hi, new to pid,
just diagnosed 10/26/2006 and shocked, but
suddenly life makes sense, even for my
mother. I was just diagnosed with ra too
a few weeks ago. I saw an immunologist
after lymph node biopsy turned up no ca
and gp stumped. Immunologist ran huge
profile looking for everything, what he
found shocks me. I have had the
pneumovax 2 times in the last 5 yrs and
get pneumonia about every 3-6 months for
last 2 yrs. My antibody levels should be
normal to high, blood shows absolutely
none to the pneumococcal strain and low
compliments. Blood also shows no
antibodies to fungus that causes thrush or
the fungus that causes athletes foot...Dr
says the whole thing very uncommon, but
not rare. He said most people get only 1
pneumovax for a lifetime until they are
elderly. He says thats why I am always
sickly and every time I get sick it is
usually severe and I just shut down over
night and it takes me twice as long as
most to get over anything. He gave me
pneumovax and skin test for both fungus's
and I go back for bloodwork in 6 weeks, if
still not antibodies we will talk more
about ivig injections aka gammaglobulin
injections I think...If levels ok, repeat
in 6 months with same results. He really
thinks I will need the ivig as my body
thusfar has not been stimulated to produce
this immunity. He told me to wear masks
everytime I visit a pt and to be very
careful as I can get very sick very
quick...Really???...Lol like thats news to
me...He says my immune system has a big
hole in it, has since birth and that's
why I was such a sickly child. I spoke
with my mom and I guess when I was about 9
they told her the same thing in different
words and they wanted to give me
injections then too and she felt at the
time they did not know enough about
hiv/aids for her to be comfortable giving
me any blood product...I am glad she felt
that way, I agree. They told her then
though that after several doses my immune
system would step up to the plate and take
over...Much different than now...It's a
lifetime monthly tx from what I
understand, its scary because even though
I am a nurse and dr explained many times I
still am kinda foggy on certain things.
This whole thing, it finally feels
right...I know that sounds strange, but
looking for answers for many years and
even when given, just didn't feel right.
Well...I already have the thrush in my
throat and starting with red scaly patches
to my feet...Is that linked to the skin
tests??? There is no weal or redness
where they put fungus under my
skin...Maybe in my head. I would
appreciate any advice or info anyone has
time to offer on this...Thanks and take
care, tammy
hi, new to pid,
just diagnosed 10/26/2006 and shocked, but
suddenly life makes sense, even for my
mother. I was just diagnosed with ra too
a few weeks ago. I saw an immunologist
after lymph node biopsy turned up no ca
and gp stumped. Immunologist ran huge
profile looking for everything, what he
found shocks me. I have had the
pneumovax 2 times in the last 5 yrs and
get pneumonia about every 3-6 months for
last 2 yrs. My antibody levels should be
normal to high, blood shows absolutely
none to the pneumococcal strain and low
compliments. Blood also shows no
antibodies to fungus that causes thrush or
the fungus that causes athletes foot...Dr
says the whole thing very uncommon, but
not rare. He said most people get only 1
pneumovax for a lifetime until they are
elderly. He says thats why I am always
sickly and every time I get sick it is
usually severe and I just shut down over
night and it takes me twice as long as
most to get over anything. He gave me
pneumovax and skin test for both fungus's
and I go back for bloodwork in 6 weeks, if
still not antibodies we will talk more
about ivig injections aka gammaglobulin
injections I think...If levels ok, repeat
in 6 months with same results. He really
thinks I will need the ivig as my body
thusfar has not been stimulated to produce
this immunity. He told me to wear masks
everytime I visit a pt and to be very
careful as I can get very sick very
quick...Really???...Lol like thats news to
me...He says my immune system has a big
hole in it, has since birth and that's
why I was such a sickly child. I spoke
with my mom and I guess when I was about 9
they told her the same thing in different
words and they wanted to give me
injections then too and she felt at the
time they did not know enough about
hiv/aids for her to be comfortable giving
me any blood product...I am glad she felt
that way, I agree. They told her then
though that after several doses my immune
system would step up to the plate and take
over...Much different than now...It's a
lifetime monthly tx from what I
understand, its scary because even though
I am a nurse and dr explained many times I
still am kinda foggy on certain things.
This whole thing, it finally feels
right...I know that sounds strange, but
looking for answers for many years and
even when given, just didn't feel right.
Well...I already have the thrush in my
throat and starting with red scaly patches
to my feet...Is that linked to the skin
tests??? There is no weal or redness
where they put fungus under my
skin...Maybe in my head. I would
appreciate any advice or info anyone has
time to offer on this...Thanks and take
care, tammy