MYJ | Another immune system boost at COH

One of the consequences of 16 months of chemotherapy following my March 2006 diagnosis with mantle cell lymphoma (now in remission a second time) is that my immune system is challenged. This new reality makes me far more susceptible to infections and illness, so we are guarded about exposures.

That's why we were back to City of Hope Wednesday for the second of a series of seven monthly IVIG infusions (gama globulin), a class of blood plasma proteins, most notably including the antibodies that help fight infections and disease. MORE | http://wisegeek.twi.bz/a

The gama globulin infusion process is not unlike chemotherapy, taking 5-6 hours to complete the dose of about a liter of fluid that looks like pink lemonade. But unlike chemo, this substance has few side-effects other than its main purpose (boosting the immune system).
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clipped from www.webmd.com Immunoglobulins An immunoglobulins test is done to measure the level of immunoglobulins, also known as antibodies, in your blood. Antibodies are substances made by the body's immune system in response to bacteria, viruses, fungus, animal dander, or cancer cells. Antibodies attach to the foreign substances so the immune system can destroy them. See a picture of the immune system . Antibodies are specific to each type of foreign substance. For example, antibodies made in response to a tuberculosis infection attach only to tuberculosis bacteria. Antibodies also work in allergic reactions. Occasionally, antibodies may be made against your own tissues. This is called an autoimmune disease.