neuro requested bloods, dont know what for

[Loopy Lou]

I just went to get some bloods done that the neuro requested. He asked for Tegretol levels and full blood count and I know what they're for, but also for anti-gad and nmda. Me and the nurse at my gp surgery have no idea what these are for so could anyone help me out?

Also, on another note, I found it amusing when I walked in and the nurse said "oh, I remember you! You can give five pots of blood without flinching but are scared of plasters! (band aids)"

 

[Loopy Lou]

Did a search for nmda and couldn't find anything I could understand. Apart from the National Miniature Donkey Association, but I don't think that's what I'm looking for lol!

 

[epileric]

Here's what I found when I googled them

Anti-GAD are Anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies

Anti-GAD antibodies target an enzyme called Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase antibodies
. This enzyme is responsible for converting glutamic acid to GABA,a chemical found in high concentrations in the cerebellum.

NMDA is the amino acid N-Methyl-D-aspartic acid

 

[Loopy Lou]

Hmm I can't see how the anti-gad can have something to do with my epilepsy, although that article is much easier to read than anything I found. I'm still none the wiser about nmda too, I came across that article when I looked but couldn't make any sense of it >.< sorry, I'm feeling very stupid today.

 

[Loopy Lou]

Oh wait, Ataxia (from the anti-gad article) means loss of muscle control. I get that one now!

 

[Loopy Lou]

Hm.... I looked up ndma now that i'm on the computer at my parents house (It's much more difficult on my android phone) and it seems like it can point to a few things.

-autoimmune problems
-encephalitis
-something to do with people recovering from heart problems (that's not me)

I'm still none the wiser as to why my neurologist would look for it in me though. Has anyone else had anything come from these tests? Perhaps i'm just a worrywort.

 

[Loopy Lou]

Oh wait i think i'm onto something here! And something i can actually understand too lol. Aaah, i remember when i used to be a brainiac... The article talks about looking for this nmda thing and then comes up with this.

At onset, the most distinctive features include prominent psychiatric symptoms with seizures, confusion and memory loss. Patients will sometimes show bizarre and often rather disturbing behaviours. Typically 10 to 20 days later, patients often develop a movement disorder, fluctuations in blood pressure, heart rate and temperature and may have a reduction in their level of consciousness. The movement disorder often consists of continuous writhing and twitching of face and limbs but can also be a generalised slowing-down of movements.

If this clinical pattern is recognized, other causes excluded (particularly infections) and the antibody result is positive, treatments should be started. Treatments consist of immune therapies (such as steroids, immunoglobulins and plasma exchange) and removal of a tumour, if present. Prompt therapies offer a good chance of substantial recovery in the majority of patients. However, such recovery is usually slow and many patients who return to work only do so after a year or two.

http://www.encephalitis.info/Info/TheIllness/TypesEncephalitis/PostInfectious/NMDA-receptor.aspx

I'm not sure what to think about that. As far as i'm aware i don't have any psychiatric problems but everything else seems to fit. Do you think my neurologist could be checking for this just to rule it out? I'm sorry to post so much, i've just been chewing over it in my head. I don't know if this is the only thing the nmda can point to, but it seems to come up over and over again and is related to some autoimmune issue.

I guess it'll be the end of the week at least before i find out.

 

[Loopy Lou]

Or then again, this makes more sense

Several conditions had been related to NMDAR antibodies, including lupus, stroke, viral encephalitis, and chronic epilepsy. Our goal was to identify the specific region [of the receptor] where antibodies responsible for anti-NMDAR encephalitis bind, he explained.

http://www.aan.com/elibrary/neurologytoday/?event=home.showarticle&id=ovid.com:/bib/ovftdb/00132985-200805150-00012

 

[epileric]

Cool.

Keep us updated if your doc has anything to say about the results.

 

[Loopy Lou]

I will do, thanks for letting me mumble and muse to myself lol

 

[kate705]

I have epilepsy linked to an Auto immune disease and had the tests.

 

[C0urt]

i was diaged with viral encephalitis from a tick bite on my leg that leaded to my original trip to the hospital. Could be part of his check list.

Just let it go for now and wait until you hear more.

 

[Soniag]

i take tegretol and have to have blood test because it can cause people to have low blood count and also cause liver function problems

 

[KarenB]

As far as i'm aware i don't have any psychiatric problems QUOTE]

I had to be a little amused. My Dad went a bit daft in his later years -- he tended to wander around the garden clad in nothing but his ancient military swim trunks and knickers on his head, studying the ant colonies, and comparing the activities of various species. And...the old dining room was taken up with a kayak-building project that never was completed. And the freezer had several dead birds (that had flown into the picture window) that Dad was intending to paint at some point in time....

...so anyway, I've always wondered if his "condition" was heriditary, and when I would start going bonkers, and if I would know it if I did...hopefully, someone would clue me in! Or...maybe just let me meander about like we did with Dad.

At any rate, I am very interested in the results of your blood tests, so please keep us posted!!