Didnt culture MRSA this time why do my lungs feel worse

regina65

New member
I've cultured MRSA since 2010 I could tell it was there , but my last culture it didnt show up. I have been on oil of oregano on a month off a month for 3 months . I have Cepacia too . Ive had it a long time. I feel worse than before. Do the bacterias fight each other? Did the cepacia win and is taking over. Just weird to me.
 

MichaelL

New member
Sputum samples are less than perfect. The sample you provide comes from a certain place in your lungs and that place will differ from sample to sample. If you've had several negative MRSA samples in a row, that shows a trend. If you've only had one, it could be a "lucky" sample that doesn't contain any MRSA or the start of several negative sputum samples.

I tend to grow both pseudomonas and stenotrophomonas, but my sputum samples usually show one or the other. My doctor has said something about the two bugs fighting each other thus resulting in the varying results.

You could be feeling worse from either the cepacia or the MRSA. When you have multiple bugs, it can be hard to tell which one is causing problems. The doctors will usually target one of them with treatment and then move on if the treatment doesn't work.

I would check with your doctor and see what approach they want to take.
 

nmw0615

New member
My MRSA tends to grow in my right lung, and my pseudo in my left. There is a little bit of crossover, but when I feel a mucus plug shift from the right, the MRSA is always an outrageously high number, and the same for my left side. I've thankfully never grown cepacia, knock on wood.

I noticed that MRSA has a very specific cough, though. Personally, it sounds more asthmatic, with a coughing fit of shallow coughs that is rarely ever productive. It also tends to trigger my gag reflex. When I talked about this with my doctor, she noted that several other patients of hers have described the MRSA cough the same way. Not sure if this help you or not, but it's an interesting thing to note.

I'd call your doctor and ask for their opinion.
 

Michael Klein

New member
Hi Regina65!

So, they really don't battle each other in the lungs: it's not like Alien vs. Predator - it's actually more of a competition of resources in the lungs - or if we're talking about cultures it means that one will grow over the other (again because it gobbles up the vital resources needed to survive if both bacteria need the same one). Usually if cultures dishes are tainted like this, doctors might revert to a bronchoscopy to target a specific area of the lungs that shows characteristic growth patterns ala CT or X-ray of the desired bacteria to obtain a sample.
 
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