I receive IVIG and hope that I can stay on it. It has made a difference for me. I have read that they 'wash' it and that is is very unlikely to have mad cow. (Now this is assuming you trust what our government tells us, and I admit, I have my qualms).

Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy prions have been found in aquifers. We created a huge mess with feeding cattle to cattle and now it is in the natural cycle. Chronic Wasting Disease of deer and elk happens to be the most prevalent in animals grazing where cow dung is. I think it is a matter of load...how much of a load of prion you get, not IF you get it. I wonder who among us has no prions from any source, wild meat, cattle, sheep, blood products etc. Our other problem is, you can not 'kill' a prion. First off all it isn't alive, and secondly, it refuses to unbind itself. They have tried freezing, heating, irradiating it and subjecting it to all kinds of loud music, and it will not give up its shape, or mission. I make light of it, but it is a serious problem, and won't get any less serious unless we admit how serious of a problem it is.

I try not to think about it. I have other issues to worry about outliving, besides mad cow.

If you want a brain disease to be concerned about Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy, PML is more prevalent. It happens when the JC virus which 80% of us carry in our brain, reactivates due to immunosuppressive treatments, mostly TNF blockers such as rituxan, Enbrel or other 'mab' drugs....or the disease AIDS. Lots of TNFs being given out. Chances of PML occuring due to a TNF blocker is greater than Mad Cow in IVIG.

No treatment is without risk. We all have to choose our risk level and take responsibility for what happens. Hopefully, we are all properly informed.

And your doctor was really out of line worrying you to that extent on the Mad Cow. IVIG is very expensive, and the docs have to jump thru hoops to get it for you....perhaps that was his motivation. Gosh i hope not.

Hope you are all well and I would not worry any more.