My doctor diagnosed me with Lyme Disease because she has seen spirochetes in my white blood cells under a microscope, I have the symptoms and there are some significant bands showing up on this test.
I have been seeing her since July 2007.
Any thoughts on my test results? This is my first IGeneX to have done.
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
I have come to realize that the test don't mean that much!
Posted by gemofnj (Member # 15551) on :
Hi electrolite,
It is so frustrating when you get a negative test when you are having symptoms. We all want validation as to why we feel so sick, myself included.
However, the best part for you is that you have an LLMD who is treating you and that is whats MOST important: Getting well.
Best thing is to focus on treatment and discuss everything with your doctor.
Posted by Dawnee (Member # 15089) on :
How frustrating!
If your dr saw keets, then there were keets. Those INDs mean something was seen..instead of nothing being seen..and they are on significant bands.
Such a negative test would actually make me think your immune system just isn't working well enough to produce enough antibodies.
Posted by electrolite (Member # 16404) on :
I agree with you, Dawnee, I think my immune system just isn't producing enough antibodies to get a strong positive on an antibody test like this.
When I had the Western Blot done through Quest last year, which was a total waste of time, it was completely negative -- no bands reported.
So at least something showed up on this one.
Anyone have thoughts on the particular bands I had reactions on?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
"Band 39: Unknown what this antigen is, but based on research at the National Institute of Health (NIH), other Borrelia (such as Borrelia recurrentis that causes relapsing fever), do not even have the genetics to code for the 39 kDa antigen, much less produce it. It is the most specific antibody for borreliosis of all."
Band 39 alone means you have it in my book...but I'm not a doctor.
Go on abx for at least 3 wks then go off for 14 days.
Then test again.
Posted by KS (Member # 12549) on :
Well, if your doctor has truly seen the spirochetes under a microscope, you are clearly dealing with something....whether it is lyme or another spirochete-infection we don't know for sure. Eitherway, treatment is necessary.
What really confuses me is this....if a doctor can so easily detect spirochetes in the blood, why any controversy over the accuracy of testing? If this doc can so easily detect lyme in the blood, it would be easy to prove and make a case that the current tests are inaccurate. I don't know, a red flag goes up for me when people claim they are routinely seeing these spriochetes under a scope.
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