This is topic Clongen labs quality and image in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.


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Posted by David Miller (Member # 21583) on :
 
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!
 
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
 
That darn Igenex spitting out all those positives.
 
Posted by jenny76 (Member # 18205) on :
 
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 :-)
 
Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
 
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
 
Posted by springshowers (Member # 19863) on :
 
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
 
Posted by David Miller (Member # 21583) on :
 
springshowers asks:

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.
 
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
 
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.



 
Posted by CD57 (Member # 11749) on :
 
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.
 
Posted by David Miller (Member # 21583) on :
 
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.
 
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
 
If this stuff is so false and slander, why doesn't someone sue these docs lying? Seriously.
 
Posted by treepatrol (Member # 4117) on :
 
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. [bonk] [loco] [shake]
 
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
 
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.
 
Posted by djf2005 (Member # 11449) on :
 
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
 
Posted by David Miller (Member # 21583) on :
 
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.
 
Posted by Stacyb (Member # 13084) on :
 
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.
 


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