posted
While I'm trying to hook up with an LLMD my PCP has agreed to bart testing, and I said I'd get back to her with a test since quest/labcorp don't test for many species of it.
Clongen looks on the web like they have a reasonably priced PCR test for the entire genus. Looking at past threads here though it sounds like it's a one man outfit. I suspect my PCP will laugh me out of his office if I suggest testing by something like that - he already "knows" that Igenix sends back positive lyme tests on people who never got near a tick. I'm not sure how he still maintains that when both my son and I have had negative results from them, but I digress.
So Clongen - good place with quality work? Less of a lightning rod among non-LLMD's? Avoid like the plague?
Thanks in advance!
Posts: 98 | From Maine | Registered: Jul 2009
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
That darn Igenex spitting out all those positives.
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
I heard the same thing about Igenex from a PCP that I saw recently who claimed to specialize in Chronic Lyme. He told me that he and his staff decided to take blood from healthy people that have never been exposed to ticks and send their blood to Igenex. He said they all came back positive for Lyme and continued to tell me that I am being scammed by my LLMD for being on all of these IV abx. Needless to say, I will never step foot in that office again!
As for Clongen, I have heard many good things about them actually and my first LLMD sent my blood work to them to test for co-infections. I came back with a positive PCR for Babesia (which I had been clinically diagnosed with because of my symptoms anyway) and my LLMD at the time was blown away as she said it was a definite positive if I was able to get it from a PCR screen from Clongen. Then when I showed the results to my current LLMD he made the comment that Clongen was a very reputable lab.
I think they are a good choice :-)
-------------------- Never, Never, Never give up! Posts: 395 | From Connecticut | Registered: Nov 2008
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feelfit
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12770
posted
My experience with Clongen has been excellent. It is a one man outfit. Dr. K is passionate about what he is doing.
I have been to his lab and have met him as well. He is, in my opinion, beyond reproach.
Feelfit
Posts: 3975 | From usa | Registered: Aug 2007
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springshowers
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19863
posted
my goodness.. your PCP who specilizes in Lyme sent blood to IGENEX as a test to see if healthy people have lyme and they all came back positive? HOw many peoples blood did they send?
What the heck is going on?
I have to admit > I have one doctor who believes whole heartidly in IgENEX and another who says that all tests come back postive from them.
MY Igenex test matched my western blot I got from fry labs and I also have a positive equivical test from lab corp.
There are two bands that will kinda toggle on and off positive and then not positive.. but considering the scope of the tests that is minor..
So for me I think that they are accurate... and not just some throw out of positives for everyone..
I heard great things about clogen too.. I would use them.. You might want to care what they offer to fry labs too and compare. I am not sure but heard clogen tests for more species.??
not sure
Posts: 2747 | From Unites States Of America | Registered: Apr 2009
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I am not sure but heard clogen tests for more species.??
The one I'm looking at is a PCR test for the whole genus - all bartonella at once. If it's positive it won't say *which* species it is, but I'd be happy with something positive for "bart".
Maybe then I can get some abx for it - he's sure that doxy would kill anything carried by a tick and that my relief from neuro symptoms is due to the anti-inflammatory effects of doxy.
On a related note:
How reliable is the PCR for bart? I know PCR is extremely accurate, so a positive is a positive, but how many false negatives are there because the buggers weren't in that particular blood sample.
Posts: 98 | From Maine | Registered: Jul 2009
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
WOW, would I like to know if this is true for real.
quote:Originally posted by jenny76: I heard the same thing about Igenex from a PCP that I saw recently who claimed to specialize in Chronic Lyme. He told me that he and his staff decided to take blood from healthy people that have never been exposed to ticks and send their blood to Igenex. He said they all came back positive for Lyme and continued to tell me that I am being scammed by my LLMD for being on all of these IV abx.
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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CD57
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11749
posted
what about sending in your blood to NC State vet labs? I heard that it is free and they are testing and finding bartonella spp. and if you agree to be used for research purposes they will test it.
Posts: 3528 | From US | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
Seekhelp, that's commonly heard from ID's and IDSA ducks. I've yet to see any actual evidence of it - sounds like urban myth to me.
I do know first-hand two people who were exposed to ticks who came back with negative results - my son and myself. I remember the question being posed here once (NEGATIVE Igenex results?) and seeing lots of "me too" posts to the thread from people who had negative Igenex results.
Posts: 98 | From Maine | Registered: Jul 2009
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
If this stuff is so false and slander, why doesn't someone sue these docs lying? Seriously.
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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treepatrol
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 4117
posted
quote:Originally posted by jenny76: I heard the same thing about Igenex from a PCP that I saw recently who claimed to specialize in Chronic Lyme. !
PCP, ID's all the same in general.
-------------------- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Remember Iam not a Doctor Just someone struggling like you with Tick Borne Diseases.
seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
All I care about is if there is truth to the statements they sent healthy people's samples into Igenex and they all came back positive. That's huge. If true, alarm bells better be ringing. I'd love proof.
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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djf2005
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11449
posted
consider if other Drs are sending supposed "healthy" blood into igenix and it came back positive, perhaps those people just have a dormant form of lyme?
I mean when you stop and think about it, we all were not born sick, most of us can remember the year, day, and minute we became symptomatic. If we had been tested prior to acute symptoms, would we have tested positive? No way to know.
Point is if the blood from "healthy" people comes back positive, maybe they have lyme and don't even know it. It's entirely possible, I know many w/ lyme who don't know they have it. lol.
People can be entirely A-symptomatic and have lyme, no doubt.
Derek
-------------------- "Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you."
posted
I think the only reasonable response is to point to the accreditation and the negative results people have gotten and ask for proof of false positives.
Sounds like urban legend to me.
Posts: 98 | From Maine | Registered: Jul 2009
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posted
Dr Jones uses Clongen labs but used Specialty labs for Bart testing. It was positive for my son.
IMO a good LLMD should know by clinical observation what we have. Me and the rest of my family all were tested by Igenex many times and did not have any pos. tests and we were all very obviously sick and have responded to abx tx.
The only test that showed up pos. for our family besides the Speciality labs in Valencia,CA was Frye labs for Bart.
Posts: 476 | From Columbus, Ohio | Registered: Aug 2007
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