Chronic infections, ER infection, Immune Disease??

[ill13632]

I was in the ER with an Infected abscess, I keep getting sick with infections like bronchitis and need help.  I have asthma and sleep apnea.  my labs are:
IgE 147 (0-100)
IGG Subset 3 12.8L (18.4-106)
Toxplasma IGG 35.1 (>8 positive)

Do I have an immune disorder or other disease?  
My cortisol is also low, thyroids low-normal.  Thanks very much!

[meniere135]

Well, like I said, I don't know if the diet approach will help for sure.  It's something to try to help the immune system relax a little.  As for having eaten bread with no problems before, I ate bread with no problems before too....and then it became a problem!  Same for my brother, who I mentioned in a previous post to you, who also had asthma.  My brother started with asthma in his 30's - at around the age of 50 he started the gluten free diet and that stopped almost all of his asthma.  Going milk free stopped the rest of the asthma.
I don't know why the gluten diet stopped most of it....maybe the gluten problem kept him from absorbing magnesium in the intestines and when he stopped eating it, the intestines healed and were able to absorb magnesium again.  Who knows for sure?!!  But when I saw your post, I thought I would suggest the diet to see if it would help you.  My brother went through hell for many years and not one doctor ever mentioned the possibility that food could be causing his problems.  It took one month on the diet for the asthma to dissipate....he hasn't been on an inhaler or medication for asthma since then.  

What happened in your life when the asthma and chronic fatigue started.  I read the part that it started when you returned home.  But were you returning home under stressful circumstances?  Maybe the stress left you depleted and made you susceptible to allergies.  I'm just pointing out different circumstances that can bring on physical ailments.
Try to pinpoint the time when you started having symptoms.  

Keep us posted on your situation.  I again hope that someone is able to point you in the right direction.  Never stop looking for answers.

[ill13632]

I've eaten bread for years with no problems- I suddenly started to have these problems with asthma and chronic fatigue after returning to my home which has old carpet

[ill13632]

the first one is the house dust mite: 9.26 (0-0.35)
I'm not sure how to eliminate house dust mites?  I have an Oreck air filter but maybe it doesn't do anything

[ill13632]

I've had this respiratory allergy panel done and had some class III allergies:
Class III to Dermatophagoides farinae IGE
Dermatophagoides pteronissinus IGE (cockroach)
also low VitD

[ill13632]

I've already had one stool test and it came back negative but I think you need to do 3 to be sure.  My endocinologist doesn't like the atkins diet

[meniere135]

Your IgE levels cannot tell you specifically what is causing your IgE levels to go up - allergies, hypersensitivities, worms, etc.  So no one on here can give you a specific answer to that question.  

Most of your immune system is in your intestines (about 70%).  So anything that enters the intestines - food, bacteria, yeast, etc., can become a problem.  It would take me a long time to write down all that I've read on the topic of digestion, immune responses, thyroid and adrenal glands functioning at low levels, etc.  If the answers were that easy to find, you would have found it by now.     As an example, if you had a job and you had 20 stacks of paper sitting on your desk in front of you and you were stressed, stressed, stressed trying to keep up with all the work, your body eventually screams out "I can't do this anymore!"  Some nice person comes to your desk and removes 15 of the 20 stacks of paper to greatly lessen your workload so you can function again, making you feel like you can handle the remaining 5 stacks of paper.  You perk up after you start relaxing at the thought of less work to be done, you go home and rest more comfortably knowing the next day won't be so overwhelming and your body starts recovering from the long term on-going stressors.  You have more zest for life!  

Food elimination, if food is effecting you, is that nice person removing the stacks of paper off your desk.  Sugar, food intolerances and food allergies, carbohydrate intolerance, etc. tax your body and eventually can contribute to feeling run down....along with stress and many other things.  When you hear those words "eat right, get your rest, exercise, take time to enjoy life, etc." take them seriously.  These things take the stress load off the body.  You're doing the right thing going to doctors and looking for answers.  But in the meantime, try helping yourself.  I suggested the gluten free diet first (a food intolerance that can also become an autoimmune condition known as celiac disease) because it can be a contributing factor to your asthma.  It also drains the adrenal glands.  It also can be associated with thyroid issues, etc.  Cow's milk products are also another food that is a problem for many, many people.  Sugar exhausts adrenals.  It sounds like your glands, etc. are not operating at optimal levels for "whatever reason".  Food issues can lead to vitamin and nutrient deficiencies - the body needs vitamins and nutrients to make everything (neurotransmitters, hormones, etc) that keeps the body running effectively.  So many things effect so many things in the body.  Some people get their energy back (if food is a contributor to the problem) going low carb.

I hope this helps you understand just a little bit more why diet is crucial to handling problems in the body.  Will it help - I hope!  But I can't say for sure.  I found myself quite run down and realized I couldn't handle stressors anymore, let alone going out to have fun. I just wanted to sit on my sofa and sleep and have someone do everything for me.  It was awful.  So I started out gluten free - felt 60% better.  Then milk free - extra 20% better.  Next step is sugar free and low carb.  I tried the Atkins diet and felt AWESOME ..... but I had a hard time sticking with it.  But I'm working my way back onto the Atkins diet.  I hope someone is able to help you.  Keep looking for answers.

[ill13632]

Hi there!  can I please know what the diet does?  It's been so difficult suffering from chronic fatigue for over a year now.  My IGE levels are about 185.  Does this mean I have a parasite or infection or am allergic to the carpet in my house?  thanks!

[meniere135]

Hi there!  The gluten free diet eliminates wheat, barley, rye and possibly oats.  You can have rice, potatoes, and other breads like brown rice bread or Udi's gluten free sandwich breads, etc.  There are many different options.  I live in Pennsylvania and shop at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods stores.   If you are serious about trying the diet, leave me a message.  Good luck!

[ill13632]

thanks very much!  if I got immunoglobulin therapy would my asthma/fatigue be cured?  I've done 50,000 IU/wk VIt D twice but with no change

[thyroidian]

Hi.
I would say that a low IGG3 would mean an immune system deficiency, somewhere along the line.
Meaning it would leave you prone to frequent infections, and maybe the cause off your respiratory problems also.

If i was you i would definately be seeking a good second opinion, especially because your symptoms are troublesome, with the recurrent infections.

The thyroid levels looked ok.
But regarding the cortisol, i would be going to an endocrinologist.
Also you have Hba 1c, which need further investigating, for diabetes.
The morning cortisol was low, and is usually the most important one to test.

With the cortisol levels being low, that is why you most probably are suffering from chronic fatigue.
and Low VitD can be found in many auto-immune diseases, along with chronic infections , and immune problems.

Hope this has helped. If i can be of anymore help. just give me a shout.
But i would definately say, seek a good second opinion, in your case, you sound like you may have a few issues going on here.

Good luck
Nicola

[ill13632]

thanks very much!  so for gluten free do I take out all breads and carbs and rice and sugars?  
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten#Bread_products

If my IGG subset 3 is low doesn't it mean I'm missing antibodies to some diseases??

Thanks!

[meniere135]

Have you ever tried a gluten free diet?  My brother tried the diet for other reasons, but ended up ridding himself of 98% of his asthma.  He says milk is the other asthma trigger for him - though it doesn't effect him as much as the gluten does.  He was the kind of asthmatic that had oxygen readings at 88 - 90% on all the inhalers and medications.  He started with asthma in his late 20's and it got progressively worse over the years.  He went gluten free about 10 years ago (in his late 40's)  and after one month realized he didn't need his inhalers and medication anymore.  Gluten, I've read, can overwork the adrenal glands, along with sugar and other foods.  Maybe, if you are brave and able to stick to a restrictive diet, try a gluten free, milk free, low carb diet and see if you find relief.  I hope this post helps in some way.  My brother felt like he was 20 years younger for the first time in his life.  If you'd like to try the diet, leave me a message and I'll help you out.  Good luck!

[ill13632]

Thanks very much Nicola!  Yes IGG is immunoglobulin subset 3- does it mean I lack antibodies to certain germs?  I have recurrent infections, an abscess, chronic fatigue, asthma, low vitD, RBC, had high Hba1c
labs:
Cortisol: 2.4 1pm (0.4-60), 4.0 (AM level 8.7-22.4)
TSH 0.92 (0.34-4.5)
Free T3 2.79 (1.8-4.6)
Free T4 0.9 (0.47-1.77)
I could breathe better and relax when I started taking thyroid glandular which might have some thyroid hormone

[thyroidian]

Hi.
Is the IGG immunoglobulin?

Have you seen an endocrinologist regarding the cortisol levels?
Do you have any other symptoms?

Have you been tested for thyroid? Because you say your thyroid is low normal.
Have you got the results? If you could post the thyroid levels i will have a look.
Thyroid and adrenals work very close together.

Also have you been tested for diabetes also because these are all endocrine diseases, and can all cause frequent infections, if not diagnosed and treated properly.

I would maybe push the immunologist, for some answers, to the cause, but at the same time get a referral to endocrinology, for testing for the reason for low cortisol. etc

Good Luck
Nicola

[ill13632]

my immunologist wasn't helpful all he did was keep checking my nasal passages and prescribing me nasonex, but I had a skin abscess that required draining

[ill13632]

thanks very much!  Is the IGG3 level alone an indicator of disease?  It's so hard to get any information from my doctors.  I still can't fix my low cortisol problem

[thyroidian]

Hi. Have you seen an immunologist? for these frequent infections, it sounds like the immune system is depressed.

Also low cortisol , needs further testing, this can be an indicator, for addisons, You need to see a good endocrinologist for further testing regarding the low cortisol.

Also the immunologist could also do some further testing regarding your high IgE, this is usually found in allergies, and you would need further allergy testing to find the cause.

Hope this has helped
Good Luck
Nicola