week 6 of covid and day 8 of hospital
I have pnemonia and have been pumped full of the best antibiotics -
The blood test arent showing a bacterial infection so they think it may be fungal
They are going to do a Bronchial flush where they wash the lung with saline and then remove the water and test that - anyone experienced with this fungal infection ???
No I have not had a fungal infection. Lung fungal infections share symptoms with other types of infections. I am glad they have a plan of action.
Please keep us posted as you are able of how you are doing.
I hope they have tried Antiviral medications also, since Covid is a virus.
It is good they are testing for fungal, and the sooner they can begin the correct treatment the better.
Best wishes. Thank you for the update and please keep us updated.
Hang in there Brucex. I have been dealing with positive rapid test at home since July 21. Got monoclonals and felt somewhat better. Except sinus infection, verified by CT not clearing after two different antibiotics. Infectious Disease Dr. Wants me to start antifungal, and see ENT for scope and culture. Hope you get better soon.
I'm sorry, I don't have any useful to give you but to sympathise and wish you well .I had Pneumonia just after FCR treatment and the fevers were terrible. A succession of Drs couldn't work out quite what my type was either, but eventually a bundle of antibiotics got on top of it. Best wishes for the new plan.
I would be very wary of steaming with tea tree oil and it is very potent and toxic in certain settings, and appears to impact the immune system. Could that have increased your vulnerability?
You seem to be in good hands, they are really trying to work out what's causing your fevers. All the best ❤
Will they do that in complete anesthesia?
There are multiple articles about fungal infections and BTK inhibitors, like Ibrutinib and now Calabrutinib. Multiple posts popped up for me re this on HU. Here is one link. mdedge.com/hematologynews/n... Back in 2015 I was hospitalized with neutropenic fever and thought to have a fungal lung infection as well. Multiple broncoscopy washes etc. never identified anything. I think pathology for fungal infection can be needle in the haystack. I think the source of my "infection" (which was concurrent with a 7cm granuloma in one lung) was working with the untreated leaf of the pandamus as a novice weaver, in very humid Hawaii. Eventually I was let out of hospital, but not before they put me in isolation with perhaps MAC infection. It remains a mystery what was going on. Over time, the 7cm granuloma diminished and now is not detectable. The lungs are a very active system in our body, with lots of traffic and amazing ways of protecting themselves under great abuse. And just FYI, the more they are looked at, the more "patina" is seen that comes and goes. (This said as a lung cancer dancer since 2012, who appears to be in complete remission for NSCLC after four open thoracic surgeries.)
UPDATE =day 11 - Im out of hospital from yesterday - they used a antibiotic called PIPtaz ( IV administered every 4 hours)which finally kicked in and stopped my fever - I stated to feel better on day 8 and they let me home with another tablet form of antibiotic called augmentan - So amazing to be home - hope to continue to improve - also glad not have the bronchial flush FAR OUT COVID is bad when you have cll
thanks to all your support and comments
Brucex
Very glad to hear you are back home. I hope you continue to improve with the Augmentin. My experience with this antibiotic is it works well in infections and does quite a number on your digestive system. Eating yogurt with yeasties helps.
Bronchial washings have been done for decades, and are a way to get at organisms deep in the lungs. They can generally prepare slides the washings to look for fungus and report within 24 hours , which is faster than trying to grow it in culture, which take weeks. Molds and yeasts that are common in environment can cause problems in us immune compromised folk, so even if it's positive it might not be a pathogenic organism. And some slow growing, atyptical bacteria like Nocardia (found in soil) or opportunistic Pneumocystis may also be seen faster with a bronch washing.
I'm so glad that you are out of the hospital Bruce! I had a fungal infection about four months ago that they narrowed down with a bronchioscope procedure. The test results showed that it was a yeast infection that the infectious disease doctor said people like us can get in the southwest of the US. Prior to this test they had tried five different antibiotics and none of them cleared it up. They finally put me on several antifungal meds and that cleared it up. This was not in addition to COVID. It came on by itself and affected me for about three months. Ever since then I have been fine. I hope that you get back to "good health" soon.
Chris
May I ask what infection it was? Valley Fever? I think Coccidiodes is the most common....
Hi Sofia, all they told me was that it was a yeast infection. We had traveled from San Antonio, Texas to Los Angeles by car and they said that that area is known for yeast infections.
Chris
Well make them tell you lololol! am sure the Infectious Disease doc had the results put in your chart. Since old infections can reactivate, it might be helpful to know it off the top your your head or written in a list with medications in case you are traveling again.
The Texas company Air Oasis makes a thing called an Air Angel air sanitizer that has a car plug adapter, if you are interested.
I have one in each of ours. There's also an AC adapter available, to bring into a hotel or infusion clinic. No financial interest on my part, I just think these people make really good products with quality testing done accurately to prove they work.
CLL & skin infection
Frustrated in KY
Now Hodgkins...
Bladder infection 
