I have a staph infection
Yep and those emoticons pretty much say it all...
I am on antibiotics - which I hate, and have an appt with an infectious disease doctor tomorrow. I am not worried about MRSA, yet, as the infection seems to be responding quickly to the antibiotis, but am very much concerned about:
1) recurrent infection
2) spreading the infection
3) having to cancel my upcoming cake orders, my next is August 8
4) boosting my immune system
5) alternative/naturopathic treatment - complementary treatment

I'm not usually prone to hysteria , but feel paranoia coming on at the thought of pushing a grocery basket or touching a public restroom door handle
Anybody have any experience with this bad bacteria?
Thanks

I've never had a staph infection so I don't have any advice...just wanted to say I hope you get well soon!

If you have side effects from the antibiotics, eating yogurt or taking probiotics will help. You could also try using grapefruit seed extract diluted with a little water or almond oil on the infection site a few times a day.

Actually, I was just looking up staph infections and I see that I have had one...I had toxic shock syndrome before and it says that's a staph infection. It was when I was 14.

I am on my second round of antibiotics (30 days each!) for a MRSA infection. As soon as I found out that I had a MRSA infection i went into total germaphobic shock! I have cleaned and cleaned and cleaned. I never go anywhere without my lysol hand sanitizer and spray. I change my sheets every other day and I change towels every day and no one in the house is allowed to share towels. Also, you can get some bactriban ointment and have everyone in your house swab thier nose twice a day for 5 days - that kills the MRSA bacteria which most people carry in their nose. And I cannot speak enough on wash wash wash wash wash your hands!

My infection is gone, but am on the additional antibiotic for "maintenance" because MRSA is so nasty and hard to kill. I really hope that you don't have the MRSA and maybe just a regular staph infection - not that either is anything to mess with!!

I really hope that you get to feel better soon! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions - i will be glad to help if i can!

Thank you both...I hope the "sensitivity" part of the culture will be ready to be read tomorrow. It really is a scary thing, and I personally think that we've done this to ourselves by 1) the OVERUSE of antibiotics and 2) antibacterial soap, but I won't get on my soapbox - which IS empty BTW because I have used a case of it for hand washing :p.
Texas-Rose glad that you recovered from toxic shock, and Janel, hope you are fast on the road to recovery. What antibiotic are you taking?
I am eating yogurt, using tea tree oil with my oral antibiotics, and going to the health food store in the morning for probiotics. Have either of you heard of using colloidal silver?
Janel, are you still baking? If so, did you take any time off?
Kathy

I've heard of colloidal silver going wrong and the person turning gray...sounds weird but I saw photos when I was looking it up. I really don't like to take antibiotics (actually, it's been 9 years since I've taken any) so I wanted to know what else was out there.

Last summer I was babysitting a little girl who had impetigo, and my girls and I didn't get it, I think because I was misting everyone with the grapefruit seed extract pretty frequently. It can also be taken internally and for me works as well as antibiotics (but causes the same side effects). It tastes terrible though. Oregano oil is also good to take for infections...but a lot of times it's sold in a capsule that also has fennel and it can have a laxative effect.

I only bake as a hobby and my infection has essentially been gone for over a month. Luckily I didn't have anything to bake for during that time.

I guess I should clarify this by saying I have a heriditary skin condition called Epidermolysis Bullosa, which means that I generally always have open sores. I have to be very careful about keeping them clean and free of any kind of infection - after 34 years this was the first staph infection/MRSA that I have ever gotten. During the time of the MRSA I was very broken out and just generally sick as well - so even if it was someone's b-day they just wouldn't have gotten anything from me anyway!! haha!!

I am back to baking now, just finished 8 doz cookies. I think if you keep the area covered and clean and again - wash wash wash wash your hands (and dry on a paper towel, not a kitchen towel that gets reused) you will be fine with baking.

If you want to know more about EB go to www.debra.org (I'm trying to help raise awareness!) or you can read about me at thelifeofjanel.blogspot.com.

Good luck!!! I hope you feel better soon!!

Janel,
Thank you for wishing me well, although now my little infection seems more like a hangnail .
I've just been reading about EB...wow. Know that you've succeeded in bringing facts about this condition to another person. I am sorry that you've been dealt this hand, but can see from your blog and response to me that you have an amazing spirit. Congratulations on managing 34 years without a staph infection! Please know that you and others with EB have been added to my prayer list

Ps. In reading your blog, you mentioned both Windy Hill and Northside...by chance were you in Georgia at that time?

thank you so much for the prayers - trust me - we all need it! sometimes i think that the parents of EB babies/kids need the prayers the most. As a new mom, I cannot imagine seeing my little MacK with blisters and sores and not being able to do a thing about it or the pain associated with it. They are all truely amazing people!

I am such an idiot sometimes - i forgot to answer your questions -

I am (have been) on Bactrim - it is one that works on MRSA and is a sulfate (?) antibiotic.

I was in GA when I had all my surgeries done. I grew up in Marietta and then left to go to college at Georgia Southern, did a small stint in Savannah after graduation and continued to migrate south..... hopefully I am done moving!! I LOVE St. Augustine!

No matter how "small" your infection seems now, it is still terribly dangerous - so don't feel bad at all!!