ABPA and Xolair

D

Dank

Guest
Hi folks,

Does anyone have issues with Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) ? Do you do anything for it, any luck with treatment?

I just got off Prednisone after being on it for the past 20 months. At the start of 2014 I had a CF-related decline in PFT that I was unable to really bounce back from after 3 weeks of IV antibiotics. They noticed my IGE level was over 6000 (normal is around 100 I believe), and had been for several months. They tried prednisone and voriconizole (one of the only anti-fungal medications, I've been told) but my IGE only dropped to around 1500-1000.

Next the docs sent me over to allergy testing, which discovered that I was pretty much slightly allergic to everything, very allergic to aspergillus. They recommended that I go through the insurance stuff to get Xolair prescribed for me, which is an allergy shot. They said it works by taking away part of the immune system that "reacts" to things like aspergillus. They said basically my system is acting as if it's "allergic" to aspergillus, but the Xolair works by making the body NOT react that way. I find this to be slightly disturbing though. That's my bodies way to act defensive when there's an intruder. I don't like the idea, i'm reaching out to see if anyone has any similar problems to see what you may have tried.

Between my sinuses, the allergy stuff, and the pancreas actually working, my CF docs are pretty stumped by me I think. I've been referred out to a lot of specialists in the past few years. No real answers from anyone so seeing what this lovely community has for me =).

Breathe easy.
~D
 

alexnw

New member
Your symptoms sound similar to my own. I was on Prednisone for more than 2 years to control ABPA. I have been on Xolair now for over 18 months and it has worked wonders for me. It enabled me to get off the Prednisone and stay off it. That has the added benefit of clearing up the nasty side effects of long term corticosteroid use (weight gain, high blood sugar, difficulty sleeping, compromised immune system, etc.). Better still, around 9 months after stopping the Prednisone my cortisol levels finally returned to normal and my immune system now works again. I have seen no side effects from Xolair and have had no signs of ABPA.
 

Diana Blue

New member
Abpa

Hi folks,

Does anyone have issues with Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) ? Do you do anything for it, any luck with treatment?

I just got off Prednisone after being on it for the past 20 months. At the start of 2014 I had a CF-related decline in PFT that I was unable to really bounce back from after 3 weeks of IV antibiotics. They noticed my IGE level was over 6000 (normal is around 100 I believe), and had been for several months. They tried prednisone and voriconizole (one of the only anti-fungal medications, I've been told) but my IGE only dropped to around 1500-1000.

Next the docs sent me over to allergy testing, which discovered that I was pretty much slightly allergic to everything, very allergic to aspergillus. They recommended that I go through the insurance stuff to get Xolair prescribed for me, which is an allergy shot. They said it works by taking away part of the immune system that "reacts" to things like aspergillus. They said basically my system is acting as if it's "allergic" to aspergillus, but the Xolair works by making the body NOT react that way. I find this to be slightly disturbing though. That's my bodies way to act defensive when there's an intruder. I don't like the idea, i'm reaching out to see if anyone has any similar problems to see what you may have tried.

Between my sinuses, the allergy stuff, and the pancreas actually working, my CF docs are pretty stumped by me I think. I've been referred out to a lot of specialists in the past few years. No real answers from anyone so seeing what this lovely community has for me =).

Breathe easy.
~D

Hi,

My son, 18 yo, has been on Xolair/every other week for just over a year. He was doing iv steroid bursts every month for about 6 months and it really took a toll on him. Xolair seems to be working well for him. No side effects. IGE levels down, still at 1300.

Diana
 

alexnw

New member
I take Xolair shots every two weeks (375mg). In response to Diana Blue, you should also be aware that IGE levels are elevated during Xolair treatment so that testing these levels for indication of allergic reaction or fungal infection is not reliable and so no longer really necessary.
 
K

kaptaan

Guest
my daughter just started prednisone for ABPA (they think) infection. haven't heard of Xolair. her ige levels are in the thousands like 10,000.
 
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