eyes and nose and can easily reinfect or pass it on. While on antibiotics she made Dad use paper plates and cups, had him use a paper towel when drying his hands rather than a hand towel, frequently wiped down surfaces with Lysol wipes and didn't allow him to reuse his bath towel or wash cloth before washing it in the hottest water temps. While this may seem a bit much to others, none of it was over the top IMHO.

 

[RadioNate]

Staph is EVERYWHERE. Listen to jaminmd. There is staph on you right now...I'd bet on the keyboard you are touching.

Just take normal precautions and don't freak out.

Both my kids have had MRSA and I don't even think that was cause to absolutely freak out.

RELAX, really. Super super common. Untreated it can be scary but this isn't untreated.

 

[nancycg56]

My DH had it in his arm and they slapped him in the hospital for 2 days with massive amounts of antibiotics. No problems since and no idea where it came from.

I had it in my leg after a fall where I cut myself. They gave me IV antibiotics in the ER and then sent me on my way. No problems since.

 

[Talking Hands]

My daughter, son in law and grandson have all had MRSA. Thanks to a wonderful ER doc at the Children's Hospital they are all now on an ointment that is put in the nose weekly as well as a biweekly shower with a special antibacterial. No reaccurence since starting this routine.
My daughter did stay away from DH and I when she had it because both of us have medical problems that might make it serious if we were to get MRSA.

 

[disfan07]

Mystery Machine:
Discalimer: I am NOT a doctor (obviously...lol) I've just been there done that iwth staph infections....for many a year...so this is just my opinion from my experience:

If the one on his knee looks like its getting worse, he should go back and get it rechecked. As I said before, I don't freak out over staph infections but mine have always gotten better...they just come back frequently...which is normal for my medical conditions (and as I said before, if it doesnt freak out my infectious disease doctor, it doesn't freak me out). If he has it in his gut as far as I know, he needs the antibiotics because there is obviously no topical way to treat it (I took a 10 days course of antibiotics for my lung infection). But if they are getting worse, they should go back and push to get the antibiotics.

And if he had surgery, I'm not overly surprised that he has a staph infection. Its pretty common in surgical patients (NOT talking about MRSA...just regular staph). I've gotten it after surgeries as well. And my hospital has a very very low post-surgical infection rate so it's something that just sometimes happens regardless of precautions taken.

But for him, he should probably go out and buy Hibbeclens. Its the same type of soap/wash that surgeons use. I use it 2x week and I have not had a staph infection since I started using it (at least not on my skin) which was about 4 months ago.

Hope your dad feels better soon.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Thanks!

They told him not to use any cleansers like that while he has the infection because it kills off the good stuff too. My mom had gotten some stuff from my sister.

 

[wdwmom2]

But for him, he should probably go out and buy Hibbeclens. Its the same type of soap/wash that surgeons use. I use it 2x week and I have not had a staph infection since I started using it (at least not on my skin) which was about 4 months ago.

I went through a period of about 2 years of getting staph abscesses. I would get 1 every 2 months. I swear those little bacteria buggers had it marked on a calender somewhere!!! Then it turned into 2 every two months. Was on the correct oral antibiotics (we did several cultures and ID & sensitivities during this time) I did Bactroban up the nostrils, and went through a large bottle of Hibiclens. Nothing stopped it!!! And why was it recurring? I was 40 something years old and have NEVER had an abscess before. I am a healthy person!!!

I was at my wits end, literally!!! I finally bathed in bleach water. Numerous times. I don't advocate doing this, but it worked for me!!! I hope I never have to deal with that issue again.