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Can Reduced Immune Levels Cause Purulent Sores All Over My Face ?
Question: I Have several health issues/. MG, diabetes, Hashimoto's, severe immune defiencey Restrictive lund disease due to MG, central apnea, narcolepsy, etc. My problen at the moment is purulent sores all over face and body post thymectomy. These cleared after 2 years on IVIG. Then insurance said I was welll and and stopped IVIG and all sores came back. My immune levels in basment again and restarted IVIG Any suggestions in the meantime
Hi,
Thanks again.
I apologise for the delay in answering your question.
After reading your description, it seems that the cause for recurrent purulent sores has been reduced immune factors. Perhaps the drugs used in the treatment of Myaesthenia Gravis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis and diabetes could be contributing to immune deficiency. I suggest that these are addressed primarily.
As far as treating the problem, IV gammaglobulin (IVIg)therapy is the most suitable treatment. You may need continue IVIg along with antibiotics to treat purulent sores.
Stem cells harvested from bone marrow are transplanted into immunodeficient individuals in the hope of developing new immune cells from them. Though the effectiveness of this therapy is yet to be established, you may try this out after discussing with your primary doctor. Improvement with this form of treatment is gradual and longer lasting than IVIg.
Hope you find my answers informative and helpful enough to be appreciated. Should you have any clarifications, I am available for follow ups.
Regards
Thanks again.
I apologise for the delay in answering your question.
After reading your description, it seems that the cause for recurrent purulent sores has been reduced immune factors. Perhaps the drugs used in the treatment of Myaesthenia Gravis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis and diabetes could be contributing to immune deficiency. I suggest that these are addressed primarily.
As far as treating the problem, IV gammaglobulin (IVIg)therapy is the most suitable treatment. You may need continue IVIg along with antibiotics to treat purulent sores.
Stem cells harvested from bone marrow are transplanted into immunodeficient individuals in the hope of developing new immune cells from them. Though the effectiveness of this therapy is yet to be established, you may try this out after discussing with your primary doctor. Improvement with this form of treatment is gradual and longer lasting than IVIg.
Hope you find my answers informative and helpful enough to be appreciated. Should you have any clarifications, I am available for follow ups.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dear Dr XXXXXXX
I am sorry to be so slow in thanking you for your interest in my case. It has been a slow day for me.
I have suffered tremendous pain from these sores and it was only by accident that we found the IVIg cleared them. I was on IVIg for very frequent severe pneumonias and MG. Because my lungs were getting worse, they checked my immune levels which were very low. After 2 years on IVIG the sores were gone. I took myself off methadone (that was a couple of years ago). Then the insurance said "your immune levels are normal you must be well". DUH! I hope they were normal...I had been on IVIg for over 2 years! Well the sores started to come back and each blood check showed my immune levels dropping. I get 36 Gm of Ig q 2 weeks. If we try to lengthen it out and sores are just under the surface, waiting to break out. They are bad but never as bad as the first few years I had them before IVIg.
The Primary areas you mentioned:
MG treatment; Mestinon Q 4h and time-span at night
Thyroiditis; 125mcg q day
Diabetes very brittle (lows in 30 highs above 600)Humulin 70/30 and Novalog. I am very insulin resistant and also have "Dawn phenomena". Maybe need insulin pump?
I am very interested in the stem cell treatment. My doctors seem to think it is too risky. I would love to try it. The quality of my life is not what I want or thought I would have to accept at this stage of my life. Death does not scare me...living on like this, does.
Is there anything I should be saying to my docs so they would be willing to try stem cell?
Most Sincerely, XXXXXXX Kiser
I am sorry to be so slow in thanking you for your interest in my case. It has been a slow day for me.
I have suffered tremendous pain from these sores and it was only by accident that we found the IVIg cleared them. I was on IVIg for very frequent severe pneumonias and MG. Because my lungs were getting worse, they checked my immune levels which were very low. After 2 years on IVIG the sores were gone. I took myself off methadone (that was a couple of years ago). Then the insurance said "your immune levels are normal you must be well". DUH! I hope they were normal...I had been on IVIg for over 2 years! Well the sores started to come back and each blood check showed my immune levels dropping. I get 36 Gm of Ig q 2 weeks. If we try to lengthen it out and sores are just under the surface, waiting to break out. They are bad but never as bad as the first few years I had them before IVIg.
The Primary areas you mentioned:
MG treatment; Mestinon Q 4h and time-span at night
Thyroiditis; 125mcg q day
Diabetes very brittle (lows in 30 highs above 600)Humulin 70/30 and Novalog. I am very insulin resistant and also have "Dawn phenomena". Maybe need insulin pump?
I am very interested in the stem cell treatment. My doctors seem to think it is too risky. I would love to try it. The quality of my life is not what I want or thought I would have to accept at this stage of my life. Death does not scare me...living on like this, does.
Is there anything I should be saying to my docs so they would be willing to try stem cell?
Most Sincerely, XXXXXXX Kiser
Hi,
Good to hear from you again.
Apologies again for the delayed reply.
Yes, you can go for stem cell transplantation and need to convince your doctor about the way of living at present with all the conditions and the life after the treatment.
There are both the pros and cons of this therapy but as the procedure is more beneficial than the side effects,so it can be considered. Please discuss about this with your doctor.
Hope this answers your query and your doctor is convinced for the therapy.
Wish you a speedy recovery.
Regards.
Good to hear from you again.
Apologies again for the delayed reply.
Yes, you can go for stem cell transplantation and need to convince your doctor about the way of living at present with all the conditions and the life after the treatment.
There are both the pros and cons of this therapy but as the procedure is more beneficial than the side effects,so it can be considered. Please discuss about this with your doctor.
Hope this answers your query and your doctor is convinced for the therapy.
Wish you a speedy recovery.
Regards.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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