Help with Test Results

[Boba]

Hi folks,
I got some results from my immunologist and would like to ask you to help interpret them. It looks like my TNFa is very high supporting the theory of inflammation in my body. I had Covid 8months ago.
Thanks!!

Edit: I developed PEM and heavy fatigue after covid, which was in Nov 2020. Since then I am sick and deteriorated after GET from 80% to 5% functioning. However I started to have problems with my health a year before with Hashimoto's and a couple of years before with ADHD. Abilify is helping a lot, I went from severe to moderate with a couple of weeks. Right now I would say that I'm 20% functioning.

 

[Learner1]

Looks like you have high COVID antibodies, low natural killer cells, and a lot of inflammation. My guess is that you may have some infection which may be triggering autoummunity.

Did anyone test these?

• EBV, CMV, and HHV6 PCR or antibodies
• Immunoglobulins with subclasses
• Westergarden Sedimentation Rate
• Fibrinogen
• NK cell function
• ANA

 

[Boba]

Looks like you have high COVID antibodies, low natural killer cells, and a lot of inflammation. My guess is that you may have some infection which may be triggering autoummunity.

Did anyone test these?

• EBV, CMV, and HHV6 PCR or antibodies
• Immunoglobulins with subclasses
• Westergarden Sedimentation Rate
• Fibrinogen
• NK cell function
• ANA

Thanks for your reply!!

• EBV & CMV were low positiv (IGG)

None of the other tests were done so far. The only thing I know to have is Hashimoto's, that was determined by TPO Antibodies. My immunologist is supportive so I might ask him to do the other tests as well, if that's what you recommend?

Another test he did was a LTT SARS-COV2, which showed that despite my high antibodies. (Infection+Vaccine) the T-Cell Immune response was low. I attached a file, but it's in German. However the sentence above sums it up pretty well. Seems like my immune system is busy with sth else. The confirmed viruses I have are HPV, HSV2, EBV & CMV (both asymptomatic).

 

[sometexan84]

@Boba Can I ask, by chance did you happen to have Conjunctivitis or sinus infections or short period of cough and congestion a year before the chronic fatigue started... like around the time or maybe just before your Hashimoto's?

 

[Boba]

@Boba Can I ask, by chance did you happen to have Conjunctivitis or sinus infections or short period of cough and congestion a year before the chronic fatigue started... like around the time or maybe just before your Hashimoto's?

Sure, I had conjunctivitis (I’m wearing lenses, thought that’s why) congestion, bloating and anhedonia. Do you see any connection?

 

[sometexan84]

I had Hashimoto's, conjunctivitis, some noted cough and congestion issues, and constant sinus infections, all 1 - 2 years before the full-blown CFS.

I also noted some slight fatigue during that 1-2 yr period (before CFS) as well.

I think I may have got Enterovirus (EV70/71 or CVA24)... causes "Acute Hemorrhagic Conjunctivitis".

And later got multiple additional EV infections, including multiple Enterovirus B.

 

[Learner1]

Thanks for your reply!!

• EBV & CMV were low positiv (IGG)

None of the other tests were done so far. The only thing I know to have is Hashimoto's, that was determined by TPO Antibodies. My immunologist is supportive so I might ask him to do the other tests as well, if that's what you recommend?

Another test he did was a LTT SARS-COV2, which showed that despite my high antibodies. (Infection+Vaccine) the T-Cell Immune response was low. I attached a file, but it's in German. However the sentence above sums it up pretty well. Seems like my immune system is busy with sth else. The confirmed viruses I have are HPV, HSV2, EBV & CMV (both asymptomatic).

I asked about the other tests because they relate to either immune function or inflammation. If you are immunodeficient in some way, it may be difficult to fight infections, so supporting it might be a useful thing to do.

If you have the viruses you listed, are you being treated with appropriate antivirals?

 

[Boba]

I had Hashimoto's, conjunctivitis, some noted cough and congestion issues, and constant sinus infections, all 1 - 2 years before the full-blown CFS.

I also noted some slight fatigue during that 1-2 yr period (before CFS) as well.

I think I may have got Enterovirus (EV70/71 or CVA24)... causes "Acute Hemorrhagic Conjunctivitis".

And later got multiple additional EV infections, including multiple Enterovirus B.

Your story is comparable to mine. 1,5 years before contracting Covid and coming down with CFS I started to get noticeable changes in my physiology. Hashimoto’s, increased fatiguability, very low stress tolerance, digestion issues and some brain fog. They say Hashimoto’s can cause all of this. Pushing through all those symptoms didn’t help I guess.
Did you have elevated stress during that period? Do you remember the point in time where this all started? I can clearly remember that I stopped to smoke and the downward spirale started.

 

[Boba]

I asked about the other tests because they relate to either immune function or inflammation. If you are immunodeficient in some way, it may be difficult to fight infections, so supporting it might be a useful thing to do.

If you have the viruses you listed, are you being treated with appropriate antivirals?

No antivirals for me yet. The IGG values were too low for that according to my immunologist. I remember having reoccurring mouth ulcers for the last 10 years. That supports the theory that my immune system is not working as it should. Really hard to believe that any therapy will give me my energy back. I‘m 37 and bedbound and nobody knows what’s going on…

 

[sometexan84]

Your story is comparable to mine. 1,5 years before contracting Covid and coming down with CFS I started to get noticeable changes in my physiology. Hashimoto’s, increased fatiguability, very low stress tolerance, digestion issues and some brain fog. They say Hashimoto’s can cause all of this. Pushing through all those symptoms didn’t help I guess.
Did you have elevated stress during that period? Do you remember the point in time where this all started? I can clearly remember that I stopped to smoke and the downward spirale started.

Hashi wasn't causing it for me because my symptoms didn't change after successfully treating it.

Yes, there was an 18 month period of abnormal stress, the end of which lead up to the first time I noted some fatigue.

I didn't remember much, too much time had passed. I had to go back and build a timeline from old notes, my medical records, emails, txts I'd sent etc. Because I def would not have remembered much of this, even when the extreme fatigue started, I don't clearly remember.

 

[Boba]

I asked about the other tests because they relate to either immune function or inflammation. If you are immunodeficient in some way, it may be difficult to fight infections, so supporting it might be a useful thing to do.

If you have the viruses you listed, are you being treated with appropriate antivirals?

Just had my call with the immunologist. He said my immune systems looks surprisingly fine and balanced. Just the CD57 NK Cells were a little low. According to him my body is still fighting several infections. Therefore he is putting me on Valtrex to see if it helps. I‘m very happy that he is doing that, didn’t expect a doctor in Germany to propose this on his own. He said another long Covid patient is doing very well on Valtrex. Just wanted to share. Sth is happening and I‘m happy about it.

 

[Learner1]

Just had my call with the immunologist. He said my immune systems looks surprisingly fine and balanced. Just the CD57 NK Cells were a little low. According to him my body is still fighting several infections. Therefore he is putting me on Valtrex to see if it helps. I‘m very happy that he is doing that, didn’t expect a doctor in Germany to propose this on his own. He said another long Covid patient is doing very well on Valtrex. Just wanted to share. Sth is happening and I‘m happy about it.

Well, that sounds very enlightened! Let us know how you do!