I've been on 400mg of Doxycycline for 11 days for suspected Lyme disease (I couldn't afford the test without insurance). I'm returning to New Zealand on November 7 where I can get free testing for Lyme (I really don't know how accurate it'll be). Do the tests still return positive after you've been on treatment, or will it only be positive if I'm still symptomatic at that point?
Thanks,
Paul
Posted by Michelle M (Member # 7200) on :
Hi Paul.
Boy, that's about impossible to know the answer to. No way to know how your tests will turn out. Some people who have Lyme like crazy -- when tested at a bad lab like Quest -- might test negative, even when highly symptomatic. I did! A couple weeks later, I tested CDC positive at Igenex with six bands (some double and triple!) I was not on any antibiotics at the time.
Some people's tests turn negative really fast once on abx; others take longer, depending on their bacterial load.
However, testing negative is definitely NOT a reason to stop antibiotics, especially if you've only been on them for 11 days. If your doc believes you have Lyme, you should remain on abx for at least two months after the resolution of all your symptoms. You don't want it coming back.
A negative test definitely doesn't mean you have killed all the bacteria.
I wish you luck in treatment!
Michelle
Posted by HEATHERKISS (Member # 6789) on :
I never tested positive over the years at regular labs.
but I was on antibiotics and test positive at MDL Labs and Igenix.
Good Luck,
Posted by beachcomber (Member # 5320) on :