aspergillosis

[GinnyMa]

wanting info on aspergillosis

[Jacmidlands]

If you are on Facebook, there’s a couple of support groups for Aspergillosis sufferers. Type ‘Aspergillosis Support Group’ in the search box.

[Lutontown]

Look it up on-line.

[Denzie in reply to Lutontown]

Some patients aren’t trustful of the internet yet and may be more comfortable getting resources from patients that have experienced it. There are many shady operators on the internet and the news tells us not to trust everything we see there. That’s why sites like this are so valuable.

[Lutontown in reply to Denzie]

You are right to be wary, however, if there is a number of sites that give much the same information, then I think it probably can be trusted. I think I may have had Aspergillosis a few years ago, but I was put on an antifungal medication and managed to get rid of it. I've also had many bouts of thrush, mainly in my mouth but occasionally elsewhere. I've found that trouble in my mouth, like ulcers, is exacerbated by Nsaids and SLS in toothpaste. Since avoiding these, I don't get ulcers in my mouth anymore. And of course, each time we take antibiotics, we kill off the good guys bacteria, allowing fungal infection to gain hold of our bodies. In 2016 I had many chest infections; in 2017 I kept a diary and counted 18 chest infections. In 2018, in the process of changing our bath for a shower, black mould was found covering the bathroom floor. Since eradicating that, I've had no chest infections (apart from 10 days in hospital with pneumonia and pleurisy in Nov 2019). I think fungus and moulds must be kept out of the lives of humans, and it makes me shudder to think of what conditions some families are expected to live in, in 2023, 120 years after the Victorian era. Sorry, but makes me a little cross.

[Mavary]

Hi! I believe I have Aspergillosis. It’s an allergy to something in the air that we all breathe in but some of us are allergic to a certain fungus. It doesn’t help if you live in a damp environment. I had pneumonia about five years ago and was in hospital for a couple of days. When I came home I was complaining I couldn’t breathe when waking in the morning. I did tell the Drs a couple of times. I got up in the early hours one morning and was sat on the loo with my inhalers in my hand and they just weren’t working. Next thing I knew I was dropping the inhalers on the floor. I had lost consciousness. I went back to bed, made an appointment for the Dr later that day. They sent me back to hospital for tests. They found I had Aspergillosis. I was sent home on Itraconazole which is an anti fungal.

I believe I had another attack two or three months ago. I have now been put on Itraconazole all the time.

I can only tell you it from my point of view. You may get others tell you something different as we are all individuals.

I hope this helps.

[GinnyMa in reply to Mavary]

thank you!

[Davegt]

Aspergillosis is an infection caused by Aspergillus, a common mold (a type of fungus) that lives indoors and outdoors. Most people breathe in Aspergillus spores every day without getting sick.

[Davegt]

A very detailed document on this fungus.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/....

[Denzie]

Another detailed report, some of it compiled at a university nearest you.

sciencedirect.com/topics/me...

[Biker88]

Hi GinnyMa, Two excellent Facebook groups, National Aspergillosis Centre Support managed by the UK NHS Aspergillosis experts, the website is Aspergillosis.org. Also Aspergillosis Trust Support Group their website is Aspergillosistrust.org. manageed by a group of expert aspergillosis patients. There are two main types of Aspergillosis, chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) this is an infection in the lungs and usually forms a fungal ball aspergillioma, often miss called as invasive aspergillosis. Symptoms as for lung cancer or TB normally coughing fresh blood, diagnosed by X-ray, CT scan, broncoscopy, specialist blood tests and sometimes biopsy after ruling out cancer and TB. Treated by anti fungal meds. and sometimes surgery. Then there is allergic bronco pulmonary aspergillosis, symptoms as for chronic asthma, diagnosis by specialists blood and sputum tests, X-ray, CT Scan and broncoscopy. Treatment normally steroids and anti fungal meds. Invasive aspergillosis is normally limited to people who are already seriously ill in hospital. Aspergillosis in the sinus is also possible and other areas of the body as well but these are very rare. As mentioned above aspergillosis is caused by inhaling the spores of the Aspergillus fungi, for most people their immune system can deal with the spores but for those with compromised immune systems aspergillosis can develop. There is no cure as yet, but it is manageable with meds. The fungi primarily grows in soil, compost and rotting vegetation and can be found inside and ventilation systems. It is not possible to see Aspergillus spores as they are microscopic, air testing in most buildings will show aspergillus spores as they are every where in small quantities and black mould would need laboratory testing to confirm what type of mould it is. I have CPA and emphysema, if you have Aspergillosis try and avoid disturbing soil, compost etc. if you have too, wear a minimum N95 face mask which will block the spores