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It looks like they might have figured it out

My GI had an SPEP panel done which checks immunoglobulin levels and my IGG/IGA levels are low which would lead to recurrent bacterial infections!

I have an appt with my primary care provider tomorrow to discuss these results and see what it means for me. So I apparently don't have Crohns. Who knew?!
 

My Butt Hurts

Squeals-a-lot!
Don't you mean that YOU have figured it out? They might never have if you didn't come up with your own diagnosis. I can't wait to hear what they have to say and how they can treat you. Good luck tomorrow!
 
wait what does that mean?? what is SPEP and IGA/IGG and why do low levels of those things give you infections? and why would the infections seem like crohns?

omg that is crazy though. and how do they treat that?
let us know what they say tommorow! good luck!
 
An SPEP Panel looks at all of your immunoglobulins which are part of your immune system and looks at the %'s of them in your body.

In my case
IgA
IgG

Were lower then IgB which they shouldn't be. They should be in equal %'s. If you have trouble with your immune system then you're going to get infections. IgA and IgG are responsible for helping out your mucousal tract of which your intestines are a part =)

I emailed the doctor again and she's still going to do another pillcam because she feels it's necessary. My white count is jumping up quite a bit again. It was 12.3 a month ago and now it's 15.1 ... she says between the Ig issues and that issue with the WBC she might send me to a Hematologist to see what they can figure out.

Bottom line, I feel like I'm getting really close here.
 
Thanks Pen. Yeah I'm super glad they didn't do the surgery. I'm not on antibiotics because they don't yet know what exactly they are dealing with. If I'm right and it is an actual immune deficiency then they want to give you a specific drug for whatever infection you have.
 

soupdragon69

ele mental leprechaun
Very very interesting Drew.

A couple of years back I had a clatter of tests along the same lines here as my allergy/asthma consultant was adamant I had an autoimmune problem and the only one that showed up was my IgA.

Thing is all my blood tests tend to be normal unless it knocks of something else. Like my hypothyroidism was only picked up when my liver function went off, yet my thyroid function tests were either borderline or normal. The tests nosedived when I started thyroxine. Same thing with my arthritis - I am RA negative but have bone erosion in my feet and inflammation in lots of joints that is now trapping nerves so they are treating me as rheumatoid anyway.

Sounds like you are plain odd like me! LOL

Thing is once you DO know what the heck it is you will be able to fight your corner more effectively in the future. Because I know my blood tests dont show up everything and my liver seems to be my body's barometer I am lucky my GP has registered this and helps me now.

Keep us posted on what is going on Drew and just because you may not have Crohns doesnt mean you get to disappear over the horizon either!! Dont forget that!

Hang in there. You know we are all thinking of you!
 
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It would be so wonderful if you don't have Crohn's and it turns out to be something they could fix with antibiotics - good luck!!!
 
Here is what the doctor who read over the results of the SPEP panel wrote

SPEP COMMENTS Gamma Globulin Low
75% of the normal Gamma Globulin peak is IGG. Therefore,
electrophoresis
is sensitive only to a lowering of this component. Most
Hypogammaglobulinemias are secondary, due to such problems as Bone
Marrow
Hypoplasia, Metastatic Tumor,Nephrosis and Protein Losing Enteropathies. Low Globulin levels may be seen in Free Light Chain Disease.

I have never posted my blood work but they updated the web software they use so I can chart it now so I'll post what I got just cause.
 

My Butt Hurts

Squeals-a-lot!
drew_wymore said:
SPEP COMMENTS Gamma Globulin Low
75% of the normal Gamma Globulin peak is IGG. Therefore,
electrophoresis
is sensitive only to a lowering of this component. Most
Hypogammaglobulinemias are secondary, due to such problems as Bone
Marrow
Hypoplasia, Metastatic Tumor,Nephrosis and Protein Losing Enteropathies. Low Globulin levels may be seen in Free Light Chain Disease.
Hmmm...any clue what that says right there? Cuz...ya lost me.
 
Want to know too

Setting on edge of seat here Drew??? Toilet seat even waiting to find out if your clear of Crohns or not. Hope you are :))) would be wonderful.
 
soooooo ummm once you swallow the pill cam.... do they wait to catch it then review the film or what?

always wondered about that
 
Drew's deep into the techno-aspects, he'll be streaming it on Hulu.com or via torrent before the doc can even verify the pill has exited.

:)
 
lol!
i would actually wanna see that!
like dont get me wrong, but ive never gotten to see the images from scopes and stuff! a pillcam would be awesome to see!
 
Ha, Susan Boyle would have some competition in hit counts. Just play her vocals to the flowing, peaceful stream and course of the pill cam winding the corners and all, and it would be awesomeness.

edit: sorry for the sidetrack Drew
 
It would be sooo nice to get to the *bottom* of this for you, Drew.

It feels like a soap opera of 'These are the pill cams of Drew's life'....lol

Tune in tomorrow to see what has been discovered.....
 
Let's see how these have turned out

#1 - They didn't ask me to prep so they didn't see much
#2 - Never left my stomach for 8 hours
#3 - Big nice nasty ulcer - start humira
#4 - Nothing, no ulcer, no scar tissue .. nadda
#5 - Donno ... Blue Cross is holding up the approval

The last scope like a month and a half ago the drugs they gave me never knocked me out so I got to see the whole thing and was completely aware the entire time. When they were doing the biopsies I could actually feel my stomach jerk around .. weird feeling ... cool to see though.
 
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