• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of, and finding treatments for, complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

do your anti body titers change over time?

humanrising

Senior Member
Messages
155
I really don't quite understand antibody titer testing.... hoping one of you smart humans can explain it to my foggy brain.

I was tested way back "in the beginning" for a number of titers. Nothing substantial showed up.

I understand that they would show if I have been exposed for the said virus. I had some elevation in Cytomegalovirus but not high enough that the doctor thought it was worth worrying about and I also don't have strong viral symptoms .

Do you still keep testing for your antibody titer in this case?

If you haven't had a recent new exposure to a virus is it something that you still need to keep an eye on?

just confused if its something that is tested multiple times over the years of ones illness or not .especially if it was negative or low

thanks so much!!!
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,869
I was tested way back "in the beginning" for a number of titers. Nothing substantial showed up.

Were you tested for coxsackievirus B and echovirus via antibody tests? And if so, were you tested by a sensitive neutralization method antibody test, such as the tests offered at ARUP Lab?

If not, then you have missed some of the important viruses associated with ME/CFS, and this might explain why you did not find any elevated viral titers when testing.

Some of the ME/CFS specialists are more focused on herpesviruses than enteroviruses, and thus may not properly test for coxsackievirus B and echovirus.



Do you still keep testing for your antibody titer in this case?

Normally one batch of viral antibody testing should be enough to determine which viruses you have as possible active infections.
 

humanrising

Senior Member
Messages
155
I had a panel done ( wasn't super extensive) done in 2008.

CMV Igg & Igm
Herpes virus 6 DNA QL RT PCR
Chlamydophila pneu abs, igg iga igm
mycoplasma pneumonia ab igg igm
ebv early antigen igg ebv ea d ab igg

new doc wants ( this is just part of it) there are loads more but this is more the viral end 45 blood tests with some of those counting as one is full panels

ebv early antigen d ab igg
ebv viral capsid ag vca ab igg
cytomegalovirus anti igg igm
HSV 1/2 Ab Igm IFa W rfl to titer
Ebv viral capsid Ab vca Ab Igm
mycopsma pneumonia anti igg igm
varicella zoster igg igm
immungloblum g sub class panel
chlamydophus pheuniue ab igg
HSV 1/2 igg type
lymphocyte panel
herpes virus 6 antibody ebv nucleus ab ebna as
anti streptolysin

He didn't go over this with me just emailed it to me and I don't want to re-do anything I don't need to with this many tests. I am ok ruling in or out things that really make sense of course to test.
I guess I also question the efficacy of doing all that is on the my huge list if my ME/CFS profile is more structural in nature then viral. No onset from illness. No flu like symptoms. onset from injury. ( i know its complex:)

so appreciate your thoughts.
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,869
I had a panel done ( wasn't super extensive) done in 2008.

So looks like you were not tested for coxsackievirus B and echovirus, which are important ME/CFS viruses.

But if your ME/CFS appeared after an injury rather than an acute viral infection, maybe it looking into possible structural causes might be an idea.

Was the injury to the head or neck? In which case, you could explore craniocervical instability.
 

humanrising

Senior Member
Messages
155
thanks hip :)

I went back online to look at the tests he ordered and i missed two other pages of tests/panels so even more immune tests that I have listed above and a fair amount are panels.

unless they are included on a "panel" I didn't see cox or echo on the long list.

yes, this is something I ve been looking at for years, injuries to both head and neck.

I have sent images to dr B didn't get too far in that endeavor. Long story not worth going into.

I might be re doing the MRI and doing measurements again, which I am ok with, especially since my symptoms are more structural then they have ever been viral.

I never get colds or flu even when I was healthy....... funny thought .... the weirdness of it all.
 

sometexan84

Senior Member
Messages
1,235
This is a good question.

For the most part yes. But it's different for each type of infection.