Immunopathology

Hey,

Does anyone know anything about Immunopathology? I have been refered to a consultant at Birmingham Heartlands, by my resp con as he says my antibodies against common bugs in abnormally low and against resp infections.. Has anyone ever seen anyone there about it? Sorry just looking for general info really...

Thank you!

Ally

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Hi Ally,

I have heard of that. I was diagnosed with really bad asthma for several years, but it turns out that I have a congenital problem with my trachea. But during my journey to finding that out I started reading about different respiratory problems that can cause a lot of infections. If you have that there are ways to treat it, and maybe you'll feel much better!

Not the same thing, but I worked with children born with HIV for three years, and the doctors were able to give them monthly infusions of this mix of white blood cells to help boost their immune systems when they needed it, and I think they treat some of the kind of immune deficiencies you can inherit the same way. It's called IVIG.

Turns out with me they finally figured out that my main problem is that I breath in the food I eat the wrong way because I also have a problem with my eosphagus, so I get this bronchitis/pneumonia like thing for weeks at a time. But go figure I feel about the same on inhalers as off. It's really frusterating sometimes, but glad I know more. I might get surgery for it, as I think that's about the only thing that helps. I keep hanging around here as I know you guys know what it's like to not breath so well.

Good luck!

Bee

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reply

antibodies help fight infection so if you are low on them you can be more suseptable to infection. Don't worry, there are things they can do. I myself have history of low platelets and see a haematologist every year to keep my file open to allow me open ward acces at a nearby hospital. It be wrong of me to go through the in's and outs of what I vagually understand because I wouldn't want to worry you. I think that mine is unconnected to asthma. They seem to think its general.

If you want some help and info about antibodies then check out the ITP web site immune thrombocytopenia purpula. (mine is idiopathic but I have found the contacts of the website prove very helpful at times). If nothing else they may be able to sign post you to a more helpful website to your specific diagnosis and help you through that.

Good luck and hope you get to understand more about it as time goes on

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Thank You so much for your replies,

I went today and the consultant was fab and really positive; it seams that I have some problems with my anti-bodies and he's pretty certaint thats been whats causing my asthma to go so badly down hill over the past few years. We went through all the options but have to wait for my test results to see which one he thinks is most suitable.

Thanks again for your replies ally x