fungal infection - treatment?

[catalinaohara]

I am supposed to start a course of antibiotics on monday for just general more coughing, slight feeling of an exacerbation, and the fact that i am going on a long vacation May 24 and want to feel good before going. my dr just called though and said based on my x ray the radiologist pointed out the possibility of a fungal infection. i am getting a CT on monday before my IV placement and then we will decide course of action
my questions for people who have had fungal infections out there (bc i have never had one) -- what do you usually get treated with (IV or oral meds, or inhaled) , and how long are the courses.
I am worried that the course of IV treatment might be longer than i usually do for my regular issues (pseudomonas, cepacia), which is like 14-21 days.

he told me to enjoy my weeken and not worry but of course i am worrying. i hate planning trips and then a wrench gets thrown in. i am trying not to be too pessimistic. a google search doesn't help much for CF specific fungal treatments.

thanks!

 

[catalinaohara]

I am supposed to start a course of antibiotics on monday for just general more coughing, slight feeling of an exacerbation, and the fact that i am going on a long vacation May 24 and want to feel good before going. my dr just called though and said based on my x ray the radiologist pointed out the possibility of a fungal infection. i am getting a CT on monday before my IV placement and then we will decide course of action
my questions for people who have had fungal infections out there (bc i have never had one) -- what do you usually get treated with (IV or oral meds, or inhaled) , and how long are the courses.
I am worried that the course of IV treatment might be longer than i usually do for my regular issues (pseudomonas, cepacia), which is like 14-21 days.

he told me to enjoy my weeken and not worry but of course i am worrying. i hate planning trips and then a wrench gets thrown in. i am trying not to be too pessimistic. a google search doesn't help much for CF specific fungal treatments.

thanks!

 

[Havoc]

The gold standard for fungal infections (usually aspergillus) is long term steroid treatment sometimes coupled with an oral antifuncal such as itraconazole or voriconazole.

Did they draw labs?

 

[Havoc]

The gold standard for fungal infections (usually aspergillus) is long term steroid treatment sometimes coupled with an oral antifuncal such as itraconazole or voriconazole.

Did they draw labs?

 

[jamest]

I have/had aspergillus, and have been taking prednisone and voriconazole orally on and off since 2009. I don't think I ever had an IV to treat the fungal infection specifically. Although I did have sinus surgery that really helped.

 

[jamest]

I have/had aspergillus, and have been taking prednisone and voriconazole orally on and off since 2009. I don't think I ever had an IV to treat the fungal infection specifically. Although I did have sinus surgery that really helped.

 

[catalinaohara]

no labs yet, they are going to do it on monday. wish we had known when i had them drawn today at the hospital.

ugh, i was on prednisone once when i was little and my face got so fat.

 

[catalinaohara]

no labs yet, they are going to do it on monday. wish we had known when i had them drawn today at the hospital.

ugh, i was on prednisone once when i was little and my face got so fat.

 

[Havoc]

Yeah, prednisone is not fun at all. Make sure and watch your blood sugar as well. Many people become insulin resistant on prednisone.

 

[Havoc]

Yeah, prednisone is not fun at all. Make sure and watch your blood sugar as well. Many people become insulin resistant on prednisone.

 

[TreasureGoddess]

I can't remember the name of the med, but after a tune-up with 3 iv antibiotics running for 14 days, my son was sent home with a pill for 2 weeks to treat the fungal infection. He had 1 day of iv fungal med then 2 weeks or 10 days of pill. Drs said they don't always treat fungal infections, but with his other infections being knocked down to low levels they didn't want the fungus to have free reign in the lungs. Sorry I can't be more helpful but ask if there's a common med used that's not a steroid. It was some antifungal pill.

 

[TreasureGoddess]

I can't remember the name of the med, but after a tune-up with 3 iv antibiotics running for 14 days, my son was sent home with a pill for 2 weeks to treat the fungal infection. He had 1 day of iv fungal med then 2 weeks or 10 days of pill. Drs said they don't always treat fungal infections, but with his other infections being knocked down to low levels they didn't want the fungus to have free reign in the lungs. Sorry I can't be more helpful but ask if there's a common med used that's not a steroid. It was some antifungal pill.

 

[verix]

My son had candidiasis in his lungs and was treated with 10 days of fluconazol by our Cf clinic... With a discussed plan with the nutritionist, I supported the treatment with a diet restricted in sugars and most carbs, only allowing some germinated low GI breads or pasta, easy to find in a healthy food store, a diet based in raw and slightly cooked vegetables, seeds, germinated food, and other sources of nutrients, tofu, lean meats, and very important, coconut. Next cultures showed negative, and my son actually kept gaining weight. We don't know it the diet helped, but to be sure that we do not feed fungus, I try to give to my son the extra calories in snacks and desserts avoiding simple sugars, and being cautioned with complex carbohydrates. I think most anti-fungal treatments can cause side effects in the liver, and this is the main reason when docs avoid to treat fungal infections. Diet can help to modify imbalanced environments, where opportunistic bugs find its perfect habitat, but this is only my opinion, and I cannot refer any medical reference to support it in a formal way. I am just a care giver. Intuitively, diet make a difference in my son. Hippocrates said "Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food".. maybe he can support me

 

[verix]

My son had candidiasis in his lungs and was treated with 10 days of fluconazol by our Cf clinic... With a discussed plan with the nutritionist, I supported the treatment with a diet restricted in sugars and most carbs, only allowing some germinated low GI breads or pasta, easy to find in a healthy food store, a diet based in raw and slightly cooked vegetables, seeds, germinated food, and other sources of nutrients, tofu, lean meats, and very important, coconut. Next cultures showed negative, and my son actually kept gaining weight. We don't know it the diet helped, but to be sure that we do not feed fungus, I try to give to my son the extra calories in snacks and desserts avoiding simple sugars, and being cautioned with complex carbohydrates. I think most anti-fungal treatments can cause side effects in the liver, and this is the main reason when docs avoid to treat fungal infections. Diet can help to modify imbalanced environments, where opportunistic bugs find its perfect habitat, but this is only my opinion, and I cannot refer any medical reference to support it in a formal way. I am just a care giver. Intuitively, diet make a difference in my son. Hippocrates said "Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food".. maybe he can support me

 

[DebbieS]

I swish my mouth with, and ingest, a 1/4 tsp virgin coconut oil twice daily to combat fungus that was making me miserable. Iconozole had helped but not did not completely take care of the problems for me or prevent fungus from returning. And most anti-fungals have strong side effects, that freaked me out too. Fungus in lungs is no joke, no matter how some CF docs may downplay it. Fungus in the lungs can actually put lungs in decline. I was really scared by how my lungs were starting to feel. Good luck and feel better, OP!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DDf508, cfrd, hypothyroid

 

[DebbieS]

I swish my mouth with, and ingest, a 1/4 tsp virgin coconut oil twice daily to combat fungus that was making me miserable. Iconozole had helped but not did not completely take care of the problems for me or prevent fungus from returning. And most anti-fungals have strong side effects, that freaked me out too. Fungus in lungs is no joke, no matter how some CF docs may downplay it. Fungus in the lungs can actually put lungs in decline. I was really scared by how my lungs were starting to feel. Good luck and feel better, OP!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DDf508, cfrd, hypothyroid

 

[musclemania70]

ABPA should be diagnosed in part by bloodwork, not just an xray

i am currently being treated for ABPA and i am starting prednisone and vfend

if you go on vfend beware it makes you VERY sun sensitive even with spf. need to wear protective clothing.

i have only been treated for ABPA once before and it was several weeks. starting high on the steroids then lowering over time in conjunction with the vfend pill twice a day

 

[musclemania70]

ABPA should be diagnosed in part by bloodwork, not just an xray

i am currently being treated for ABPA and i am starting prednisone and vfend

if you go on vfend beware it makes you VERY sun sensitive even with spf. need to wear protective clothing.

i have only been treated for ABPA once before and it was several weeks. starting high on the steroids then lowering over time in conjunction with the vfend pill twice a day

 

[scarecrow]

Aspergillis has done more damage to my lungs in the last 10 years than Pseudomonas has done in the last 50 years. I wish I knew what the answer was but I do know that it is next to impossible to get Drs. to treat it.

 

[scarecrow]

Aspergillis has done more damage to my lungs in the last 10 years than Pseudomonas has done in the last 50 years. I wish I knew what the answer was but I do know that it is next to impossible to get Drs. to treat it.