I have CFIDS for 10 years. 4/09 Lyme tests: IgM pos. by IGeneX and CDC; IgG pos. by IGeneX with ++++ on 31kDa, but neg. by CDC. IgG was pos. 1:80 for Ehrlichiosis. In 2006, IGeneX test IgM and CDC neg., and IGeneX test IgG pos. but CDC neg. Past "routine" labs(LabCorps) were Lyme neg., and I was told by 3 CFIDS M.D.'s that I didn't have Lyme. For 9 months I have been on hi dose Valtrex for early antigen Epstein-Barr virus. IGeneX states , you can get false pos.on the Lyme IgM test with EBV, but doesn't mention false pos. with IgG or Ehrlichiosis. Anyone know anything about this? Is it worth getting re-tested with IGeneX or another Lab(which one?). Could Valtrex, like antbx have made my Lyme test more pos.? I'd appreciate any input. Thanx. Heartof14k
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
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heartof14k,
many here have trouble reading large blocks of type. So that you'll get more replies, I'll break up the text:
-------- original post:
Hi All,
I have CFIDS for 10 years. 4/09 Lyme tests: IgM pos. by IGeneX and CDC; IgG pos. by IGeneX with ++++ on 31kDa, but neg. by CDC. IgG was pos. 1:80 for Ehrlichiosis.
In 2006, IGeneX test IgM and CDC neg., and IGeneX test IgG pos. but CDC neg. Past "routine" labs(LabCorps) were Lyme neg., and I was told by 3 CFIDS M.D.'s that I didn't have Lyme.
For 9 months I have been on hi dose Valtrex for early antigen Epstein-Barr virus. IGeneX states , you can get false pos.on the Lyme IgM test with EBV, but doesn't mention false pos. with IgG or Ehrlichiosis.
Anyone know anything about this? Is it worth getting re-tested with IGeneX or another Lab(which one?). Could Valtrex, like antbx have made my Lyme test more pos.? I'd appreciate any input.
Thanx.
Heartof14k
(post #2, from Boston)
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Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
Doesn't Igenex have the test for band 31 to
Determine if Lyme specific or not?
Valcyte/valtrex is an anti-viral.
Lyme is bacterial.
I don't think that Valtrex would "prime" your immune system
For Lyme specific bands. Are you seeing a LLMD?
If not, you really need to.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posted by Ocean (Member # 3496) on :
I'm confused. I thought that the IgM could only be a false negative IF the only bands that came up were 41 + and 31+ (or maybe 30 too)?
If you have other Lyme specific bands show up along with 31 and 41, then it is Lyme.
Anyone know for sure???
If I were you, I would call Igenex and ask, they are very nice and informative.
So sorry that you have been sick for so long! I was diagnosed with CFS about 11.5 years ago too!
Take care, Ocean
Posted by btmb03 (Member # 18394) on :
Ocean, did you mean "false positive"? Now I'm confused! Posted by disturbedme (Member # 12346) on :
I STRONGLY doubt it's a false positive when you are also positive for Ehrlichiosis. Whenever a co-infection is present, you can suspect pretty strongly that you have Lyme as well.
Of course CFIDS doctors are going to disagree that you have Lyme. Most doctors will disagree to that. Most of them follow IDSA guidelines which are hugely flawed.
Posted by Lymeorsomething (Member # 16359) on :
Disturbed makes a good point...if you have the co-infection you likely have lyme too. I've been through the false positive thing because I had mono...
It's good to run the band 31 confirmation, which is not fool-proof, but does make it around 97% clear that you have lyme if it returns positive...
Also the Igenex rep at the time said that only an "acute" mono infection is likely to skew the numbers...
Many feel that high EBV is just another facet of lyme and co's...
Posted by Lymeorsomething (Member # 16359) on :
Heart, also....has the Valtrex helped at all?
Posted by Ocean (Member # 3496) on :
Btmb03,
Goodness, yes! Sorry, yes, I meant false positive, thanks for catching it =) I say things like that all the time, my poor husband generally has no idea what I'm talking about, lol!
Lymeorsomething, so you have to have acute mono for the test to be skewed?? I had mono 12 years ago and my EBV in Feb 2009 came back neg for IgM, but positive for IgG.
Please keep us posted as to what the Igenex rep says, I'm definitely interested.
Take care, Ocean
Posted by Lymeorsomething (Member # 16359) on :
Ocean, I'm a bit of a skeptic by nature so I questioned my initial positive wb with Igenex (2 yrs ago) and they, at the time, said only an acute mono infection would cause a false positive. Acute to me means infectious mono (not sure if a chronic EB infection would be included under this umbrella).
Regardless, the band 31 confirmation clears things up somewhat for me. I've been Igm positive on all 3 Igenex tests I've had. Lyme seems to be an issue for me, but I suspect that EBV is also an issue because of the compromised immune system.
Whether or not this viral issue needs treatment is debatable. If lyme treatment fails, I may have to ratchet up viral treatment.
Posted by Pinelady (Member # 18524) on :
I think it is very possible that you could have
both at the same time. Don't look for what to cross
![[confused]](graemlins/confused.gif)