IGg

[Downriver555]

I See very little about levels of Immunology . Mine have been going down steadily especially my IGg levels. Right now my MY IGg is 265 down from 335 4 mnths ago. IGa is 29 and IGm is 23. I get small infections every now and again. Just finished canker sores in my mouth. Can anybody comment of low levels .

[Purple_lady9999]

I started getting IVIG after my IGG levels fell below 400. I think that's the level you need to be to get approved in the US. I had been getting them monthly until recently when I had to start rituxan and idelalisib. I will be getting them again in a few weeks.

My allergy doctor had said that when you get below 300 to 400, it's not a question of if you will get sick, but when you will get sick.

I felt so much better after starting them. I've had much less fatigue and just felt better in general. My IGG was 377 when I started and it went up to the 900s after a few months.

[SherriD in reply to Purple_lady9999]

How often should they be checking the IGg levels? Mine have only been checked at my initial diagnosis

[Purple_lady9999 in reply to SherriD]

If my allergy doctor didn't want my levels tested, mine might not have been tested again. My levels were normal at diagnosis. My allergy doctor had other patients who needed IVIG because of rituxan treatment for arthritis. He wanted mine checked because I was on bendamustine and Rituxan.

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator]

immunoglobulin and neutrophil levels are regularly discussed due to the major impact they have on our immunity. Development of hypogammaglobulinemia (low immunoglobulin counts) is a common symptom of CLL, because CLL cells suppress T-cell function (needed to respond to pathogens and plasma cell counts. (Plasma cells are mature B-cells that churn out immunoglobulins.)

Immunoglobulin production is part of our humoral immunity: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humor...

Here are the IgG and IVIG search results for open posts:

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

If/when Search is expanded to include Locked posts, you'll find many more.

Low levels without significant infections are not considered a valid reason for starting either IVIG or subcutaneous IgG infusions. The requirement is IgG below a trigger level (depends on the country) and recent serious infections, generally requiring hospitalisation. Only IgG can be supplemented by infusions - but increased levels of IgG can somewhat cover the impact of the lower igA and IgM counts.

SherriD , how often your immunoglobulins are checked will depend on how low they were at diagnosis and how slowly they are changing. (If they do begin to fall - and again it's a trend that is looked for, as they can rebound, then it's generally a very gradual process is my understanding). My IgG and IgM were below the reference range at diagnosis and my specialist checked them every 6 to 12 months until I started monthly IVIG, when they were initially checked monthly.

Neil

[SherriD in reply to AussieNeil]

Thank you Neil

[Billhere in reply to AussieNeil]

Neil, your detail is VERY helpful. Thank you. And wow can you spell!

[Downriver555 in reply to AussieNeil]

Articles are great. Dr Sharman oversees

My care and I see him once a year. Thanks for the article . It was informative.