Fungal Infection

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Debbie - 11 Apr 2008 18:56 GMT

Has anyone here been diagnosed with a funal infection in your sinuses?
After 2 surgeries and a boatload of antibiotics, the latest fungal
culture came back positive for Aspergillus.

The doc has prescribed Noxafil 3 times a day and Amphitericin B via a
nebulizer.

I started the Noxafil on Tuesday and am already feeling better. Havent
started the Amphitericin because I am fighting with my insurance
company over covering it.

Just wondering what anyone elses experiences have been with this type
of diagnosis.

Debbie

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truehawk - 11 Apr 2008 22:57 GMT

> Has anyone here been diagnosed with a funal infection in your sinuses?
> After 2 surgeries and a boatload of antibiotics, the latest fungal
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Debbie

Yes
If bacteria provide a bed, the fungi will come. Fungi are ubiquitous,
they will never overlook a nice, only mildly warm, moist spot.
Antifungals help a lot, but they are expensive and the insurance
companies keep them so by making them hard to qualify for. And round
and round.

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neil0502@yahoo.com - 11 Apr 2008 23:17 GMT

> Yes
> If bacteria provide a bed, the fungi will come. Fungi are ubiquitous,
> they will never overlook a nice, only mildly warm, moist spot.
> Antifungals help a lot, but they are expensive and the insurance
> companies keep them so by making them hard to qualify for. And round
> and round.

Amen, Sister.

I still think I haven't felt better than when I was on prophylactic
Amoxicillin AND Sporanox ... but it was a bloodbath with insurance (I
lost), and I couldn't make the cost-benefit equation work.

New health care network I'm in is /really/ against managing sinus
issues with prophylactic anti-microbials. I've simply had zero luck
getting them to budge.

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dygerati - 12 Apr 2008 01:55 GMT

During my latest ENT appointment with a reputable Dr. in Portland I
asked him about anti-fungal treatment. He said that the one that they
use most often, Sporanox, is a somewhat less benign and more toxic
treatment than the Prednisone & Augmentin that he'd already
prescribed, and that he'd like to hold off for the moment. Has anyone
else heard this? For now he's got me on a two-week stint of the two
above mentioned medications, as well as Flonaise & Prednisolone eye
drops (to be administered up the nose, of course).

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Steven L. - 12 Apr 2008 02:53 GMT

> During my latest ENT appointment with a reputable Dr. in Portland I
> asked him about anti-fungal treatment. He said that the one that they
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> above mentioned medications, as well as Flonaise & Prednisolone eye
> drops (to be administered up the nose, of course).

Go here:
http://tinyurl.com/5l2k97

Back then, the problem was finding a source for Sporanox irrigation
fluid that retained full potency of the drug. I hope things have
improved since then.

Signature

Steven L.
Email: sdlitvin@earthlinkNOSPAM.net
Remove the NOSPAM before replying to me.

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Bob Roberts - 12 Apr 2008 13:31 GMT

I had sinus surgery last October. The biopsy taken during surgery came
back positive for Aspergillus in the right maxillary sinus. The ENT
said he removed all of it during the surgery. I was put on Sporonex
and took it for about 6 weeks and was declared cured by an infectious
disease Dr. I see the ENT DR. every other month and he looks down
there with a scope. He said the fungus has a 50% chance of coming
back.

>Has anyone here been diagnosed with a funal infection in your sinuses?
>After 2 surgeries and a boatload of antibiotics, the latest fungal
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
>Debbie

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truehawk - 12 Apr 2008 20:43 GMT

> I had sinus surgery last October. The biopsy taken during surgery came
> back positive for Aspergillus in the right maxillary sinus. The ENT
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>
> >Debbie

From my own experience is Prednisone is NOT what one would use to
fight an infection. It supresses inflammation which cuts the fluid
loss, but does nothing to reduce the bacterial load, and over time it
makes things worse.
Sporanox is supposed to be hepa-toxic, but I have had 4-5 liver
function tests,one before and several when taking Sporanox over the
years and my liver function never showed any effects of hepatoxicity
when taking 400mg per day, so I am skeptical. I think the people who
show hepatoxic effects taking Sporanox are probably also taking other
drugs, like blood pressure meds that interact with it (and everything
else).
I am lucky in that I don't have much of anything else other than
chronic sinusitis, but I think that anyone with other pathologies
needs to have a chat with their pharmacist to avoid poisoning
unwittingly themselves.
But on a get you feeling better kind of spectrum, Sporanox is very
good med, as opposed to the quinolones like Leviquin wh

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