Katybug Posted September 14, 2014 Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 So, my new blood work shows slight elevated absolute lymphocytes, low IgM (low enough to be in the deficient range per literature I've read), normal but at the low end of total IgG, low IgG 1. I can't find anything that cross references at least the low IgM and IgG1. What I find regarding CVID, says this is the diagnosis for low IgG1 if IgM and IgA are normal. I can't find any info on a differential diagnosis if IgM isn't normal. I don't generally get "sick" with infections, colds, etc.. However, I have a chronic sore throat and chronic diarrhea that no one can explain. I also have terrible joint and skin pain and tenderness with debilitating fatigue that seem to be cyclic. Now I'm wondering if the pain and fatigue are reactive arthritis and that these "flares" are actually infections that just don't express themselves as the flu or sinusitis but cause the sore throat and diarrhea. I'm still waiting on the new C4a test because it takes longer to come back but I haven't had anything but extremely high readings of this in the last 7 years too. There's also no explanation for that other than the potential for chronic Lyme which none of the docs want to touch. Any thoughts or feedback is appreciated. Oh, and it concerns me that I have elevated lymphocytes and suppressed IgM as the IgM should be reacting if I am in the acute stage of an infection which I think is what the elevated lymphocytes mean. If your confused ....well, so am I. :-[ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katybug Posted September 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 P.S. I do have an appointment with the immunologist on Tues. I'm just trying to get prepared with thoughts and questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
looneymom Posted September 14, 2014 Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 Katybug,Sounds like you are going to get some answers. Are you on any treatment for Lyme? If Lyme is still present in the body, it can cause changes like this in the immune system. I have read this just through research. I didn't save the articles. Sorry. Did the immunologist run a CD 57 test? This test is used by Lyme doctors to determine how the immune system is functioning. I'm not much help for you on this topic but I hope you have a good doctor's visit on Tuesday. Keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katybug Posted September 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2014 CD57 is normal. Lyme tests and babesia tests have been normal/negative for a long time (since my antibiotic treatment). Frankly, I believe in chronic Lyme but most docs don't and I can't afford the Lyme docs around here because they don't take insurance and the cheapest charges $425/hr which is about how long each appt is. Living on disability, that is financially out of my reach. I actually think if any of my bloodwork were to hint at chonic Lyme other than the elevated C4a, my immunologist would treat me for it but the bloodwork isn't coming out that way. Anyway, I still haven't found anything to cross-reference the changes in my bloodwork. I'll post if I find out anything interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
looneymom Posted September 15, 2014 Report Share Posted September 15, 2014 Katybug,I have another thought. You mentioned that you have sore throats quite often. Do you have throat cultures done when this happens? I have also learned that you can order the rapid strep test cultures online. I know some parents that order them for the kids. Another way you can determine if you have had strep problems in the past year is to have a Anti-DNase B Strep Antibodies test done. If the antibodies show up out of range it means that you have had strep infections in the past year and hopefully you got the treatment for it. If you have had strep culures that are negative and this test shows up positive, then your nurse is not doing a good job of swabbing the throat. Tyler had this test done and that's how the doctor caught on to the problem. Tyler had this testing done through LabCorp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corina Posted September 15, 2014 Report Share Posted September 15, 2014 Good luck on your apppointment Katie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katybug Posted September 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2014 Corina - Thanks for the words of supoort.Looneymom - Thanks for that suggestion. My throat cultures on rapid strep always come out negative but I don't think we've done that blood test. I'll have to double check. I also am going to ask for a pneumonia vaccine challenge since I haven't had that vaccine. I did find a paper on PubMed that says that there can be subtle abnormalities of IgG subclasses in association with Selective IgM Deficiency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katybug Posted September 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Today was a bust. Doc says the ranges are so large that the little that I'm off the range is insignificant. Not sure I buy it based on my research. I'm gonna have to think on this one and see if I want a second opinion. I do trust this doc but I just doubt that the average person would ever show up with these test results. I don't know..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corina Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 I hate when doctor's visits turn out like yours, leave you doubtful. Hope you will find an answer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
looneymom Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Sorry Katybug but I would not give up. I would chase the strep down and see if that is the connection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friedbrain Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 What's elevated if your lymph count is elevated? If you have several low values, something is elevated to result in an elevated absolute lymph #, I would think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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