MRSA

Thanks for all your kind replies, and I'll certainly be more careful how I use these words now. It sounds a dreadful condition.

I've had to visit someone in hospital and I noted that 3 patients in the ward had MRSA VTE beside their names. What does the VTE stand for?

One of the Drs said to my friend that they wanted him out of the surgical ward as soon as possible and into respite care as they didn't want him to catch a 'superbug'. I presume he meant MRSA.

Hope you're already feeling much better Fennel. Take good care of yourself.

DH had MRSA caused by insertion of a Hickman Line for chemotherapy. The wound was sore and red from the outset but the main symptom was that he felt absolute rubbish. He had 2 weeks of IV antibiotics. He was in hospital for a few days while they did tests then we had to go every day for the rest of the 2 weeks. The treatment took about one to two hours each time. After that he always had a side room for hospital stays.

If it is not MRSA (would only be called this after lab test) then you should not say to people it is MRSA. Lots of people are frightened to go into hospital because of the rumours about catching MRSA and saying you caught it when you haven't adds to the fears.
Your infection is more likely to be caused by an organism you have on your skin that has got into the tissues when you had the drip.
Glad it is getting better though as it is painful.

She didn't say it was an MRSA or give it a name at all. Just me panicking.
And yes, Jalima, it might be cellulitis, there's a main red lump near my wrist with what looks like a tiny pinprick in the centre, and inflammation spread up my arm from that. Very hot to the touch.
Whatever it is, it seems to be getting better, the upper redness has gone, only the bump now.
It's right next to the point where the needle for a drip was inserted in hospital.

When you say 'an infection' what does it look like? I have just had to have another course of antibiotics for another bout of cellulitis which manifests itself as a spreading red patch with a defined edge and hot to the touch.

You cannot possibly know you have MRSA unless a swab has been taken!!! You would never be put on antibiotics for MRSA without a specific swab result and I cannot believe a doctor would do that! It could affect future hospital care because you do have to tell them and if the GP has written it in your notes it can affect insurance. It is more likely to be a common skin infection. I still find this difficult to comprehend!

thanks teetime
ps i should have said five hundred mg, not g and four per day not two

I used to be an Infection Control Nurse so MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus) used to be my bread and butter so to speak. It doesn't necessarily mean that because you had a wound or site infected with MRSA that you will become a carrier and being a carrier doesn't mean to say you will be infected. Its all a matter of good management with this and keeping to the instructions you are given re medication, nasal creams and body washes. The instructions do differ from hospital to hospital and over time depending on local circumstances.

thanks for the replies very interesting, i didn't know all that - so you mean that even if or when the infection clears up i will still be a carrier?
no she didn't take a swab first, just put me on pristinamycine five hundred grams two per day for ten days
maw - your poor husband, he's certainly going through the mill (and you too)
feeling a bit better today

pawhas regularly tested positive. I believe most of us are carriers but it only (?) becomes an issue where surgery is involved. It has got him a private room before now.
So many “superbugs”and even where an anti b worked a few years ago it will not necessarily work now.
As Paw has a compromised immune system , (being on immunosuppression, ) it is particularly worrying as an infection could take hold very quickly . No easy answer, but I believe there are some powerful anti b’s which are kept in reserve for where others have failed.

Yup. DH. Caught in hospital. Treated and no recurrence. However you will find it being mentioned every time you need to go into hospital and also having to use some funny pink wash if you ever need another op. Dr told us lots of people have MRSA and don't know about it. Hope you are feeling better soon.

Did your GP take a swab to discover what the bugs were or did she assume that you had MRSA?