LymeNet Flash: antibiotic challenge before igenex testing?

This is topic antibiotic challenge before igenex testing? in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by robin_wachs (Member # 3525) on :

My son is going to have western blot testing on monday. Ten years ago when I was tested for the fist time, the protocol for someone not diagnosed yet with Lyme was to take antibiotics for a few days prior to testing. This presumably would increase the chance of a positive test if the patient in fact had Lyme.

Additionally, if a patient was being retested and was currently on antibiotics, the protocol was to stop antibiotics for a week or two, again this presumably would increase chances of getting a positive test.

Nowadays, no such antibiotic challenge is suggested. Does anyone have any comments on this. It seemed to me that the protocols above DID increase the positive tests for me back in the day. To antibiotic challenge, or not to antibiotic challenge, that is the question.

Robin

Posted by Pinelady (Member # 18524) on :

I believe if you intend to get test with a Lyme

specific lab like Igenex you may not be wasting

your money by not challenging but I would not

be on antibiotics for at least 14 days prior to

draw. But if you are getting it done by some

other labs who are not so specific I would do a

challenge so I would not be wasting my money.