Or are they pretty much the same? And are prices similar?
Thank you!
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
I'm not sure about the pricing.
All I know is any kind of tick borne infection tests are pretty much a crap shoot.
Too many factors come into play.
Is the "offender" in the blood sampled? (Bartonella is a great example of being hard to find. A single blood draw on one day is bound to miss Bart)
Is the patients immune system able to mount a defense? (No positive bands on a Western Blot? Because lyme has disguised itself so well, the immune system doesn't see it as a threat any longer)
Are all the strains being tested for? (Testing for one strain based on geographical location of a person is ridiculous and should have gone out with the dinosaurs)
Do you have a good LLMD/LLND?
A clinical diagnosis is the best bet, honestly to get the treatment ball rolling.
I recognize your name and know you've posted a few times, I'm sorry if you know this stuff already but I am in a fog today.
From what I've been reading Galaxy Labs seems like they test for the most bartonella strains.
S3 Labs looks like they test for the most fungal strains. (see Bea's post)
Not sure for lyme or babesia.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
My vote is for IGeneX - they test for Lyme against two strains, the B31 and 297 ones, so they have a better chance of picking it up.
Posted by Abxnomore (Member # 18936) on :
Definitely Igenex but if it is your first time testing you could try Labcorp and see what the results are. Insurance is more likely to pay for labcorp. However, if you don't get a positive test and you could, then you should try Igenex.
The changes of getting a positive test with Igenex are greater as it's a better lab for TBI's.
Posted by Chipster (Member # 43143) on :
Isn't Igenex many times more expensive though. If you get a hit on the Labcorp, then you wouldn't have to do Igenex, right?
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
Public Health Alert (PHA) is a newspaper committed to researching and investigating Lyme Disease and other chronic illnesses
Laboratory Tests and Diagnosis for Lyme Disease and Co-infections - June 2013
- by Armin Schwarzbach, M.D., Ph.D. - Five Pages -
Posted by unsure445 (Member # 15962) on :
One of my children is having a relapse. His new llmd ordered a full lyme and confection (all of them!) panel from both labs!
This will not be cheap. I am hoping its a mistake, don't know why this is necessary being that its a clinical diagnosis.
Thanks everyone!
Posted by map1131 (Member # 2022) on :
I've said for 15 yrs LabCorp wouldn't know Lyme Disease & co if it bit them in the ***.
I don't know if they have improved their testing in this area. I do know about 7 yrs ago, my PCP ordered a Western Blot.
LabCorp did a ELISA and stopped. When I called LabCorp and spoke with the leading doctor, he told me if they knew I had a highly positive Western Blot in the past, they would have done a complete WB??????????????
My PCP ordered a WB, not a ELISA. I asked him how you can not follow the doctors orders? He told me this is policy to do ELISA first, if negative stop.
He said have the test redone with doctor sending in writing what the case is and what he wants. I said forget it, I find your lab to be incompetent.
Believe me it turned into one ugly conversation with this doctor. I told him, I feel so bad for the thousands and thousands of people you have reported a negative ELISA to, when if you only did the complete test, and there was a competent doctor to read the results....
people could actually have a blood test that matched the awful illness that was destroying them. How unethical of LC to be so incompetent on something so important.
It's a good thing this doctor wasn't in arms reach. I would be doing jail time.
I know of some that have babs, bart and many other co-infections positive with Igenex but still don't have a CDC positive for Lyme.
Lyme Disease is clinical dx. A positive WB only helps with fighting your insurance company who also thinks they are in charge of dx patients.
So worth the money to use a lab that knows the enemy. Priceless....is a LLMD that really knows the enemy.
Pam
Posted by Annie C (Member # 14) on :
My first test was a Poss Elisa. Also showed I had had a prior infection. Ummmm Duh. Them the Dr said it a False Poss and he's the one that patted me on the head. My 2nd test was IGenx. Poss on Lyme.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
You could TRY LabCorp.. every once in awhile, someone here will get a positive with them.
The Western Blot from Igenex will cost about $250. Get test #188 and 189.
PS .. I hounded my ins until they paid for my Igenex test. Took me 9 mos of hounding.
Posted by unsure445 (Member # 15962) on :
Chipster, good thought on using Labcorp to start.
Pam, yes, the llmd is so important, a bit unsure about the initial appointment but I am trying to keep an open mind. Its not easy when you have personally gotten an in depth education.
Keebler, thanks for the link. I will check it out!
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Lyme and coinfection panel from Igenex costs about $650. You have to pay for it in advance, so you will pay the lyme doc the day he does the blood draw. The payment is sent to Igenex with the blood.
You can send in a claim to your insurance and try to get some reimbursement. I got about a third paid for by my insurance--a check sent to me to reimburse me. I didn't have to fight to get the reimbursement at all. Each insurance company may be different, however.
LabCorp is much cheaper because they take insurance. You will just pay whatever your standard copay is for lab tests.
Using two different labs increases your chances of getting some positive results. Igenex is the better lab, of course. But, LabCorp is cheap.
We know that lyme is SUPPOSED to be a clinical diagnosis, but that is not the way the insurance companies see things. So, lyme docs order tests. It could help you down the road to get further treatment paid for.
Also, lyme docs like to see some positives if you can get them. Then, they are more assured that treating a particular coinfection is the way to go. So, for example, when I got positives from Igenex for babs and bart, my lyme doctor confidently treated me for each of them.
I was not that ill when I went to him, so he was really surprised that I had both babs and bart. (I really didn't have symptoms of either one!)
I liked having the positive results also. It helps motivate you to take the meds for the diseases when you have laboratory proof of them!
Of course, as soon as I started treating babs, I got PLENTY of proof that I had it--terrible flares every 7 days.
So, I believe this is money well spent to help the doctor figure out what to retreat.
I wish your son all the best and a speedy recovery.
Posted by lax mom (Member # 38743) on :
Igenex takes Medicare.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
If anyone qualifies as low-income, www.lymetap.com will cover 75% of IGeneX lab costs!