Thursday, October 13, 2011

MRSA versus Allimed Garlic Day 7

I am on day 9 of Allimed - although it is not the only thing that I am doing.  Here is my rough protocol:
Allimed 6 caps a day
Tumeric:1-3 tsp a day (loose about dosage)
Bleach baths
On and off, microsyn on my face

I returned to ID doc because the rash was spreading on my face.  He said that what I am having is an eczema-like rash or severe rosacea that is not MRSA.  I had a little bump near my ear, but it has shrunk as has the couple month old bump under my chin.  The ID doc was not concerned about these bumps.  I still cannot bring myself to hug my son for fear of my potential contamination.

I see a dermatologist in about 1 month. 
I broke down and bought the Phenomenal water and gel.  I am going to give it a try in the coming days.  The Allimed is very expensive, my plan is to continue it for another couple weeks and then substitute in another garlic cap and see if there is a difference.

I am also considering mHBOT - at a naturopath near me.  I would like to take my son in with me, but with the asthma I am not completely comfortable.  I spoke with the pulmonologist we've seen and he was - predictably - unable to endorse anything outside the bounds of the hospital he is associated with.  I am scheduled to call a doctor in Malibu who runs a hyperbaric oxygen clinic - an MD who has been doing these treatments for years.  I will discuss with him the process and what his experience has been with children with asthma.  In the meantime, I am considering for myself and my mom.  My MRSA inducing surgerytized ankle is hurting - as are some other things.  I am interested to see if it makes any difference in the way I feel - and especially  my skin. 

Overall, whatever crazy things I am trying - I think they are working.  The bumps on my face have stabilized and even - dare I say - begun to shrink.  I am hopeful.

I am also awaiting manuka oil - recommended by a blog (mom who overcame MRSA for herself and her daughters).  Good inspiration, happy ending - to this day healthy.  Yay - good vibes - kickin' MRSA's vampirous (if that's a word) ass to the curb.  Good vibes.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

MRSA versus Garlic the Allimed Challenge

This is my personal 10 day challenge and review of Allimed against MRSA.

As I've written for the past month or so - I was diagnosed with MRSA about 2 months ago.  I had an ongoing mid-life acne attack for the past 2 years that exploded into MRSA days after an ankle surgery I had.  I've been on augmentin - didn't work.  Clindamycin - didn't work even though the test showed the MRSA was susceptible to it.  Then (2) 7 day courses of doxycycline.  I am about 2 1/2 weeks off antibiotics and there are some itchy lesion like patches now on the left side of my face.  Not a good scene.

In my desperation - having half hazardly tried and stopped many many things - I've decided to try Allimed.  Not sure why - but it seems to have some results posted online and I'm hoping this works.  I will do my best to be consistent and enter in everything that I am doing so that I can be as methodical as possible amidst this most chaotic and panicky time.  

Day 1 - Allimed.  Recommended by the company that I take 6 capsules a day - making my about $120 bottle stretch a whopping 10 days.  But in my experience I anticipate knowing whether or not it is working for me in this time frame.   The protocol that they recommended for me extends 90 days at 6 caps then tapering down to 4 and possibly down further for maintenance.  I could also do a nasal swab after that to determine whether or not I continue to carry.  Bummer, way much more techy crap about MRSA than I want to know.  But it's here so full speed ahead. 

Against my personal hermit - I am posting photos.  It is on my face so you'll see me.  If you know me, just know that I am going out of my way to not touch my face - and therefore the infection, not shake hands, no hugging, no contact basically and I am washing my hands down to the bone.  

Oh yeah and I was directed not to take the caps with anything hot - wait an hour between caps and hot food/drink.

For me MRSA manifested as a series of deep soft elongated under the skin cysts by my ear (my theory I touched/picked zit or my phone after touching MRSA something at the hosp).  Then it became cellulitis.  Honestly, this is the best the right side has looked in months, the left side stuff is about 4 days old.  


MRSA on face left side

MRSA on face front

MRSA on face right side

It started near my right ear - and at its worst the soft part of my ear actually was pus-ed up. 

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

MRSA Cures

It is now just over 2 weeks off doxycycline and my face is itching and I have scaly patches that bleed on my left side of my face.  To say that I am frustrated is a euphemism.  I am trying to keep spirits up.  I think the biggest challenge for me is not panicking.  I am trying things and dropping, trying, dropping and all I know is that I am back at the point of calling the infectious doctor.

Some things I've tried:

Blue Light - purchased light at 470 nm used for growing plants.  Don't know if it's made a difference, I've been pretty inconsistent.  I have been using this light along with the turtle's 15 watt UV light on my son - he has small rash around mouth that comes and goes.

TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) - I am really bummed that the herbs didn't help on their own.  I did do them with the antibiotics and stopped around the same time - maybe that was a mistake. Maybe I should go back to herbalist.  See - I feel like frog in frogger - going back this way, then that, then this, then that - pushed by panic and desperation.

Tanning salon (UV light for MRSA) - seemed to help, then last Wednesday it seemed to irritate my face.  I stopped.  Woke up on Saturday with the clearest skin to date (after guacamole and margarita the night before - bad idea I know.  But I needed my once a month get out.).  But then Sunday things dipped again.

Tumeric - was taking 3 tsp a day in capsules.  Stopped.  Felt like it didn't make a difference - but maybe it did.  Not sure - it comes really high rated by other MRSA sufferers so I may go back.

Oil of Oregano - tried briefly - again highly rated.  The form I was taking was in pill and I was supposed to take 15 pills a day along with 15 of the Thymus.  The practitioner who recommended said this protocol could take up to 2 months. 

Thymus Extract - tried briefly - see above.

Microsyn - not such good customer service.  But the gel seems topically to dry out the lesions.  Although I don't think it penetrates and can basically rid the infection.  It seems to need to get into the infection - so may work better on an open wound type thing.  Definitely worth trying.

Manuka Honey - I put this on my face early on and then covered with bandaid.  Bad idea.  The bandaid I think let things fester and the infection spread.  Although, again I tried YS Organics, which is not one of the go to Manuka Honeys for medicinal purposes.  I will try again, but will find more effective brand.

Iodine - topically.  I loved how it burned the hell out of the lesions.  The pain was a welcome relief from itching.  But in the end - not something I think was good for my face.  Bottom line it didn't get rid of the infection, but all the pushing I did holding the iodine on my face actually spread the infection.  

Other MRSA tools for the arsenal that I have not yet tried:

Lions Mane Mushrooms

Reishi

Miracle Mineral Solution

Ozone autohemotherapy - Sounds interesting.  They basically take a portion of blood from your body, mix it with ozone gas and re-inject it into your body.  I spoke with a woman who swears by it - she used it to rid herself of MRSA boils.  Unfortunately, I cannot find anyone in my state who does this.

HBO - Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.  You lie in a chamber that is pressurized to force oxygen into your body.  The naturopath we see is getting this in a couple weeks.  One obstacle - $75 a treatment and you need to do a series of 10 or more to see results.  Ouch.  But again - like anything - how much would you pay to rid your body of MRSA infection.  Answer - whatever cashola I can get my hands on. 

Garlic Extract - Allimed.  (trying as of Oct 5) This product is EXPENSIVE.  But it too has some interesting results.  The woman at the company said that I would need to take 6 caps a day for 90 days... then go down to 4... and see how it goes.  At this point, that's a protocol of around $1000.   But at this point, I feel so desperate to rid my face and my family of this thing.

Tocotrienols - (actually trying as of Oct 2ish) this is my own theory really, based on a study done on mice and invitro -  where they we're able to basically use the cholesterol blocking medicine (that never went to market) that basically inhibited the staph bacteria from forming the carotenoid colored shell that gives it resistance.  The innate immune system was then able to kill (mouse model) and clear the bacteria on its own.  Again, I am not a doctor - but I then searched other natural supplements that assist in blocking cholesterol production.  Tocotrienols came up.  My hope is that they could do something similar - strip the bacteria of the ability to protect itself and my body could just kick it out.  Nutty?  Possibly?  Needless to say, I am on day 3 of toco 8.  Not sure if it's helping or making worse.

I will update this page with more info.  And may post picts.
We'll see what tomorrow brings.