CA MRSA: To treat or not?
I’m getting a little confused in the controversy over whether or not or when to treat someone with CA MRSA. I took Jami to see my doctor and Dr. Rosman didn’t want to treat Jami with oral antibiotics even though she was in the midst of an outbreak. It was obvious that Dr. Rosman had done some more research on CA MRSA since I first saw her and mentioned my daughter, but even she seemed a little unsure of what she was doing and not doing. Her final decision after a lot of going back and forth with me was to prescribe Bactroban, a nasal treatment @ $90 a treatment, and if Jami continues to break out she will do a culture next time and prescribe an antibiotic from those results. What I fail to understand is why she didn’t culture the ones Jami had that day?? Was it just to get us to pay for another visit? Because for the life of me I can’t figure out that part but I was exhausted with trying to get her to do anything for Jami. She said that she checked and they aren’t supposed to treat with oral antibiotics unless there are repeated outbreaks for fear of causing more resistance to antibiotics. I understand that but Jami has been breaking out almost constantly for ten months already!!!!! Is that not long enough? NO answer from the doctor. I know, I need to take her to a Disease Control specialist but the cost is what is holding me back right now. Once I get her signed up for county aid the county will pay for a specialist but that will take up to two more months. Another thing I don’t understand about not aggressively treating CA MRSA on diagnosis is that the people with it are walking Typhoid Mary’s spreading it everywhere they go and it seems like that would be of some importance to stop!
If the above sounds confusing and poorly put together it is because the whole doctor visit was the same. I truly wasn’t prepared for objections to treating her when the doctor saw a fresh outbreak going on with several boils already ready to drain!
I did get a sample of the new, alcohol free, Body Armor lotion that protects the skin form MRSA for four hours for Jami and it is a big relief as her hands are dry and peeling from all of the alcohol in ordinary hand sterilizers. I highly recommend this product to everyone!
Posted in A Mother's Story
May 21st, 2007 at 1:50 pm
MRSA is a dangerous problem in the US. My aunt, a vibrant 55 year old who was engaged to married on June 26 2007 died April 15 2007 from MRSA +PLV toxins. She was dead in 72 hours. She was a loving teacher and friend to many and my mother’s twin sister. She battled episodes of CA-MRSA three years ago and was cultured three times and considered “clean”. More attention needs to be brought to this growing problem. Myself, My husband and our daughter who was 3 at the times battled 3+ episodes each of the painful boils. I went to an infectious deisease specialist for the last episode- I was pregnant with my son at the time and my OB was not sure what to do with me. We have been free of the active MRSA episodes for 2.5 years thank god but I keep waiting for the next one to appear and hope that it wont be fatal as it was for my beloved aunt. Good luck to you. I think we (those who have battled it) know more about MRSA than many doctors.