Too much too soon

[Broken_Biscuit_Blues]

I have been visiting this site for a couple of weeks now and have decided to dip my toe into the water and post.

I have always been inclined to depression and anxiety and spent some time in hospital back in 2001 when I suffered what would once have been called a nervous breakdown and I have always been a very shy sensitive type of bloke but for the past few years I have been going ok, at least up until August last year when the wheels started to fall off.

For the past few years I have been helping mum care for my dad who has advanced parkinson's disease,He was hanging in there and then he got pneumonia back in July spent five weeks in hospital and now it looks like motor neurons.disease.We have to hand feed him use a hoist and a shower chair for showers etc, it's just heart and back breaking.

Then just before dad comes home from hospital a painful boil appears on my forearmThe doctor lances and drains it twice . but it ain't going away and then an even nastier one appears on my finger

GP finally decided to do some cultures and it is mrsa After four months of bactrim and doxycycline I finally seem to kick the boils but in the meantime something worse has cropped up.

Around Melbourne Cup time I started getting dizzy spells and feeling very fatigued.

Turns out I have anemia with a blood count of 116 but my iron folate and b12 are all fine.Stool and urine tests are ordered but there is no blood..

Three months later another lot of bloods and blood count is still 116 " if you are really worried I can send you to a haematologist"One thing the last few months has taught me is you have to be assertive with doctors .

Visited the specialist on Friday he ordered more specific bloodwork and a ct scan of my spleen and If that shows nothing he wants a bone marrow biopsy .

Anyway while all this has been going on an older lady I have been doing some odd jobs for every Sunday and who became a close (platonic) friend, indeed my only social contact outside the house and who has an auto immune disease which while she is only mildly symptomatic as we speak could turn nasty at any time decides to move back to Sydney to be closer to her extended family.

My depression was already building but when she told me just before christmas it was like the straw that broke the camels back.I have been trying to put it to the back of my mind but as the day approaches i am starting to feel the isolation building and the depression is really starting to sting and burn

[Apollo_Black]

I can't quite remember who all the doctor's you're visiting are but:

Have swabs confirmed MRSA? Do you know this for sure?

What are your specialists saying about this? Have you been to a dermatologist?

If your medications are doing nothing and you've been on them for months you probably need to see an infectious diseases specialist. Your GP can refer. All major hospitals have them

Anyway, I'm thinking dermatologist for some advice.

[Broken_Biscuit_Blues]

Yep three cultures (four now had one lanced and swabbed today) MRSA UKEMRSA 15 strain on the previous three, this like to bet it is the same thing,their easy to pick they start off looking like spider bites and explode from there.

Can't mention drug names on here but it is susceptible to a sulphur based antibiotic that is the only oral it is susceptible to, The pathology tests also indicated it was susceptible to an antibiotic commonly used for acne but invivo that didn't work out. Beyond that there are some iv only ones.

The only thing bloodwork has picked up on is anemia, everything else looks unremarkable, The haematologist sent me for extensive specialised blood work and other than the anemia it found nothing everything else looks fine,Immune system I am assured looks fine on the bloodwork.

Have had two lymph nodes up in my neck since November and there quite sore.The blood specialist said there not too bad but if they get any more swollen he will get them biopsied and if the blood count doesn't pick up he will arrange for a bone marrow biopsy,.but I don't see him until June so I guess I am in limbo until then.

Went to an infectious disease bloke back in February he was useless.He said "I have looked at your bloodwork your immune system is fine you will kick it eventually".When I mentioned the low blood count and the lymph nodes he more or less said I'm a bug bloke not a blood bloke and told me to ask my gp to refer me to a blood bloke.

[Broken_Biscuit_Blues]

As far as non pharma stuff goes I have tried a few things Garlic. oil of oregano, vitc megadoses, gum terpentine just stuff I picked up off the net and none of it works.

The only thing I have had any luck with and then only if you catch them early and are on the right antibiotics is Iodine.

[Broken_Biscuit_Blues]

I also forget to mention the monotonous (not to mention expensive) hygiene regime.

Twice daily baths head to toe in phisohex (my skin feels like sandpaper)Never re wear any item of clothing without hotwashing it.

Hotwashing sheets and pillow cases every single day, and all my washing has to go through separately. our water bill has doubled power is up by a third.

I also forgot to mention that they give you an antibiotic ointment to stick up your nose four times a day which is NOT on the pbs and a sulphur based burn cream to apply directly to the lesions. which is inferior to Iodine in my experience.

[Apollo_Black]

Oh wow, you are hitting it with a hammer. And it sounds like you are trying absolutely everything. I'm sorry you're having such a hard time. Yes I agree certain types of iodine can be effective