How do you know if your immune system is weak by blood work results? Is it determined by WBC, RBC or something else?
Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
I got dismissed from my primary doctor's practice after being a patient for close to 20 years. I was dying, unable to walk, speak a sentence or take care of myself. My western blot showed 3 reactive bands, 23, 39 and 41.He gave me a referal for a pyschriatist and 1 week later, a certified letter came dismissing me from his practice.
It took me 6 months to get an appointment for a new primary. Best thing that ever happened to me. He listened attentively for over 1/2 an hour and ordered me lots of blood work. We soon discovered I had an immune disorder. A simple blood test for IgG subclasses 1 - 4, IgM, and IgA. I was dangerously low and now I recieved IVIG monthly.
Interesting, my LLMD also tested my IgG subclasses 1-4 at my first visit. Smart doctors are worth every dime, they save lives.
yep - immunoglobulin imbalances are a common finding and barrier to recovery in lyme - according to Horowitz
but there are plenty of other disorders of the immune system - as its a complex beast
some may be visible on a CBC - like odd numbers for the various white blood cells - but if its anything like mine - a different marker will be a little out of range each timei am tested but nothing that would make teh average primary care doctor pay attention.
there is a more specialized test often performed as a supplementary test in suspected Lyme patients. eg a count of particular type of white blood cells called CD57+ cells. this is a particular form of white blood cell involved in fighting viruses and bacterial pathogens are are often found to be low in lyme disease ( but also occasionally very high )
mine are around 1/10th of the average healthy number for instance. Lyme testing labs usually offer this test.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
You can get a standard WBC bloodtest count.
Re CD57, mine was in normal range altho I was sick. It doesn't always correlate.
Posted by Garz (Member # 52095) on :
quote:Originally posted by Robin123:
Re CD57, mine was in normal range altho I was sick. It doesn't always correlate.
yep, that's why it's used as a supplementary test.
since there are NO foolproof tests for lyme testing and diagnosis is a case of using several tests, each using different methodologies, together with patient history and symptoms pattern to build a probabilistic result.
Posted by susank (Member # 22150) on :
On a Chem. Panel - look at Globulins and A/G ratio. That was my GP's clue something was wrong. Further testing revealed an immune deficiency ie CVID. I started on IVIG. The ID was discovered around the time Lyme was suspected and/or Dx'd - I was in bad shape - still am. I looked at old bloodwork - my Globs and A/G ratio had always been in ref. range. I now suspect Lyme caused my immune system to crash.