Just wondering--has anyone (medical professionals included) heard of lymphocyte levels being depressed during MS, particularly during exacerbations/acute attacks? I have been suffering from painful peripheral neuropathy for almost 3 months (started in right foot 4/12--went from tingling to burning in four hours--was in hands by 4/16, and whole body by 4/22--think sun poisoning over whole skin surface). Only other symptoms were occasional dizziness when rising from seated/prone position and intermittent crampy feeling in backs of legs. First neurologist put me on Neurontin, which damped pain down some (though we had to increase dosage twice to 1200 mg/day) and thought situation acute enough to check me into hospital for brain spine MRI, lumbar puncture, chest x-ray, extensive blood/urine analysis, etc. Only things that have come out "abnormal" so far:
--Brain MRI says "small irregularity at collosal/septal interface--this can be seen with early MS and follow-up is advised in six months if clinical symptoms persist"
--T4/T8 lymphocyte panel shows low CD4+ count (360), low CD8+ count (109),and low absolute lymphocyte total (838)-this was obtained at 7 AM 6/14, fasting state.
Now I know I am HIV-negative (and was tested again during this, just to make sure; also, have no high risk behaviors for that at all--married 21 years, no drugs, etc.) I know there are other conditions which can lower lymphocyte count, but I seem to be testing out of most of them, as well as most other peripheral neuropathy causes (I have had normal/negative tests for glucose level/tolerance, hepatitis A, B, C; lyme, west nile, hypothyroidism, B12 deficiency. ANA, Hu antibody, heavy metals, monoclonal antibodies, HLTV I and II, immunoglobulin profiles, rheumatoid factor, angiotensin, C-reactive protein, anti DNA-antibodies, C3/C4 levels, hemoglobin A1C, even evoked potentials. Is it possible that I am experiencing early signs of MS, and that the two results above are part of that? Or are other explanations more plausible? (I've seen some anecdotal web evidence that MS attacks/exacerbations can result in lower serum lymphocyte levels--theory is that they're breaching the blood/brain barrier and are in lower levels in the blood then--but would like to get input. Thanks.)