posted
I have been sick for about 1.5 years and I suspected its Lyme or co-infection.I prefer the treatment by herb if I do have them.
So,what should I do now? Should I go to LLMD and got some blood test done and see the result first and then decide the treatment,am I right?or,I can have blood test done by the family doctor here( I will use special lab).....??
Posts: 158 | From pittsburgh | Registered: Aug 2009
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posted
Go straight to a lyme literate DR. Find the best one you can by recomendation, and if your not happy look til you find one. It must be a LLMD. Good luck
Posts: 161 | From midwest | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- You already have results from a test for lyme. While not deemed a positive test, the ++ mean something. You have symptoms highly suggestive.
Now, it is best to go straight to a lyme expert. No more tests until then - and they may then want certain ones for coinfections but will need to see you in person first so as to know which tests to suggest.
The herbs are often not enough but, when they must might be, you still need to be under the guidance of an expert. This is a very complex infection, even if it is "just" lyme.
For the sake of your life, if you can, please see an expert ILADS-educated LLMD or LL ND. They MUST have the science background from the ILADS research even if they use complementary methods.
You might go back over the threads from the past few days - you can save them to your personal file for easy reference and further study.
There are so many wonderful links and a complete set of complementary links, included. And, as you will see, even "with herbs" this is an incredibly complex situation.
But the bottom line is that you really need to see an expert ILADS-educated LLMD or ILADS-educated LL ND. If there is absolutely no way, ask your support group about other doctors who have been good but might just be "flying under the radar" - explore all options for the best medical mind you can find.
You must have someone with a good knowledge base of tick-borne infections and that starts with their familiarity of all the ILADS research, and beyond. Start with your local support groups. Be sure to save links in threads below for further reading:
Topic: I need to know the truth about lyme...... 18 March
==========
For future posters, it will help to see your test results:
fellbetter's test result, as posted at other threads:
IGG 31 IND 41 ++ 45 + IGM 31 IND 41 ++ -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
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posted
- Okay, I was looking for Dr. C's western blot in your past threads. That has not been posted for you. I'll find it and come back.
In the meantime, just wondering what LAB was used for your Western Blot testing? -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Dr C's Western Blot explanation is discussed here:
"With most infections, your immune system first forms IgM antibodies, then in about 2 to 4 weeks, you see IgG antibodies. In some infections, IgG antibodies may be detectable for years.
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.
Since this is a chronic persistent infection, this does not make a lot of sense to me. A newly formed Borrelia burgdorferi should have the same antigen parts as the previous bacteria that produced it.
But anyway, from my clinical experience, these borrelia associated bands usually predict a clinical change in symptoms with antibiotics, regardless of whether they are IgG or IgM."
Seeking a Doctor -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
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posted
- To add to your collection of links, seibertneurolyme just posted this in another thread. This explains just one LLMD's approach and discusses the complexity of treatment. Again, why it's good to have a clinical diagnostic work-up and advice of a LL doctor.
Chapter 1 from the book "Insights Into Lyme Disease Treatment".
seibertneurolyme also just posted this one today so it won't yet be in that set of complementary links you already have. Now, no one is saying that this is the way to go for you need medical advice before choosing a plan. However, you can see the complexities involved.
From Bea:
This is a very good overview of lyme and coinfections and includes some case examples and herbal formulas of a treating herbalist.
Note -- The document is 81 pages long so it may take a couple of minutes to load. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
I used igenex lab
Posts: 158 | From pittsburgh | Registered: Aug 2009
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Good.
Fry labs is also good for some tests. But, it's best to have a LLMD figure out where to go from here. I hope you can get the clarity you need and deserve. This can be enormously rough at this stage, like a deer in the headlights. So, be sure to take good care of yourself.
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