Nihil said Valley Fever is coccidioidomycosis, which is a fungus, a so-called opportunistic infection. I verified that on PubMed. Goodman & Gilman's Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics says you treat that with amphoteracin B, itraconazole, fluconazole, and ketoconazole. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine says that it usually resolves in a couple of weeks, but it can be reactivated, especially in people with Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, renal transplantation, AIDs or immunosuppression of some other etiology.
I have kinda the opposite problem. My immune system is not compromised, to begin with. It's very efficient. I almost never get sick, unless I am very stressed out, which does weaken the immune system. Unfortunately, my immune system is attacking my own tissue. The drugs I take actually weaken the immune system, which is their purpose, to stop the immune system from attacking my own tissue. I am actually more susceptible to opportunistic infections now, and would have to quit taking these drugs if I need surgery.
I suspect that if your buddy took Arava, my immunomodulator, he'd die, and I am sure he'd get worse. But he might like the Celebrex, if he is in pain. It's a very good painkiller, and it helps a lot with inflammation (redness, swelling).
You can get quite an education on PubMed if you are interested in medicine.
nlm.nih.gov |
