Immunoglobulin

[moneal]

I have received a letter from my Consultant saying that " Your immunoglobulin levels are slightly low, this will reduce your ability to fight off infections and I would like to refer you to a specialist team in Plymouth"

As I have had repeated back to back infections (but then haven't most of us) and been on non stop steroids for eighteen months, plus the dreaded pseudomonas bug that has taken up residence in my lungs. I am not surprised that my resistance is low,

The Consultant has always said that there was something different to normal causing the problems, and a gene missing can cause this. 10 out 10 for his persistence.

Has anyone else come across this, and if so how did you get on. I understand the treatment is a repeated course is injections, better than constant infections.

Maurice

[Hidden]

Hope it works for you mate,,,,still trying to pronounce it.......

[ingy]

Very interesting. Wish more doctors would persevere to find a cause for back to back infections.Hope it helps you.

best wishes,

ingrid

[Hidden]

Hi moneal

I think immunoglobulins are another name for the antibodies that our white blood cells produce in response to infection by bacteria or viruses.

If your levels are low then I think your system would be slow to deal with infections.

I think there are loads of causes for low levels, diet, other infections etc......but not an expert in any of this,

I imagine that's what the tests would be for.

So once identified and fixed you should be less often suffering with infections

I wonder if that's what lots of us have?

Keep well

Bolilly

[moneal in reply to Hidden]

The Consultant said it has to do with DNA and the first mouthful of mother's milk. He sent samples for DNA checks months ago, I had almost forgotten about it until the letter arrived. Great to know he keeps working on my problems when I am not there.

Maurice

[Hidden]

Hello Maurice. I was in this situation about 15yrs ago and was recommended for fortnightly intravenous infusions of Sandoglobulin in hospital (made from human plasma to boost your antibodies & hence your resistance). I believe patients can now do the infusions at home once they've been stabilised on it. I'd had continuousl (& I mean continuous) infection for nearly 2years & had been on 3 different rotating antibiotics and steroids in an attempt to control this. The day before I was due to start the infusions, I decided to postpone them and try to rebuild my immune system in other ways - my results showed I was only a little below the normal range, so thought it was worth a try. The immunologist agreed to me trying this for 6 months. I got treatment for an eating disorder which had made me very thin & susceptible to infection, and also for associated depression, and really tried hard to get fitter and avoid infection. For me, it worked, and Sandoglobulin infusions have been on the back burner ever since! I also have pseudomonas but this is kept at bay by nebulised colomycin etc.

I don't know how low your immunity is, but I am sure the immunologists will advise and sort you out with whatever treatment you need, they're seriously clever people. You're going to the right place and can hopefully look forward to much better health in future. Good luck!

ff x

[Lyn1969]

Hi Maurice, I had a similar low immunity result on my blood tests about 18 months ago, and my consultants remedy was for me to have 4 lots of the dreaded flu jab over a space of 12 weeks...and then another blood test to see if it worked...and it did!

Maybe they might suggest the same thing to you?

Lyn x

[PollyP]

Maurice, oh poor you, tell those unpleasant bugs to skidaddle out of there!

Hope you will feel better soon.

[Huffnpuffer]

Hello Maurice, hope you are well today.

I too have been told i have low immunity and have had my first appointment with an immunologist. I have had to have the pneumonia vaccine again, and am due to have a barrage of blood tests to check if this is showing antibodies , and also if my November flu jab has done its thing or not. They are checking for other things too, including Vit D deficiency, and i have been given an appointment for the skin prick allergy tests in three months time.

I have had countless infections for nearly sixteen years and all this activity is due to a very smart member of my consultants team ( I never see the big man, only a different team member every time), who decided to look outside the box. Thank goodness I was lucky enough to see her !

As i have bronchiectasis and copd, any investigations are welcome, even if they prove that my present treatment is the best they can offer

I hope your consultant pursues this avenue for you, and that any results help to keep you well. Let us know how you go on,

Good luck,

Carol

[moneal]

I am obviously one of the very lucky ones who has a brilliant consultant that chases every avenue of help for me that he can. When I have been admitted to the hospital in the past he has appeared at the end of my bed nearly every day including weekends and holidays and never seems to busy to talk and discuss his next move, but thanks to his treatments the emergency stays have been reduced from one every month, my last one being in December. He is constantly in touch with my GP and between them they have made my life so much better.

At the moment I am that period of limbo where the last infection has gone and I actually feel quite good, I know the bugs are just waiting to strike but at least I can build my strength up, they always leave me feeling weak and it takes a while to get back to normality by then the next bug has moved in. Such is life for us all.

All the best

Maurice