update 10/20---The MRSA is back...Well that was a fun 6 hrs

in the ER with DH.
Last Thursday he noticed something that looked like a pimple or tiny blister on his right forearm. Not thinking much of it, he popped it. Over the next few days it got very red and swollen. Went to the dr on Tuesday. By this time the redness moved up his arm (I know this isn't a good sign) and the center of it got very swollen and ugly. They dr prescribed him a very strong antibiotic and told him to come back Thursday for a follow. Since he popped it a few days earlier the dr wasn't sure exactly what it was.
We went back today...dr didn't like the looks of it , either did I, the redness stayed around the infected area but the center of it looked awful. So he sent us to the E.R to see a surgeon because he thought it would have to be lanced (?) and tested. As soon as the surgeon saw it, he told him that's exactly what needed to be done. So they prepped him and cut it open to get all the puss out and send it for a culture. They did blood work to make sure his kidneys were working OK. If not they would have to admit him. Thankfully, the bloodwork came back fine and than they put him on IV meds.
Dr seems to think it was a brown spider bite that got infected.
Strange thing is...I killed a brown spider in my car this morning.
As long as it keeps improving he will just need to follow up on Tuesday. If it looks worse tomorrow back to the ER we go and they will admit him.
Right now he has a small hole in his arm about the size of a cherry pit. Not looking forward to cleaning it tomorrow

If you can please keep your fingers crossed that it starts clearing up and he doesn't have to be admitted, we would be grateful


4/11 Update: He's doing much better. The ER dr told me to call Saturday at 10am for the results of the culture, so I called this morning and his office was closed When I call Monday to make a follow up appt I will get the results. Whatever it is, it's clearing up with the meds.
Thank you for the

4/12 finally got through to the dr and it's confirmed to be MRSA I need to call the dr in the morning to let him know how DH is doing and he will either have to go right in to see the dr or follow up on Tuesday.

4/15- DH had a follow up appt yesterday. Dr didn't like the looks of it and opened the infected area and the area around it to drain it. Poor DH he was in so much pain. I thought I was going to pass out...it looked terrible. He's on meds for another week...and back to the dr on Tues. Unless it appears not to be draining on it's own, than he has to go back sooner.

10/20---Well it's back He now has it behind his knee. We had to go the the ER on Sunday because it looked awful. They called us today with the test results but had him on meds since Sunday. We have a follow up with his dr tomorrow. Anyone else deal with this a 2nd time?
Someone told us once you have MRSA you have to go for a series of tests to make sure it's out of your system. Anyone ever hear of this? My husbands dr didn't mention this to us back in April but I will be sure to ask him about it tomorrow.

Message edited 10/20/2009 7:27:54 PM.

Re: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

OH HOLY CRAP!!!!!! I was bitten by a brown recluse spider just over 10 years ago. Those little jerks are bad! I can tell you that I was bitten on my neck, near my carotid artery and I have no lasting effects from it. I don't even have a scar!

I hope your DH comes out of this with no problems. I will pray for a quick recovery!

Re: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

Sissy not to say it's not a spider bite but my son had something that looked like a spider bite and it ended up being MRSA - it's a lot more common than people think. That's probably why they cultured the puss (this is what they did to my son). They put him on bactrim and it cleared right up. What did they put your dh on?

Keep us posted!!!

Message edited 4/9/2009 10:21:00 PM.

Re: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

Posted by 4ForMe
MRSA - it's a lot more common than people think. That's probably why they cultured the puss (this is what they did to my son). They put him on bactrim and it cleared right up. What did they put your dh on?

Keep us posted!!!

Re: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

Posted by Mssissy

Posted by 4ForMe
MRSA - it's a lot more common than people think. That's probably why they cultured the puss (this is what they did to my son). They put him on bactrim and it cleared right up. What did they put your dh on?

Keep us posted!!!

That's EXACTLY what they are testing it for. I have to call Saturday morning for the results. And that's the antibiotic they prescribed for him. But since he took Avelox today from his primary care dr, he has to wait to start the Bactrim tomorrow.

I will update in a few days.

Re: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

Posted by waterspout4

OH wow!!!!!!! Keep us infromed! I hope he is doing well!!!!!!

Re: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

Oh Sissy, that's so scary! I'm sure everything will turn out OK but who needs this?! I hope that whatever it turns out to be - a spider bite or something else, that they can just treat it with meds and it will go away ASAP.

Please update us when you can!

Re: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

Re: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

Yikes!! Hope he's doing ok!!!!

Re: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

Ughhhh I hate spiders. All of them, not just brown ones. everything goes ok!

My DH had a blood clot a few years ago and went through this whooooole big thing at the ER .. needed to be on coumadin for like 6 months, couldn't drink - which for him was ... so I know how this feels, to not know what it is and when it will be cleared and if he's ok .... it stinks!!!!!

Re: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

Hope he heals quickly!

Re: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

How is he?

Re: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

Holy Cow!! I hope your DH feels better.. I was bit by a spider this past summer and ended up in the ER bc it was on my thigh and swelled to the size of a grapefruit.. Thank God they got to it early enough.. I didn't have to be admitted either but they gave me massive amounts of antibiotics to get rid of the infection..

Re: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

bump for update

new update 4/12

Message edited 4/12/2009 7:06:54 PM.

Re: 4/12 UPDATE: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

I'm glad they figured out what it was and that it is getting better. DS just had a bout with MRSA a couple of months ago. Scary little bug, but his is long gone after taking some antibiotics and using some antibiotic ointment on it.

Re: 4/12 UPDATE: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

I am glad to hear they figured out what it is.. I hope your DH feels better soon!!!

Re: 4/15 UPDATE: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

bump with another update. This thing isn't going away

Re: 4/15 UPDATE: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

Hope your DH has a speedy recovery!

Re: 4/15 UPDATE: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

I can't believe he is still suffering.. I hope he feels better soon!!

Re: 4/15 UPDATE: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

OMG Sissy I just saw your updates!!!

What happened with the Bactrim - I thought it was working?!?

My son had 2 boils. Once he was on the bactrim they cleared up in about a week. The doctor did tell me though that they get a little worse before they get better - I guess it all comes to a head and drains Eventually they just got smaller and shrank down to nothing, but I do remember them draining for about a week - even on the bactrim.

Just be careful the puss doesn't come into contact with you.

Message edited 4/15/2009 10:18:09 AM.

Re: 4/15 UPDATE: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

Posted by 4ForMe

OMG Sissy I just saw your updates!!!

What happened with the Bactrim - I thought it was working?!?

My son had 2 boils. Once he was on the bactrim they cleared up in about a week. The doctor did tell me though that they get a little worse before they get better - I guess it all comes to a head and drains Eventually they just got smaller and shrank down to nothing, but I do remember them draining for about a week - even on the bactrim.

Just be careful the puss doesn't come into contact with you.

Re: 4/15 UPDATE: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

I know it's so gross. I had to keep putting hot compresses on my son's boils to drain them.

The whole think is nasty.

Re: 4/15 UPDATE: Well that was a fun 6 hrs

I hope he gets better soon!

Re: update 10/20---ithe MRSA is back. Well that was a fun 6 hrs

Bump with update.

10/20---Well it's back He now has it behind his knee. We had to go the the ER on Sunday because it looked awful. They called us today with the test results but had him on meds since Sunday. We have a follow up with his dr tomorrow. Anyone else deal with this a 2nd time?
Someone told us once you have MRSA you have to go for a series of tests to make sure it's out of your system. Anyone ever hear of this? My husbands dr didn't mention this to us back in April but I will be sure to ask him about it tomorrow.

Message edited 10/20/2009 7:28:08 PM.

Re: update 10/20---The MRSA is back...Well that was a fun 6 hrs

to be quite honest, once you are an mrsa carrier it is extremely difficult to truly get rid of it... you may have periods in which you test negative but it usually comes back.. trust me i have have been trying to get three negatives in a row on myself for 4 years now without any luck... the series of tests is probably a series of cultures.. i can tell you when they cultured me during my last preg i was cultured up the nose, up the butt, and up the vag...

mrsa is more prevalent then people think it is and when i spoke to my new ob he wasnt even alarmed.. he basically said exactly what i believe and that is that 30% of the population is walking around with it and doesnt even know it...

it is a horrible thing to deal with when it is more then in the carrier phase.. i wont upset you with my absolute horror story, but i can tell you that you should always stay on top of it, even if he does eventually test negative.. everytime i have anything that needs antibiotics i always remind them that i am mrsa positive so that they do not give me the wrong antibiotics...