I know that the CDC has a set of standards that classifies if you have Lyme disease. If blood work does NOT meat CDC's standards...how do you determine if you are positive for Lyme??
[ 12-01-2013, 08:25 PM: Message edited by: beatlymedisease ]
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
By the bands that show up and more importantly by a clinical diagnosis. Lyme is actually a clinical diagnosis. Many never see a clearly positive CDC test result.
Some bands are "Lyme-specific".. that means that ONLY Lyme can make them show up. If you have even ONE of those, then you have Lyme. Along with SYMPTOMS, of course.
Posted by beatlymedisease (Member # 42829) on :
Clinical diagnosis?
Posted by lax mom (Member # 38743) on :
Say you go to the Dr with yellow nasal drainage, tender areas above your eyebrows and cheeks and your Dr takes your history, physical and then diagnoses you with a sinus infection without doing a specific test. That is a clinical diagnosis.
The Dr takes into account all of your symptoms that you report, along with your history, physically examines your body, takes into account any labs to give some more clues...all of this together to make a clinical diagnosis.
VA passed a law that Drs must inform patients that:
A. Every licensee or his in-office designee who orders a laboratory test for the presence of Lyme disease shall provide to the patient or his legal representative the following written information:
"ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, AS OF 2011 LYME DISEASE IS THE SIXTH FASTEST GROWING DISEASE IN THE UNITED STATES.
YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER HAS ORDERED A LABORATORY TEST FOR THE PRESENCE OF LYME DISEASE FOR YOU.
CURRENT LABORATORY TESTING FOR LYME DISEASE CAN BE PROBLEMATIC AND STANDARD LABORATORY TESTS OFTEN RESULT IN FALSE NEGATIVE AND FALSE POSITIVE RESULTS, AND IF DONE TOO EARLY, YOU MAY NOT HAVE PRODUCED ENOUGH ANTIBODIES TO BE CONSIDERED POSITIVE BECAUSE YOUR IMMUNE RESPONSE REQUIRES TIME TO DEVELOP ANTIBODIES.
IF YOU ARE TESTED FOR LYME DISEASE, AND THE RESULTS ARE NEGATIVE, THIS DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN YOU DO NOT HAVE LYME DISEASE.
IF YOU CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS, YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER AND INQUIRE ABOUT THE APPROPRIATENESS OF RETESTING OR ADDITIONAL TREATMENT."
wow! that's so interesting that that is in the doctors office. Thanks for the explanation. I got tested through LabCorp and only 1 band came back positive but when tested through Stony Brook Labs, 7 band came back positive....
Posted by Carmen (Member # 42391) on :
Good for the VA. This is rather progressive of them.
and its a little gem lax mom. Its going in my file
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Virginia, NOT the VA!!
"beatlymedisease".. the lab makes all the difference in the world
Posted by beatlymedisease (Member # 42829) on :
Lymetoo...do you know if Stonybrook Lab is a reliable Lab?
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