What is Lyme Disease
Lyme disease or Lyme borreliosis is the most common vector-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere. Named after the town of Lyme, Connecticut, it is now one of the fastest growing...
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Okay, as some of you may know..I had an MRI because of vertigo. The MRI showed a small non-specific brain lesion. The report mentioned getting tested for lyme.
My doctor has given me a blood test paper to take to the lab. The tests she is ordering are for rheumatoid and thyroid. She also ordered for lyme. The test checked is: lyme IgG/IgM with Reflex Western Blot. I know that there are certain tests that must be ordered to detect lyme (as some show false negatives). Is this the correct test..the test you recommend? Or should I try something else? I so want this to be lyme. Nothing more serious..like leukemia (which is another test she is taken, I think). Anyway..with lyme, it will explain all my aches/pains, tiredness, etc. Thanks. Thanks. Posted on 10/29/09, 10:10 pm |
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Yes, the Western Blot is the test (actually two tests - IgG and IgM) you want. It is not without problems or controversy, though. Here is one writing about it:
http://www.lymenet.de/labtests/brenner.htm I'm sure your doctor so wants this to be not lyme... not anything, for that matter! Just remember this test is Inconclusive with a capital "I" so don't let anyone tell you that you DON'T have Lyme simply bases on test results. I will leave it to others to chime in with more details, there are other tests but it is mainly a clinical diagnosis at the end of the day. -FM 
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(link didn't work,
http://www.lymenet.de/labtests/brenner.htm ...cut and pasting it will, if this doesn't)
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I checked out the link. Thanks so much!
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I did not open up the link, and maybe this is in there, but if not:
If you get the lyme test anywhere other than Igenex you are quite possibly wasting your money and time (and blood!). Please be sure to research the importance of using Igenex. I can't tell you how many of us had NEGATIVE tests until we sent it in to Igenex. Good luck and keep us posted.
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I agree. I have tested negative for more than 7 years and have fought because I knew what I had was Lyme. Finally found a LLMD that uses Igenex and BINGO!!! I finally after all these years had a positvie reading along with a positive for the co-infection Earlichia. It is important that you be tested for the co-infections that can accompany it. Not all people get the co-infections (there are a few) but alot do. Best of luck.
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Agreed. The test is qualitative (needs to be interpreted by a human) and Igenex seems to do a more careful job at this. They also test for the two bands that the CDC, in their infinite wisdom, tossed out just because they were used for a vaccine once upon a time (and so other labs don't usually test for).
But if your insurance will pay for another lab and not Igenex then might as well do both if you can. Also, the co-infection test is not free...Igenex charged $660 for mine (without the Bb Western Blot). But if you can afford it, it is worth doing for the peace of mind.
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I don't know much about testing for co-infections, only what my LLMD has told me. He said he normally does not test but goes by symptoms and how a person is responding to treatment b/c "even with Igenex they are not completely reliable", and are very expensive. I have not had a co-infection test and asked for one,but that was my drs response. However due to some symptoms that were not clearing up with lyme treatment, he changed my protocol believing I have bartonella. It woudl be safe to wait for co infection testing. You just need to find out if you have lyme or not. Good luck to you!
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Did any of you have an MRI showing non-specific lesion(s)on brain? That just scares me.
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Yes, again, I had lesions (2) in my brain. They thought I had MS. Lesions are lesions. Amy Tan had 11, that were non specific. She had lymes, mostly came as pschiatric issues with her. It's ok. Take a deep breath, and exhale. I know how you feel, the speculation and waiting can be the scariest part. But wait is all you can do, and speculating will just stress you out and can make you feel worse. You will know before long. At least they did order a lyme test. That's a great first step. Blessings to you and peace.
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You have to cut to the chase with Lyme, after 7 years and at least 30 docs i went to a llmd and she did a PCR test which is better than standard western blot and i was positive for Lyme and positive for Lyme damage from spect scan. spect is like the test they give dementia Patients and mine show decreased activity on both sides of my brain.
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