ESR and CRP and Immugabulin
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Hi, I was just diagnosed on 12th November with PMR and got started on 20mg pred. Am just so happy to enjoy the absence of pain. Had to get my bloods done this morning so got the opportunity to ask the nurse what my ESR was the last 2 blood tests. First one was 124 on the 7th November and then it went down to 118 on the 17th November. Also my CRP was 46.7 on 17th November, the nurse informed me my ESR should be below 10 but didn't say what my CRP should be, only that it should be lower. Also testing my (I cannot spell this) immugabulin. What does immugabulin show and what is the normal rate. I would be grateful for anybodies comments. Thank you
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EileenH pat38625
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I wonder why they are checking your immunoglobulin level - never come across it for PMR before. It is an antibody, a protein that identifies foreign bodies like bacteria and viruses and then destroys them, so important in your immune response to infections. At one time (1970s or so) it was thought that viruses might be the cause of PMR but that has been pretty much discredited now. If they are low then you will struggle to fight off infections, maybe they want to know as pred also supposedly reduces the efficiency of your immune system. Can't say I have noticed at the moderate doses used for PMR - I've had fewer colds in the last 5 years! There are 5 main immunoglobulins and they are low or high depending on the circumstances - what you have been exposed to so although I'm quoting figures they aren't particularly useful in that sense. Allergies raise some, infections raise others.
The normal values listed here—called a reference range—are just a guide. These ranges vary from lab to lab, and your lab may have a different range for what's normal. Your lab report should contain the range your lab uses. Also, your doctor will evaluate your results based on your health and other factors. This means that a value that falls outside the normal values listed here may still be normal for you or your lab.
The results listed below are normal values for adults. Children have different values than adults. Results are usually ready in several days.
Immunoglobulins
IgA: 60–400 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or 600–4,000milligrams per liter (mg/L)
IgG: 700–1,500 mg/dL or 7.0–15.0 grams per liter (g/L)
IgM: 60–300 mg/dL or 600–3,000 mg/L
IgD: 0–14 mg/dL or 0–140 mg/L
IgE: 3–423 international units per milliliter (IU/mL) or 3–423 kilo-international units per liter (kIU/L)
Do let us know how you get on! So pleased you are feeling better with the pred though - but don't let them persuade you to reduce too fast. PMR and pred is a long haul flight I'm afraid, definitely not weeks, a couple of years is more usual.
linda17563 EileenH
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pat38625 EileenH
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EileenH linda17563
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Has the headache improved at all? Anything else?
EileenH pat38625
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pat38625 linda17563
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pat38625 EileenH
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EileenH pat38625
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pat38625 EileenH
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EileenH pat38625
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pat38625 EileenH
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EileenH pat38625
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OK - yes, you did say and I should have noticed the "sure its early days" shouldn't I? Can I put it down to pred brain?
pat38625 EileenH
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pat38625 EileenH
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EileenH pat38625
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On another thread I have written quite a lot about myofascial pain syndrome and the similarities to PMR. I was told by someone who does research in it that it is commonly found alongside PMR. I have had both for a long time and the PMR can be reasonable but the MPS was hellish and made the PMR worse - does that make sense? Once the MPS was sorted out I have been able to reduce the pred dose steadily. The higher doses of pred can mask some of the MPS pain too but it can also get bad enough to break through even at the top end of the doses used in PMR.
Google it and the Mayo and Cleveland clinic pages are good as is the video from spine health. What do you think?
linda17563 EileenH
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when you said Eilleen that you saw another Rheumy, can we request to see a dofferent one if we want to??.....
Good luck to Pat as well....what a battle we all have....but we must keep positive...although very hard on some days......and of course xmas is coming!!
EileenH linda17563
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pat38625 EileenH
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pat38625 linda17563
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pat38625 EileenH
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EileenH pat38625
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beatrice74480 pat38625
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