PFT's Plummet, A2 Rejection

 PFT's Plummet, A2 Rejection

 

    I had developed a lung infection two or three years after my transplant. I did the usual bronchoscopy and was treated with two weeks of IV antibiotics. I seemed to be doing better, but soon enough, I was feeling congested again. I did yet another bronchoscopy and another course of IV antibiotics. I noticed I wasn’t really getting any better after the IVs were set to be done. I was still coughing up extremely thick, white, sticky mucus. It was unlike anything I had ever coughed up before. I noticed I was winded and my lung numbers kept trending down at home. I kept calling my doctor and asking for my IV treatment because I was quite concerned. Finally, my doctor agreed that I could come in to see him and have a check-up. MY last pulmonary lung function had been 96. I was completely shocked to find my lung function had declined into the mid 60's. I immediately burst into tears and started to panic. When I got up to the clinic floor and saw my doctor, he said I needed an emergency bronchoscopy right away. So, we left that building and went over to the bronchoscopy suite. I was a little nervous as I had eaten breakfast and usually you need to fast in case you aspirate into your lungs. My doctor assured me that I had had many bronchoscopies in the past and I had never aspirated. The results showed I had A2 rejection. This was scary as in the past I only ever had A1 rejection which was treated with a steroid burst. It was treated with three days of high dose IV steroids, followed by a steroid burst. After my treatment was complete my lung function eventually came back up to baseline.