Does anyone understand the "autoimmune component" of LD?
I have seen it discussed here, but don't know what it is or what it means.
Do burning skin & muscle twitches fall under the "autoimmune component"?
I would appreciate it if someone more knowledgable than me would try to break this down.
Thanks.
Posted by joalo (Member # 12752) on :
Buried on page two.
Posted by massman (Member # 18116) on :
Autoimmune = body attacks itself.
Supposedly this happens due to "unknown reasons."
I feel that the body cannot correctly identify what is attacking it then still tries to find / get rid of whatever it may be. Lyme hides well and may cause this.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by bv:
Do burning skin & muscle twitches fall under the "autoimmune component"?
I don't see any reason they would .. anymore than any of the other symptoms. I think Lyme can cause an autoimmune response in rare cases of late stage lyme.
Posted by Richard1062 (Member # 19233) on :
BV,
In chronic Lyme the immune system is so weakened and suppressed that it can't function.
If I understand correctly, in autoimmune disorders it is the opposite. The immune system goes wild and works too hard, attacking the body by mistake.
Our LLMD says that some people have a genetic predisposition for auto-immune disorders, and she does a blood test on each patient to find out.
Maybe those who have the pre-disposition are the ones who get the auto immune diseases. Examples would be multiple sclerosis, lupus, Hashimoto's, some types of arthritis, celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, etc.
Does this answer your question, bv?
Posted by dguy (Member # 8979) on :
In chronic lyme the immune system can become overactive (this is why we so rarely catch colds), and biased toward the Th1 side. An overactive immune system can start attacking self, hence the appearance of autoimmunity.
This is why so many of us we feel better when taking steroids (prednisone, vitamin D, etc.): we're turning down our overactive immune system.
Posted by Shosty (Member # 12232) on :
I you are concerned about autoimmunity, you can ask your doctor or LLMD to test your ANA (anti-nuclear antibody), which is one of the most basic tests.
The HLA-Dr 4 gene is often associated with autoimmunity for Lyme, and people with that HLA type often have "intractable" Lyme.
My ANA is 1:5120. Normal is 1:40 or less. I get sick in the sun. I have had the burning and twitches and a bunch of other things, for 10 years now, and tried antibiotics for 6 years.
For me,and my daughter, who also has lupus (and type 1 diabetes, celiac, endometriosis, migraines and temporal lobe seizures) it really does appear to be a case of Lyme triggering autoimmunity which we now call lupus.
Taking echinacea or any other immune-function-boosting med or supplement is a dicey idea for us, as are vaccinations. We also react to a lot of foods, at this point.
The ANA test is easy to get and will set your mind at ease.
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
I think a great deal of people with Lyme are have an autoimmune disease that is missed. I was just diagnosed with Small Fiber Neuropathy, a rare autoimmune disease, caused by both Lyme and Bartonella, which many people have the symptoms of and are probably not going to get better from Lyme unless they are diagnosed and treated for this.
It is diagnosed ONLY by punch skin biopsy. I am now on IVIG, basically the only treatment for it, although there are other things that can be tried. I have found out my Lyme disease is in fact MUCH better, and that the fact that I am feeling much, much worse over the past couple of years is due not to Lyme but to the autoimmune disease.
This has been such an eye opener to me, when I feel up to it I am going to write something up that explains it all. I can't believe how many of us suffer the same symptoms I do, neuropathy, and just chalk it up to Lyme when we probably all have a serious disease we are not treating.
It is an incurable disease, and it is degenerative. So the sooner you find out you have it, the better you are going to fare.
And again, it is caused by Lyme and Bartonella. I posted numerous links that explain the disease, just search for small fiber neuropathy and you will find them here.
I am shocked at what I have learned and how this is overlooked. Even though my treatment so far has been hell, I would walk over hot coals (repeatedly even) to get better....and I was never going to get better on a zillion antibiotics alone.
My CD 57 went from 32 last year to 120 this year, yet I am far sicker this year. Thank God my amazing LLD is a neurologist and did a zillion tests on me. I would NEVER have known.
This is a fairly newly recognized disease, and the only test for it is fairly new, also, and may not be that easy to find. If you have burning, numbness, and tingling, don't just chalk it up to neuropathy as part of Lyme. You may have a serious autoimmune disease that needs very specialized treatment.
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
P.S. An ANA test will not reveal this. Nor will an EMG or nerve conduction study. NOTHING but a punch skin biopsy can diagnose it.