high K+ level could result from elevated platelets
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199110103251515
Great links, thanks! After taking a couple of days off from my research into What The Heck is Wrong With Me, I'm getting right back into it. I had 2 very social days, with lunch out with friends and totally collapsed after for 3 days.
But it was totally worth it! My body ached all over, my eyes stung with exhaustion, but my spirit was uplifted and I'm so happy. Just occasionally, it's great to go out, let the adrenalin rush of having fun, connecting with people, take over. Then have the great memories to enjoy while my body gets on with being wrecked. Just as long as I've done all the laundry and stocked up on convenience food for the family before I go act like a regular person.
Ah, the sweet/sour balancing act of a fatiguing illness!
Infection, Vaccination, and Autoantibodies in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Cause or Coincidence? - Source: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Sep 2009
http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?LIBID=14870
Hi ! I know it is frustrating, as I went many years without a diagnosis. Here is a recent research study on anticardiolipin antibodies in the serum of CFS patients. Of couse many lupus patients have anticardiolipin antibody syndrome ! Interesting how CFS, lyme and fibro... are so similiar and taking on many characteristics of autoimmune diseases. All of these conditions are so similar. I have a positive ANA titer (ranges from 1:320 to 1:640 - speckled pattern) and yet I don't have an autoimmune disease diagnosis. And my ANA wasn't positive until many years of suffering from CFS (undiagnosed). I also used to have some lupus like symptoms, until I began treatment.
Although you don't have a diagnosis, there are tests for bacterial infections... which are present in many CFS and autoimmune disease patients. In addition, there are treatments for these infections. For more information, visit http://www.immed.org and consider googling, "The Roadback Foundation".
Anticardiolipin Antibodies in the Sera of Patients With Diagnosed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
http://www.cfids-cab.org/rc/Hokama-1.pdf
Hello. My ANA test and Anti-Cardiolipid tests came back negative, but I tested weak-positive for Lupus Anti-Coagulant Anti-Bodies and the Lupus test was also just in the positive range. But my family doctor hasn't much to say about this - it doesn't mean I have Lupus (thank god) but she wants to defer to the opinion of the Reumatologist I'm due to see in early November.
I'm so desperate to do something pro-active for myself in the interim. I'm driving myself nuts researching all this myself. I don't fit into any disease-profile - which is both a huge relief and a big frustration. No bad disease, but no treatment ideas, either! I think I'll order the Teitelbaum Treatment Protocol supplements and get going on that. I can't just lay around like this!
Glad I could help... please keep us posted !
Hi PlateletGal!
I was hoping you'd pick this up and respond - and you came up trumps for me!
Thank you so much for the link to this post. It could explain alot.
I'm waiting on the results of my anti-cardiolipid and ANA test. They didn't check my cortisol level. I'm praying for some real answers, at long last. And to see if it's worth investing close on $200 a month for all of the supplements that Dr Teitelbaum recommends for my health problems...
RE: Your high platelet count:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Autoimmune-Disorders/Anticardiolipin-Antibodies-in-the-Sera-of-Patients-with-DiagnosedChronic-Fatigue-Syndrome/show/1022274
Since your CRP is elevated, have they checked your cortisol level or did an ANA test to rule out an overlapping autoimmune disease ?