My Immune System Test Results-Need Help from Savvy People!

[TheMoonIsBlue]

Hey everyone!

So I need some help from all you smart people- I feel like all I do is ask questions-sorry! But if there is anyone out there who could help me understand these results and how they might indicate how my immune system if functioning I would really appreciate it. I tried looking them up online but there is so little info about this in regards to ME/CFS.

CD4/CD3 Dual (T Helper) %
71.0 (HIGH) range 32-62%


CD8/CD3 Dual (T Supressor) %
13.4 (LOW) range 14-38%

This one is the one I am most confused about:

HELPER/SUPPRESSOR RATIO
5.3 (HIGH) range 0.9-3.5 Ratio

I'm guessing from how it is worded, that I have more T-Helper than T-Suppressor cells? Does anyone know what this could mean?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can shed some light on what these may mean!

 

[TheMoonIsBlue]

Hi, probably a busy day/weekend ahead for everyone in the states with Thanksgiving......just checking in again to see if anyone may know what this high Helper/Suppressor T-Cell Ratio may mean?

Thanks

 

[alex3619]

Hi TheMoonIsBlue, I can't answer specifically, but here is a wikipedia link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helper/suppressor_ratio

I am not a CFS doc, I don't really understand the clinical implications of this. My best guess is that this means your immune systems is cranked to full ON. In this state you are likely to have problems from an overactive immune system - but I would like to see a doc comment on this, I am only guessing.

Bye
Alex

ps My further guess, emphasis on guess, is that this indicates a Th2 bias, which is typical of CFS.

 

[TheMoonIsBlue]

Hey Alex, Thanks for the reply, that is what I have been thinking.....it likely means I have a highly Overactive immune system. Upregulated I guess it is also referred to. I had an ANA recently as a precaution, and it was negative.

So I wonder what in the world I should do......! I read a lot online that CD4 generally tends to be lowered in ME/CFS but I believe I read an older statement by Dr. Komaroff (sp?) that some of his sickest ME/CFS patients have high CD4 (helper cells). Atleast this test shows, something isn't right with my immune system.

And ME/CFS amateur research wizards, feel free to chime in!

 

[heapsreal]

hi moon,
all my cd lymphocytes are elevated even my cd4. I think when there elevated it shows our immune system is fighting something and when low is when our immune system is worn out from fighting all these bugs. The common finding in cfs is that our natural killer cells are not working properly even though the number of nk cells can be normal, this maybe why our other lymphocytes become elevated to compensate for our nk dysfunction.

cheers!!!

 

[TheMoonIsBlue]

Thanks Heapsreal,
I'm still trying to learn about T-Cells and NK cells but it's impossible when my brain and body feels 3/4 asleep all the time. My lab didn't specifically have any "Natural Killer Cell" Test-I guess I would have to test through VipDx for that. I've always had the feeling my immune system is in "HIGH ALERT" and overreacting to everything because of my viral infections. But I'm up against a wall as to how to treat what I know I already have......not to mention what I probably have but just don't know it yet! I think my immune system being on "High Alert" or "UpRegulated" is likely also the cause of my neurological impairments, including chronic sleep dysfunction.
It is like, my body and brain are exhausted beyong words but there is something in me that won't settle down.....

I hope someone figures some treatment out soon.........if addressing specific pathogens doesn't resolve a lot of the symptoms for many people then I guess we are going to need something that addresses the IMMUNE system and Immune System dysregulation in general.

 

[heapsreal]

if u get a lymphocyte sub set test or tcell test, your nk cells are the cd56 t cell but it will only give u their number not how they function, function of nk cells is a specific test u may find hard to get, the only reason im getting it is im in a cfs study measuring nk cell activity, but alot of the cfs guru's in america have access to this test. U will also find that the medications that have had some success at treating our immune systems work by having an affect on interferon which our bodies produce normally and they have antiviral properties as well as improve nk cell function and anti-inflammatory effects against viral induced inflammation. Basically they are all interferon inducers, plus they all have there own specific quirk, ampligen being the king with immunovir, cycloferon, there staright interferon like they use for hep c and this GCMaF which acts on macrophages and has antivirals effects as well. I think depending on how high your viral load is getting it down helps then u may need one of the interferon inducers to get the immune system to try and finish the rest of them of.
good luck woth it all.

cheers!!!

 

[TheMoonIsBlue]

Thanks again Heapsreal. Now the question is, what can a person do when they have no access to a genuine ME/CFS doctor. I'll have to see what is even possible within the realm of the doctors I have access to. I know that cycloferon is not available in the U.S., nor is immunovir, nor is GCMaF I believe unless imported (if this is even legal). For some reason, I can't even tolerate 1mg of Valtrex anymore without feeling extremely ill. I wonder if these meds could be making my immune system more upregulated for some reason now. I could take them in the past, not now.
Where are the friggin' centers for excellence.........!