from my own experiences the testing for autoimmune markers was a two stage event.
The neuro who was in the process of diagnosing me was ever so politically correctly SLOW! So I went and got that good old 'second opinion' route. I don't know how it lucked out but I ended up with the head of the neuro dept at Georgetown Univ!! It was he that looked at me, had me do the walking stuff, the close the eyes stuff- I HATE that one TILT?, and then ordererd the MRI's to be set up and took a LOT of blood tests..He sent his diagnosis to ME with copies to my primary and neuro docs. As much as I respect G'town, I really cannot 'do' all the corridors from the parking lot to the offices...even w/valet parking. The G'town neuro ordered some more f/u tests and my neuro was nudged to take over from there-w/those blood work-ups and the spinal. The local guy now had the ammo he needed plus another doc to justify any and all concerns about diagnosis and treatments.
4-1/2 weeks after the tests came back I'd been cleared and started on IVIG.
My immune #'s were off kilter, I don't remember how much, but DO recall that it was flagged on the tests-for both the spinal and the blood works.. I also had other bloodwork#'s off kilter, nothing dramatic, but not enuf to then, nor do now make much sense. I WILL master those tests yet!
I believe in my case it was the pneumonia a few months earlier, how quickly the numbness spread for a while, then later only kept creeping up towards the trunk. I also believe that my thyroid, which had 'acted' up a few months after onset and before diagnosis [now diagnosed as Hashi's] was either a reactor or contributor to the AI#'s...but I'd only one blip in that quarter and no one thot to check the auto-i Thyroid #'s on that at the time, as basic TSH #s were normal once meds were adjusted...Same with the cancer aspect...that was NOT checked at the time of CIDP diagnosis. I do believe it's gonna become more common to have it done in the future tho...I don't think I could be the only human with all these things going on in such a short time span!
Long, complex-have had lots of time to think it out...I believe that it just took the pneumonia to start the dominoes falling, whether genetics or whatwhoknowsallels came into play. We are HUMAN, therefore we don't usually meet the criteria for being lab rats that are genetically engineered for much of research.
Well you now have the short version of my getting diagnosed and the whole blood work and spinal issues.
LizaJane, I was not at all internet conversant at the time this all was going on...I did and got all my opinions, second opinions and more opinions before I became so-it was pure instinct that nagged me to do MORE. I did learn tho - that I'd gotten things done correctily - thanks to your worksheets. Something I 'liken' to the 'roadmap' of the diagnostic processes. - j