After being bit about 24 years and relatively feeling well for the past 12 years, I'm back on abx and lots of supplements for a lyme flare-up.
My CD57 was 44 -- a bit on the low side -- and I'm concerned that means my immune system is not working properly. My regular non-lyme blood panels were fine -- white blood cells were down from a year ago but still in the normal range -- and I have no symptoms of a supressed immune system.
Knock on wood, I rarely get colds or any type of sickness. Once a year I'll get a cold sore on my lip since I had Epstein Barr many years ago, but that's it.
My LLMD has given me a ton of immune-boosting supplements that I'm taking. Should I be concerned?
Thanks!
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
Hello Bruce!
I don't know much to help answer your question.
Lyme bacteria confuse our immune system. It turns a regular Th1 response to bacteria into a Th2 response.
This is what causes autoimmune issues.
a good measure of immune function is to also measure immunoglobbins A, G, M.
IgM is the first line of response, IgG is the second and (memory only here), higher than normal IgA response indicates autoimmunity.
(someone please correct me if I am mistaken)
Also, CD57 can be lowered by lyme and also mycotoxins.
CD57 is a subset of immune response.
I am sorry I cannot answer specifically.
Just as an example:
My CD57 is 11, and I also do not get sick. I also don't produce enough immune response for any typical IgM and IgG antibody tests.
But my body is overrun with lyme babesia bartonella, protozoa.
My doc doesn't bother with any IgM IgG Elisa type tests anymore because my immune function is so low.
I am sorry to read you are flaring. Hoepfully you caught it early enough to put the brakes on it.
Just curious, did you measure a previous CD57 while you were feeling good?
Mine was measured at the peak of when I was feeling great. I had quit IV abx cause I felt so good...
Just wondering what your (or anyone's) CD57 numbers were when they were feeling good.
Thanks! Greta
Posted by bruce101 (Member # 2457) on :
Greta: I have no idea what my previous CD57 numbers were because I never had them tested before. Last time I had a lyme test was 2002.