Allergies? Immune Deficiencies? Illnesses?

[starion]

Dear LungLine Nurse,
My 15-year-old son has been sick again for the entire month of November.  The allergist has seen him 3x, started Biaxin XL, switched to Levequin and was recently switched to Cedax because he has been having a lot of nausea as well.  The infection in the nasal passages and ears has finally gone.  He finally went to school on the 11/25 & 26, but is home sick again today.  He thinks he may have gotten a new infection from other sick kids at school.  He was sick a lot last year as well (missing 20+ days in the 1st semester of school).
When he gets sick, he frequently has low grade fevers, chills, cough, sometimes mild asthma (he's had mild occasional asthma since infancy), allergies flare up (he's had significant allergies since infancy), nausea, gas, burping, vomit, and loose stools.  He is sick more often than all of the three of us in the family put together & he doesn't get us sick when he's sick.
The allergist and I agree that he should have some blood tests done, but I was wondering WHICH tests should he have NOW & which should we wait until he's healthy--whenever that is?  She's thinking of a test for mono, hepatic function test, blood sugar, anemia, blood cell counts, IGg, IGa, IGm.  Are there others we should consider?  Should these be fasting or non-fasting?  Are we overlooking anything?  Should we see an immunologist or is an allergist OK?  (The pediatrician told us he doesn't know how to help our son.)  HELP!!!
Aloha,
Starion

[National Jewish]

It is a reasonable approach to determine the immune function of your son.  The studies you have mentioned are the basic studies that can be performed to start the process.  They can be performed unrelated to eating.

Basically you are determining the function of the immune system.  The areas of response in the immune system include cellular, humoral, and white blood cell.  Delayed hypersensitivity skin testing and certain blood tests can assess the cellular response.  Measuring the amount of antibodies and their response to infections can assess the humoral response.  The white blood cell response can be assessed by the amount of cells and their function.  Not all of these tests will be done at once.

I would speak to your allergist to determine her skills in measuring immune function before deciding to seek further specialist care.

[starion]

UPDATE:
5 tubes of blood were drawn today (non-fasting), to do comprehensive blood test, including CBC & hepatic test, as well as SED rate, IGg, IGe, IGm, mono, and a few others, to try to figure out why he's been sick so much & for so long.
Starion

[squirley]

Just to let you know, you aren't alone. I am dealing with the exact same situation with my 12 yr old daughter. We were told when she was 18 months old she had IGA Deficientcy, but she would out grow it. Recently, my youngest daughter went in to the hospital with pneumonia. She is sick a lot and the doc was doing med history on all of our kids. He informed us you do not grow out of an immune problem like IGA. He recommended us to get her retested. As a result, we found out she does have the problem. Since she was about 5 yrs old, she has been very healthy. Since she started going through puberty, things have changed, I guess because her body is changing so much, so quickly. She is recovering from mono and hepititis, associated with mono. She has been very sickly lately. We are going to a immune specialist in a couple of weeks. Keep in touch and you are welcome to email me ***@****. I pray you will get your answers.

[starion]

Thanks, LungLine Nurse!
The IgE was 800 (normal range was supposed to be up to 80), so it confirms yet again that son has allergies, which we have known since infancy.  Other tests were normal, with sugar slightly high (but non-fasting).  Allergist ordered specific allergy tests with remaining blood.  They are debating between sinus x-ray & sinus CT scan (to see if his sinusitis infection has totally cleared up).  If that is negative, they want to do an endoscopy.  We are somewhat reluctant about that, since son does NOT react well to any meds & may have difficulty with whatever anesthesia they give him.
Pediatric gastroenterologist says he probably has "post viral peristalsis dysfunction," which can last weeks or months!  Son VERY UNHAPPY, but is trying to live with the food restrictions the docs are giving him--NO fat, no spices, no sugar, no wheat, no milk, no eggs, very small portions only!

[Concerned lady]

Starion,

Has your son been tested for a gluten intolerance, like Celiac Disease? Gluten is found in wheat, rye, oats, barley and buckwheat. But, BROWN RICE (organic is best) is gluten-free! Corn is also gluten-free, but many are allergic to corn, so avoid corn. Brown rice is less allergenic than corn, and brown rice is gluten-free!

Among the general population, Celiac Disease occurs in about one out of 150 people (any age onset). But, if a person's ancestry happens to include IRISH, BRITISH (or thereabouts), or SCANDINAVIAN, the incidence of Celiac Disease is much higher!

People with untreated Celiac Disease (the treatment is a gluten-free, milk-free diet) are often very sick, and most docs don't think of checking for Celiac Disease.

I learned about Celiac Disease when a friend was finally diagnosed as an adult, who suffered with CD all through childhood & early adulthood. The diagnosis was made by our friend being told by a doctor to try going on a gluten-free diet for a couple of months. Our friend did this, and got well. Nowadays, there are blood tests that can sometimes help diagnose CD.

Sincerely, Concerned lady
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com
***@****

[Concerned lady]

Starion,

Celiac Disease can also be aquired (even if one doesn't inherit it), due to things such as infections of the small intestine.

The symptoms are many, because the small intestinal "villi" (needed for proper digestion & absorption) are destroyed by gluten, and as a result, the person with Celiac Disease can suffer from a multitude of health problems caused by INDIGESTION, and MALABSOPTION.

I hope your son's Gastro doc includes STOOL SAMPLE TESTS, plus blood tests for gluten enteropathy (gluten intolerance/Celiac Disease, etc.).

Sincerely, Concerned lady