quote:

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"In the end- the special blood test that found the bartonella and babesia cost $265."

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How could they get photos of babesia and bartonella, and the tests for that little $?

Anyone know what specific babesia tests these would be, and how to obtain a photo like that? I'm so tired of these hidden bacteria destroying my life while people call me crazy for making all this up. I want a positive test, and I want photographic evidence, so I can finally see the little *******s.

I want a photo like this:


(Wikipedia)

I just called Igenex, and they said they don't release any photos of blood samples, not even my own blood.

I own Dr. S's book Babesia Update 2009, but the book doesn't tell me how I would be able to hold and own one of these photos.

So who DOES release imaging similar to this for Babesia? What about Bartonella Imaging?
I want a freakin photo, I'm very upset Igenex doesn't release photos.

[ 11-03-2009, 11:28 AM: Message edited by: mixxster ]
 

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Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
 
Did you take babesia blood tests from Quest, LabCorp, Igenex, Sonoma County Public Health Lab?

You won't get a photo....but it would tell you if you have it or not.

I don't see why a photo would be important if the bloodwork comes back positive.

Often babesia is in such small concentrations in the blood, infecting less than 1% of red blood cells, that it is unlikely to see it in a regular smear like what you see above. Being able to see it in a random smear is like winning the babesia testing lottery.

So I would stick to the titer tests. If those don't come back positive, I can't imagine you would have enough babesia floating around that you'd see it on a slide.
 

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Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
 
F labs in Az will give you a picture.
 

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Posted by mixxster (Member # 22765) on :
 
I would really really like a photo just for myself, I really am near the breaking point, and seeing something physically wrong with my blood cells would provide a lot of relief for me and my family.

That being said, if I must resort to a standard lab, should I go through Fry? Igenex? My Babesia books don't have many good things to say about Quest or LabCorp.
 

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Posted by mixxster (Member # 22765) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by feelfit:
F labs in Az will give you a picture.

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Do you mean Fry Labs? Can you elaborate please? Does anyone have a sample of this picture or pricing? Reliability?
 

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Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
 
yup. they have a website. do a search on here for photos..several have been posted. You get your own photo....2 I think, in living color on photo paper...yay.
 

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Posted by mixxster (Member # 22765) on :
 
Ok I called Fry Labs, they said they would provide a photo if they found it under the microscope, which I know is wishful thinking.

Has anyone else gotten a photo of their babesia?
 

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Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
 
Lots of people have gotten the Fry smears (it's a photo they send you), but VERY VERY few have had babesia visible in the smear. I know of one or two people only, out of lots of people I've seen on here post their Fry results.

That is because, like I said, babesia infects so very few blood cells. You would have to have a picture of hundreds and hundreds of red blood cells to perhaps find one babesia parasite, and at that point, you are too "far away" to see the babesia.

The only people that have babesia show up on a picture like that are either very lucky, or very very infected with babesia. (Like, in the hospital, extreme fevers, shaking, might die).

In the Fry smear you will see other "bugs," but probably not babesia.

You can do the Quest test for babesia duncani, which will be covered by insurance. Or, the LabCorp test for babesia WA-1. Also insurance covered. Sonoma County Public Health Lab should be covered too.

People from Lymenet DO get positives from those labs.

If that doesn't work, I'd use Igenex or another out-of-pocket lab.

I had my babesia show up on insurance-covered labs, as well as the Igenex FISH, but it did not show up on my Fry smear.

Seibertneurolyme's husband once had babesia show up on his Fry smear. But that is the only one I can think of.
 

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Posted by mixxster (Member # 22765) on :
 
I've made my decision. From reading my Babesia books, Fry Labs just really underperforms on Babesia testing. I guess I won't get a photo.

Igenex has the most comprehensive testing, and that's what my health deserves. My doc says my insurance should reimburse some of the cost afterwards.

Thanks for everyone's input. Getting Igenex tested for Babesia tomorrow.
 

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Posted by Elaine G (Member # 20735) on :
 
Fry sends a photo to your doctor about a month after the test. Then the doctor should give it to you.

I've often though about making copies of my photo, put them up on the wall and throw darts at them.
 

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Posted by Hides1 (Member # 6348) on :
 
I think you are making the right choice. I struggled for years with Lyme and treatment. Finally Dr. B foudn the Babesia in me through Igenex FSH test. With threatment the FSH test has turned negative but I still have the darn thing because even my Quest test IGM is positive- it ranges at anyone given time 1:1280 if I am off Mepron or 1:80 if I am on Mepron. Also Igenex can do a Babesia Duncani IGM/Igg test. The though Igenex was for Babesia Microti. I think I have both.

Anyway, I also felt I had to get a picture. Did the Fry tests- shelled out money and they didn't even find any Babesia in the slide photo - only hemobartonella. My Quest Babesia tests were even positive around then. SO if I were you I would just use Igenex and Quest a few times and if you have it should at some point come up.

Also you can called the CDC and go to infectious diseases and they will test your blood if need be for free. However, their tests stink and didn't even show it when I did have it. I told them how my insurance wouldn't cover Babesia treatment anymore and if they got a positive test on me that would help. Unfortunately Igenex is way better than the CDC- sad to say...
 

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Posted by mixxster (Member # 22765) on :
 
Just did Babesia testing through Igenex. I hope the results provide me with some answers.
 

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Posted by seibertneurolyme (Member # 6416) on :
 
mixxster,

It is all a big guessing game. You might luck out with the IGeneX testing or not.

Hubby is one of those who has photos from F lab which show babesia. The ring forms of the babesia went away after babesia treatment. He never had any antibodies show up on tests for babesia from IGeneX, MDL labs, Stoneybrook, Quest or LabCorp (forget which) and I think there were even a couple of other labs.

Have no idea which species of babesia hubby had. I do think we finally got rid of that infection after trying for over 3 years to treat it. But he was allergic to Mepron so his treatment was different than what most people use for babs.

If you have babs symptoms then definitely try meds to see if you have a clinical response. Most people will know if this infection is present based on response to specific babs treatment.

Bea Seibert
 

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Posted by anthropisces (Member # 15672) on :
 
Fry also tagged me with Hemobartonella. I seem to have Bartonella. The soles of my feet are classically painful, especially in the am now, although sometimes at other times during the day. What is the difference between hemobartonella and bartonella?

FSH test was positive for Babesia RNA. Also had air hunger which seems all gone since almost a year ago.
 

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Posted by O2Btickfree2 (Member # 9742) on :
 
Okay i just did some research i had it doen 13 years ago by bowen labs in fla . Dr. Lidia mattman was doing them. But from what i just read she passed away in 2008 and was shut down at one point by government. Sooo who knows but they did show neet pics. Cant remember is babs showed up or not in mine doc said i had mild form. Guess it cleared up later another doc treated it.

It did show spiroketes pushing in my cells. And my cells were glommed together. I do not know if
Bowen labs still do that floresent stuff or not.
Threw my pics away when i got better wish now i hadnt.
 

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Posted by Snailhead (Member # 18091) on :
 
Am I understanding this correctly? Are we saying here that it is rare to see Babesia in the Igenex FISH assay? Mine was positive, so just curious if I am one of the "lucky ones." Thanks.
 

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Posted by mixxster (Member # 22765) on :
 
Just to clarify, I don't think anyone said the FISH test was rarely positive.

Dr. Schaller's Babesia Update 2009 (waste of $ BTW) says the Igenex FISH is probably one of the more reliable Babesia tests. My LLMD says he gets the most positives from the Igenex FISH test. I don't think anyone here was saying that its rare to get a positive Igenex FISH test.

But what we have said is rare is for Fry labs to be able to find babesia in the blood smear.
 

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Posted by CherylSue (Member # 13077) on :
 
Find a naturopath who does live blood microscopy. It will show up there on a video.
 

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Posted by Snailhead (Member # 18091) on :
 
Thanks mixxster....I lost something in translation. Glad to know the Igenex FISH assay is reliable.
 

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