breathing difficulty

[kk7788]

i have just completed my 46th interferon shot, but i have developed breathing problems in the last two weeks. my doctor ordered a pulmonary function test, and i failed it miserably. he then stuck a scope down my nose and looked at my throat, but found that my throat looks fine. the next step is a cardiologist for heart testing. all of the doctors swear the interferon won't cause this, but it seems suspicious to me. has anyone else had this kind of problem? the lung specialist says he's never seen a case like this and can't figure out what is wrong. the liver doctor says it may be some strange infection from being so immune suppressed for the last 10 months, but he's never seen anything like this either. if anyone has had the same experience, i would be grateful to hear from you.
thank, kk7788

[CoWriter]

You may want to remind your doctor that Neupogen can cause difficulty breathing.  

From the medication insert.....


"Neupogen side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs

difficulty breathing, rapid breathing or feeling short of breath"

Co

[kk7788]

first, i want to thank all of you for your quick responses.and to cowriter, you sound like you know a little bit about the pulmonary function test. mine was 25% of predicted value. that is apparently in the severe to very severe range. i have been severely neutropenic throughout the entire 10 months, but i'm now on neupogen which is helping. there are now several doctors involved in this, and none of them can tell me what's wrong with me. the lung specialist even took my case to the research hospital here, and they can't figure it out either. i had a cat scan, and my lungs look good. that's when he decided it might be in the throat; but that came out fine too. he also did extensive thyroid tests, and those are normal too (though i am on synthroid). if i could just get a diagnosis, i could deal with this thing, but not knowing is terrible. i am just hoping that someone out there might have experienced something similar, and be able to help. ---again, thank you so much everyone for the responses. just knowing there are people out there that care helps a lot. ---kk7788

[CoWriter]

Abnormal pulmonary function test means that the person's lung capacity is less than 80% of the predicted value. Such findings usually mean that there is some degree of chest or lung disease.

Co

[CoWriter]

As HCA said, interferon switches your immune system to overdrive.

This is why the neutrophils go down......

Info from "Side Effect Management Handbook"   (Page 87 Chapter on Neutropenia)......


"PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
Interferon elicits secondary cytokines, such as interleukin-8, which promotes migration of
neutrophils to outside the peripheral vascular space and into tissue spaces. There, they
become sequestered and reach their nadir."

(****cytokines are messenger proteins. Interferon is also a cytokine.)


http://www.projectsinknowledge.com/Init ... ndbook.pdf

Co

[HCA]

True treatment can cause a panopoly of adverse events.
Of the biochemical markers you mention low platelets present a risk of bleeding annd white cell defiency various types of infection.
The obvious link with breathing problems is low haemoglobin.
Of course on an internet forum one can only shoot from the hip-apparently this persons doctors are bemused, and the actual question was has anyone else had a similar experience.
I was asking what the hgb was to see if it provided a clue in case no one came forward with a seemingly similar experience.

[CoWriter]

Interferon can cause serious lung problems like COPD, lung fibrosis (scarring), inflammation and /or fluid accumulation, pneumonia, sarcoidosis.....and I've also seen lung bulla (large blisters in the lungs) happen from a rare allergic reaction.  

They did a chest X ray, right?  A CAT scan would be even better.  

Here's some info on lung problems caused by interferon.  It's written by hepatologists.......


"Side Effects Management Handbook".....Chapter XII  Pulmonary.....

http://www.projectsinknowledge.com/Init/G/1628/1628-Handbook.pdf

Best of luck to you,

Co

[merryBe]

I know you are well versed in this stuff, but isn't it true that while the interferon is boosted into overdrive other aspects of the lymphatic and blood systems are suppressed, i.e. platelets, neutrophils etc.  So while some immune boosting is occuring, some suppression is also occuring simultaneously, which is why HCV patients can become highly susceptible to some infections, particularly those virus and/or bacterium not affected by one's levels of interferons. Correct me if I'm wrong about this.

mb

[HCA]

Breathing problems on tratment are usually anemia caused by ribavirin.
What your haemoglobin count?
You have not been immune suppressed for the past ten months,quite the opposite,your rimmune system has been in overdrive.