Lowered dosage Itraconazole as well as Prednisone...doing well but started to get congestion and wheezing again.

[HannahBenson]

Hi...

Well, I have been on itraconazole 400 mg. for 3mos. and then reduced to 200mg. a month approx. 2 weeks ago. Still on 5mg. prednisone daily 2 1/2 am/pm which seemed to be working well (have been on 26 days). Yesterday afternoon starting to hear wheezing and congestion in airway....last night worse and this morning used the aerobika to loosen. It improved when I nebulized with albuterol and saline...I have cut my nebulized budesonide down from .05 2Xa day now down to 1/2 of the half...or .02 1/2 once a day ...(been on this reduction for approx. 10 days) my Dr. wants me off nebulized steriods and only on Prednisone. This is the first time I am having ABPA symptoms in almost 4 mos. and I think it may be from the reduction in Itraconazole ... I also feel a little itchy... not as I was before I was diagnosed but more than after the Itra. started to take effect. I had a blood level for Itra. drawn day before yesterday but don't know what it says. My Dr. said after my last blood Intra. drug level draw that he thought I could certainly lower the dose but I don't know what the test showed or what the level will show now .... just know that my congestion is returning. I know from reading other posts that it is difficult to reduce or even stop itraconazole so perhaps I should go on original dose...worried about going up and down. on this med. as it is so strong and although I feel better on the lower dose ... that isn't important if it is not doing the job. Up and down with Prednisone has been difficult for me before I started itraconazole...seems to exacerbate my airway congestion rather than correct. I have been under extreme stress in the last few weeks..at home and also my brother (who has bronchiectasis but not asthma recently developed vasculitis and I assumed his hospital stay would be similar to all the others in the last 20 years but now given hospice care..visited for four days in Hospice unit (devastating!) and returned home Wed.). Still felt well Breathing wise and ...no fever etc. This ABPA has its own trajectory I am becoming aware. Trying not to get too nervous about why so much mucus developing and wheezing...also...what do I take for my asthma if the 5mg. of Pred. a day isn't sufficient? Have been on symbicort inhaler for many years and all was under control....until ABPA. I don't really want to up the .05 mg. daily of oral Pred. if I can help it. Want to control this disease carefully as I am becoming aware that there is less room for error than with what I have dealt with in the past. Thank you anyone who has been up and down on Itraconazole and needs to lower Pred. but still have asthma symptoms to address.

Thank you

Hannah