Topic: Shocked by test results: old versus new infection?
Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
Hi all.
Last time I was tested for Lyme was through Quest
back in 2007..only band positive was IgM 23..enough
to get me a diagnosis, find this site and have Lyme
Tutu help me find a LLMD (forever thankful!)
Started feeling....well....Lymie again in April.
Tried to convince myself it is anything but Lyme.
Finally gave in...called LLMD and made my first
appointment in 6 years. Just got back my WB from
LabCorp today..(LLMD said not to spend the money
on Igenex at this time). I am shocked.
I am CDC positive on IgM with bands 41, 23 and 66.
IgG is negative for any bands. Could this be a
new infection? Seems like I would of had more IgG
bands if this was possibly a relapse. Or not. I
am not sure. Not that it matters, but curious to
see what y'all think.
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
I haven't had lyme for 12 years and I still test CDC positive on the Western Blot. I may retain those lyme antibodies for the rest of my life. It means nothing.
Once you have had lyme, there is no test that can tell you if this is a new infection or if your old infection is still causing the antibodies.
So, docs have to go by symptoms to tell if you have lyme again or not.
My lyme doc believed that a certain new test could differentiate old lyme from new. He talked me into this $500 test which was not covered by my insurance. This was about 6 years ago.
Test result was that I had lyme again. Wrong!! What I had was a severe sinus infection and once I switched ENTs and got cured of the sinus infection in about a month, all of my symptoms went away and never came back.
So, go by symptoms. That is all you can do.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
Wow. I had ruled everything else out prior to the
LLMD visit. I guess I thought IgM was recent
infection and IgG was latent. I am working on
getting whole again. Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
Here's what Dr. H. had to say about IgGs recently:
"43:30 When lyme invades the lymph nodes, it destroys the part of the lymph node that makes IgG antibodes. That is why so few lyme patients test positive on the IgG. In a study, only 1 out of 100 lyme patients were CDC positive on the IgG Western Blot. 3600 patients were in the study. Of them, only 36 could get a positive IgG."
So, perhaps you forgot that the normal rules do NOT apply to lyme tests. Here's the reason why!
If you want to see the post where I put this note and many more, it is here:
If you want, you can watch the video and hear Dr. H. say this. You can go right to the 43 minute 30 second mark or thereabouts and he will make the statement.
Remember, the Western Blot is NOT looking for the lyme bacteria. Rather, it is looking for antibodies to lyme. Once you have lyme, you have antibodies in your blood to lyme for years.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
Great info! Thanks. I am feeling better on
antibiotics. I used to know all of this, but...
it seems that I am learning this all over again.
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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"Because Borrelia burgdorferi is a chronic persistent infection that may last for decades, you would think patients with chronic symptoms would have positive IgG Western blots.
But actually, more IgM blots are positive in chronic borreliosis than IgG. Every time Borrelia burgdorferi reproduces itself, it may stimulate the immune system to form new IgM antibodies.
Some patients have both IgG and IgM blots positive. But if either the IgG or IgM blot is positive, overall it is a positive result.
Response to antibiotics is the same if either is positive, or both. Some antibodies against the borrelia are given more significance if they are IgG versus IgM, or vice versa."
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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