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Thread: Lung disease

  1. #1
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    Default Lung disease

    Around eight months ago I was diagnosed with RA (first thought to be PMR), as it turns out it is particularly aggressive and proving not receptive to the range of normal meds. Fatigue and pain have reduced my activity level to zip, I now need two hands to pick up a glass of water and occasionally need assistance to dress and get out of bed. A recent CT picked up several nodules in each lung and a few other abnormalities. I’m booked in for a battery of tests which will probably include a bronchoscopy and the Doc made reference to Interstitial lung disease which covers a plethora of conditions, he also mentioned; in detail, TB and cancer. There are volumes written on these conditions, far too many to go into here, but that's about the gist of it. Here’s the thing though, the Doc seemed particularly interested in my time overseas (Malaysia) so I’m wondering if anyone here who resided overseas (third world countries) has any of these complaints?

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  3. #2
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    Hope you dont my ideas sacc51, but as Neil said I am NOT offering any diagnosis just sharing my views on some wood induced health problems. This applies to Australian conditions.

    Your condition reminds me of lung problems that some sleeper millers of Red Gum face / faced. Some old woods contain fungi and or bacteria which can grow in & affect the lungs when spores etc inhaled via their sawdust. (Tropical woods would likely contain similar organisms.) Millers of red gum sleepers and firewood (esp. logs with rot inside them) were most prone to this lung-focussed disease that resulted in severe symtoms requiring hopitalisation & intravenous infusion of the most powerful antibiotics avaiable to overcome the infection.

    Again, this is not offered as a solution just a comment on something similar to what you face. You may wish to mention it to your doctor. This warning to millers appeared in a newpaper article about 15 yrs ago but I cant find any more detail and I'm relying on memory now.

    However, this (below) is something I found which looks similar & affects the lungs but may be different from the disease I refer to above ….

    "In general, C. gattii infections were mainly associated with tropical or semitropical climates around the world and most frequently associated with inhalation of plant propagules, especially those from eucalyptus, red river gum, and forest red gum trees. However, C. gattii seems capable of inhabiting other areas…”

    Ref: Cryptococcosis Causes, Symptoms, Treatment - Cryptococcosis Causes and Risk Factors - eMedicineHealth

    "The majority of symptoms of cryptococcosis occur in the lungs, the brain, or both. The following is a list of the major symptoms:



    • Fever
    • Malaise
    • Pleuritic chest pain (sharp pain that occurs over the area of inflammation and increases with breathing movements).."



    May be worth metioning to your doctor who has a much stronger handle on what you are experiencing

    Good luck and best wishes with the treatement,

    Eugene

  4. #3
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    Hi Sacc51

    I have just found & read a few earlier posts you made "venting" (sharing) the evolution of your diagnosis / treatment of your debilitating health problems.
    Again, I am sad to hear of these especially when I read they keep you from playing your guitar, a favourite pastime of mine, or paddling your kayak. )

    Keep as positive as possible. Good luck

    Euge

  5. #4
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    I was at a Ear, Nose and Throat specialist a few weeks ago for a bunged up ear and mentioned woodworking, and the next thing he was asking if I was sawing any red eucalypts - seems ENT blokes get a fair bit of business from infections caused by saw dust from a particular few species.

  6. #5
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    Not a woody I'm afraid, worked mostly in steel, but when I do work in wood it's never with exotics, just not good enough I guess - ply is exotic enough for me. Although, twenty odd years ago I did spin up a couple of bowls on a lathe I made, not sure of the wood, probably redgum I think. I think my problem more likely stems from RA or my time in Malaysia - filthy, disease ridden place that was! Something to mention to the Doc next time I see him though...

  7. #6
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    Saccs ... whatever the cause in your case I do hope they find a treatment that helps you.
    Who knows, the information provided on wood & fungal spores that can cause health problems may be helpful to others.

    all the best... Euge

  8. #7
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    Sacc51, by RA do you mean rheumatoid arthritis?
    Innovations are those useful things that, by dint of chance, manage to survive the stupidity and destructive tendencies inherent in human nature.

  9. #8
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    Correct...

  10. #9
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    My guess about the interest in Malaysia, would be that they are thinking about tuberculosis (TB) exposure / risk.

  11. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by sacc51 View Post
    Correct...
    RA is a tough disease, you have my sympathies. I can suggest some strategies that may be helpful.

    RA is a disease of the immune system wherein your immune system has come to recognize the tissues of your body as foreign. When the immune system sees something foreign it attacks. Taking steps to reduce inflammatory responses is a way to mitigate the symptoms and tissue damage.

    1) Eliminate alcohol

    2) Stop smoking and avoid being around smoke and the e-cigarettes, both are strongly inflammatory.

    3) Avoid exposure to airborne respirable substances such as dust, diesel exhaust, organic vapors such as solvents and gasoline.

    4) Avoid getting solvents on your skin.

    5) Include antiinflammatory foods and ingredients in your diet such as grapes, tomatoes, curcumin, aloe vera, fish oils, olive oil, borage oil, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).

    6) If they're available and your physician clears you to take them you may consider n-acetylcystiene, glutathione and indole-3-carbinol supplements. Indole-3-carbinol is one of the antiinflammatory compounds present in cruciferous vegetables such a broccoli. N-acetylcystiene is a biological precursor of glutathione. Glutathione is a key detoxifying agent used by your body to detoxify and metabolize various proinflammatory compounds.

    6) Relax psychologically as much as you can, avoid conflicts and things that aggravate you. Try to do things that you enjoy that are within the scope of your limits. Don't push yourself.

    7) Take steps to eliminate allergens and irritants from your living quarters. I had to go into the attic of our house and vacuum out all of the blown in insulation to eliminate decades of rodent waste that was giving me allergic fits.

    8) Stay away from anything that you know that you are allergic to.

    9) Avoid the use of epoxies and paints. Both types of materials are known to contain potent sensitizers.

    10) Consider strategies to adjust your gut microbiome. Simple things such as consuming yoghurt, probiotic bacterial supplements or fecal transplants have all shown promise in the treatment of systemic inflammatory diseases.

    I know you may not be able to do all of these things or may already have done them but remember that every little bit helps.

    Hope you feel better.
    Innovations are those useful things that, by dint of chance, manage to survive the stupidity and destructive tendencies inherent in human nature.

  12. #11
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    Been there, done that, every single one plus a few extras.

  13. #12
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    Searched your house for chloform emitting materials? Foam insulation, carpets, engineered wood flooring and other types of synthetics all have been shown to be slowly emit chlorform.
    Another thing to check is your water quality. If you have chlorinated supply a carbon filter will drop your exposure to chloroform and related materials.
    Try switching to soap and away from detergents. Avoid perfumed products.
    Innovations are those useful things that, by dint of chance, manage to survive the stupidity and destructive tendencies inherent in human nature.

  14. #13
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    The problem with those sort of materials is they are impossible to escape, they are everywhere not just in your own home. Same applies with food, it is almost impossible to delete all inflammatory foods, and of course sometimes you have to or want to eat out. I try to keep it realistic by deleting as many inflammatory agents as possible without going to extremes. I still want to enjoy life, no point in making life miserable.

  15. #14
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    One I have been researching and hope to follow up on is FMT. Unfortunately my Rheumatologist laughed and asked if I was joking when I mentioned it. If my foray into biologics that I'm due to start in a months time doesn't help l'll be seeking an external avenue to follow up on the FMT. Life has turned into a living nightmare over the last eight months, even a quick walk around the shopping centre exhausts me.

  16. #15
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    The benefits of fecal transplant are very real in cases where the gut microbiome are disturbed. Deranged immune signaling is at the root of many diseases. There is only one open access report that comes up using the MeSH search "fecal transplant AND arthritis" that covers a series of cases of success in treatment of clostridium difficile infection and notes that there were reports of worsening of arthritis. Fecal microbiota transplant for Clostridium difficile infection in older adults. - PubMed - NCBI. There is an interesting report (Prevotella copri and the microbial pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. - PubMed - NCBI) that suggests an association between Prevotella copri and arthritis.
    Innovations are those useful things that, by dint of chance, manage to survive the stupidity and destructive tendencies inherent in human nature.

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