AskDocDoc
/
/
/
What to do about persistent nasal discharge and fatigue after sinus surgery for aspergillus infection?
FREE!Ask Doctors — 24/7
Connect with Doctors 24/7. Ask anything, get expert help today.
500 doctors ONLINE
#1 Medical Platform
Ask question for free
00H : 39M : 16S
background image
Click Here
background image
Infectious Illnesses
Question #29110
94 days ago
186

What to do about persistent nasal discharge and fatigue after sinus surgery for aspergillus infection?

Client_335af9

In Jan 2025 when I was 32 i had surgery in Mexico for stage 4 obstructive nasal polyps and for a mass of aspergillus fumigatus that was in my frontal, ethmoidal, sphenoidal sinuses.The fungus was 1/2 millimeter away from my brain and was pushing my brain inwards.It had begun to inflamed the duramater of my brain. It was 1/2 cm or less away from my optic nerves. The fungus was described to me after surgery to be about the size of a fist when clumped together. After my surgery I felt better than I had felt in 20 years. Since I was 13 I had vague yet severe chronic health problems including severe fatigue, low fevers, night sweats, rotating aches and pains. After surgery i felt exceedingly well except for fatigue, night sweats, and some continuing nasal “allergies” or nasal discharge. Then in September 2025 i began feeling worse: Severe headaches, sinus congestion, and more fatigue. My neurosurgeon who is in Mexico talked to me on the phone and advised me to take an antibiotic just in case I was having bacterial infection. I took it, but felt no real improvement. He then advised me to take itraconazole just to be precautious because he was anxious that I could get aspergillus fumigatus in my brain because my brain is now exposed (with a endoscope you can see the duramater when my polyps are smaller) after sinus surgery. In January 2026 I was able to travel to Mx. There I was told my my ENT that i had grown stage 2 nasal polyps, that I had a bacterial infection, and that I had high levels of aspergillus fumigatus in my blood. High igg, igm, and ige. Was given oral steroids, steroid spray, antibiotics by my ENT. My neurosurgeon gave me 2 months of itraconazole because of the high levels of aspergillus. Both doctors told me that my house is likely having aspergillus fumigatus and an unhealthy environment for me. I initially felt much better. I spent about 1 month in Mexico.i never stopped having bright yellow snot and fatigue, but I felt pretty well. When I came home soon I started feeling worse. Very fatigued! Now I have brown cheese-like grainy balls coming out of my nose besides bright yellow snot and fairly often blood. Sometimes I wake up to swallowing and choking on balls of mucus or whatever. Sometimes I snort and grainy textured mucus runs into my throat. I’m almost 100% sure it’s fungus. But I can’t move from my house cause I live with my parents and they can’t afford their ideal house, and I don’t think the itraconazole is helping. Or do I have to keep using it ALL the time? I can’t afford to go to a doctor right now.

When did you first notice the brown, grainy mucus?:

- It has been present for a while

How would you describe the severity of your fatigue?:

- Moderate — it affects my daily routine

Have you experienced any other symptoms besides nasal discharge and fatigue?:

- No other symptoms

How often do you experience headaches?:

- Occasionally

Have you noticed any specific triggers for your symptoms?:

- Dust or mold

How would you rate the effectiveness of itraconazole for your symptoms?:

- Not effective — no change

Have you made any changes to your environment since returning home?:

- Yes, I cleaned thoroughly
FREE
Question is closed
FREE! Ask a Doctor — 24/7,
100% Anonymously
Get expert answers anytime, completely confidential.
No sign-up needed.
CTA image asteriksCTA image

Doctors' responses

Your history suggests a complex and recurrent sinonasal condition, most consistent with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps complicated by prior fungal involvement (aspergillus) and possible ongoing environmental exposure. Although the initial surgery and antifungal treatment provided relief, the return of symptoms—fatigue, yellow discharge, and now brown, grainy material with occasional blood—raises concern for persistent inflammation, possible recurrent fungal colonization, or a mixed bacterial–fungal infection rather than a fully invasive fungal disease. The worsening after returning home and your sensitivity to dust or mold strongly point toward environmental triggers contributing to recurrence. The limited response to itraconazole suggests that long-term antifungal therapy alone may not be sufficient, and continuous unsupervised use is not advisable due to potential side effects. Overall, this appears to be a chronic relapsing condition requiring combined management of inflammation, infection, and environmental control rather than relying solely on antifungal medication.

2116 answered questions
58% best answers
Accepted response

0 replies

Hello

Given your history of severe sinus disease with Nasal Polyps and prior infection with Aspergillosis, your current symptoms—persistent yellow discharge, grainy debris, occasional blood, and fatigue—are concerning for ongoing sinus inflammation or recurrence, but not necessarily dangerous or spreading to the brain. Recurrence after advanced sinus surgery is unfortunately common, especially when environmental mold exposure continues.

The “brown cheese-like grainy balls” you describe can represent fungal debris, dried mucus, or crusting from chronic sinus inflammation. The fact that symptoms worsen when you return home strongly supports an environmental trigger such as mold, dust, or humidity, rather than medication failure alone. Also, long-term continuous use of Itraconazole is usually not required indefinitely unless a specialist confirms invasive or allergic fungal disease.

What you can do now, even without immediate access to a doctor, is focus on controlling the local sinus environment. Daily saline nasal irrigation (using sterile or boiled-and-cooled water) is one of the most effective low-cost measures to reduce fungal debris and discharge. Continue any prescribed steroid nasal spray if you still have it, as this helps control polyp regrowth and inflammation. Try to reduce indoor mold exposure as much as possible—improving ventilation, using a dehumidifier if available, fixing leaks, and cleaning visible mold with appropriate precautions. Sleeping with the head slightly elevated can reduce nighttime choking on mucus.

It is important to know the warning signs that would require urgent medical care: severe or worsening headache different from usual, high fever, swelling around the eyes, vision changes, confusion, stiff neck, or persistent heavy nosebleeds. Those could indicate complications, which are uncommon but serious.

Overall, your symptoms most likely reflect chronic sinus inflammation with possible fungal colonization, not uncontrolled brain infection. Many people in your situation need periodic treatment cycles rather than permanent antifungal therapy. When financially possible, the most useful next step would be a nasal endoscopy or sinus culture through an ENT specialist to guide treatment precisely.

Take care

1986 answered questions
56% best answers
Accepted response

0 replies

Your situation involves several complex factors as a result of your past sinus surgery and current symptoms. Post-surgery, persistent nasal discharge and fatigue can indeed suggest a few possibilities. The presence of the grainy, cheese-like discharge could indicate chronic fungal sinusitis or even a mixed fungal-bacterial infection, given your history. The color of your nasal discharge also raises the possibility of bacterial infection, but the context is crucial. While itraconazole is often used for aspergillus infections, continuous long-term use can have its own risks, such as liver toxicity, and should typically be monitored by a healthcare professional. Given your symptoms and previous history, it’s important to consider that the environment in your home might still harbor aspergillus, and even low levels can be problematic for someone with your history. You might want to explore practical steps to minimize your exposure to fungal spores, like using a HEPA filter, ensuring good ventilation in your home, fixing any damp areas, and avoiding places where mold is likely present. To manage symptoms, especially if doctor visits are currently challenging financially, saline nasal rinses or sprays could help clear nasal passages, though they won’t address the underlying infection. Since you’re dealing with serious conditions like chronic aspergillosis, you should find a way to at least have a phone consultation with a healthcare professional who can guide you properly, even remotely. Ignoring symptoms or self-medicating without professional oversight might worsen the situation. If new symptoms arise, or if your current symptoms worsen, it’s really critical to revisit a healthcare provider as soon as feasible. This might involve seeking community clinics or other accessible forms of medical support if healthcare costs are prohibitive.

20858 answered questions
91% best answers
Accepted response

0 replies

Hello dear See as per clinical history it seems aspergillus infection which causes black mould or rhinosporidiosis It will require extensive medication with combination of bacterial antibiotics and topical antifungal medication I suggest you to please get in person consultation with pulmonary surgeon for better clarity and for safety please donot take any medication without consulting the concerned In addition please take following precautions Avoid dust exposure by wearing mask Avoid cold food intake Tablet montair lc once a day for 3 days Tablet paracetamol 500 mg twice a day 6 hourly a day on fever only Steam twice a day for 15 days Ginger honey combination solution twice a day for 5 days Hopefully you recover soon Regards

3585 answered questions
69% best answers

0 replies
FREE! Ask a Doctor — 24/7,
100% Anonymously

Get expert answers anytime, completely confidential. No sign-up needed.

About our doctors

Only qualified doctors who have confirmed the availability of medical education and other certificates of medical practice consult on our service. You can check the qualification confirmation in the doctor's profile.