I finally received my test results back after 3 weeks. About drove me insane. Now my LLMD is out of town until Monday, so I'm asking for help in translating some of these results!
IFA, Bb G/M/A <1:40 negative Lyme Westrn Blot IgM: igenex IGM result Neg. #18-30 KDa all negative **31 kDa: IND **34 kDa: neg **39 kDa: INd **41kDa: Positive 45,58,66,73,83-93 all negative
On the Western blot IgG: All neg except for #30 kDa Positive **39 IND **41 Positive
Can someone shed some light onto this puzzle for me? I have to know whats going on with me.
Thanks for your help!
Posted by lymebytes (Member # 11830) on :
Igenex results are so much easier to understand.
On the IgM band 41 is an important band and it is positive. Other bands on the IgG being positive also indicate Lyme. IND on certain bands, do not mean negative, many LLMd's will tell you a IND result is considered positive, because something was seen. It looks to me like treatment is indicated.
Did you get co-infection testing? Know that mainstream labs, unlike Igenex, aren't reliable. I had negative co's at Labcorp and positive tests at Igenex.
Here is a link that may help you with your results:
Print it out and read it several times. It explains a ton of stuff in laymen's terms.
Posted by Amanda (Member # 14107) on :
I can only tell you what my opinion is, and lets be clear I am NOT a doctor or medical person of any kind.
First, lyme test are nortorious for coming back negative, even when you have the disease.
The Western blot Band 31 and 34 are so specific to lyme that they tried to make vaccines out of them. And "IND" means that the lab tech could not tell if there was a band showing up or not. Some doctors argue that the very fact that there is enough of something there for soemone to think there could be a band is a positive hit. And in your case, a postive hit on a band that is specific to lyme.
But, you DID come back positive on the plasmid test, and it was confirmed by the dot test, which means that they actually found pieces of lyme bacteria. (as opposed to the western blot test, which only measures your immune systems response).
So, I'd say it looks like you probably have lyme. BUT ONLY YOUR MD CAN MAKE AN ASSESMENT, please don't rely on me.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Ditto what Amanda said!
From the link above:
"Many would say the " +/-" equivocal ["IND"] bands are not significant. The problem I have with that, is that there are "-" negative bands. The lab has no trouble calling some bands negative. So they must be seeing something when they put "+/-" at some bands.
The only thing that makes sense, is that there is a little bit of that antibody present in your serum. If the "+/-" equivocal is reported on the borrelia associated bands, it is usually significant, in my clinical experience. This is a strong clue that I am on the right track."---DR C of MO
BANDS....
31: Outer surface protein A (osp A). 34: Outer surface protein B (osp B).
34... no data here
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.
41: Flagella or tail. This is how Borrelia burgdorferi moves around, by moving the flagella. Many bacteria have flagella. This is the most common borreliosis antibody.
"In my clinical experience, if a patient has symptoms suspicious for borreliosis, and has one or more of the following bands, there is a very high probability the patient has borreliosis.
These bands are 18, 22, 23-25, 28, 30, 31, 34, 37, 39, 41, 83, and 93." (Dr C)
From his 2005 update:
"The significant antibodies, in my opinion, are the 18, 23-25, 28, 30, 31, 34, 39, 58, 66 and 93."
Posted by mcaringella (Member # 24848) on :
Thanks for some clarity. BTW these are Igenex results. I also test extremly high for titers to EBV and HHV6. My varicella zoster virus titer is in the 700's. Something major is going on, just can't pin point it. Oh and I was on hydrocortisone and solu-cortef for 1 1/2 years for adrenal failure. Can this tweak my results?
Any more insight would be appreciated.
Posted by sk8ter (Member # 8671) on :
Hi, it is very common to have high EBV, HHV-6, CMV and mycoplasma titers when having lyme. The immune system is busy fighting the lyme and co-infections which allow the usually dormant viruses rise up. Everyone has these viruses but a normal healthy person can keep them at bay. By the way Igenex usually takes 3 weeks to get results.
Yes to me you have lyme and some of these other bands will start showing up after starting treatment and then retesting.
Posted by Amanda (Member # 14107) on :
well, any kind of cortisone will lower your immune system. Cortisone, hyrdocortizone, all of these are steriods, and steriods supress your immune system.
If your immune system is suppressed, then it is much harder to come up postive on a lyme western blot test.
And since the cortizone lowers your immmune response, its makes it more likely to pick up viruses, like HHV-6. Valtrex is an antiviral drug that can help with the HHV-6.
Also, lyme can be the cause of adrenal fatique, but it could be many things for you.
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