Common Variable Immunodeficiency

Question: is it possible to join the military with a misdiagnosed case of common variable immunodeficiency? i was diagnosed with the illness and underwent 7 introvenus infusions of medicine. after completing the treatment it was determined that i was misdiagnosed and never actually had the disease, can i still join

Answer: If you have paperwork from your doctor to prove you are good to go and they don't find anything else wrong at MEPS you should be fine. Double check with a recruiter first.

Question: Anyone else with CVID(Common Variable Immunodeficiency)? Just wondering, because i have it. I was diagnosed about a year ago and I'm on IVIG treatments once a month. They seem to be helping but i still get sick a lot. But i also have really bad asthma and allergies. So sometimes It's hard to tell if I'm getting an infection or if it's just asthma. I usually dont have a fever which makes me think its asthma. So is there anybody else out there with CVID and what has helped you guys?

Answer: CVID is prevalent in approximately 1 case per 50,000 population in the US and fortunately I'm not one. Here's some info for you: http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic870.h… Hope you're feeling better.

Question: If you have an immune deficiency can you have problems with depression? I was diagnosed with this rare genetic illness called Common Variable Immunodeficiency. I don't develop enough antibodies to fight off infections. Every since I can remember I have suffered from depression...sometimes major depressive episodes...other times low-grade depression. Since I've started getting monthly transfusions of antibodies it seems I feel alot better emotionally as well as physical for a few weeks. When I get to that last week before the next scheduled transfusion though...I start feeling depressed again. I've asked the doctor that does my treatments if the depression is a symptom but he said it isn't.

Answer: I'm sorry you have this disorder. But I believe with most things there is hope. So keep at it. As far as the depression, having any kind of health problem can make a person depressed. Just knowing you are limited in any way can bring a person's self-esteem down on top of struggling with a health problem. This is where you need to make sure you get some sort of support, emotionally. But it can also be coming from and irritated by your disorder. Depression has many causes, one of them can be compromised health. And obviously as your instincts tell you, the treatments are helping with your mood. That's a no tell! Here are some suggestions: Look into how depression works on a clinical/neurotransmitter(chemicals that helps us function emotionally and hormonally) level to understand how then your disorder plays into it. The best way to get control over one's health and health problems is to become your own healer and doctor. Start by learning as much as you can take about your disorder, even on a molecular level. Then understand depression and immunity and autoimmune system disorders more in depth. Then you can start to put things together about your own health. Also look into gut/digestive health and disorders. The new information out there is that up to 90% of our neurotransmitters are in our gut. Which is often why people who have depression also have gastrointestinal disorders and vice versa. There is a good book that I haven't yet gotten to but it is quickly becoming a principal read in this line of thinking: The Second Brain by Michael Gershon. I can't wait to read it. Another book is Digestive Wellness by Elizabeth Lipski. And for mood issues, The Mood Cure by Julia Ross is a really good, informative book on alternatives to drugs for depression and other mood disorders. She suggests some natural supplements that are really great for depression and anxiety. Just make sure you do your homework and learn about your disorder thoroughly before taking anything new. Nevertheless, the best thing is to trust your own instincts. Truly and most pertinently, they are what lead you through life. If you can tell that treatment is helping with depression, than it is. And if you feel your disorder causes or irritates your moods further, than it does. Trust your gut! Also, read more about the treatment itself so that you can understand the affect it has on a person. Read about what is actually involved and what materials/chemicals are put into your body and how it affects a person. It might be increasing your neurotransmitters without you knowing it!! Bonus! I could go on....Either way, learn and trust yourself. Empower yourself in regards to the healing process, because it is afterall, your health! Good luck! Oh, also read Healthy Immunity by Lorna Vanderhaeghe. Really really good book on Immune system and disorders!

Question: I never seem to be healthy. What is wrong with me? Been on antibiotics for a few wks now and still not better.? I have had this constant upper respiratory infection thing going on for over a month now. I was diagnosed with sinusitis, bronchitis, and pharyngitis most recently. My specialist believes that I have a common variable immunodeficiency. She wants me to start the Sub-Q injections (CVID), but I have to get rid of the infection first and get more blood work (despite all the blood work that I already gave; which points to the direction that I have this disorder). I have been on Ammox, Levaquin, and now a two week dose of Omnicef. I have a few days left on the Omnicef, however, I started feeling worse the past few days (cold, then hot, no fever, more mucus in chest, feeling fatigued, sore throat, headaches, tired). I am going for a chest CT this Sunday. I was supposed to get the pneumonia vaccine, but my PCP wouldn't give it to me while on antibiotics and still feeling ill.. I just feel as though I am always sick and I know the hypogammaglobulinemia (common variable immunodeficiency) may be the cause of my constant sickness, but I have been on antibiotics for awhile now and have no relief. What can I do to get some relief? Thanks for hearing me out and any additional questions needed to give me some answers is ok-- just get in touch with me :) Thank you in advance for helping!

Answer: get some Ultimate Probiotic Formula Acidophilus, take 4 to start with then when you start to feel better go down to 2. Keep this refrigerated when you open. Also take 1 vita C 1000 mgs twice a day and zinc 2 times daily, and echinacea 2 caps. 3 times daily until you feel better then go down to 2 times daily. P.S. you need the acidophilus anytime you take antibiotics to keep you from getting yeast infections and to put good bacteria back into your stomach, cause the antibiotics kill all the bacteria ,good and bad.

Question: losing friends because of illness? First off I'm a 16 year old male who has an immune disease called CVID (Common Variable Immunodeficiency) which basically means I get a lot of infections. I had to drop out of public school because of it and be home schooled. I have remained close with all my friends since then up until now. I've been sick a lot and never see them anymore. I don't even know if they care about me anymore. They never call or text me anymore. I feel like one of them has replaced me with other friends, which is fine but I just miss her. My best friend now works and has a boyfriend who's extremely clingy and I can never hang out with her alone because he's either with us or calling her when I'm with her. I don't have romantic feelings for her but she's just an amazing person and friend who I care about a lot. She works a lot and its nearly impossible to find a time to see each other. I just feel like they are all slipping away from me because I'm sick all the time. What should I do?

Answer: Everything will be okay. I have the same problem NO FRIENDS. They chose a piece of pizza over me. If they were your true friends they would not ditch you, they would help you. Dont blame yourself its not noodys fault but theirs. It's their loss not yours! TRUST ME. Find caring friends. I would never ditch you. :-)

Question: Have a question? Almost 2 years ago i was diagnosed with Cough Variant Asthma (type of asthma where coughing is the main or only symptom) I have lately been having trouble breathing when i start to do exercise and i get really bad chest pains and bad coughing after i have stop exercising. The chest pain will go away but the coughing can sometimes last the rest of the day. And all this responds to my inhaler and nebulizer. Could this mean my asthma is getting worse? I just want someone's opinion. But i'll ask my doctor the next time i see him which is fairly soon. Also i have absolutely no stamina and have an immune disease called Common Variable Immunodeficiency. Could that contribute to anything?

Answer: i think you have exercise induced asthma since it does respond to your medications. Talk to your respiratory Dr. about it. He might want to change your meds around. I have to use an inhaler prior to exercise.