Itraconazole

[Nanny49]

I have been taking Itraconazole for 3 months now and consultant wants me to take for at least another 3. Not sure what improvement I can expect after this treatment for aspergillosis. Anyone else had this and if so, did it make any difference to your breathing?

[Hidden]

Did the aspergillus show up in your blood tests and/or sputum? I was on itraconazole for 5/6 yrs, eventually the blood levels returned to normal (they were off the scale) but recently they've increased & it's showing in my sputum. It's important to get it treated as it's very damaging to the lungs. Makes the sputum even stickier than usual & you wheeze more

[Nanny49 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, Hanne62. Yes showed up in blood test for allergens? Was told should read between - and 100 and mine was 677. Did you feel better when your blood levels returned to normal? Did notice that I was producing more, thicker sputum before it was diagnosed and that, at least, is improving.

[Hidden in reply to Nanny49]

Yes, I did, definitely. I hope you do too. My levels were over 11,000 so it took a long time to get them down. I think it crept up on me beforeit was picked up in my blood!

[Nanny49 in reply to Hidden]

Oh wow! That makes mine sound normal but consultant said it was 'significantly high'. Maybe I misunderstood him. Maybe I'll ask next time I see him. Have to go every 4 weeks and have blood test because of risks to liver and heart from Itraconazole.

[Hidden in reply to Nanny49]

Gosh, every 4 weeks, I think it was every 3 months when I was on it. 677 is very high! it's just mine had gone totally crazy, the consultant said it had probably been building up for ages. It went right down to about 12 but now it's creeping up again (200+) so they're deciding what to do. Are you on prednisone too?

[Nanny49 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks, Hanne62. Thought I was making more of it than it really is, but you obviously know a lot about it. At least you know now it's on the up again and presumably will get treated. I'm not on prednisone - I hate the stuff and it makes me shake so bad, I can't function. Really want to avoid it if at all possible so just hoping the Itraconazole will sort it. Did you have to take steroids with it? The consultant said that steroids and anti-fungals were the usual courses but he knew how I react to steroids so the anti-fungal was the first line of attack.