Bactroban

[anonymous]

When I was in the ENT last month, he added a prescription for Bactroban. The basic instruction was as soon as I started noticing signs of a sinus infection (for me it's mainly going green or switching to looking more like pudding than jello) begin doing 5 ccs of bactroban mixed in with water for each nostril 2-3 times a day. Ideally this is supposed to help keep me off of oral antibiotics more often.

Well, I stayed free of sinus problems for two weeks, but noticed stuff today, so I'm going to do this and was just wondering if anyone else uses this as a rinse? I did a search on the site and just got information about people who put it on a q-tip in their nose and its supposed to help with scabs.

I do have windows in my sinuses, so I think that's supposed to help to get this stuff up in there, but if anyone else is using this product I'd appreciate any tips. I know to do this immediately after my saline rinses to increase the likelihood of it getting into the tissues, but anything else?

 

[chipper28]

This is actually the post that got me thinking about anonymous.
 I posted the first post.<br>
<br>
Only thing I have to add is that there is also a product called
"Bactroban Nasal" which is referenced in the little sheet
that comes with the prescription.  The sheet says:<br>
<br>
"Mupirocin ointment is not formulated for use on mucosal
surfaces.  Intranasal use has been associated with isolated
reports of stinging and drying.  A paraffin-based formulation
-- "Bactroban Nasal (mupirocin calcium ointment) -- is
available for intranasal use."<br>
<br>
Now, I'm pretty used to using drugs for things other than what they
are indicated, but this got me thinking.  If there is a
product designed for nasal use, why use the other?  My guess
is this time it comes down to cost, but I thought I'd see if anyone
actually knows a reason.<br>
<br>
The Bactroban Nasal comes in individually dosed single use
containers which it seems to apply as an ointment.  In
contrast, the ointment form is supposed to be dissolved in 10 ccs
of water and split between the two nostrils.  I was thinking
that this delivery system might also help to treat the sinuses
rather than just staying down in the nostrils with the other, but
since I've never seen Bactroban Nasal, I can't really tell.
 The info provided with Bactroban Nasal does mention nasal
colonies of MRSA, but I don't know if this procludes sinus
ones.<br>
<br>
The plain Bactroban is definitely cheaper and also has a generic
substitute.<br>
<br>
Final thought is that the Nasal form might help to prevent
infections from reoccurring somehow because it uses new applicators
each application while the same syringe is used repeatedly with the
other method.   The nasal form also allows more precise
dosing.  It comes in 1 gram tubes which are used half in each
nostril rather than attempting to measure via length the line of
ointment you squeeze out with the other.  Also, with the
ointment tube, there is probably more risk of contamination...
However, I for one don't clean the nozzles on my nose sprays, so
this might not be a concern.<br>
<br>

 

[anonymous]

How do you get this medicine to stay in the nose/sinuses so that it can treat?

 

[anonymous]

My problems are almost entirely sinus, and I haven't been put on this. I do saline rinses with a water pik three times a day which I try to augment with one of those yoga pots a few more times a day. If I have an infection, I take an oral antibiotic and sometimes a steroid. Occasionally, I end up on an iv antibiotic.

I really have never heard of this product, but I would worry about sterility.

Why do this kind of weird thing if oral antibiotics work?

 

[chipper28]

I really don't know how to answer the previous questions.  I
don't really know if this drug works well, that's part of why I was
asking.<br>
<br>
However, the reason I think that the doc has me trying this is that
I have a lot of antibiotic allergies and unfortunately they are
anaphylactic in type rather than just causing a stomach ache or
something.  Since this drug isn't related to any other
antibiotics, it's not likely to trigger an antibiotic allergy.
 I also think that with repeated use, antibiotics can become
less effective.  In the last year, I've had to take Avelox at
least once a month.  I think the hope it that this drug will
help prevent me from having to take it, but I really don't
know.<br>
<br>
Feel free to help me out with these answers if anyone knows
anything!

 

[anonymous]

Not really related to the above (ok--so I didn't actually read them all), but I have had an experience with bactroban. The first time I used it, I developed odd skin sensitivity -- I wore a pair of flipflops for about two hours and where the fabric straps were, I developed what appeared to be burns which had a couple of wound looking sores.

Doctor wasn't sure this was bactroban, so tried it again a few months later. Same basic idea plus I developed very painful hip sockets. . .

This strikes me as completely odd, but my team has said that this is an allergy and I should not take it. I'd never heard of an arthritis/skin burn allergy, but after the two experiences I had no desire to argue with them!

Any thoughts on this Amy?

 

[anonymous]

Sounds like you might should just stick to sinus rinses.