You said that you were " . . . saddened by this subject knowing that I may never have another child."
With adequate treatment for lyme - and advice from a good LLMD - there is absolutely no reason that either a man or woman cannot become a parent of a healthy child.
That is the purpose of treatment - to be able to get on with your life in all aspects. Discuss this with your LLMD and your wife.
-
Posted by Kreynolds (Member # 15117) on :
keebler:
I agree with you about adequate treatment, but there still is the risk factor that I don't know if I mentally will get over.
Lets say I'm better in 10 years. We then try for another child and the child tests positive. I would feel so horrible!
It's still something I'm emotionally trying to seek, but as for right now I am way too sick with too many bugs in me! Thanks for you response.
Posted by Ocean (Member # 3496) on :
Hey,
I understand your worry. I don't know if Lyme can be transmitted from semen to child though, I thought it was the placental blood from the mother. As long as your wife does not have it, the baby should be in the clear.
We just had our son's blood drawn for Igenex yesterday. If he tests postive, we will have our girls' blood drawn. He has the most symptoms. He was the one that didn't want to breathe at birth.
However, just because our 2 year old is completely asymptomatic does not mean she doesn't have Lyme.
I agree. Call Igenex and see what they say.
Hopefully they will say you have nothing to worry about as far as your child getting it. Your wife though, is a concern (although that is debatable among doctors).
Take care, Ocean
Posted by 'Kete-tracker (Member # 17189) on :
IGeneX & MDL can both do a "PCR" test on many bodily fluid samples, incl breast milk, knee joint fluid & SEMEN. A minimum sample size is needed (not sure how much but I suspect it shouldn't be an issue ~
IGeneX website says: Test# is 462 a 'Lyme Multiplex PCR' SAMPLE MUST BE SENT OVERNIGHT & be "fresh". CALL for exact instructions & cost. (800) 832-3200 GOOD LUCK! -'K
Posted by Kreynolds (Member # 15117) on :
ocean:
just recently my wife started complaining about her memory loss. She also isn't "on top of her game" like she used to be.
She used to remember everything! She is mixing words up and the whole bunch. 1 year ago she got tested twice and they both came back negative.
I am really concerned about her emotional status. I don't care what anyone says about this subject... its hard.
Maternally I beleive is a 50/50,maybe even greater, chance if the mother has it. Paternally, I am not sure, but I ask myself "is it really that farfetched that it can be transmitted through semen to egg etc.... I sure do not think so.
Thanks for eveyones help and advice I know the MDL laboratory pretty well. I will call them.
Posted by Ocean (Member # 3496) on :
Hi Kreynolds,
Did your wife have symptoms a year ago as well when she was tested? I think it's possible to get it later. We are having the same problem with my husband. He is losing his memory/concentration. He thinks (hopes) it's due to him not keeping his blood sugars under control (he's a diabetic).
However, what tips me off is his LOWWWW body temp. He is always cold, took his temp yesterday around 6 pm (mine was 98.8) and it was 96.1
He's 28 years old! The second year I was sick, I had constant low body temp (first year had constant fever).
I know this is hard financially, but maybe your wife could get tested again since she has some symptoms?
If you want to save money, just have the western blot IgM done. Apparently that is what my new LLMD does, and it makes since, as no one pays attention to IgG anyhow, since those are older antibodies.
Sorry to hear about your wife. I hope she isn't sick too. I'm sick about my whole family possible being sick due to me, makes me so sad.
Anyhow, take care,
Ocean
Posted by SForsgren (Member # 7686) on :
Yes, I believe IGeneX will test semen.
Posted by Kreynolds (Member # 15117) on :
ocean:
Yes she did have symptoms a year ago. Her left Lymph Node was and still is extrememly swollen.
We took her to a regular doctor and she had sent her for an ultrasound of the Lymph Node.
We haven't heard anything back from the doc and they said it was fine.
She was tested twice and both times were negative. She said she wants to get tested again.
I'm also concerned about my son having it. About a year ago he had a nymph tick in the crook of his wrist.
It only was on him for minute, but still bit him. We also got him tested and it also came back negative.
We got him tested, In my opinion to soon. It was like the day or two after. So many concerns here....
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
funny, but i just read today, and hadn't recorded any info on CLONGEN LAB, and THEY DO SEMEN TESTING.
i just added this to my newbie package in replies; showed price list page too!
fyi, Conn. Dr. J, kids no. 1 llmd, uses clongen labs for his testings.
Posted by Kreynolds (Member # 15117) on :
bettyg:
Thanks for the info on clongen. They are not too far away. How would I give them the sample?? HEHE!!
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
air mail of course! lol -----
Posted by lakes592 (Member # 18905) on :
My fiance and I were wondering about this. We think he may have it...We're not sure. If it is actually sexually transmitted would you just keep giving it back and forth to each other?
Posted by Kreynolds (Member # 15117) on :
bettyg:
Thats a far shot away!! LOL!!!
Posted by Kreynolds (Member # 15117) on :
lakes592:
Everyone has there own opinion on the controversy of it being transmitted sexually.
I, of course, beleive that it can be passed from mother to fetus.
Paternally, not everyone thinks the same way. I am one of the believers that there is a chance it can be passed to the fetus.
As far as giving it to your loved one, I also believe this is possible. My wife is showing really strong symptoms of it right now.
Did I give it to her??? I don't know. There is so much to be discovered about this topic and it needs to happen soon.
Many Chronic Lyme patients, like myself, fear of giving it to there loved one or even fear having a child.
So long story short, is it possible??? I think so.
Posted by ThatColorGreen (Member # 16016) on :
quote:Originally posted by Kreynolds: lakes592:
Everyone has there own opinion on the controversy of it being transmitted sexually.
I, of course, beleive that it can be passed from mother to fetus.
Paternally, not everyone thinks the same way. I am one of the believers that there is a chance it can be passed to the fetus.
As far as giving it to your loved one, I also believe this is possible. My wife is showing really strong symptoms of it right now.
Did I give it to her??? I don't know. There is so much to be discovered about this topic and it needs to happen soon.
Many Chronic Lyme patients, like myself, fear of giving it to there loved one or even fear having a child.
So long story short, is it possible??? I think so.
I agree. I have an awful cloud of guilt if i have sex. i always tell him 'i'm gonna get you sick'. it's def. had an impact on the relationship in that area [besides the low libido thing on top of it]
I'm also afraid to have kids someday. I want them, but even with all of the treatment I still feel it would be wrong for me to have kids because of the possibilities........
[ 03-13-2009, 04:17 AM: Message edited by: ThatColorGreen ]
Posted by Kreynolds (Member # 15117) on :
ThatColorGreen:
I feel the same way. I hope one day there is a cure for this damn disease and let everyone move on with their lives.
As far as having sex with my wife, if I do I wear a condom. Its feels like I'm in high school again!
It's just not right to love someone and you really can't love them... or share babies with them.....
Best Wishes!!!
[ 03-13-2009, 01:10 PM: Message edited by: Kreynolds ]
Posted by AliG (Member # 9734) on :
I asked LLMD, when first relapsing, and was told that "It HAS been found in semen so, theoretically, it IS possible to transmit sexually."
He said that barrier protection should suffice.
I was concerned about the possibility of a cycle of reinfection.
I understand that healthy children have been born to Lymed mothers who were on ABX during pregnancy.
I wonder, if the concern was possible PATERNAL transmission, would maternal ABX Tx protect the embryo/fetus?
I'd say that if your wife has Sx, better get her to the LLMD & run an ABX trial.
If she's infected, the ketes will take her out of commission when her immune system goes into low gear to avoid attacking the baby & doctors will try to blame her symptoms on pregnancy/post-partum depression. Posted by adamm (Member # 11910) on :
Don't really see why you'd need to get it tested. the fact that it wasn't found in one particular sample wouldn't by any means mean that it won't eventually get in there, and in the one study that's been done on this, each of the subjects had transmitted the disease sexually, regardless of whether or not it was found in his/her reproductive fluids.
Posted by swachsler (Member # 18155) on :
Hey Kreynolds,
You said: Yes she did have symptoms a year ago. Her left Lymph Node was and still is extrememly swollen.
She was tested twice and both times were negative. She said she wants to get tested again.
2 thoughts, fwiw: 1. Maybe she has bart, not borellia? (sp??) I'm still learning, but I keep reading about bartonella and swollen nodes.
2. You know the tests are lousy, and I'm proof. I *knew* I had lyme - rash right where I pulled off an engorged tick, classic sx - and I was tested so many times by different docs, I can't count.
Always negative. Both before and while I was on abx. And including 2 coinfection panels by Igenix.
It wasn't till I'd been off abx 7 months, 1.5 years post-infection, that I tested + for Lyme and babs. And I think I have bart, which was still a negative test.
>>We also got him tested and it also came back negative. . . . We got him tested, In my opinion to soon. It was like the day or two after. <<
Yes, that was a problem in my case, too. Even though I had such a clear clinical dx, because I realized it within about a month of the tick bite, my tests were all negative, over and over until the chronic Lyme really had a chance to take me down.
Also, my opinion of relying on any tissue/fluid testing is skeptical. We had a biopsy of the rash done about 7 months post-infection.
Now I know it's actually probably a babesia rash, not an EM, but I do have Lyme, too, and the biopsy results of the tissue from Igenix were negative for borrellia.
I wish good health for all in your family. -Sharon
Posted by Kreynolds (Member # 15117) on :
AliG,adamm,swaschsler, Thanks for all your responses!
AliG your question about it being transmitted paternally and the mother taking ABX, would be enough? is a good question!
I'm glad you did say that it has been found in semen. I don't know why I'm glad I should be sad.
I have Chronic Lyme(8/10) bands on the western blot. I have both strains of Bart. (B.Henselea and B. Quintana) I also have Babs.
I had a Positive Spinal Tap and A Moderate-Severe Brain SPECT scan.
I am currently awaiting my Mycoplasma and Erlichia tests. The thought of giving this to my wife would kill me inside.
Then to even think about giving it to an unborn child is just as bad.
A lot of people say they have lost their libido. In my case it's the exact opposite! Believe that!
Anyhow... thanks for all your responses... My wife and son will be tested REAL soon!
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