How does IVIG work? An IVIG mfg website says-

    • Anonymous
      March 16, 2011 at 7:27 pm

      Give credit to the Privigen website. I didn’t notice any copyright protections. Hope they don’t mind.

      Here it is:

      * Blockade and modulation of Fc receptors
      * Modulation of complement activation and anti-inflammatory effects
      * Anti-idiotypic neutralization of pathogenic auto- or alloantibodies
      * Selective down-regulation of antibody production
      * Accelerated catabolism of pathogenic autoantibodies
      * Regulation of apoptosis

      I’ll sleep so well tonight knowing this. Now if the Ig little buggers were Pac-Man (Pac-Woman) and gobbled up, cannibalized, all the bad guys, I could get that. But catabolism? Oh, brother (sister).

    • Anonymous
      March 16, 2011 at 10:40 pm

      Ha, ha, that is totally incomprehensible to me. I am not familiar with Privigen, but my neurologist tells me that no one is really sure exactly how immunoglobulin works. He tells me that “rogue antibodies” from my immune system attack my myelin sheaths. The IVIG may block or dilute the “rogue antibodies”, thus bringing relief. I only know that IVIG has saved me, and I thank God for it.

    • Anonymous
      March 16, 2011 at 11:12 pm

      The old one was that infusions could help re-program the bad IG’s to stop being malprogrammed [either due to genetics &/or other illness triggers]. The newer one is that you just overload w/good IG’s that outnumber the bad guys-so less damage is done.
      And, Yes, your vision of pac-man like anti-bodies is close to it..but the good pac-men don’t eat the bad ones, just outnumber them and keep them from doing more damages. I don’t think the infused IG’s are ‘programmed’ to eat the bad ones tho…?
      As to which approach is right? TBD and proven, but it has not been as yet from all I’ve found.
      More important tho? IS [B]IS[B][/B][/B] it working/helping for you?
      This is one of it works or it doesn’t! If it works? Good/Great! If not the options get a bit more complicated in balancing long term s/e’s vs short term s/e’s. IF it works and helps…remember there is a dear cost that comes with it insurance wise. Other options can be cheaper? But your whole body can pay a big price in the long run.
      Trade offs of benefits vs costs are always a key part of treatments for CIDP.
      Good luck with all the routes! homeagain

    • Anonymous
      March 17, 2011 at 8:43 pm

      [QUOTE=Goodney]Ha, ha, that is totally incomprehensible to me. …[/QUOTE]

      Now, that’s what I’m talking about. Climb on board, laugh your butts off, have fun. Time enough for serious talk in other threads.