[cispence98]

Hi everyone, I have a question, Has anyone seen their lab values for IGM Immunoglobulins M? Mine have been double the high value for the last 4 blood draws and even before that almost 3 yrs ago before being diagnosed. I keep asking my doctor to review that and let me know if we need to investigate it further, but I always get "normal high for lupus patients" I don't think thats true, when I look it up on the internet it always refers to the liver and possible infection to other things. I just called again today to see if she would look into it, so hopefully she will review it further.
Has anyone else had high blood values for IGM? I really could use some help!!
Thanks and I hope all is well!!

 

[Maia]

I have experienced it, but in my case I believe it was due to a new bacterial infection that had yet to be diagnosed. I think my value was about 3 times the upper limit of normal and doctors weren't concerned believing it to be due to a new viral infection which in the end turned out to be bacterial.

It actually hasn't even been checked again... now that you mention it.

I am unaware of much beyond that... with respect to what you read on the internet... while there may be associations of IgM and other things... the main thing to keep in mind is just how frequently those types of things occur and if you also have symptoms consistent with those disorders. If you only have high IgM, but no symptoms to suggest a problem with the liver, etc., then that is likely why not much more is being done.

In other words, it's quite likely that 95+% of the time high IgM is not due to these other more serious causes that are concerning you, and without specific symptoms or other bloodwork indicators there is no reason to pursue the high IgM further. This is just my guess, of course you should talk to your doctor about this until you are satisfied with their response for the reasons why this blood abnormality is not being pursued further.

 

[cath]

HI,

I'm not very good at immunology - it is a complex field, but my understanding is that IgM is one type of immunoglobulin that initiates a primary response to an antigen - usually a virus or bacteria, but it can also be one's own cells in AI diseases.

Different IgM molecules will bind to different antigens. So you can have your IgM levels tested for Rubella, or CMV, or anticardiolipins etc, or a non-discriminating overall count.

Other types include IgG, IgD and IgE.

Generally the IgM levels rise quickly in response to an invading substance. Over time, the IgG levels rise and the IgM levels fall again.

A high IgE is often in response to something you are allergic to.

So, having a high IgM level is most likely due to either having a recent or present infecion or a sign that your body is making new autoantibodies (eg ANA etc).

Here is a link which might help:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibody

So, if I understand it correctly, it is indeed something that would be expected to be seen in lupus - your immune system making antibodies against your cells neucleus. After all that is essentially what lupus is about. That would be the likely reason the doctors don't seem concerned about it. They expect to see it.

Hope this helps?

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[cispence98]

Thanks for the reply, actually I have alot of messed up blood work that actually says the same kind of effects of the high IGM it seems all says liver and kidney in them I just hate seeing blood tests so wacked out and everything being blamed on the lupus I mean it IS possible that something could be overlooked but because its been so off the charts for so long what difference does it make now.
Anyway thank you for the reply!!

 

[cath]

Hi Laura,

Do you mean you have other bloods that are abnormal, or specificallly renal and hepatic blood abnormalities.

What are they and what are the values (and normal ref ranges)?

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