MRSA Rifampin/Bactrim combination therapy - what do you know?

Question

I have recently been diagnosed with MRSA. I've had it for awhile, but it was very mild until recently. It's now quite agressive.
I met with an ID for the first time yesterday. He put me on Rifampin/Bactrim combination therapy. I understand Rifampin is primarily used to treat tuberculosis.
Do you know anyone who has tried this therapy, and if so, what was their experience? Side effects? Did it help? Have they had more outbreaks since completing the therapy?
Also, I am looking for people to speak with about MRSA. People who have been through it themselves or with someone they love. I'm having trouble getting registered for the only forum I could find (yes, I wrote the admin... no reply yet).
Any responses are appreciated. Thank you!

Answer 1

I have MRSA I have had it for 7 years. When I was first diagnosed they put me on 14 days of IV ATB and re cultured me. The bacterium had colonized and i was asymptomatic. The one thing to remember is that once you have you will probably always have it.
As far as the ATB you are on the biggest side effect they cause is nausea, and vomiting, take them with food or milk to decrease the effects. If you have any questions look up the drug on the net or read the prescription flier the pharmacy should have given you.
Make sure you take ALL of the medication and the way it is prescribed. By not following doctors orders and taking to many unnecessary ATB is why we now have supper bugs.

Answer 2

Lots of cut-n-paste information that you can read from the other posters.

The answer to your question is this: Yes, that's a good combination of antibiotics to use.

Rifampin is good, but always needs to be taken with another antibiotic.
Bactrim shows good activity against MRSA. When used in conjunction with Rifampin, it works well.

You will most likely be on the Bactrim longer than the Rifampin (Rifampin is usually only prescribed for 5-7 days total).

I suffered an MRSA infection in the Spring 2007. I was on the same antibiotics your ID doc has prescribed......I recovered well and have had no reinfections. I was on the Bactrim about 2 months total and Rifampin only about 1 week.

As I recall, I had no side effects at all.

Good luck in your treatment........take all the medicine as directed for as long as directed.

Answer 3

I have taken Rifampin as a way to kill inactive TB from the past. You are not supposed to take tylenol with it because they both go through your liver. Aspirin products are ok, like aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen (go through the kidneys).

MRSA is hard to get rid of, esp if you are diabetic. I am a nurse, so I have seen plenty of MRSA. Sometimes they use IV vancomycin in the hospital or vancomycin injection . And there is a new drug that is called Zyvox that is very expensive. I have never heard of using rifampin and bactrim (bactrim is often for urinary tract infections), but if the culture and sensitivity showed that your type of MRSA was sensitive to those two drugs, then that may be why you are on them. But sometimes it shows what drugs will work, and the MRSA gets better for a time and then can maybe come back. Cleanliness is the best overall policy to fight this, but that will not necessarily do it alone. Maybe about 80% of healthcare workers (nurses, aides, doctors) carry this germ on their body as carriers with no bad symptoms. But people with other health issues have lower immune systems and higher vulnerability to this germ.

Answer 4

Bactrim For Mrsa

Answer 5

MRSA is a very aggressive organism formerly only found in debilitated patients in nursing homes or those with immunocompromising diseases such as HIV, TB or undergoing chemotherapy. It is now reaching the mainstream, and having worked in the ED, a recent increase in young ppl getting it for some reason. MRSA came about because of an overuse of antibiotics, basically, nothing else would work so it used to be intravenous vancomycin was the only drug that would respond to it. Now, as you see, you can take bactim by mouth, and now they are adding rifampin to the mix. Rifampin is serious business. As you mentioned, it used to be only used for TB, but it is also a very very potent antibiotic. MRSA is becoming hard to kill. It has created other superbugs, like VRE. The only thing I can say here is...if your doctor tells you that you have a virus and don't need antibiotics....LISTEN to him or her!! Parents---ear infections & colds don't respond to antibiotics so stop insisting on them when you go to the ER! Viruses take 10 - 14 days to go away on their own. If doctors keep prescribing antibiotics for things that don't need to be treated with them, we will keep getting superbugs and eventually nothing will work when we do actually get sick. History will repeat itself and the herd will be thinned. Sad but true. You in the meantime will be fine. You are on the right treatment. Just make sure you get follow up after the medicine and be sure they check your liver enzymes. Good luck and all the best.

Answer 6

Sorry you have MRSA. One of the things to remember is that it is a bacteria. You must take your antibiotics as your doctor prescribed and take them until finished...even though symptoms may be gone. What happens is many people take antibiotics until the symptoms are gone and the bacteria still live and become stronger (resistant) to the actual antibiotic and then the drug does not work. Your doctor can give any medication he/she thinks is appropriate to treat the infection. Search in yahoo for the names of the drug you are taking. It should come up with multiple replies. Good luck.

Answer 7

I had Chronic staph for a year a half. I took Both Rifampim and Bactrim MANY times. Kept coming back. (Plus, I think my immune system was weakened. I kept getting sick. I got thrush in my mouth and strep throat three times.) I had msra- they tested me for it by lancing my swollen toe. I went to a TON of Doctors, all which gave me antibiotics that did not work. I went to an infectious disease "specialist" who told me that I would always have it and sold me some $40 soap that did not work.

I finally went to a holistic Guy and he made me a homeopathic remedy that totally worked. The wellness center of Plano, tx is where I went. He made me something from "Bacestat." ($17) IT TOTALLY WORKED He also had me take Angstrom Silver. ($39- Also cures any bacterial infection like strep throat, yeast type infections, colds.) ***The Bacestat is not a prescription, but they do have to make it for you specifically for MSRA.

I have scars on my shoulder, both knees, and my thigh. Its too bad I had to live with it for that long when such a simple cure is available.I have had NO problems at all for over six months now. GOOD LUCK I hope this works for you too!

Answer 8

This M.R.S.A is the fastest moving infection ,I have seen in my 65 yrs;I am active walk 3 mi. lift weights,then this thing shows up,within 24 hrs Red place size of my hand,It was simular to a Boil
of 50 yrs ago only thing, Clear liuid came out of this , I had 3 active places;I am taking Sulpha Drug,Slow to respond;
The advice wash hands often Shower I was doing all that before this came along;---------I think this
Would explain why Howard Hughes was Fearful of Germs; Wear white leather gloves;If this condition was what He Had;

Answer 9

1

Answer 10

MRAS is enough of a problem in Southwest Virginia that the state started tracking it last week. There have been at least two deaths reported at two different public schools. MRSA in Virginia: http://www.google.com/search?q=MRSA%20%2B%20Virginia&sourceid=groowe&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Treating MRSA: http://www.google.com/search?q=treating%20MRSA&sourceid=groowe&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

I'm a believer in natural cures when ever possible. I have used Tea Tree oil for years, it come from New Zealand. MRSA Treatment – A cure for MRSA? http://www.activemanukahoneyusa.us/Natural-MRSA-Treatment.htm

Rifampin: http://www.google.com/search?q=Rifampin&sourceid=groowe&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Bactrim: http://www.google.com/search?q=Bactrim&sourceid=groowe&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

MRSA help: http://www.google.com/search?q=MRSA%20help&sourceid=groowe&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Start your research here: http://www.google.com/search?q=Methicillin-resistant%20Staphylococcus%20aureus&sourceid=groowe&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
http://www.google.com/search?q=Rifampin%2FBactrim%20combination%20therapy&sourceid=groowe&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
http://www.google.com/search?q=Rifampin%2FBactrim&sourceid=groowe&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
Make it a great day!