Aspergillosis, Itroconazole and adrenal gland

[Obidoo]

Does anyone know if Itroconazole 100mg (used for 2 years) and ABPA can damage the adrenal gland?

[GAtherton Administrator Fungal Infection Trust]

Adrenal insufficiency is usually a consequence of taking steroid medication. This is often given as a treatment for ABPA and it can suppress your adrenal glands if taken long term - the drug is effectively replacing the natural hormone. Most people recover if they come off the steroid medication very gradually healthcommunities.com/copd/...

[Obidoo in reply to GAtherton]

Thank you for your reply . I was taken off all cortisone ( inhalers and Prednisolone) and had an adrenal challenge test in hospital, with several blood tests taken My Endochrinologist concluded that and he suspects Addison’s disease as my adrenal gland did not respond. He took a further blood test to check my aldosterone levels and spoke of CT and MRI scans. I have read that taking steroids inhaled and oral and Itraconazole together can damage your adrenal gland. Do you know if this is the case? I have read many articles that have found this to be the case.I wanted your expert opinion.

Also is it ok to be on itricinazole 100 mg for 2 years? In the USA they recommend 200 mg for 6 months . I wonder if this could be the cause of my adrenal gland problems. Doctors in Peru ( USA trained) said I needed to come off Itricinazole ASAP. My liver is fine.

[GAtherton Administrator Fungal Infection Trust in reply to Obidoo]

I would caution that I am not a medical doctor, so hardly an expert but it is clear that prolonged exposure to oral steroids can shut down our adrenals - as I wrote most people seem to recover in time. Inhaled steroids are usually a much lower systemic dose and much less likely to give you this problem and antifungal drugs do not tend to cause this problem directly - your oral steroids will have done this.

You might like to discuss this with our many patients in our support group at facebook.com/groups/aspergi...