The way I found my way to this site was through the CAEBV website.......which members told me there is a connection between lyme and chronic ebv
Well...I have had positive monospots for 3 years...my rheumy just did more testing and these are my numbers:
EBV early antigen (D) Ab IgG: .94 (abnormal) EBV Nuclear antigen IgG: >5.0 (anything over . 91 is abnormal) EBV viral capsid Ag IgG AB: 3.2 ( anything over .91 is abnormal) EBV viral capsid Ag IgM Ab 1.97 (over .91 is pos).
Does anyone know what these are indicative of and how positive EBV relates to Lyme. Just trying to understand but there is certainly an infectious component to what is going on.
Thanks
Posted by WhitneyS (Member # 25666) on :
Most people with Lyme have Co-infections. EBV is one of those co-infections. So EBV being active is not uncommon at all with Lyme.
Its important to treat EBV and other co's in order to get well. There are a lot of treatment options for EBV, including perscription pharmaceuticals like Valtrex. Make sure you get a full blood work up on viruses (HHV-6, XMRV, Mycoplasma, etc). These are common too and also need to be treated.
Posted by raw vegan runner (Member # 30432) on :
I was on Valtrex for 6mo, then another 6mo about a year later. The first time I took it there was a noticable difference. I also had high EBV (along with myco, etc)titers. It was actually one of the first things I was treated for after my initital round of abx. It makes you sun-sensitive similar to doxy, which is not something they tell you...FYI
Posted by pme (Member # 31621) on :
The monospot....was an afterthought to all blood testing I have had for 3 years...and always came back positive. But....everyone thought it was interesting and nobody ever explored it.
I had to ask for more specific EBV testing to be tacked on to the last round of blood testing.
How do they treat for that? What IS valtrex? Besides sun sensitivity (which I have anyway) are ther any other side effcts. Do you have to treat each co-infection independently. Has anyone been on plaquenil?
Posted by pme (Member # 31621) on :
The only reason they even tested for mono was because I told them "I feel like I did when I had mono 20 years ago!"
Why can't anyone come up with an original idea to help diagnose?
Posted by timaca (Member # 6911) on :
pme~ I get tested at Focus Diagnostics lab which uses antibody titers: eg: 1:320....so I'm not familiar with your reference range or test results.
# Patients with "high" antibody titers against HHV-6 IgG ≥ 640, EBV VCA IgG ≥ 640 and detectable EA Ab at 1:160 or HHV-6 IgG ≥ 320 if EBV VCA IgG ≥ 1280 and has detectable EA Ab at 1:160 (measured by the average of a minimum of two time points obtained during screening at least 3 weeks apart).
Best, Timaca
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
I have hugely high EBV but no one ever felt it needed treatment. It seems most Lymies have high EBV.
Posted by Sheryl777 (Member # 17804) on :
I took LymPlus by Researched Nutritionals for 18 months to treat EBV and also for lyme factors. It is supposed to teach your body to be immune to EBV.
Posted by chaps (Member # 25286) on :
EBV and other viruses are not coinfections in the sense that they are not delivered by the tick with the Lyme along with Bart, Babs, Mycoplasma, Erl, and others.
95% of the population is said to have the Epstein-Barr Virus in their bodies, but the immune system keeps it suppressed.
Lyme, with it's immune-depleting action and the autoimmune responses it causes, weakens the body's defenses against these viruses and then they begin to join the party.
So these viruses can be considered opportunistic freeloaders.
Even if a person just has candida overgrowth and parasites without the Lyme, EBV and other viruses can take hold in chronic form.
In either case, if you cure the main problem, the EBV will go away.
The problem is, that EBV is highly symptomatic and my experience has been that it makes you feel worse than Lyme and all the coinfections. Furthermore, if you let EBV hang around too long it can cause other serious problems.
I was put on Famvir and after a few weeks felt significantly better even though I did nothing about the Lyme (I didn't even know I had it).
So it's a tough thing, you've got all these bacterial things to contend with, AND you've got viruses as well.
I feel it's best to use antivirals for the viruses and use alternatives to antibiotics for the Lyme and co's. But that's me, a patient, not a doctor.
I can't imagine bombarding your liver and kidneys with antibiotics AND antivirals.
Posted by pme (Member # 31621) on :
So.....how do you know what the primary infection is? (Maybe a really dumb question but....)
Thanks for sharing that chronic active EBV is very symptomatic. I don't know what is responsible for the way I feel, but whatever it is it is evil, nasty, and persistent.