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What is the first line immune system testing?

Messages
37
I've been trying to get actual data for a diagnosis of CFS, and I'm also just curious and a little worried about how my immune system's doing. I recently got testing done to rule out autoimmune disease. I have hashimoto's and grave's antibodies, but my doctor didn't believe those meant anything, which I know is wrong but I'm not gonna argue on that since I don't think I hypothyroid, at least not severely.

Anyway, my general autoimmune screen came back with a positive ANA and positive ribonucleoprotein antibody.

Then my doctor ordered more extensive testing to look for autoimmune disease. AntiNuclearAntibody Hep 2 Substrate, which was negative.

I'm still concerned, given that my CFS symptoms have worsened over the last few years. I'm debating between going to a local doctor who treats CFS in order to get more testing, getting testing through a private lab, or just asking my doctor for it at my next appointment.

The trouble is she doesn't think CFS is treatable, and I'm already scheduled to see a neurologist, so I feel kind of like she might not do more immune testing and not see the point in sending me to an immunologist. I also have a concern about my digestion, especially since celiac runs in my family...so many things to rule out :-/

Sorry for the rambling, my main question is: what is the first line tesing? Total Immunoglobulin? I was interested in NK cell testing since I'm self-diagnosed and it would give me another clue, but I don't think my doctor would test for that and it sounds expensive to get it through a private or research lab but if it would help me be taken more seriously, then I would.

Again, thanks for your help everybody.
 

sorin

Senior Member
Messages
345
Thanks! Are those 3 separate tests?
You are welcome! Is only one blood test, usually named "CD4/CD8 ratio" which gives individual CD4, CD8 counts and their ratio. These results can be also included as part of a larger test, named "lymphocyte immunophenotyping".
 
Messages
37
Ok. I received the test forms in the mail. It's the larger test, I believe. So as far as I understand it, it will tell me whether I have something bad going on with my immune system, but isn't exactly diagnositic. That's good enough for me since I'm mostly looking for confirmation that I have an immune disease going on. Would natural killer cells be another good test to get?
 

sorin

Senior Member
Messages
345
Ok. I received the test forms in the mail. It's the larger test, I believe. So as far as I understand it, it will tell me whether I have something bad going on with my immune system, but isn't exactly diagnositic.
Can you please post here (eventually a scan image) the test forms?
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
I was interested in NK cell testing since I'm self-diagnosed and it would give me another clue, but I don't think my doctor would test for that and it sounds expensive to get it through a private or research lab but if it would help me be taken more seriously, then I would.

If you want to get a strong ME/CFS diagnosis, check to see if you satisfy the stricter CCC definition for ME/CFS,(see page 2) buy checking if your symptoms match those criteria. You will have to get tested (or test yourself, which is easy) for POTS and orthostatic hypotension in order to do this (as POTS and OH are part of the CCC definition).