Riding in the dust-lung infection

[yz250ftony]

Recently i was discharged from the hospital after 2 weeks of antibiotics.

I had a fungus growing in my lungs that i probably got from riding with my friends.

A few weeks prior, i was riding in a LOT of dust, enough to keep me off of the bike with sore lungs for a week.

I went to see the RT and my PFT (pulmonary function test) showed that my lung function was down to 70%. I was admitted the same day.

A culture showed bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and pseudomonas in my lungs.

The aspergillosis was acquired through mass amounts of dust inhaled. The Pseudomonas was probably also from dirt/dust.

I'm home now, and i'm still on antibiotics for the next month(and every other month afterwards). PFT=93% now, so i wanna go riding again.?

Since my lung function dropped suddenly, my body worked harder to get oxygen into my blood, resulting in a sudden drop in weight (7 pounds, i'm normally 123), and i was also really tired all the time.

If i know its gonna be dusty, I'm wearing a wet bandanna or mask, this S:censored:t isn't fun.?

This is a heads up to everyone else. I never really thought that anything in the dust could mess me up this bad.

[jcathunter]

I've wondered if there could be side effects to bad dust. I went out awhile back and the dust was pretty bad. It left me coughing up stuff for a few days afterwards. I've seen a product on the internet called a wolf snout or something like that. Its basically an air filter for your nose and mouth. It might be something to consider, especially with your problems.

[DrMark]

You may not know how close you were to buying the farm. I would stay away from dusty places for a few more months.

[yz250ftony]

You may not know how close you were to buying the farm. I would stay away from dusty places for a few more months.

seriously?

I'm only 19, couldn't have been that close.

I have cystic fibrosis, and i've been doing great. I was 4 last time i was hospitalized, (almost unheard of with the condition).

wow, no one told me about this...

i was 70%, but i was 93 when i left.

levaquin, sporonox, tobramycin, list goes on.?

[snobuny]

Yes seriously, aspergillosis infections of that magnitude can result in death especially with your chronic condition.

aspergillosis usually does not infect healthy people that severly with a normal immune system so I thought your problem could be coccidioidomycosis i.e San Joanquin valley fever which is a fungal infection from the dry dust that is predominately located in south west climates. Most common is arizona, california, nevada, texas area in the US. But you had a positive culture for aspergillosis, you first posting puzzled me as to how you developed this infection. The cystic fibrosis explains alot and was the missing piece of the puzzle.

Because of your cystic fibrosis you are especially vunerable to this type of infection so should follow your DR.s instructions to the letter. If they say to stay out of the dirt and dust for awhile follow their instructions. If you must be in the dust the type of masks you should wear need to be a filtering type for fungal spores, just a wet cloth may not prevent the fungal spores from reaching your lungs and you could have a re-occurance.

You will be on the anti-fungal therapy for a long time, up to a year in some cases. Its important to be compliant and take you medication also.

Let us know how you are doing, good luck!

[biznet1]

Yes seriously, aspergillosis infections of that magnitude can result in death especially with your chronic condition.

aspergillosis usually does not infect healthy people that severly with a normal immune system so I thought your problem could be coccidioidomycosis i.e San Joanquin valley fever which is a fungal infection from the dry dust that is predominately located in south west climates. Most common is arizona, california, nevada, texas area in the US. But you had a positive culture for aspergillosis, you first posting puzzled me as to how you developed this infection. The cystic fibrosis explains alot and was the missing piece of the puzzle.

Because of your cystic fibrosis you are especially vunerable to this type of infection so should follow your DR.s instructions to the letter. If they say to stay out of the dirt and dust for awhile follow their instructions. If you must be in the dust the type of masks you should wear need to be a filtering type for fungal spores, just a wet cloth may not prevent the fungal spores from reaching your lungs and you could have a re-occurance.

You will be on the anti-fungal therapy for a long time, up to a year in some cases. Its important to be compliant and take you medication also.

Let us know how you are doing, good luck!

Isn't it true that once you've had a lung infection the chances are greater for reoccurence? My x-wife died of pneumonia after the second time having it. The doctor said a person is much more vulnerable the second time.

[snobuny]

depends on the damage to the lung tissue. Once your lung tissue is injured, it does not always recover, if you have other chronic problems i.e. asthma, emphysema, COPD, cystic fibrosis it can be worse.

If you smoke it also compounds the problem.

Most people do not notice a problem until they get below 70% function,

yz250ftony was vunerable due to a chronic condition which makes secretions thick and clearing his airways difficult so he probably noticed the problem a little earlier than most of us would have which is lucky for him.

[CryoBolt]

thanks for the waring.

[the_tree]

Tony;

Glad you're still with us - getting air to the body is a vital function. Sounds to me that in order for you not to suffer a setback or worse, you should follow your doctor's orders.

Occassionally I have to work in hazardous chemical areas and I've had training for that. One thing I learned there are different filter materials that are designed to filter out specific fumes/dust. What works on one may not work on to filter something else.

In those classes, they also told us that eating contaminated dirt was not good, but breathing it was worse. Once in the lungs, the contaminant goes straight into the blood stream.

Maybe we should all be wearing Darth Vader helmets?

[yz250ftony]

Tony;

Glad you're still with us - getting air to the body is a vital function. Sounds to me that in order for you not to suffer a setback or worse, you should follow your doctor's orders.

Occassionally I have to work in hazardous chemical areas and I've had training for that. One thing I learned there are different filter materials that are designed to filter out specific fumes/dust. What works on one may not work on to filter something else.

In those classes, they also told us that eating contaminated dirt was not good, but breathing it was worse. Once in the lungs, the contaminant goes straight into the blood stream.

Maybe we should all be wearing Darth Vader helmets?

There were some major riding areas shut down in the california desert recently because there are traces of asbestos in the dirt. I want to say mojave but not sure...

anyways, people have been riding out there since the beginning of dirtbikes and there hasn't been a problem...environazis at it again. in no way am i supporting them, because dust has a lot of other crap in it. 99.99% of people are ok after exposure.

Not everyone can get sick from things like i do. so when we go out, we either put me in the front, or space out so it settles.

How is it that i've never had a problem with this before?

[Tygen1]

Crazy, I had the Lung Fungas (Aspergillis) back in March, it put me down pretty hard. I was out of work for two and half weeks and in the hospital for one. It is a tough condition to be in and I can sympithize with your pain. I was amazed at how far I had gone down without realizing it. It wasn't until I turned the corner and started to feel pretty normal again that I really understood just how bad I was doing. Now I feel better than even before the sickness.

I'm not sure and niether are my doctors as to why I got this. They tested my immune system several times and it came back at 100%. I do have Athsma and was working in my basement that had a small amount of mold growing on a joist that I was cutting. They think I must have inhalled it directly into the lung, although the guy working with me was fine. I brought in a mold clean up guy and he laughed as he took off his mask, saying the mold I have is very minor. He was expecting some serious mold issues because I was hospitalized.

They had me on Vfen? after the hospital, it was mean and did some not so nice things. Very Very sleepy, my skin burned real easy and made my veins hurt. They had me on wide band antibiotics at the hospital and those really tore up some viens and one still hurts even now.

I wish I knew more about this.

[yz250ftony]

Very Very sleepy, my skin burned real easy and made my veins hurt. They had me on wide band antibiotics at the hospital and those really tore up some viens and one still hurts even now.

I wish I knew more about this.

I'd sleep for 13-14 hours on weekends, and no matter how much i ate or drank, i'd still be tired all day. Caffeine had no effect. Then my grades started dropping from lack of sleep.

i was only on 3 antibiotics. sporonox in capsule, and tobramycin and something else in iv. At home its just levaquin, sporonox, and nebulized tobra.

Im thinking of switching to something else from levaquin. i feel sore in some joints, but not as bad last time i was on it.

Did they give you an IV or a picc line?

[wild west al]

my nephew died aged 21 of CF he was a pioneer case in treatment here and was never out of hospital long enough to enjoy anything like riding a dirt bike .It was always lung infections that sent him back to hospital .So if you are lucky enough to have a good set of Cf lungs (if there is such a thing )take extra care of them .I am not saying dont ride but its worth noting that masks which will keep out the really fine nasties will make your lungs work at up to twice the normal rate and thats only at normal walking pace so you will need your 100% function to think about riding in a mask .Get well soon and ride at the front of the pack if its dusty .

[Tygen1]

I'd sleep for 13-14 hours on weekends, and no matter how much i ate or drank, i'd still be tired all day. Caffeine had no effect. Then my grades started dropping from lack of sleep.

i was only on 3 antibiotics. sporonox in capsule, and tobramycin and something else in iv. At home its just levaquin, sporonox, and nebulized tobra.

Im thinking of switching to something else from levaquin. i feel sore in some joints, but not as bad last time i was on it.

Did they give you an IV or a picc line?

They had me on all sorts of IV drugs in the hospital, but none at home. There was one other oral antibiotic I went home with, I forgot the name though. I was on Vfen for more than six weeks and on nebulizer treatments for just as long. The Neb. was used to break up the mucus. The upper right branch of my lungs was almost completely blocked by mucus. I was almost 100% only two weeks after getting out of the hospital. The doctor was amazed at how quick I recovered, I guess the usual recovery time is 2 months. The Alergist thinks it could have been an underlying problem or sickeness that made a fertile growing ground for the mold. I'd still like to find out exactly why I got so sick.

[yz250ftony]

They had me on all sorts of IV drugs in the hospital, but none at home. There was one other oral antibiotic I went home with, I forgot the name though. I was on Vfen for more than six weeks and on nebulizer treatments for just as long. The Neb. was used to break up the mucus. The upper right branch of my lungs was almost completely blocked by mucus. I was almost 100% only two weeks after getting out of the hospital. The doctor was amazed at how quick I recovered, I guess the usual recovery time is 2 months. The Alergist thinks it could have been an underlying problem or sickeness that made a fertile growing ground for the mold. I'd still like to find out exactly why I got so sick.

Have you been tested for cystic fibrosis? You shouldnt have any mucus in there. There are thousands of different mutations. Some people arent diagnosed until they're 50. Might have a mild case.

The nebulizer is to get the medication in there. They probably also gave you hypertonic saline to help break up the mucus. From there, you still need to get it out since it's broken up. There is the IPV and Vest.

If you used an IPV, the nebulizer doubles as airway clearance (tons of tubes).

[Dirtymutt9]

the areas that they shut down are not in the desert, they are in a place called clear creek......... still a bummer

i got a really bad lung infection when i was 21. it was most likely from dust as i got ill after spending a week chasing trucks in the baja 1k.

the docs couldn't figure out what it was, i think this thread has finally diagnosed what my condition was.

it took me about 2-3 months to get totally over it, and i was literally bedridden for 2 weeks, i couldn't even get out of bed!

i recently broke 3 vertebrae in my neck, no kidding. i would rather go through breaking my neck than deal with that lung infection again.

good luck on your recovery, it got pretty scary for me at one point. take it easy and let yourself heal

dirty