Histoplasmosis !!! Please read !!! Important for all !!

[PineBurrowPeeps]

This should certainly be sticky'ed... I just saw this for the first time now and this is the last thing I need to get with my Chronic Lyme Disease and other things....
Yikes.

 

[Chicken Woman]

matt y. :

I just left the eye doctor today with a histoplasmosis diagnosis. I have a big blurred sopt in my right eye from it. It could get worse (blindness) or not it can be treated if the risks dont out way it.

Matt IM so sorry that you got this diagnosis ! Did they do any blood titres on you ? That is how it is diagnosed for sure. I had tests and they were negative thank goodness. It took almost 3 weeks to get them labs back as they had to send them out.

I had been having caughing for almost 6 weeks non stop and no meds would stop it. Not even codiene syrup ! Since it was neg. they figure I had a allergy or inhaled dust etc.

You can be gauranteed i don't go into my coop without a good mask

Good luck​

 

[mtnhomechick]

Quote:
From what I understand it is treated with anti fungals..........NOT STEROIDS. Inhalers for asthma, COPD etc. could potentially make it worse. I believe I understood it is treated similiarly to TB.

Seriously, I asked for a sticky on this one. I was denied but I hope they do it because I think this is EXTREMELY important.

Mary

Meant to add that I believe if it is treated properly you will completely recover. I know someone who " Knows Someone" who after $75,000 worth of treatment .....Fully Recovered.

God Bless,

Mary

 

[Chicken Woman]

According to my doctor the anti fungal treatment is very hard on liver and kidneys.

 

[mtnhomechick]

Quote:
Could be......not an expert here........just repeating what I read. I actually never had it ( I don't think ) but the coughing I go through after a quick and simple coop cleaning scares me.

Just trying to raise awareness here.........I am NO expert, that's for sure.

I think any contributions to this post are an asset.

Mary

 

[Beekissed]

Here is another link that has more info on the disease and a few helpful tips about cleaning out bedding:

http://www.dhpe.org/infect/histo.html

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

A number of years ago I worked in Medical ICU at our teaching hospital and took care of a young woman who had histoplasmosis. She has been spelunking in caves and got it from the bat dung in the dirt/dust. She did recover after many weeks on a ventilator.

It can be VERY serious...especially in immunocompromised folks.

 

[ThiefPouter06]

Quote:
Matt IM so sorry that you got this diagnosis ! Did they do any blood titres on you ? That is how it is diagnosed for sure. I had tests and they were negative thank goodness. It took almost 3 weeks to get them labs back as they had to send them out.

I had been having caughing for almost 6 weeks non stop and no meds would stop it. Not even codiene syrup ! Since it was neg. they figure I had a allergy or inhaled dust etc.

You can be gauranteed i don't go into my coop without a good mask

Good luck

Not yet, I have a fluid filled place in my field of vision with all the tell tale signs. along with other past scars. Did your doc say you can get exposed again?

 

[Chicken Woman]

My doctor told me that you can actually build up an immunity to it. That's why some people will test positive without really having symtoms besides ones like a bad cold and coughing. We didn't discuss the eye situation as I wasn't having vision problems.

She did tell me that it's a good idea to wear some eye protection as well as mask when cleaning the coop. I got a couple pair of safty goggles from my husbands work truck to wear when cleaning.

 

[ThiefPouter06]

I found info on occular histo. It says it takes decades for the vision problem to develope. So my exposure happend when I was a kid. Long before I had birds.