Got some bloodwork back from the doctor. The asthma hasn’t improved, even though the steroids are messing up my head.
Thyroid is ok.
My eosinophils, a type of white blood cell involved in asthma, are >500. The reference level is between 40 to 400 per cubic millimetre.
There are four types of white blood cells, each doing a different job.
- Neutrophils are pH-neutral cells that gather and dispose of bacteria and other detritus in the blood.
- Lymphocytes are the cells that are responsible for determining the difference between our own cells and foreign materials. They “learn” to react quickly to threats. When they react to non-threatening materials such as pollen or pet dander, they are the cause of allergies.
Lymphocytes are carried through the body by the lymph system, a matrix of tubes similar to veins and arteries. Lymph is pumped by muscular action – by exercise – rather than by a heart analogue. - Monocytes are similar to lymphocytes in that they recognize foreign substances. They then break them up so that the neutrophils can identify and encapsulate them.
- Eosinophils carry little bags of toxins. They gather wherever there are bacterial or parasitic infections, and release the toxins in order to kill them. In large quantities and over time, these toxins can damage the lining of the lungs. Steroid inhalers can prevent the immunological reaction that draws eosinophils to the lungs.
- Basophils release histamine in an allergic reaction.
CHURG-STRAUSS SYNDROME is a rare illness caused by eosinphils. It can be misdiagnosed as asthma. Differential diagnosis can be based on progressive nerve damage. It is a collagen vascular disease / reactive erythema / granulomatous disorder.
Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA) is due to a severe allergy to a common fungus found in the lungs. An Aspergillus precipitins test can diagnose it. X-rays show shadows that move over time as the fungus grows. CAT scans can show structural changes. Symptoms include sudden bouts of malaise, sharp chest pain, cough, and wheezing.
I’m thinking aspergillosis. I think I’ll see about getting chest x-rays and a skin test for the allergy. The treatment seems to be long-term low dosage prednisone or, less often, an oral antifungal. In that case, a natural alternative might be tea tree oil, aka the medicine chest in a bottle.
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