About 3 weeks ago I tested positive on the Elisa & the #41 & 23 bands on the Western blot were reactive. At that time my doctors said to wait another 4 weeks since I had no clinical symptoms. I had 2 spotty itchy rashes 2 months ago with mild sore throat with one & mild fever with another, but no symptoms now that I know of.
I am being advised to have my blood draw sent to Igenex but given the prior Western blot with the reactive 23 & 41 bands, is there any poini in undergoing that expense? Should I just go ahead & start treatment?
Pam
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Could you tell us more?? When were you bitten, what symptoms you had?? So you haven't had any antibiotics yet??
Do you have a dr who is willing to treat you??
Posted by pamn (Member # 12405) on :
I was first bitten sometime in May. I never saw the bug. It turned into a blotchy large rash on my thigh that itched like mad. Didn't look at all like the Lyme's online rash pictures tho. At the time I remember having a mild sore throat. That went away in a few weeks & almost right away I got bitten again on my chest. Same looking bite, same looking rash, horribly itchy. I had been told by the clinic here locally that I had to wait to be tested so I did that end of June. Elisa was positive; Western blot showed bands #23 & 41 reactive.
BUT I have had Cdiff since September (which dictates not taking any antibiotics unless absolutely necessary). Given that the doctors wanted to wait again & retest to be sure because going on antibiotics could cause a relapse of the Cdiff & that would be bad. I'm not sure which would be worse though.
Anyway, having been doing a lot of reading & getting recommendations to have this sample tested at Igenex, I just wonder if I shouldn't just bite the bullet & go ahead & treat. Start tomorrow. I would do the retest but I don't see the point necessarily in going through all the hassle of getting a test kit from Igenex & all that expense if so far things SEEM to point to my having LD.
What to do? I am 69 & have already been through hell with Cdiff. Lost 30 pounds in 2 months & just about lived on the couch. Don't want to go back to that but don't want all the horrible things of untreated Lyme's either.
Pam
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
pam, were YOU the one i talked to in last 2 days who had the western blot igm/igg tested at MAYO CLINIC?
if yes, i told you i had reservations about your tests as the person who wrote me typed out what was on their sheet, and many QUESTIONABLE things i noticed.
i talk to so many folks daily; i can't keep you all straight! sorry; neuro lyme brain!
yes, get on antibiotics immediately!
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
***Elisa was positive...I had a blotchy large rash....***
Sounds pretty definitive to me! The ELISA is notorious for being NEGATIVE, so if you got a +, then I'd go with it.
Further testing is not necessary, but you may want to do it later if you're still skeptical.
It would be great if you could do IV abx....any chance of that?? It might help bypass the stomach issues of C-diff.
Did you look through Treepatrol's links for rash photos??
![[Frown]](frown.gif)