Ocean
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3496
posted
Has anyone had their level tested? Mine was 68.14% which seems to be a bit high from what I have read although there was no reference range listed.
My doctor wanted to do the test before deciding to try LDI. My other results (these were all done at Quest) were: % of CD4+CD25++ 4.92% % of CD4+CD25++CD127lo/- 4.35%
TX Lyme Mom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3162
posted
Here's more about the CD4 lab test from the same website (link in my previous message). What is being tested? CD4 cells are white blood cells called T lymphocytes or T cells that fight infection and play an important role in immune system function. They are made in the thymus gland and they circulate throughout the body in the blood and lymphatic system. CD4 tests measure the number of these cells in the blood and, in conjunction with an HIV viral load test, help assess the status of the immune system in a person who has been diagnosed... A CD4 count is typically reported as an absolute level or count of cells (expressed as cells per cubic millimeter of blood). A normal CD4 count ranges from 500–1,200 cells/mm3 in adults and teens. Sometimes results are expressed as a percent of total lymphocytes (CD4 percent).
In general, a normal CD4 count means that the person's immune system is not yet affected by HIV infection. A low CD4 count indicates that the person's immune system has been affected by HIV and/or the disease is progressing. However, any single CD4 test result may differ from the last one even though the person's health status has not changed. Usually, a health practitioner will take several CD4 test results into account rather than a single value and will evaluate the pattern of CD4 counts over time.
CD4 counts that rise and/or stabilize over time may indicate that the person is responding to treatment. If someone's CD4 count declines over several months, a health practitioner may recommend starting prophylactic treatment for opportunistic infections such as Pneumocystis carinii (jiroveci) pneumonia (PCP) or candidiasis (thrush).
Ocean, You should not feel too offended that your doctor is making this test because he is probably simply protecting his medical license by doing so. I'm guessing that he believes that LDI might be dangerous for someone whose immune system's T-cells have been seriously compromised, so he is doing due diligence to protect both you and his medical license with this routine pre-test before starting LDI therapy with you. (This is just an educated guess on my part, nothing more and nothing less.)
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