I thought I had read somewhere that one must be off IVIG for weeks? before blood testing. That makes sense to me - that donated IGG (antibodies?) would skew the patient's test results. Does anyone know/could explain?
I had appt last week to set up to start IVIG again. Asked for blood tests for various thing prior to IVIG. ie LD., Bart, EBV and Sjogren's. (The only thing bloodwork has confirmed is CVID). Very nice, cooperative doctor in regards to all - the tests not her field. I think I remember her saying IVIG would not effect blood tests. Anyway, I had 10g GammaGard today. I have been stressed trying to get all this lined up - as never fails always a mistake is made. This time the "mistake" has me a bit ticked off at Igenex. Blood pulled last Monday - assume they received it Wednesday - to start their processing/testing if not Wednesday then surely by Thursday. (?) I received a message this past Monday that my testing was on hold due to billing issue. I was very upset and called Igenex and repeated my card number and it went through. Why did they wait days to contact me about this? Instead my blood sat there (frozen?) for 5 days until they called me. I was scheduled for and received IVIG two days later. That cut it too close. I assume if I had already been infused then could not ask for repeat draw for LD? TIA any thoughts/info.
Posted by joalo (Member # 12752) on :
Up.
Posted by davidx (Member # 8326) on :
My understanding (and based on personal experience with IVIG and blood tests) is that it is definitely possible to passively transfer those antibodies through IVIG for which you are being tested. I had this exact experience with hepatitis. I suppose that in theory this could happen with lyme but it would be hard to know for sure if your results were skewed by IVIG.
Sorry I couldn't be more helpful but this is as much as I know!
Posted by susank (Member # 22150) on :
Thanks. I still also don't understand IVIG. I am doing it for CVID - but wonder if it can help if I have LD/Bart. Do the donated antibodies kill things?
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
Funny, I was just thinking about this myself. I have Myasthenia Gravis too, and am on IVIG. IVIG can DEFINITELY cause a negative test for MG because you are getting flooded with healthy antibodies, basically "drowning out" the antibodies that make the MG test show up as positive.
I can't imagine why it wouldn't be the same for Lyme, because it is also an antibody test. So if you are on IVIG, and your body is full of healthy donor antibodies, it only makes sense it is going to make it even harder to find those antibodies to the Lyme bacteria. So I would say knowing for a fact it can make an MG test turn out negative, I would think it's the same for Lyme and any other antibody test.
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
The antibodies don't kill anything. They make you more healthy by flooding your body with healthy antibodies. They also confuse your immune system to get it to stop attacking itself in the case of autoimmune diseases by changing around your antibodies. You are getting the blood plasma of thousands of healthy people and their antibodies.