what is C4A?

[floydguy]

Anyone have any idea why C4a blood test results fluctuate? Is C4a an indicator of Lyme disease or mold exposure?

8-1-2011 19,097
8-24-2011 73,350 (done twice in one month)
9-21-2011 13,155
12-7-2011 54,637

I don't think it's totally clear yet what causes high C4a. Certainly, I would check for mold in the house. But it's not always just mold causing high levels. In my case, I lived in the desert in a tent for several months and my levels went higher. With high levels like yours, you can certainly conclude your immune system is either dysfunctional or being disturbed by something. But I am not sure you can conclude anything specific. Shoemaker would probably say that the fluctuation has to do with mold exposure and that may be occasionally be the case but I am not sure if anybody really knows in all cases. Mine have been as high as 67,000 but now are typically at 15,000. I haven't gotten them checked for a while. I don't think my insurance covers the test any more.

 

[mlccc2]

I don't think it's totally clear yet what causes high C4a. Certainly, I would check for mold in the house. But it's not always just mold causing high levels. In my case, I lived in the desert in a tent for several months and my levels went higher. With high levels like yours, you can certainly conclude your immune system is either dysfunctional or being disturbed by something. But I am not sure you can conclude
anything specific. Shoemaker would probably say that the fluctuation has to do with mold exposure and that may be occasionally be the case but I am not sure if anybody really knows in all cases. Mine have been as high as 67,000 but now are typically at 15,000. I haven't gotten them checked for a while. I don't think my insurance covers the test any more.

Thanks for your reply. When your C4a was at 67,000 did you have any symptoms? How about at 15,000? Any exposure to mold? Any symptoms now? I have numerous neurological problems that change all the time. We did have our house remediated for mold as one of our shower pans was leaking. I basically just feel lousy all the time. Doesn't help to have Epstein Barr virus either.

 

[mlccc2]

Anyone experienced several episodes of muscle twitching/leg cramps along with itchy skin, a sense of something crawling on you and your hands going numb? My hands are almost always ice cold for some reason and I have no history of poor circulation. Above symptoms are really pronounced when I attempt to lie down anywhere and frequently wake me up.

 

[mlccc2]

Anyone able to read Ignex Western Blot tests? I cannot get the ordering physician to interpret mine. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Ignex panel results were as follows:



(Lyme IgM Western Blot)

IGENEX IGM RESULTS NEGATIVE
CDC/NYS RESULTS NEGATIVE

18kDa -
**23-25 kDa -
28kDa -
30kDa -
**31kDa -
**34kDa -
**39kDa -
**41kDa IND
45kDa -
58kDa -
66kDa -
**83-93kDa -


(Lyme IgG Western Blot)

IGENEX IGG RESULTS NEGATIVE
CDC/NYS RESULTS NEGATIVE

18kDa -
**23-25 kDa -
28kDa -
30kDa -
**31kDa -
**34kDa IND
**39kDa IND
**41kDa ++
45kDa -
58kDa -
66kDa -
**83-93kDa -

 

[mhazelrigg]

Hello, I am new to this forum, so if this is the wrong place, please advise. I recently had a series of testing done for chronic Lyme and those tests came back inconclusive. Of concern was my C4a and C3a. My C3a was 409 with the reference range of 0-489 and my C4a was 44,480 with a reference range of 0-2890. My doctor suspects mold and wants me to do a charcoal regime. I am not sure what the right thing to do is. I have been treated for CFS and fibromyalgia for about 10 years. No one else in my home is sick, with the exception of colds and occasional sinus problems that seemingly stems from living in the Midwest near a corn sweetener and soybean plants. Any information would be helpful.