Heather, I've a question for you!

What is Protein Electrophoresis and what relation does it have with mastocytosis?  Mine are off and I'm trying to understand what this means in the light of masto.   Do you know?

Thanks!

Lisa

Sure Heather,

Ive been showing consistantly for some time now alterations as to the Albulmin and Globulin and Protein indicators

The Albulmin is consistantly high, the Globulin consistantly low and the protein indicator consistantly high as well.   When my exams were being divided into the Alpha 1 and Alpha 2 they were consistantly low as well.  

What it all means, especially in light of masto, is what I'm now beginning to wonder - especially with that really weird negative c-kit finding.  It's beginning to concern me.  But I guess I shouldn't since I don't see any of my doctors jumping.  This is what makes me wonder, but not freak because even though we have to measure our diseases in light of mastocytosis, anything that really screams aggressive is going to talk to the simplest of doctors!!!!   So the fact that I don't see any doctors jumping summersaults around me, leaves me at peace.   It's turned into more of a curiosity instead.

I've shown it to Dr. Castells once and she did a little bit of jumping in that she asked for some kidney exams.  I'm going to show it to her again once I get the serotonin levels back for I decided to ask my doctor to run this exam, the serotonin as well as the ANA since these 3 exams are consistantly altered.  The ANA returned with a 1:160 titter this time - it came down from the 1:320 it was last year.  The serotonin will be off too.  It's consistantly dropped and I"m wondering if it will continue to be lower as well.  

Oh the things we do to take care of ourselves!!!

Thanks for the answers, Heather!  

Lisa

Lisa wrote on 03/13/11 at 00:13:14:

Right... none of these point toward your bone marrow as the source of the problem.  How have your liver enzymes been?  

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Mine bounces all over the place.  In January 2010 mine was 1:320.  I had it tested again in April 2010... 1:40!  What I've learned is that a positive ANA is never really a "false positive."  It does indicate that your immune system is attacking your own body.  The question is, "What symptoms do you have to match that ANA?"  It's not worth treating an autoimmune disorder if the symptoms are not bothering you!  It just means that you, as a patient, need to be aware of the possibility of developing a "clinically-significant" autoimmune disorder in the future... something that does require treatment.  Once you've had a positive ANA the risk is always there.

Quote:

Maybe, but what does that mean for your well-being (and possibly treatment) as a patient?

Heather

The liver enzymes are alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP).  Those are the primary tests for assessing liver function, which is why they're part of the standard CMP.  If those are good and you're feeling fine, then I wouldn't worry about your liver!

One last thing... have you ever been vaccinated against Hepatitis A/B or been tested for those infections?  

Heather

Right!  Some things in the body are easy to raise by supplementing (like iron or B-12)... others can be raised through indirect means (vitamin C, for example, is necessary for collagen production), but not all levels can be altered so easily.  Our bodies have LOTS of checks, balances, and redundancies to keep things on an even keel.

If I were in your shoes, I would start studying how the body produces serotonin.  My understanding of SSRIs, for example, is that they don't change how much serotonin is in your body... they just change how the receptors in your brain make use of it.  I don't know for sure.  It's not my area of specialty!  That's the kind of knowledge you'll need to converse with a specialist and assess whether s/he knows what s/he is talking about.

Heather