Visiting the Ass Man

For those of you who don’t understand the Seinfeld reference in this posting’s title, I visited the gastroenterologist today. I was referred by my immunologist. I had had three successful IVIG infusions and it was time to figure out why I was still experiencing all these crazy symptoms. The best place to start, she asserted, was with the colon. People with CVID often have issues with gastrointestinal infection, inflammation, etc. because they often don’t produce IgA (I know I sure don’t). IgA are the antibodies that primarily protect the colon from infections. She believes that something may be going on in my colon that is stressing my immune system.

So, off I went to see if we could start to determine why I have chronic hives and now arthritis. The doctor said that a CT scan showed that I had enlarged lymph nodes in the fat around my colon and it looked like this tissue was inflamed. He doesn’t think that he will find anything related to my hives but is still going to do a colonoscopy of my small intestine to make sure. I asked if there might be any infections that would cause hives and he was doubtful.

Once again, I have no real answers about the cause of my hives but I will keep trying. I don’t really have a choice.

The Idiopath abides…

How to Live your Life with CVID

For the past 6 months I have been freaked out about my diagnosis. I was really sick in March; I came down with a really bad lung infection secondary to a cold that I had caught from some family members. I developed swollen, painful nodes, my hives went into overdrive, I was dizzy all the time and my knees, elbows and hip joints began to swell and get painful. Additionally, I developed acute pain under my left rib cage. I felt like my body had just decided to fall apart.

In the meantime, I was getting bored with my job. I had held the same position for almost four years. I was feeling unchallenged, under appreciated, micromanaged and generally unhappy. My wife implored me to find something new. “Quit and I’ll be your sugar mama until you find a new job,” she would regularly say.

But I had great insurance and was not in the greatest health. I had just begun successful IVIG treatments, at $10,000 a pop that stuff ain’t cheap. Also, I was having CAT scans, expensive blood tests, regular visits to the emergency room. I felt like my health was a huge question mark and I didn’t want a change in insurance to suddenly cost me exorbitant amounts out of pocket. Additionally, I had great long term disability insurance. If I need to be out for extended periods receiving chemo for lymphoma or colon cancer or whatever, I would be well taken care of.

But as the docs look at me (and keep looking) they don’t find anything worrisome about my condition. I have no signs of lymphoma. I have no symptoms that could be construed as some sort of serious autoimmune disorder like Sjogren’s or Lupus or MS. I have your basic run-of-the-mill CVID issues…

and I have always had a dream — to live and work in New York City.

The doctors are still trying to find out why my hives are so bad and why my gut hurts so much (they think the two symptoms may be related) and there is some streaking in the fat that surrounds my colon. I am scheduled for a colonoscopy later next week to see if I have any serious gastrointestinal issues.

I just gave notice today at work, I will be starting a new job, a more interesting job in a great area, with really interesting people in 4 weeks. The insurance isn’t quite as good: there is a bigger copay on drugs, I have to pay more for my wife and kid. But it’s in SoHo.

I don’t know if something is seriously wrong with me, it seems always right around the corner. But when I walk down the street today I keep my eyes straight ahead. There is plenty to see in Manhattan right in front of you.

Getting Worse

So, I have been experiencing a number of symptoms lately related to my chronic urticaria, I believe, and they seem to be getting worse. Here is a list:

a) I have been taking Zyrtec for my hives. Up until last month, I only needed to take 10 mg. once every 2-3 days to control outbreaks. Now, I am taking the maximum dosage, 10 mg. every 12 hours and I am still having pretty serious outbreaks. Nothing that has necessitated the use of my epi pen yet, but the trajectory is toward less Zyrtec effectiveness. I now supplement with 25 mg. Benadryl and occasionally a Singulair or two.

b) I have several lymph nodes in my underarm, near my sternum and across my chest that are enlarged and painful.

c) I have periodic drenching night sweats

d) My hip joints are inflamed and it has become painful to walk.

e) I have increasing pressure under my lower left ribcage. I am afraid that my spleen is taking over my abdominal cavity.

 I think my immune system is in hyper-drive. I’m not sure if this is related to my recent IVIG infusions. There seems to be a rough correlation between when the infusions started and when these symptoms began. I am wondering if the residual IgA in the Gammagard SD that may be increasing the amount of anti-IgA antibodies in my system. I have a doctor appointment on Thursday. We’ll see what she says.