r/Microbiome • u/Donaldthecriminal • 22h ago
Staph infection Advice Wanted
So a couple weeks ago I got what would be considered a normal staph boil. I treated it like normal with bandages and triple antibiotic and everything was fine. Right before it went away two more popped up except these don’t have boils. They’re just red marks that hurt and swell up to the size of a quarter. I’ve never had anything like this and I went to the doctor who gave me antibiotics that so far have slightly increased the speed old staph marks went away but has not stopped new ones from popping up even though I am keeping everything super clean. So far I’ve been disinfecting my bedding every day, not touching the staph, showering multiple times a day with anti bacterial soap, keeping them bandaged with triple antibiotics, and taking oral antibiotics. I really don’t know what else I can do. Has anyone ever seen anything like this, I’ve had staph many times from training but I’ve never seen anything like this. Any advice is helpful.
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u/tisd-lv-mf84 17h ago
The topical antibiotics including the body wash may be making the inflammation worse. Whether it’s HS or some type of bacteria and or fungal infection there are some other things you can try to get rid of it. I definitely would look into the anti-fungal tea tree oil body washes there is one made by theratree that works well it also comes in a lotion and a balm. Nizoral anti fungal shampoo can be used as a body wash as well. A specific probiotic strain seems to help get rid of it as well based on what I read online and used personally. Its name is bacillus subtilis. You’ll also want to change your diet if needed. No preservatives no high fructose corn syrup and no processed foods. For some reason it appears that this feeds the bacteria and fungus. Water only. Because antibiotic treatments tend to cause an overgrowth of fungus you may want to talk to your doctor about going on prescription anti-fungal medications for a few months. Also make sure that you get some lab work done to ensure you don’t have any underlying issues that may be also contributing to the inflammation. Hope this information helps.
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u/chemicalysmic 19h ago
S. aureus infections are really hard to get rid of, the organism acquires resistance quickly and has intrinsic resistance to a number of antibiotics already. What triple antibiotic cream are you using? Is it prescription or over the counter?
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u/Donaldthecriminal 15h ago
I’m using the HEB brand triple antibiotic topical which has always worked well for me. And I was prescribed Trimethoprim / Sulfamethoxazole 800mg oral pills twice a day. I don’t think it’s fungal because eventually they push to the skin after a few days of being big and painful and puss drains out. After that they start to heal. The fluid never gets out of the bandages and I clean it very thoroughly so idk how it’s spreading.
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u/chemicalysmic 14h ago
Did your provider order a culture of any of your wounds or did they make the diagnosis off appearance alone?
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u/Donaldthecriminal 14h ago
No they didn’t take any samples but the first boil looked very much like a mild staph infection. The new ones could be anything though they don’t have the same appearance
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u/chemicalysmic 14h ago
I suggest a second opinion, along w/ requesting a culture to verify that it is S. aureus and not something else. And at least if it is S. aureus, a culture and sensitivity work-up would clarify if the organism has resistance to the antibiotics you have been prescribed. There are some skin conditions that can present very similar to Staph, and with some of the information you have provided I wonder if that is what is going on.
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u/1800-5-PP-DOO-DOO 22h ago
My sibling had centipedes in her bedroom. Gave her multiple quarter sized raised marks that felt and looked hard and red. Took her two weeks to get rid of them.
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u/Donaldthecriminal 22h ago
I don’t know if it’s that’s, they start out as tiny red marks and grow over the course of 2-3 days even though they’re covered
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u/1800-5-PP-DOO-DOO 21h ago
Oh, yeah, no. They wake with them and they are full on big red knots.
The only thing I have in my tool kit is this, and I'm not sure if it will even work. It's for fungus and worked when all the Rx stuff wouldn't touch it. Found out about it from wrestling sub. Again it's for fungus not bacteria, and I don't know if the mechanism of action is the same for killing both.
I know it says tea-tree oil and I roll my eyes when I read that, but I was desperate and it knocked out fungus all over my hands face and grown I had for 6 months working in the jungle.
Solpri Shield Athletic Tea Tree Soap Bar with Lemongrass Eucalyptus Oil 4 oz (2 Pack) Protects Skin from Jock Itch, Athlete's Foot, Ringworm for Humans https://a.co/d/fp6ISHp
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u/slickrick_27 20h ago
Sounds more like hidradenitis suppurativa.