FYI- Ports

[justin case]

I went to the doctor today, and explained an incident I had with boils on my upper shoulder. I suffered through the pain, lanced them myself, and took some Mexican antibiotics, and it turned out OK. My doctor told me all hospitals carry staph infection microbes, that can't be controlled. In my case, the infection did spread to cover most of my left shoulder, although the antibiotics worked to calm it down. My doctor said, "I see you've had a port" pretty evident don't you know. I told him it was removed almost 3 years ago. He commented, "Although it was 3 years ago, it was still alien to your body, and can cause problems with staph, for a long time".
Just saying,
If you see any type of boil or infection, don't trust your home remedy's; see a doctor! It could have led to much worse!
Michael

[CLD]

Thanks for the tip. Do you remember that song from the 80's that goes "and there's always something there to remind me.....and you'll never be free, you'll always be a part of me." I think it's a love song but those lines ring true about cancer and your situation is a good example.

[justin case]

Thanks for the tip. Do you remember that song from the 80's that goes "and there's always something there to remind me.....and you'll never be free, you'll always be a part of me." I think it's a love song but those lines ring true about cancer and your situation is a good example.

I like to think,
It's a new day, and a new life
Michael

[sjring]

The gift that keeps on giving. Thanks for the heads up.

[Nik Colon]

The things we do Glad you are ok

[Nik Colon]

Thanks for the tip. Do you remember that song from the 80's that goes "and there's always something there to remind me.....and you'll never be free, you'll always be a part of me." I think it's a love song but those lines ring true about cancer and your situation is a good example.

This one?
https://youtu.be/blwc8myYLWA

[ieowi]

very good advice thank you for sharing, i will keep an eye on my Dad port.

[megan120]

I'm confused. Did your doctor mean that your previous port has increased your risk for staph infections? I am not sure I understand how having a port would increase your risk for staph, or more specifically MRSA, which is the staph nasty staph that is a concern in the hospital. The port itself, while foreign to your body, should have been sterile on insertion, and accessing it is a sterile procedure, so (in my very tired and maybe not fully functioning mind) so it really shouldn't increase your risk of infection. Your body could certainly not tolerate your port, just like anything foreign that is added to your body, which could result in an immune response, but that wouldn't necessarily be a result of staph, unless the surgical procedure or accessing it breaks sterile technique.

I think that we are more at risk of picking up a drug resistant staph simply because we are at the doctors and hospitals more. I have worked in the ER for 7 years, we don't isolate our MRSA patients in the ER, so no yellow gowns for us. I am a MRSA carrier in my nose, diagnosed before I had any surgeries for my cancer, so not a result of the port. I have never had an infection or abscess resulting from it.

I do agree, though, that any infection should be treated by a doctor, because staph is nothing to mess with.

[bitchslapped]

Glad you're ok Michael.
And Megan, yes, you can get sepsis through those chemo ports while they're in...and it comes on in a New York minute.
Sounds like according to Michael's doc, even after they are out, something can be lying around dormant.

Best Wishes
BS

[megan120]

BS-I know you can become septic from an infection in a port. That is why I mentioned sterile technique during insertion of the port and while it is being accessed. The risk is less if it is being used with proper technique. The port isn't the source of the bacteria, it has to be introduced into the port.

I am questioning the idea that having a previous port puts you at risk of a skin infection years after its removal, at a different site. Bacteria generally doesn't work like that.

[peanut_8]

That's really an interesting question. Can bacteria lie dormant? I know that a virus can. Of course I'm not a biologist butt I was interested in the topic so have started a google investigation. http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com ... entist.pdf This article seems to indicate that they can. Yikes!
peanut

[Lee]

I have a friend who had that flesh eating disease show up on her arm last year. It was at a site that she had hurt about 5 yrs prior (had a small scar there). The Dr who treat her suspects the bacteria entered her body there and then went dormet all those years.

Peanut, interesting article. Thanks

Lee