Which antiboitic to they typically prescribe for a skin staph infection?
I know the moderators are going to say:
"Oh, no, you can’t say that! We’re going to be liable!!!
Nonsense!!
Please tell me. I have a staph skin infection, I don’t have health insurance, and I know what I’m doing. No doctor knows my body better than I do.
etmiller, health insurance or no health insurance, go to a doctor. First of all, you can’t get antibiotics without a prescription in the US. Second of all, 20% or more of staph infections are penicillin-resistant, which means you need a doc to keep an eye on how the infection reacts to the antibiotic.
While you may know your particular body better than any doctor, pretty much any doctor knows the human body, stapholoccocus aureleus, and antibiotics far better than you do. Staph infections can go very bad, very quickly. Don’t let your ego (or your credit rating for that matter) get in the way or your health.
etmiller Ex-nurse checking in here. You may not want to hear this but you are playing with fire, my friend. When you say you know what you’re doing, I’m not sure what you mean but even given my background, I would not attempt to treat a staph infection myself. (If , in fact, thats what it is) People have DIED from staph infections! People in hospitals, under doctors care!
This is not something you want to fool with or take lightly. You may, in all good conscience, think you know what you’re doing and I don’t mean to belittle what you may think you know but the best thing you can do is get thee to a doctor, QUICK!
Besides that, I can’t see how you are going to get your hands on any antibiotics without one.
Be careful and good luck!
etmiller, try to find a low-cost clinic in your area. I don’t know where you are, but here in MS there’s about 5 or 6 clinics that start at $10 per initial visit, if you fall within their income requirements. The local major hospital (University of Mississippi Medical Center) keeps a list of low-cost clinics that they hand out to needy patients. Try calling your local hospital or check the phone book.
The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Treatment is available free online.
etmiller. Thanks for coming by the Straight Dope. We don’t encourage posters to ask for medical help for more than the simple “liability” issues. In your specific case, it’s to help you get well, and hope you come back to join us another day, instead of checking out because you knew your body better than a doctor, or relied upon the mis-information of a well-intentioned poster.
As others have said, staph infections are nothing to fool around with. If you’re wrong, you’re dead.
The suggestions about free/low cost clinics are good. Don’t screw around.
This thread is closed.