immune system not functioning

#1

I'm not sure where to put this... I think that people suffering from CFS probably went through a host of wrong diagnosis before learning what was really going on. That being the case, I'm hoping that someone here has learned a lot about the immune system.

Fatigue is one of my problems, but not at the top of the list.. I guess that the worst thing going on is that I have (or had) 4 different primary cancers. I also tested positive for antibodies to both mono and another similar virus (cytemegalo??) I have an autoimmune disease called "hashimotos thyroiditis" only I no longer have a thyroid, it was removed due to cancer. I am having problems with iron deficiency even though I've been on iron supplements for a few months now and I have chronic infections.

My immune system is not functioning. I've been tested for HIV and I don't have it. Any thoughts? Is there another disease that destroys the immune system that my docs are missing? I have several docs.. my PC manager, an oncologist, an endochrinologist a gynecologist and ofcoarse a couple surgeons.. none of them can give me any answers. Each treats the disease that I'm in their office for, but none seems to have a clue what is going on to cause all of this.  wat'sallthis

#5

>>I also tested positive for antibodies to both mono and another similar virus (cytemegalo??) I have an autoimmune disease called "hashimotos thyroiditis" only I no longer have a thyroid, it was removed due to cancer. I am having problems with iron deficiency even though I've been on iron supplements for a few months now and I have chronic infections.

My immune system is not functioning.<<

If you have antibodies to EBV and CMV, + autoimmune thyroiditis, your immune system is functioning -- overfunctioning/malfunctioning -- in a sense. whatisallthis

 

2

Wow you sound like a tough case.

By the way, welcome to our forum.

I could not even comment except to say that if you want to be evaluated regarding CFIDS, you'd need to see a real expert. What part of the country do you live in?

My CFIDS specialist is Dr. Charles Lapp in Charlotte, NC. I know that when he was practiciing in Raleigh some years back before he specialized in CFIDS, many of his patients that were getting ill were members of the same symphony orchestra. I don't know the details except that I believe some went on to develop cancer. It was that set of circumstances that led him to specialize in CFIDS as I understand it.

Granny

#3 question on doc in their area

4
 
From:  MargaretDiann Jan-18 11:50 pm 
To:  whatisallthis   (4 of 16) 
   8598.1 
 

I'm glad you brought this topic forward

Yesterday I was looking for one

I have these possible helps  *

 
 
I believe the root cause of many ailments in your groups is autoimmune ... the immune system first attacks the red blood cells and if the doctors look closely at the red blood cells they should find them immature & many times trace blood in urine from autoimmune hemolytic anemia
 
I read the link that about.com has on IBD and found that even some colon problems are autoimmune in nature.
 
 
You comment on autoimmune thyroid, etc
 
This does not surprise me at all
 
Many may be harmed from 2-butoxyethanol which would do all of these things, for several groups of people.
 
It often tricks the blood info & comes on the scene acting like the flu.
It is really a chemical poisoning, if it is this chemical's exposure.
 
Affects many glands & multiple kinds of tumors, too (it is a pesticide, in some odd sort of way
 

I've been giving this more thought, and I found that there are a lot more things that are autoimmune than one might imagine.

Does this list of autoimmune ailments surprise you? www.niaid.nih.gov/publications/autoimmune/causes.htm

What if the primary harm is to the immune system?  What if the real problem with the chemical's harm I've studied is an autoimmune problem ... for almost everything?  First toward the red blood cells, which would be autoimmune hemolytic anemia.  It hide's out - I suspect it to be the fatigue doctors are looking for in CFS, CFIDS, 'gulf war syndrome'

I do know that 2-butoxyethanol causes hemolytic anemia, per the literature on the chemical.  It is a common exposure that does have an assortment of symptoms much like you identify.  I suspect the red blood cell damage it causes is autoimmune.  If so, it is there from the beginning of the fatigue setting in and it lasts.

If you need a specialist, what kind would you need? Maybe ask to be referred to an immunologist  (or hematologist)
Immune system can aim at red blood cells, joints, colon, liver, kidneys, nervous system, etc  It may be almost entirely an autoimmune issue.
Fatigue?  Immune system is working overtime to prematurely destroy the red blood cells.  With this chemical overexposure, fatigue is autoimmune hemolytic anemia

Red blood cells & all immune cells are made in the bone marrow

Margaret Diann

7

http://www.niaid.nih.gov/final/immun/immun.htm

PS This has good information on the immune system

 
8

Hi,

My heart goes out to you.  Your body is attacked by all kinds of viruses and bacteria and toxins and it has no defense.  Your immune system is supposed to recognize the pathogens and destroy them but is not capable of finding them and fighting them.

There are natural health supplements that provide the raw material to the immune system to become strong and healthy again.  I myself have taken glyconutrients for several years and know that without them I too would have been diagnosed with a disease or two like you.  If you would like to know more about the products I take, please write to me, my e-mail address is jbendl@bmts.com.

Take care, Jana

Hi Jana - Are these products that you sell yourself, or can these be purchased in a local drug store or health food store?
10

I heard about these a couple of months ago, but dismissed the whole thing as being too good to be true,

Then I happened to have an e-mail from Dr. Reg McDaniel as he said he was trying to get together a study group, to prove they help the immune system.  Currently he is working with FAS effect for children of alcoholics and helping that group.  I think there is merit to consider these. 

He is willing to provide the product for free; but needed a doctor or researcher to oversight and medical testing costs covered ... as well as subjects interested in doing the study. 

A quote from a brochure on how glyconutrients are supposed to help

From what I understand anyone can buy them wholesale

PS I note that when you look up autoimmune hemolytic anemia you get more helps from the veterinarians than regular medical sites:  under a muti-search engine, 3 of the first 4 that came up were these:

for dogs  1st pages - for dogs

http://www.cloudnet.com/~jdickson/

http://www.labbies.com/aiha.htm

http://www.geocities.com/aihadogs/
11

you're right.. it's pretty confusing though. I have an "overfunctioning" immune system with the hashimotos and the antibodies to the other viruses.. but it's under-functioning with regards to the infections and cancer. I had one doctor say that my immune system is ignoring cancer cells because it is "busy" with other things, I don't understand it, but I do know that I need to find some answers soon because things keep getting worse.
12

hashimotos is on the list of autoimmune dysfunction

Meaning that your body is turning on itself instead of the bacteria or invaders to your system that it should be.

Getting your immune cells to reconize YOU and not destroy YOUR GOOD CELLS is the 'busy with other things' most probably.  Is that what your doctor may have meant?

Is it possible to see a good immunologist?  Or would it hurt to try the glyconutrients?

Margaret Diann
I understand. Having an immune system which is ignoring cancer cells is not good. sci10
There may be some helps here

A year ago a 'gulf war syndrome' vet shared with me that he had bacteria in his blood.  He had found me to be correct on a couple of reasons for his harm, so he looked to me like I should know the answer to this.

Well, I had no clue, until 2 days ago when I was talking to a worker of EVOS who told me he had bacteria in his blood.  Well, I'm not any type of medical person, but that was a 'match' for me.  This is my conclusion now.

I also have noticed that the autoimmune dysfunction that is observed by many is not cancer, per definitions that I have seen;  not contagious, either; however, over time they can lead to such.  Margaret Diann
to #1
jackie
Your situation reminds me of mine, so I thought I would tell you about me a bit.  I have had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma three times..about every 10 years...as well as breast ductal CA and basil cell CAX2.  I think I survived because I was a nurse.  My immune system never seemed to protect me and every winter I needed antibiotics 4 or 5 times for bad URI's or for skin infections that were always causing red streaks up the extremity on the way to blood poisoning. I had fibromyalagia. About 6 years ago I was found to have adult onset common variable hypogammaglobulinanemia.  My GG was about 250-300 and one needs 500 minimum to fight bacteria.  I had no trouble fighting viral infections.  The treatment is IV  gamma globulin once a month..forever.  I started at 36 grams a month but now get 16 grams a month IV.  The lymphoma is somehow caused by the lack of GG.  Recently I have ben making more GG and am 500 just before transfusion, so they want to stop infusions and watch me.  I take thyroid because my thyroid just doesn't work well any more.  I am 62 years old.  I had a lot of chemo which cured the cancer but damaged my kidneys.  Damaged kidneys do not make a chemical required to absorb iron and make hemoglobin.  I was anemic for about 4 years until I was sent to a kidney doctor.  He started me on Aranesp injections every two weeks, which is the chemical the kidneys do not make.  Now I am normal in hemoglobin and RBC count.  To see if your GG is ok, the test is called "Immune Globulins...IGG, IGM, IGA"  It probably costs $100.   IVIG is several thousand a dose. What is your createnine?  and  BUN, serum albumin, potassium?  Good luck.    Jackie
Hi. I saw your message about your immune system. I don't know if I can help, but here is a list of things that I suffer from....in order from earliest (child), to adult:
1. Chronic asthma and bronchial infections (pneumonia 4 x before 13)
2. migraines
3. c-sections
4. migraines increased...harldy any life not painful
5. breast cancer - medually type - tamoxifin 3.5 yrs., radiation 3 mos.
6. fibromyalgia, Sjogren's syndrome, chronic fatigue, connective tissue disorder.
7. depression - very severe
8. sleep depravation - severe
9. Chronic Leukemia
10 Menopause

The only item above that the doctors told me I was cured from was the breast cancer. But...then I got chronic leukemia 8 yrs. later. So, who knows. My immune system is bad. My teeth are going bad due to the Sjogren's system. It doesn't matter how much I brush, floss or see the dentist...they are falling out. My skin is so dry..it's always flaky, even when I use a moisturizer. The pain I am now suffering from is in my neck and shoulders. It is so bad that I cannot work. I don't do housework either. Mostly, I lay in bed all day, on a heating pad.

I am going to a pain clinic now...it helps with the pain a bit, but I am still hurting. I take lorazapam to sleep, and used to take it all the time, at first, to stay calm. I hope I helped you somehow by listing all of my ailments. I hope you're better.   Kate

Fair Use

http://forums.about.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=ab-chronicfatig&msg=8598.1

Maybe we can have a study? helps for baby?
this chemical exposure

To Jackie & all:

Thank you for these details.  I do believe the answer for cure will be in stopping an autoimmune dysfunction of the immune system

For those harmed by this chemical exposure ! At first all I hoped for was an accurate diagnosis  - But I feel hopeful that there is a cure out there.

Doctors must look beyond the basic blood info & actually test for autoimmune hemolytic anemia when they don't think they should be

Help?  Help the Immune System! *  *  *  *

I do believe there is a cure.

I believe that it has to do with stopping the autoimmune function going on with the immune system

You can't detox for it, I don't think; I call it the tornado chemical.

The chemical experts say that it leaves the body in 24-48 hours. 

Well, if that be true, I'm not sure; but if so, it sure does leave behind a lot of biological harm.  Someone said the n-butyl ethers fool the biological system and cause havock that way.

I don't think drug medications will be helpful, except in a limited way, because people who have had too much of some kind of chemical, are harmed by giving more chemical.  (An axiom of truth, I think)

  Margaret

 

PS Our pets get the same thing. 

It seems that the Vets know a lot about Canine AIHA

Baby has possible exposures from parents who've been exposed?  Or someone has been breathing it into the air ... such as a visitor in the home?  *

 

Have gulf war vet studies found info we need? *