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confused Community Regular

I need any regular information on valley fever. I have looked it up, but wanted to know if anyone has known someone with this disease. I had never heard of it til last night.

I guess that is what started my bil problem, and then it turned into fungal menigitsis, he finally got an new dr that is letting the family know the truth besides his old dr.

And people wonder why i hate drs.

paula


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ptkds Community Regular

I found this article. I didn't read it, but it looked like it was full of info. I just did a search on the name, and it brought up a bunch of stuff. I hope your BIL gets better soon.

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ptkds

UR Groovy Explorer

Hi,

My sister contracted valley fever when we lived in Bakersfield. It comes from certain spores that are airborn in desert areas (from what I know). She underwent treatement for a while and had a couple of joint surgeries (her case was pretty severe though).

Just to calm you about this, after her treatments and surgeries, she recovered well. She's strong, healthy, and now has 3 awesome kids. She's never had any problems from it since then.

Take care

mouse Enthusiast

It is airborne and that is why all the construction jobs are required to water the soil when they dig. The spoors can also become airborne after a rain. Antibiotics are necessary and PLENTY of rest. Your BIL should not over extend himself during the recovery. It can cause lots of damage if allowed to run unchecked and without the proper treatment. Animals also get Valley Fever.

confused Community Regular
Hi,

My sister contracted valley fever when we lived in Bakersfield. It comes from certain spores that are airborn in desert areas (from what I know). She underwent treatement for a while and had a couple of joint surgeries (her case was pretty severe though).

Just to calm you about this, after her treatments and surgeries, she recovered well. She's strong, healthy, and now has 3 awesome kids. She's never had any problems from it since then.

Take care

was hers the dissemented type were it affects all of the body. And did she get the pnemonia with it?

Did she sleep like all the time and never want to eat?

I am so hoping he does recover, but it seems like too many of his organs are really bad. I know the drs said if he can eat he will get better, but he wont eat and that is what scares me.

Was your sister in the hospital with it, or did she jsut recover at home.

paula

confused Community Regular
It is airborne and that is why all the construction jobs are required to water the soil when they dig. The spoors can also become airborne after a rain. Antibiotics are necessary and PLENTY of rest. Your BIL should not over extend himself during the recovery. It can cause lots of damage if allowed to run unchecked and without the proper treatment. Animals also get Valley Fever.

We are thinking he has had it for a very long time cause he has been in colorado since june. And we are kinda thinking he didnt get it in new mexico but in arizonia were he hasnt lived for almost 2 years.

He tried to get out of bed yesterday and just collapsed, but he really hasnt ate in a month, so not sure if he is weak from that or from the disease.

paula

confused Community Regular
I found this article. I didn't read it, but it looked like it was full of info. I just did a search on the name, and it brought up a bunch of stuff. I hope your BIL gets better soon.

Open Original Shared Link

ptkds

thanks pt, i think i read that one this morning

I guess i was just hoping i could find something that would tell me like accurate survival time.

paula


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UR Groovy Explorer

Hi Paula,

It was so long ago, but I know this much:

The first part of her treatment was with Amphotericin. It was a pretty rough road. She lost a lot of weight. She's 6 feet tall and her weight plummeted to about 115 by the time treatment was done (her normal weight is about 155).

After her treatments, I believe she was usually held overnight for observation (if I remeber 23 years back correctly).

It manifested in her joints, which is why she had the surgeries. I believe it always begins with the lungs and then travels to different areas of the body depending. She may very well have had pneumonia - I just don't remember (and this isn't something I'd bring up with her - reminders of a difficult time and all).

She was extremely weak and run down during this time. We were very concerned about whether she would make it through or not (mainly because she just got so darned skinny). She did. But, it was a long road. She wasn't really fully recovered for at least a year or so.

I hope that with proper care, plenty of TLC, a good attitude, and a good specialist, he'll be okay. Like I said, she's soooo fine now - strong as a horse with no organ problems - in fact, I think it's ironic that she had Amphotericin treatments and I have kidney disease. Be good to him and know that he'll need help while he's recovering - and lots of positive energy around him. I hope your bil will be just as well as she is. I'm sorry your family will be dealing with this.

Take care of you and him

k

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