Improvement in Fungal Infection Treatment

I have visited SRMC- Sri Ramachandra Medical Center, Chennai twice for a Fungal Infection in my Groin area and due to COVID-19 situation, I had to visit the hospital only when the Hospital was open for Out patients, because of the Staff or Doctor could not take sample of the SKIN for treatment based to ascertain the fungal kind or type.

I had developed a complication of fungal infection in my Groin that was due to (Green Dal Flour) that was mixed with water and developed fungus when left overnight applied the next day.  This resulted in a fungal infection in my Groin area.

I wasn't able to Visit any Clinic or any Hospital for a quick remedy, fortunately the Medical shops where opened.

I went and bought an anti-fungal over the counter as a remedial measure due to COVID-19 restrictions, movement of people and hospitals not open for our patients and so on.

The medicines bought and applied are MAGNOITCH, FOURDERM, ITCHGUARD+,Texifen or Terbinafine Hydrochloride, DK Gel.  The DK GEL and Texifen creams where prescribed by Dr.K. Thiagarajan of BHARATH CLINIC, Mugalivakkam main road, Madhanandapuram, porur. 

I had also applied ARNICAP By mistake which was bought for a different reason join pain relief. 

I then visited SRMC after it was opened for Out patients visit (BTW, I reside in Gerugambakkam) after a prolonged closure due to COVID-19 viral infection which resulted in 5 months closure of the hospitals for patients, in particular for outpatients.

The Visit Details are UHID:- 0002708289 and the receipt number is 0003651097 and consulted a SKIN Specialist Dr. Gayathri C2-Room 26 Token Number 13:

I EXPLAINED HER THE COMPLICATIONS STATING THAT MY GROIN IS INFECTED WITH FUNGUS AND THE MEDICATIONS THAT I HAVE ALREADY USED, AND ALSO INDICATED THERE IS NOT MUCH ITCHING BUT NUMBNESS OR INCONVENIENCE IN THAT AREA, and she also requested one of male assistant to view the area infected,

She prescribed the following medications

1. CP. CANDITRAL

2. ONABET CREAM

3. ABZORB DUSTING POWDER

4. NOVALE SOAP

5. T. XYZAL 

She requested me to visit again in two weeks time on 22-08-2020,  However, I was informed that the hospital is closed due to Pooja Holidays (Vinayagar Pandigai) ..

I then again visited the Hospital on 24--08-2020 in the morning hours and I was told Gyathri Madam, is not available but you could consult Dr. Murugan S, DERMATOLOGIST,  I explained the same to him also about the previous visit with Dr. Gayathri, produced the hospital record or file with her prescriptions, and I also asked the doctor is there a possibility that the Fungal infection could get rooted underneath or inside the skin where in ointment medications may not impact much, and also the fact that I could feel a series of threads inside my skin in the Groin area, 

The doctors viewed the infected area, but didn't try to ascertain the threads by wearing gloves to understand the complication.

Dr. S. Murugan also prescribed medicine for another two months,  namely.

1. ONABET CREAM

2. T. TEIZINE

3. SYNTRAAN

4. KZ Shampoo

My present understanding of the complications is that I could still feel the treads or rolls of skins underneath my skin in the Groin area when I apply the medicine and the numbness is still there but a lot better.  The numbness is not that often but once in a while, does this indicate it is not cured yet. I also saw a small ball of wound like a pimple which pains if touched not sure if it is an outcome of the fungal infection or due to side effects.  

I also went online to understand the possibility invasiveness of fungal and found the following article that indicates that the fungus infection could become invasive and they are working on anti fungal vaccines to improve the results, However, due to the medical terms used in the article I am unable to understand the finer details,  

https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S0753332218353903?token=045268163B4B68E464A532330DB7FBC091A1F457A5ED4FB57C118E8A05FB2A6454C2E1CBBFBB0115207420A57A924C1B  

Here is my view as a patient with Fungal Infection and with my limited knowledge on Medicine or Medicinal practice,

1.  Take a picture of the infected area

2. Take a Skin sample (outer skin and inner skin through a needle from the threads)

3. The Doctor ascertains the skin threads by his or her hands with gloves (by feeling threads as explained by the patient)

3. Go under Microscope to understand the type of Fungus infected - skin samples from the infected area, ( in this case it could be a serious spongy white fungal infection)

4. Prescribe ointment, vaccine or medication

5. Possibility of extract of healing threads either by non-invasive method (oral medication) or by invasive method or by cleaning it out with a small invasive surgery.

6. Antibiotics to ensure that it is completely healed and they don't resurface.

A good explanation of these to the patients would help them to understand what kind of fungal infection it is and how it can be cured.  They could explain the steps involved so that we understand the procedure and steps involved in the cure.

Also, the feedback forms in hospital and its function area.

In simpler terms could be a list of questionnaires of the function performed by a function area, for (e.g) 

Did the receptionist guided you with the right information? yes, no comments

Was she polite and handled the patients with respect? yes, on, comments

Did the doctor explained what kind of complication you have? yes, no comments

Did he or she explain what kind of next steps or follow ups are required, and why?  yes, no comments 

and so on in the feedback form would be easier for us to give pointed feedback to the function areas instead of a plain Good, Very Good, Excellent Feedback at the overall level.  

Hope to see above improvements in the way we treat patients  (out or in patients) who approach hospitals with complications or medical conditions.