Early Cherry Blossoms -356/365
CVID, Common Variable Immunodeficiency. Another fallout from complications due to Lyme disease. When researchers say Lyme disease is AIDS-like, this is what they mean. Basically I don't make antibodies as a normal person. Researchers don't know the exact cause, but think it's partly genetic and partly from opportunistic infectious disease. My immune system showed suppressed (via tests) before Lyme disease treatment began and it hasn't come back on line yet as I wind down antibiotics. A pre- and post- Pneumovax vaccine titer test should show a spike in a normal person's immune response weeks after the vaccination.
My immune system was all, "Whatevs. I'm just gonna do nothing."
I have no idea what this means for me for long term, if my immune system will be permanently this way or if will take some time and come back on line. Either way the good news is, my insurance company finally approved pricey/risky IV IG treatment (replacement of IGG antibodies via IV) for 11 months. The bad news is, I have to go through the approval process all over again next month when I have to switch insurance companies. The good news is, it's only a once per month treatment, not every day. I'm so over being plugged in! The best news is the doc says this should really make a difference in how I feel. A good Lyme doctor doesn't just focus on killing pathogens. A good Lyme doctor uses every tool in his tool kit and treats the whole person as well as teach the patient how to be as healthy as she can be.
Are we there yet?
We very much hope you "are there" and that your immune therapy is successful!
Lyme plus the nearly inevitable co-infections seems to be just one bad thing after another.. My wife has moved into year three of treatment, is progressing very slowly and is now working through a mycoplasma co-infection that was only recently diagnosed after her lyme, anaplasma, ehrlichia and babesia infections seem (one never knows) to have been resolved. Her doctors think mycoplasma is probably (nothing ever seems certain) a major part of what has been holding her recovery back.
The fear is "what might be next" and "will I ever be back?'
Too many phases of three steps forward, two steps back so far (this was one of the first things her lead doctor told us at the first consult)..
My wife's lyme team (four practitioners) all are deeply committed to the whole person approach, which has been great. I have also found that each of them have somewhat different capabilities and see different things (often when looking at the same lab results!) which has been quite helpful.
I guess the only good news about being in a lyme infested area is that the are many very experienced practitioners..
Which is unfortunately not the case with most local MDs who appear to be largely clueness and/or in denial about tick-bourne disease.
Good luck with the insurance switch!
Sending strong, healthy ju-ju...
I'm so glad you got approved (but on pins and needles about having to get approved again... fingers crossed)!! I hope you've already had your first treatment and that it has made a huge difference. Going to keep reading and find out.