cryptococcal meningitis

hi!
i posted a question on the forum last june 6 about my husband experiencing headaches and nape pain. well, a lot has happened since then.
since the doctors did not see anything in the MRIs that might block the flow of CSF and result in fluid build-up in his lateral ventricles, my husband went in for a lumbar tap. two independent laboratories showed positive results for the CALAS test.  however, his indian ink/smear was negative. CFS pressure in his system might be very low as the neurologist had to insert the needle four times in his lumbar space before she could get any CSF, not to mention the very slow trickling of CSF into the vials.

succeeding diagnostic tests showed my husband was HIV-negative, and contrast CT scans of his chest and abdomen did not show any lesions nor malignancies.

according to the Infectious Diseases doctor who co-managed, the standard treatment for HIV-negative patients with cryptococcal meningitis is amphotericin B via IV and is administered for 2 to 6 weeks.  however, since my husband's case was deemed to be mild, we were released from the hospital and told to go on a high-dose (800mg/daily) medical regimen of Diflucan (fluconazole) for 10 weeks.

two weeks into this treatment, his SGPT ratings soared to 159.  his daily fluconazole dose was reduced to 400mg daily. after another week, SGPT still increased to 261.  we retained the 400mg daily dose but he had to stop taking his other meds for hypertension and cholesterol. thereafter, his SGPT began to go down.

during his weekly visits to the doctor, my husband was showing some improvements. so the doctors were glad and kept him on fluconazole, despite the reduced dose.

during the 5th week of fluconazole treatment, my husband started to have headaches once again. fortunately, not of the same intensity as prior to his lumbar tap and fluconazole treatment.  but the fact that it was back after several days of not having any head discomfort was enough to put his neurologist and ID doctor in a state of panic and are now insisting on putting him on amphoB for two weeks.

considering the side effects and adverse effects PLUS the high cost of the medicine, we are quite hesitant to go down this route.

an ID doctor whom we sought for a second opinion, also questioned if it is really cryptococcal meningitis after all? considering that only the CALAS test turned out positive, and the rest was negative.  even the CSF fungal culture after 5 weeks turned out negative.

i guess my question to the community is if it is really cryptococcal meningitis, is the amphotericin B treatment really the appropriate treatment for him, given his condition?

if it is not cryptococcal meningitis, what conditions would lead to a false-positive CALAS result?

please englighten us.

thanks...sheila