Help With strep

[brioche]

Okay guys,
I'm officially pissed. I have strep for the third time this season. I haven't had strep this much since I was a kid, and the thing is, I can't be around a carrier because I stopped my long term and am in different schools now.

So, parents, help me out here. Where else other than toothbrushes can strep hide? I think I must have reinfected myself. I can't figure it out so I'm calling on the voices of experience.

Hmm...
What about lip balm? Could it stay in lip balm? For how long?
Or lipstick?

 

[Bandit58]

You could try boosting your immune system with echinacea and zinc. My daughter used to get a lot of sinus infections but when she started taking echinacea the incidence dropped dramatically. She had taken so many antibiotics for ear infections as a baby/toddler that her immune system wasn't working as it should.

Don't take it for longer than 3 months at a time though or the body gets used to it and it doesn't work as well. We used to start her at the end of summer so that by the winter her system was primed and ready

The only thing I can think of is make sure you take the entire course of antibiotics they give you. So many people take them and they start feeling better so they stop taking them only to find the original bug comes back stronger than ever. Change the toothbrush and the lipstick/balm anyway just to be on the safe side, though I think that's a long shot myself. I'd also try antiseptic throat gargle like listerine, that can help kill the bugs too. Good luck

 

[Kajira Callista]

Okay guys,
I'm officially pissed. I have strep for the third time this season. I haven't had strep this much since I was a kid, and the thing is, I can't be around a carrier because I stopped my long term and am in different schools now.

So, parents, help me out here. Where else other than toothbrushes can strep hide? I think I must have reinfected myself. I can't figure it out so I'm calling on the voices of experience.

Hmm...
What about lip balm? Could it stay in lip balm? For how long?
Or lipstick?

wash your hands, blow your nose , and change your clothes when you get home. I had trouble with the monsters getting sick over and over again. ADR suggested this and it worked well.

 

[brioche]

I already use Listerine, I'm not supposed to use echinacea, I take zinc already, but thanks. Oh, and I always take the full course of antibiotics.
I'll try that, KC. Thanks.
I just can't figure out why I'm getting them - and just them - again and again.

 

[graceanne]

You can get it anywhere. My daugther used to only leave the house to go to the grocery store, and she still got it - I figure from the grocery store. It can be on your shopping cart handle, on the door handle, anywhere. All I can suggest is to buy and carry around some of that water free soap stuff. It's mostly alcohol and will kill anything on you. And don't share anything with people. Don't share their drinks, don't share their lipstick, don't share their lip balm . . . etc. You never know when someone's just getting it and doesn't know they have it.

 

[Kajira Callista]

I already use Listerine, I'm not supposed to use echinacea, I take zinc already, but thanks. Oh, and I always take the full course of antibiotics.
I'll try that, KC. Thanks.
I just can't figure out why I'm getting them - and just them - again and again.

maybe you need a tougher antibiotic or to be on it as a preventative measure for longer. talk to your doctor about that.

 

[brioche]

maybe you need a tougher antibiotic or to be on it as a preventative measure for longer. talk to your doctor about that.

I'm on Biaxin. It's pretty powerful. And it's for 10 days instead of 7. I think my doc thinks I still had it in my system since it's only about a month since the last time I had it.
This should knock it right out for good.
The only problem is - um - it causes issues with candida albicans, if you know what I mean.

 

[Kajira Callista]

I'm on Biaxin. It's pretty powerful. And it's for 10 days instead of 7. I think my doc thinks I still had it in my system since it's only about a month since the last time I had it.
This should knock it right out for good.
The only problem is - um - it causes issues with candida albicans, if you know what I mean.

take acidophilus http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/substances_view/1,1525,748,00.html

 

[brioche]

take acidophilus http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/substances_view/1,1525,748,00.html

Yeah, I think I'll get the yogurt with the cultures in it. I like yogurt. And cranberry juice too.

 

[Kajira Callista]

Yeah, I think I'll get the yogurt with the cultures in it. I like yogurt. And cranberry juice too.

you would have to eat a yogurt every time you took a pill. the supplment is easier.

 

[brioche]

you would have to eat a yogurt every time you took a pill. the supplment is easier.

I eat yogurt twice a day when I have it. The pills are for twice a day. Win-win.

Also, I'm taking a lot of pills nowadays and I really don't want to have to take any more. They depress me.

ETA Thanks though KC. Now I know the name of the culture to look for on the side of the yogurt carton. I can never remember.,

 

[graceanne]

I eat yogurt twice a day when I have it. The pills are for twice a day. Win-win.

Also, I'm taking a lot of pills nowadays and I really don't want to have to take any more. They depress me.

ETA Thanks though KC. Now I know the name of the culture to look for on the side of the yogurt carton. I can never remember.,

Make sure your yogurt has live cultures. Sometimes yogurt, by the time it gets to the store, doesn't. Another thing you can do is by plain yogurt and add jam. Yum.

 

[brioche]

Make sure your yogurt has live cultures. Sometimes yogurt, by the time it gets to the store, doesn't. Another thing you can do is by plain yogurt and add jam. Yum.

Yeah it has to say live cultures here. They're stricter here on labeling.
Mmmm. Jam. Or berries. I like adding berries and granola. But we never have granola so I have to get the stuff from McDonald's.

If I have trouble I'll go to the health food store, but they kind of freak me out. They have stuff in there I've never even heard of.

 

[graceanne]

Yeah it has to say live cultures here. They're stricter here on labeling.
Mmmm. Jam. Or berries. I like adding berries and granola. But we never have granola so I have to get the stuff from McDonald's.

If I have trouble I'll go to the health food store, but they kind of freak me out. They have stuff in there I've never even heard of.

Yum. I know what I'm going to get next time I'm at the store. After K gets back, and I have the money, I'll (if he doesnt' mind) mail you some granola.

 

[brioche]

Yum. I know what I'm going to get next time I'm at the store. After K gets back, and I have the money, I'll (if he doesnt' mind) mail you some granola.

I don't think we're allowed to mail organics across the border hon, but the thought in this case is as good as the deed, truly, sweets.
*hugs*
And don't let the granola soak or it gets soggy. Just sprinkle it in the serving you're eating, not in the whole thing.

 

[Netzach]

Yeah, I think I'll get the yogurt with the cultures in it. I like yogurt. And cranberry juice too.

I break open the capsules or shove yogurt on up there if things get dire.

 

[shy slave]

Yeah, I think I'll get the yogurt with the cultures in it. I like yogurt. And cranberry juice too.

Cranberry juice is great to prevent urinary infections as its slightly acidic, not sure it would have a major inpact on strep or on the candida albicans though.

You need to make sure that the candida is only on your vagina or tongue, it can spread to the intestinal gut and be difficult to shift from there.
Over the counter medication is quick and effective, I don't know what you have in Canada but there should be tablets and creams that can be used for vaginal candida.
As Gracie said the yoghurt needs to be live. This means it has Lactobacillus acidophilus in it. This is best put directly onto the candida, if it is only in your vagina or on your tongue; as oppose to eaten and worked through your body. Its messy but its effective.
Personally I would take the OTC medication in tablet form, as its quick, non messy and easy.

Some GP's in Uk recommend inserting a vitamin A capsule into the vagina to help the integrity of the vaginal tissue and to boost the function of local immune cells. However, vitamin A can be an irratant so check with your GP. GP's here also recommend putting vitamin E oil on the vaginal lips to sooth the irratation.

Other things to ensure that you get rid of the candida quickly is to wear cotton underwear and loose fitting clothing. Avoid using perfumes and deoderants near your vagina, avoid lubricants, spermicides and other products which are chemical based (like bubble bath liquids or harsh soap) until the infection is gone.

Strep is a bacterial infection. Bacteria enters the nose or mouth and infects the tonsils and/or adenoids.
Bacterial can be passed on through contact with others including:

* Touching or shaking hands with another person.
* Shaking hands with someone who has a cold, avoid rubbing your eyes or nose afterwards.


ADR & KC's advice is good for this time of year, regularly blowing your nose does seem to keep colds/flu away especially if you have been around groups of people in places that have heating or air conditioning.
Washing your hands thoroughly whenever you have been in contact with people who have coughs, colds or are sneezing a great deal.
If you share common objects with people who are prone to infections cleaning those things before you use them with an anti-bacterial wipe is a good idea. Common objects include computer keyboards.
Gargling with salt water helps ease the inflammation.
A number of studies have been done on the benefits of salt water and healing but for every study that shows it has a positive effect another study shows there is no significant change. As a generalisation gargling with salt water is considered benefical. It does not strip away any good bacteria which are fighting the infection, and although tastes terrible does appear to ease the symptoms.

 

[graceanne]

I'm assuming that Candida is another word for a yeast infection. Just wanted to say you can get yeast infections ANYWHERE. And I've seen them - I know why they burn and itch. I get them at the top of my thighs all the freaken time. I've also gotten them under my breasts.

As for strep, you can also get it on your skin. A kid at my church had this aweful rash, and her mom took her in all freaked out, turned out to just be strep.

 

[BiBunny]

I'm assuming that Candida is another word for a yeast infection. Just wanted to say you can get yeast infections ANYWHERE. And I've seen them - I know why they burn and itch. I get them at the top of my thighs all the freaken time. I've also gotten them under my breasts.

As for strep, you can also get it on your skin. A kid at my church had this aweful rash, and her mom took her in all freaked out, turned out to just be strep.

Yeah, and it's really nasty-looking, too. I think when I was in about the fourth grade, I developed a rash on my stomach along with my sore throat. My mother took me to the doctor, who told us that it was scarlet fever. We both kind of freaked until the doctor told us that scarlet fever was nothing but strep with a rash.

 

[brioche]

Yeah, they thought I had scarlet fever around Christmas because I have a rash on my boobs. It's still there, sort of. Not a big deal, it's really faint now. I put cortisone cream on it and nothing happened, it didn't get any bigger, so I ignored it.
The cranberry juice is because almost every time I get a yeast infection I get a UTI from it and the two together fucking hurt.
I'm trying to keep the infection from happening in the first place, hence the yogurt. I had some tonight with bueberries in it, which was yummy. gracie, I also bought Muslix to put in because I couldn't find any granola easily and I wanted to get home, but I'll wait until tomorrow for that.
Today was my first day of meeting the JK class I will start teaching on Wednesday. I gave up today and Monday as supply days in order to spend some time with them so they'll get to know me a bit before I start on Monday. Tuesday I am leaving her to say her goodbyes to them, though I am going to stop by at the potlatch at lunch for a bit.
They seem OK - they are being pitifully understimulated, so I'm looking forward to remedying that. We're going to start learning letters once the adjustment period is over. Anyway, come Wednesday, I probably won't be posting as much - JK is very tiring - but deep down I'll be loving every minute of it. There's an adjustment period where all you do is eat, teach, and sleep. Last time I lost 17 pounds in the first month because you never sit down.

 

[brioche]

I'm assuming that Candida is another word for a yeast infection. Just wanted to say you can get yeast infections ANYWHERE. And I've seen them - I know why they burn and itch. I get them at the top of my thighs all the freaken time. I've also gotten them under my breasts.

As for strep, you can also get it on your skin. A kid at my church had this aweful rash, and her mom took her in all freaked out, turned out to just be strep.

Yeah - I had one in my belly button for a while.
Also I got one at the top of my inner thigh, which I didn't even know about, until I bought my first pair of real jeans in ten years and wore them. They abraded the skin there and it got into my blood and was altogether not pleasant.
I still kind of resent the jeans, but they're softer now.

 

[tealsphynx]

Another thing you might consider: I had really bad strep infections like that for a couple of years. I had it twice in 3 months and then again about the same time the following year, but that time I had it 4 times. I talked with my dr. I told him it was rediculous to keep pumping me with antibiotics and asked if there was a possibility it could be something else. I swear I saw a light bulb flash on over his head and he sent me down to the lab for a Mono-spot blood test to check for mononucleosis. My doc never waited for my throat culture to come back from the lab to confirm strep before giving me the drugs and my mono spot test turned out negative, so I musta just had strep.
I'm a big fan of washing my hands obsessively and taking an antibacterial cleaner (bleach is a great one) and wiping down my phone, door knobs, lightswitches, my cabinet doors my stove knobs...basically every surface I can think of that I might have touched. I also rinse my dishes in bleach and hot water before putting them in the dishwasher (please don't put bleach IN your dishwater, it's really not safe). I also like to gargle really salty water and drink tomato juice with tobasco and cayene pepper in it (not for anyone who doesn't like spicey. If you can stand to take it in shots it's a little easier never to let it hit your tongue. It was recommended to me to take 4 oz tomatoe juice with 2tbsp tobasco and a good couple of shakes of ground cayene 3 times a day. It burns, it sucks but it seems to help. Oooh also you could try white vinegar with honey (eeeew it's yucky, but the vinegar is acidic and helps kill yuckies too and the honey helps keep it there) again, just a small glass and i'm not sure of the ratios....) Good luck with the reinfection!

 

[graceanne]

Another thing you might consider: I had really bad strep infections like that for a couple of years. I had it twice in 3 months and then again about the same time the following year, but that time I had it 4 times. I talked with my dr. I told him it was rediculous to keep pumping me with antibiotics and asked if there was a possibility it could be something else. I swear I saw a light bulb flash on over his head and he sent me down to the lab for a Mono-spot blood test to check for mononucleosis. My doc never waited for my throat culture to come back from the lab to confirm strep before giving me the drugs and my mono spot test turned out negative, so I musta just had strep.
I'm a big fan of washing my hands obsessively and taking an antibacterial cleaner (bleach is a great one) and wiping down my phone, door knobs, lightswitches, my cabinet doors my stove knobs...basically every surface I can think of that I might have touched. I also rinse my dishes in bleach and hot water before putting them in the dishwasher (please don't put bleach IN your dishwater, it's really not safe). I also like to gargle really salty water and drink tomato juice with tobasco and cayene pepper in it (not for anyone who doesn't like spicey. If you can stand to take it in shots it's a little easier never to let it hit your tongue. It was recommended to me to take 4 oz tomatoe juice with 2tbsp tobasco and a good couple of shakes of ground cayene 3 times a day. It burns, it sucks but it seems to help. Oooh also you could try white vinegar with honey (eeeew it's yucky, but the vinegar is acidic and helps kill yuckies too and the honey helps keep it there) again, just a small glass and i'm not sure of the ratios....) Good luck with the reinfection!

What's easier than wiping all those surfaces is to buy some Lysol and just spray them. I spray allthe surfaces in my bathroom once a day.

 

[brioche]

Another thing you might consider: I had really bad strep infections like that for a couple of years. I had it twice in 3 months and then again about the same time the following year, but that time I had it 4 times. I talked with my dr. I told him it was rediculous to keep pumping me with antibiotics and asked if there was a possibility it could be something else. I swear I saw a light bulb flash on over his head and he sent me down to the lab for a Mono-spot blood test to check for mononucleosis. My doc never waited for my throat culture to come back from the lab to confirm strep before giving me the drugs and my mono spot test turned out negative, so I musta just had strep.
I'm a big fan of washing my hands obsessively and taking an antibacterial cleaner (bleach is a great one) and wiping down my phone, door knobs, lightswitches, my cabinet doors my stove knobs...basically every surface I can think of that I might have touched. I also rinse my dishes in bleach and hot water before putting them in the dishwasher (please don't put bleach IN your dishwater, it's really not safe). I also like to gargle really salty water and drink tomato juice with tobasco and cayene pepper in it (not for anyone who doesn't like spicey. If you can stand to take it in shots it's a little easier never to let it hit your tongue. It was recommended to me to take 4 oz tomatoe juice with 2tbsp tobasco and a good couple of shakes of ground cayene 3 times a day. It burns, it sucks but it seems to help. Oooh also you could try white vinegar with honey (eeeew it's yucky, but the vinegar is acidic and helps kill yuckies too and the honey helps keep it there) again, just a small glass and i'm not sure of the ratios....) Good luck with the reinfection!

Wow, I didn't realize this was a common thing...
I'll clean up the bathroom etc. once I'm positive the antibiotics have fully killed the bacteria. I have my suspicions it's the bathroom.
Either that or the bin I used to transport my toothbrush et al. into the bathroom to be used.
I know it's strep. First of all mono would have a higher fever, but also because when I went back the first time (after the quick strep A test was negative) because I wasn't getting better, they did a culture and strep grew out. I never knew that up to a third of the quick test are false negatives and mouthwash can cause one, killing enough of the easily accessible strep to fool it, I guess...
From now on if I can bear the three days wait I'm going to ask for a swab and culture. And if they do the test and I think it's false I'm going to get a culture too.

 

[snowy ciara]

strep 3, ciara 0

Hey brioche, hope you're feeling better, and I'll try not to repeat anyone, but I've got it a-fricken-gain for the 3rd time in less than a year.

My Dr says that strep can hide in chapstick, lipstick, toothbrushes and such, so you need to replace those items. She says that after 24-48 hours on antibiotics, you're usually not contagious anymore, so you can replace the item then. She's also having me replace them when I'm better, too, just to be safe. Here's an interesting thing; people who work in childcare and food service are frequently taught to sneeze into their elbows, as elbows frequently don't contact others the way your hands do. If you do this (as I do) you need to wash your long sleeved shirts and jackets in hot water and bleach (if you can, if not, try an antibacterial laundry soap, if you've got one available in your area), as well as your sheets, pillows, towels, wash cloths, anything that comes into contact with your mucus membranes or breath. If you wear a scarf around your neck/face, wash it too. When you wash your dishes, add a bit of bleach to the rinse water (if you hand wash), and let them air dry. Bacteria hides in damp towels, so if you've accidentally contaminated your dish towels with strep germs, you'll wipe them all over your dishes. If you have a dishwasher with the option to do the hot air dry, go for it.

When you're out in public, be Monkish for a bit. Use antibacterial wipes on door handles, grocery cart handles, whatever. Use that gel stuff on your hands. I go to physical therapy 3 times a week and they're wiping down the equipment after anyone uses it.

Last thing is follow Bandit's advice... About 10-20 percent of school children carry strep in their mouths and throats for months without getting sick. The same thing happens for adults, but I don't have any numbers. (Sorry, but the Dr didn't tell me and I didn't think to ask.) You get sick when you get a sore throat or something from a cold or ear infection because strep can be an opportunistic infection. So, try to stay healthy otherwise! Boost your immune system, get enough rest (even if you have insomnia, still try to get enough sleep), eat your veggies, all that stuff.

And come play Neopets or poker or something when you're all sick. I'm thinking of starting a strep throat guild on Neopets!