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After 2 months, I have MRSA

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 11/27/2012 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
I was in remission, med free, for two years. about 2 months ago I started having some bleeding. My doctor did a colonoscopy right away along with some stool tests and confirmed my UC was back. To make a long story short, I've spent the last 2 months so sick, trying to treat my UC when all along I think I've had MRSA or some other staph infection. I was on 6MP for that first month and I could hardly get out of bed, I was so tired all the time. I had been on 6MP before so I didn't feel like it was the medicine causing the problems but I had to stop taking it because I was feeling so sick. I had the typical UC symptoms, body aches, flu like, no appetite, just feeling blah but I could tell it was different this time. Usually when I'm flaring I feel really good besides the bleeding. I'll have bad days here and there but for the most part I usually feel good. I knew when I was sick day after day that it had to be something else.

Fast forward to last week, I developed a large lump on the bottom of my foot. It's raised and very painful to walk on. After seeing two doctors, I finally have a diagnosis of MRSA. Now I remember that I've had other minor skin infections over the last two months too. I blew them off as an in grown hair and a pimple...now I know that's not what they were.

It's so frustrating having UC that can cause so many symptoms so you don't know if it's the disease or something else going on. My doctors always immediately think everything is caused by the UC. I also have a respiratory infection but they don't know if it's related to the staph infection or not. I'm now on Bactrim. 2 pills, 2x a day (4 total). I can't believe I suffered the last two months, trying to treat UC when that's not what's been causing me to feel so sick. Yes, I'm still having bleeding but I'm pretty sure the UC is not what has been causing me to feel so bad these last two months.
Posted 11/27/2012 9:38 PM (GMT 0)
Is it a MRSA or a pyoderma gangrenosum? Is that Bactrim helping? That med gave me nightmares and insomnia.
Posted 11/27/2012 9:54 PM (GMT 0)
I'm so sorry to hear this news. about four years ago I got MRSA from a knee injury. I was terribly sick. Tired, nose bleeds, nausea, vomiting etc... I was put on about 8 different antibiotics until one worked. I believe that from MRSA and all the antibiotics I developed UC. After MRSA is when all these UC symptoms started. Once your MRSA is cleared it's important for your doctors to do a test on you to see if you are a carrier of MRSA. Feel better soon.
Posted 11/27/2012 10:19 PM (GMT 0)
I just had a skin cancer removed and got MRSA (culture positive) in the incision. 7 days of Bactrim DS cleared it up and I had no side effects. I did not have any MRSA symptoms like the OP other than a horrible looking infection I could see. I took VSL#3 twice a day while on Bactrim and can only hope I don't/didn't get C. difficle which is something to watch out for I read.

I had to have a second surgery so back on Bactrim as prevention and VSL#3. Scary to do this with UC but what is the alternative?

Good luck glamourgirl. I think you'll be fine but please take some probiotics to help your gut recover.
Posted 11/28/2012 3:04 AM (GMT 0)
That really stinks. I am so sorry about the diagnosis. I hope you're feeling better quickly.
Posted 11/28/2012 3:50 AM (GMT 0)
In my case there is no relationship between UC and the MRSA skin infection. they are separate events and the MRSA does not cause UC symptoms. Could be different for you because of your medictions; just a guess. But I would not assume MRSA explains your gut symptoms.

Usually MRSA in skin/soft tissue infections is invasive and painful and not minor.

You are lucky to be able to take Bactrim instead of Clindamycin which more easily leads to c. diff.
Posted 11/28/2012 5:03 AM (GMT 0)
The stress and weakness from the MRSA or anything that affects the immune system can affect UC. Sorry about the d/x. Feel better!
Posted 11/28/2012 2:06 PM (GMT 0)
You are lucky to be able to take Bactrim instead of Clindamycin which more easily leads to c. diff.

thanks naturalcurl for that positive info.

Now that I've taken/taking Bactrim DS twice in 4 weeks I notice that it causes respiratory problems for me, wheezing and coughing. The first time this happened I thought it was co-incidence because a lot of people including DH has allergies and coughing including me. Had to take anti-mucus pills, etc. Now I'm sure it's the Bactrim DS causing the wheezing and hope that symp. doesn't get worse. Counting the days til Bactrim is done :-)

So I'm not sure I am "able" to take Bactrim DS but since I was more worried about taking something new I asked for it again instead of an alternative. The known devil I guess. The anti-b the doctor first wrote was Keflex (?) but I may have the name wrong--it was 4.5 hours of off-on surgery and I was heading for the door at that point and they were pushing me out (nicely).
Posted 11/28/2012 2:12 PM (GMT 0)
glamourgirl

are you being blood-tested regularly? I had problems (symptoms) from taking 6mp that made me quit taking it, fatigue, etc. I quit it after about 5-6 months because the negatives outweighed benefits (which were almost none IIRC).

6mp could be causing your problems although the anti-biotic would add to them.
hope you feel better soon.
Posted 11/28/2012 2:26 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I was only on the 6MP this time for one month and had my blood taken every two weeks. Over the course of the last two months, I've had bloodwork four times.
Posted 11/28/2012 4:40 PM (GMT 0)
gg

i just now read your profile in msg and your rx history sounds very close to mine, never much improvement from meds. rowasa (generic mesalamine enema) worked for me but not much else.

have you tried eliminating dairy and wheat for 30 days?

btw supplements also never did much for me, except a fiber pill I take daily.
Posted 11/28/2012 7:26 PM (GMT 0)
Food doesn't seem to effect me. I was medicine free and in remission for 2 years and eating whatever I wanted so I'm not a believer in diet changes for me.
Posted 11/28/2012 7:55 PM (GMT 0)
gg

what do you think caused your 2 year remission? spontaneous?
why do you think you flared? MRSA? or just being run down and susceptible?

I know no one has any answers for these questions, just guesses, just curious.
Posted 11/28/2012 9:23 PM (GMT 0)
No clue and no clue! lol I flared for pretty much 7-8 years straight. I was on 6MP for several months and the bleeding finally stopped. 6MP was giving me issues with my appetite and it was around the holidays when I was drinking a lot of alcohol so I decided to stop taking it. From then on I was in remission. I still had D from time to time but no bleeding (which has always been my main issue). It was during those two years that I went through some very stressful times and even the stress didn't effect my gut. I don't know what caused the bleeding again. I didn't do anything different, it just started and went from bad to worse.
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