chronic infections...please help..cannot dx

[cookievk]

I am a 45yr female..obese
i have been obese for 25+yrs and healthy all my life.
for the past 2-3 years i have had Chronic infections my many doctors cannot find an answer for. Please help. Tests I have had..immune blood tests..normal..ekg..minor mitral valve regurg. ct lungs..nodes abnormally large..thyroids normal..all blood tests normal..echo..normal..chest xrays normal...pulmonary functions normal. I get an infection every 2 months without fail. It usually starts in my sinus's but not always. The most recent stated in my chest. I always end up with severe wheezing and coughing. I am on anitbiotics and steroids every 2 months. It takes about a week or so for the infection to go away but I still have wheezing and I am always very tired. I sweat alot and am getting depressed with all of this. I have recently had my lingual tonsils removed..they where chronically large and infected. It did not help. My immune/allergist says I do not have asthma. My internist thinks if is from my job. I work in an outpatient lab at a hospital. My pulmonolgist says I have copd but does not know why. Any ideas? I also developed alopeca areata in July 2003. My hair is growing back but they do not know the cause. I also get a rash either on my arms or neck before or after an infection. I also now have tachycardia. My last vists showed hear rate 132..b/p is normal. I have a 24hr halter monitor scheduled for tomorrow just to rule out problems.
thanks for your time and help. I really need it.

[National Jewish]

This is very complicated.  I am glad you are working with a pulmonologist.  The enlarged lymph nodes could be a sign of Sarcoid.  You could have endobronchial sarcoid, which acts like asthma.  Most, but not all, wheezing is caused by asthma.  Maybe what you call "infections" are not really infections but are asthma episodes.  If your pulmonologist is right in saying that you have COPD, that could be a predisposing factor for recurrent infections.
When your internist said it might be job related, he or she may be referring to a latex allergy.
Finally, your sinuses may well be the source of these infections.  I would recommend that you have a good evaluation of your sinuses by an ENT and that you try nasal washes.  A nasal wash helps remove mucus and bacteria from the nose and sinuses.  This can temporarily decrease your symptoms.  A prescription nasal steroid spray can decrease nasal swelling and mucus production.  This will prolong the decrease in sinus pressure and improve sinus drainage.  A nasal steroid spray does not provide immediate relief of symptoms.  It may require several weeks of routine use to become effective.  To help the nasal steroid spray work better, use it regularly after doing the nasal wash.  Please read our Nasal Wash MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/nasal.html for more information about this technique.  Share this information with your doctor to see if doing nasal washes regularly would be helpful for you.

[ozark]

how long do they treat your sinus infections for? sometimes they need to be treated for 2-3 weeks or so.... have they ever tested the sinus for a fungal infection?  do you know if you snore or have sleep apnea?  these are a few things i can think of

[cookievk]

I have not been tested for fungal infections. I work in a lab so I know what tests they have done. They have tested me for allergies. It was negative too. I have been on antibiotics and steroids a few times for at least a month. Most times are only for a 7-10 day period.

[cookievk]

Not all my infections are in the sinus's. My sinus CT x 2 were negative. I have had frequent ear infections as well. Those have been more recently though. I also get swollen glands frequently. Sometimes the infections start with no symptoms other than a fever and wheezing. Then I cough up yellow mucous. Sometimes the sinues or the cough sputum have been a very fluorecent yellow color.

[cookievk]

I do snore lightly but if I sleep on my side there is no problems as far as i know. My husband only notices it when i am on my back. I notice it when I am on my back. I can't sleep that way. My husband notices the snoring if I am close to him and facing him otherwise no. I do not have sleep apena as far as I know.

[ozark]

what kind of lab?  any chance of being exposed to hiv?

[cookievk]

I work in an outpatient lab at my local hospital. I have not been exposed to hiv, I have been married to the same man for 25 yrs. I have not had any needle sticks in over 10 years. The one time I stuck myself I was tested many times to make sure and the patient I stuck myself with was clean.

Thanks, Cookievk

[Meg, RN]

You might want to ask your doctor to biopsy one of those enlarged lymph nodes.

[cookievk]

meg1..thanks for the idea. I think my doctor was suppose to do a follow up scan but I will ask him at my next appointment.

[Concerned lady]

If you can be seen at Nat'l Jewish Medical & Research Center, in Denver, Colorado, they could diagnose you. They would do testing, etc., to help you get diagnosed fully & accurately.

If not, they may be able to recommend a good doc in your area, who worked at Nat'l Jewish previously. You can speak with a LUNG LINE nurse, at 1-800-222-LUNG(5864).

Why does your internist think your job is the problem? Is it a new building, with "sick building syndrome" problems, giving you a "building related illness"? Do the windows open? What's the ventilation system like? What chemical fumes might you be exposed to? Is it an old building? Is there mold? Do you have a latex allergy (the presence & use of latex gloves can cause latex allergies in some people)?

Nat'l Jewish has a Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, that can be involved, if you are seen there.

Good luck to you.

Concerned lady
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com

[cookievk]

Concerned lady,
I think my doctor is grasping at straws to tell you the truth. The building is 60+yrs. The lab I work in just moved to this new section of the hospital about 2-3 yrs ago. There have been a few others that work in the hospital with similar problems. I have worked in this hospital for 14+yrs now. I do not believe it is the hospital. I do not have a latex allergy. I think it would have shown up before now if that was the case. I was tested for allergies in my area..all were negative. There could be mold in the building it is old. But I think it is funny that I did not get sick before this. There is no venitilation as far as windows. There are none in my area. We did use to have some in the old lab but we never opened any.
I called the lung line recently and spoke with the nurse. She gave me a 800 number for my doctor to call for a consultation with one of their docs. I am hoping when I see him in 2 days he will call and see what they can do to help me. My doc, I think has given up on me and just treats the sypmptoms as they come. He does not try to look for the answer anymore. That bothers me so I am trying to take it into my own hands now. Thanks for your concern and for trying to help. I will find out what is going on if it is possible. I refuse to sit back and be sick all the time anymore.
Thanks, Cookievk
email me direct if anyone has any other suggestions at ***@****

[Concerned lady]

Dear Cookie,

You wrote:

"for the past 2-3 years i have had Chronic infections my many doctors cannot find an answer for."

"The lab I work in just moved to this new section of the hospital about 2-3 yrs ago."

"There could be mold in the building it is old."

"My internist thinks if is from my job."
---------------

I would follow up on this interesting "timing", showing that your problems seem to have started about the time that your lab moved to the "NEW" section of your hospital, and this would go along with your internist's suspicions.

Doctors who can do tests to check to see exactly what toxic fumes, molds, bacteria, dusts, etc. might be in the "NEW" section of your hospital, are specialists in ENVIRONMENTAL/OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH (formerly called Clinical Ecology).

Nat'l Jewish has such a department that may be able to help your doc figure out whether environmental factors are playing a role (alone, or in addition to other factors).

Good luck to you!

Concerned lady
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com

[cookievk]

I agree the timing is something to look into. But why am I the only one sick? If it was an environmental problem wouldn't other people be sick in my area? I will check it out though. Thanks for the info.

[saydee]

My husband has had infections constantly he finally had his nose /nostriles swabed he tested positive for staff in his nose, doctor says he is a carrier. He broke out in soars  and was in the hospital several times on IV antibotics but couldn't get rid of it.  He is now having his immune system checked this is new to us but I hope to learn more about it...

[pcmacdoc]

Have you checked info on Fungal Sinus Infections. These infections are hard to stop and require long term medication from what I have found. Search google for Fungal Sinus Infection. Comments I have found include "Doctors can't find a solution for what you have" and "the infection returns soon after you stop medication". Also look at Mold Sinus Infections and chronic sinusitis. Search google for "Fungal Sinus Infections Quiz" Good Luck

[pcmacdoc]

Have you checked info on Fungal Sinus Infections. These infections are hard to stop and require long term medication from what I have found. Search for Fungal Sinus Infection. Comments I have found include "Doctors can't find a solution for what you have" and "the infection returns soon after you stop medication". Also look at Mold Sinus Infections and chronic sinusitis. Search for "Fungal Sinus Infections Quiz" Good Luck

[pcmacdoc]

Have you checked info on Fungal Sinus Infections. These infections are hard to stop and require long term medication from what I have found. Search google for Fungal Sinus Infection. Comments I have found include "Doctors can't find a solution for what you have" and "the infection returns soon after you stop medication". Also look at Mold Sinus Infections and chronic sinusitis. Search for "Fungal Sinus Infections Quiz" Good Luck