Hello, I am 29 with CF and have been fighting infection after infection since July. I started to wonder if any one has ever been told that fish tanks are not a good thing to have when you have CF. I have a 100 gallon fish tank and here lately I keep getting sick and haven't been off antibiotics for over 2 weeks straight yet since July. I have had fish tanks for about 5 years but the 100 gallon I have only had for 2 years. I had a server hemoptysis in July and ever since been sick. I had IV's back in October 2 weeks, then a week later cipro, and now I am on Doxycycline. I started thinking maybe my fish tank is causing these illness' but found no information on fish tanks and CF. I have put in a call to my CF Dr to see what he has to say but haven't heard back yet. Does anyone have any advice or maybe an opinion on this? Thank you in advance for any help....... Melissa 29 w/CF
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
CF and Fish Tanks
- Thread starter rmklaus
- Start date
Bacteria and microbes in Cystic Fibrosis. Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pseudomonads are commonly found in soil, water, and other such natural environments. To healthy individuals, these bacteria do not generally constitute a health threat. They have been found to be remarkably adept at growth by using most unusual sources of nutrients such as soap residues or glue. In hospitals, P. aeruginosa has been known to cause problems in debilitated patients and is a common cause of disease in children with cystic fibrosis. These persistent creatures have been found in unlikely places such as air vents, water hoses, and even in detergent holding tanks in the very machines that are used to clean medical instruments. Aspergillus fumigatus is a fungus that can grow in the cavity of a lung that has been damaged previously by an infection. The fungus can also grow in water and can infect a person's lungs.Often, the infected person does not exhibit symptoms for quite a while. When symptoms do appear, they usually include coughing, feeling worn out, and weight loss. There is also a possibility of coughing blood when someone is infected with aspergillus. It is usually treated with large doses of anti-fungal drugs such as amphotericin B. or itraconazole. Hopes this helps you out some. By the way my CF Dr would never allow me a fish tank at all.
Hi Melissa, I do not think a fish tank should be that much of a problem, I'll tell you why.......... I have had quite a few fish tanks in the past and i now have 9 iguanas ( which can be very messy creatures that can carry salmonella amongst other bacterias) plus two cats. I have had two large episodes of hemoptysis last year that required two pulmonary embolizations. BUT in hindsight i have been having hemoptysis for the past almost 18 years and i have not had these animals for nearly that long, so they have been ruled out as the culprit. In fact when i had my first bout of hemoptysis i had pft's of 100%, ( and No pets) so the hemoptysis thing has never made any amount of sense to me. My doctor told me that some cf patients have it and some dont. When i had the fish tank, i dont recall having any hemoptysis at all at that time. I can go for months with no blood at all, and then there are times when i just have streaking , or maybe a little more, but i do not believe the animals contribute to this at all. I am much more worried about the people that i come in contact with when i am out and about. Diane, 38 w/cf, b.cepacia, diabetes
Thank you Diane for your information on this subject. I have decided to keep the fish. I didn't really think the fish tank would be causing these infections but wasn't really sure. I haven't had any more sever hemoptysis since July but I am still getting streaking usually every other day which I guess is some what normal. I also wanted to thank everyone else who wrote to me about the fish tanks. Happy Holidays, Melissa 29/CF and mrsa
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is pre-registering people on their website for a January Virtual Education Day (How to stay away from germs). The first 1,000 registered can go online, submit questions, view and participate in the program. The program is supported by the cystic fibrosis foundation, but will be held at a cystic fibrosis clinic in new york. Seems like the foundation is going to start having educational programs concerning various topics.
Hi Melissa, Are you on Mephyton ( vit.K )? That may be of help to you if you have bleeding probs. I also have heard of using birth control to help with hemoptysis, and i tried it after my second embolization. It's almost impossible to tell if it is the birth control that helped, or if things have just settled down, but the bleeding is way less nowadays ( thank GOD). Just a few suggestions in case you continue to have problem hemoptysis. Take care, and Happy Holidays ! ~ Diane
TuffsStuff
New member
Sorry to butt in,My 3 year old just got a fish aquarium for a Christmas present and I just happen to be doing some research on th CF website and came across your thread. I just wanted to check with the group and see if there is a conclusion to the discussion on whether a fish tank is safe or not. I will also call up his CF doctor at Nemour's Children Hospital and report back to you later tonight with their response. Thanks for the input. In the meantime, Godspeed to the researchers searching for the cure.
Dear fish tanks,The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is pre-registering folks for a January 12, 2004 "Virtual Patient Education Day", topic "How to stay away from Germs". You can register at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Website at www.cff.org. These educational sessions will allow for question and answers, so this might be a good opportunity to ask about fish tanks.
Hello all, This is my first attempt on this site. My Swedish exchange student from 1988 recently had a baby boy with CF. He has a two year old daughter that doesn't have any signs of CF. There are only about 5,000 people in Sweden with CF so it took awhile to get a diagnosis on his son. Any suggestions on how I can be supportive? Apparently he has been responding to tx and is gaining weight and doesn't have any infections. Does nursing have any effect or does it boost the immune system in the usual way? I will try to check in occasionally just to get educated about the tx available and what works/what doesn't. Peace on Earth, Caitlin
TuffsStuff
New member
Babies who have been fed soy protein formula or breast milk may develop anemia and swelling because they are not absorbing enough protein. Yogurt is a great source of protein to counter the protein absorption. Breast milk is very healthy for the baby, but very hard for the baby to absorb all of it's value. Keep a close eye on the baby's weight, if it starts to tail off, then you may need to get a formula that is designed for babies with slow digestion rates. It is called pregestamil. Work hand and hand with the dietician at your CF center to do what's best for the child. God bless and good luck.
I love fishing & always have. Never been deap sea fishing, but my family has had lakehouses in some capacity somewhere. I can bait the hook, real the fish in, clean the fish, cook the fish & eat the fish, but I have NEVER taken the fish off the hook. Cant do it for some reason. I have been told by many people that I am not a true fisherman until I do that. I guess I will have to stay a self proclaimed fisherman LOL