My test came back only a .35 and my internal med doctor says (of course from all I have read), it is not lyme, I do not know what it is, maybe chronic fatigue ( that sure explains the place on my leg) and he can do nothing else for me. Can someone please tell me what the .35 means and how that test works?? Thanks
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I never had the ELISA myself, so I really can't say. Does it show what is considered "positive"?
At any rate, the test is worthless, even Johns Hopkins agrees!
But to answer your question, the first test done on me for lyme was the Elisa test through Quest. If the number was less than 1 it was considered negative, 1.00-1.19 was equivocal and > 1.19 was positive. Mine came back at 3.19. The Western Blot was then done through Igenex which confirmed the Elisa test.
From what I understand, though, the Elisa test does not always get a positive result even if you have lyme which is why it is best to use Igenex Western Blot.
I hope you get some answers!
-David
Posted by AZURE WISH (Member # 804) on :
All the tests for lyme are unreliable. You can test negative and still have it.
Some tests are better than others. From what I read I think it is estimated that the elisa misses about 35% of people who have lyme.
Igenex is the best.
Take Lymetoo's advice and find a llmd. If it is lyme they are your best chance of getting adequate treatment and getting better.
Many people on this board spent years and decades even chasing our tails trying to find a diagnosis mostly because of the ignorance and arrogance in the majority of the medical community.
Best wishes
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Hi -- I tested positve on Western blot and responded favorably to abx. Then a rheumatologist ran an ELISA which came back negative. He tried to tell me that meant I didn't have Lyme. I told him the ELISA misses 30-40% of the time.
That's the position we're in with the misters -- I hate to even call them doctors -- who don't know the correct info about proper testing, clinical signs and proper treatment. They will run you in circles until you get educated about what to do and work with an llmd.
Posted by duke77 (Member # 5051) on :
quote: Some tests are better than others. From what I read I think it is estimated that the elisa misses about 35% of people who have lyme.
I have read that the test misses about 60% of the people. My LLMD says in Long term Lyme patients the test is about 5% accurate. I had a negative ELISA, but I had a positive LUAT, WB and Blood Serum PCR. Some screening test huh?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
From the link in my post:
"Johns Hopkins released the results of a two year study indicating blood tests missed 75 percent of the people with Lyme. Hopkin's latest results confirmed what the International Lyme and Associated Disease Society (ILADS) has been stating for years- "up to 90 percent" of people with Lyme were being missed using the standard testing methods."
Posted by Greatcod (Member # 7002) on :
What exactly does the place on your leg look like? If it is a Lyme rash, the test is of no consequence.
