Hello Treepatrol,and others,No, they do not test for B.B or Babs or a few other infectious agents that are zoonosises--such as parasites, ect.They do check for vCJD
Even if they were to test for everything infectious in nature--they would still fall short on safety......since new and emerging infectious agents present constantly, as well as mutations in current strain lines.
This is not what anyone wants to hear, but it's the plain and simple fact.
Fact number two:
Nor do they always test correctly in eggs, dairy, or meat, or probiotics formulas, transfer factors, ect.
Pasterization processes on foodstuffs and all above listed products have been known to fail
Though it is not the norm( for it to fail) it can and does happen
I'm sure you are aware of the stories surrounding vCJD and the american cattle association
We all live in the real world....so no one is special or isolated from all of these wonderful facts( Not even The Donald!!), unless you are a vegan, who also does not ingest supplements that contain any animal by-products, and never dines out in restarants--and you probaly live in the Yukon...a quiet hermites' life!!!
My personal theory on IVIG.....and you can take this as more than just an opinion, since I'm a PharmD......don't use IVIG if you don't need it, there is a shortage worldwide, and you may be taking it away from someone who really needs it
Remember the movie," The boy in the plastic bubble", that's a classic case of SCID---Severe Combined Immune Deficientcy
That lad will die without IVIG----no if ands or buts---NONE, no debate.
Also, the side-effects of IVIG can be....how shall we say this.....NOT FUN!!
But not to worry.....neither private insurance or Medicare, or Medicaid, will pay for it if you do not need it
And you need BIG proof--and it's getting tougher and tougher all the time....currently you must present at 40% below the lowest level that is considered normal to get insurance reimbrusment
THAT'S WAAY LOW!!! Normal levels trough out at 1,000 to 1,700 IgG subclass total
That means you have to be at 400 for the insurance company to even be willing to take a look at your medical records
It used to be 700--that's a big difference! That was also the magic number that immunilogist needed to see before even considering TX.
Anyway.......
As far as autoimmunity and IVIG---don't shoot the sender here.........
But unless it's a DX of Chronic Demylinatizing Polyneuropathy......I have not heard of it(IVIG) making that much of a difference--I mention this diagnosis, since it is certainly not unheard of among borrelia sufferers. If you can get the IVIG for CDPN---I would give it a try.
In some of the dermatalogical autoimmunity( said autoimmunity) diseases it(IVIG) has been proven to help--but they are not common to borrelia sufferers---so I digress here.
I don't really want to, or need to....get terribly deep regarding all the intricacies regarding my medical history and my immune deficientcy....suffice it to say that I have done quite a bit of research as to my own private grail.......since I was not terribly pleased to find this information out--I searched for any darn way to prove them wrong.........
1) Contacted both researchers in what is refered here as Camp A and Camp B doctors regarding the CVID DX----I could type a quite lenghty post with regards to both commentaries........The main thing was that they agreed on the DX--but for different reasons.
2) My CVID was dx.ed at Columbia University.....and though my LLMD--considered to be the worlds' best....does not think that my presentation is typical( cvid causing chronic infections,,including borrelia---as it would usually be the other way around, chronic infection with borrelia + co. supressing immune function, and causing transient CVID)...he agrees that I must use this *IVIG* .
And I has also had a phone conference with another well-know LL neuro--who wanted to hear my story.. and who also backed this up--after reviewing my medical records. he has started using IVIG on Lyme patients.
See my above posting to Zip and do a search on all the infectious agents that I listed....it can take awhile, but you will see that it is usually the co-infections Babesia and bartonella, and toxoplasmosis that can trigger a false CVID dx.
So can Celiac Sprue, brucellia, tropical spastic paraperesis
3) I am/have subscribed to "The everthing can and is caused by Borellia" movement in the past--since we all know that it is a multi-systematic infection, but I went "Boldly were no man has gone before", and did the totally crazy thing of having my genomes mapped for genetic mutations----both germ-line( at birth, congential) and any current somatic mutations(aquired by living life and being exposed to toxins...chemical, infectious, and otherwise)
I do not suggest this to anyone...since it is expensive as all !@#$%#$@, and many are not ready for this sort of information.
I had this done as a professional courtesy.
It suggested beyond the shadow of a doubt that it was congential.....my sister also tested positive for this --but she does not require treatment with IVIG at this time.
It came from the maternal side---and I have several cousins testing positive also---the only manifestation they ALL have is......chronic sinusitis, AND, Myco Pneumonia--or alot of bouts with walking pneumonia
Just because you get walking pneumonia DOES NOT mean that you have an immune deficientcy--it can be but one of many syptoms/check-points in diagnosis.
A word about my immediate family members.....
It is said that Bowen never gets a negative test for borrelia...since everyone has been exposed to borrelia infectious agents?
Well, that's news to my sister, decreased mother, and father.....they all tested negative--so if congential borrelia infections were to blame for my and my sisters genetics---we sure do not have any proof to back it up!
Though I am not saying that this theory may not work for some.....in our well documented family medical history....it just doesn't pane out!!
So, for me, I have no choice but to treat with IVIG--not fun, but reality
I would quite literally succumb to pneumoia if I didn't
I almost did in 2003--when my IgG TOTAL LEVELS were at a whopping 180!!!!!
Lastly:
Guys, ZIPZIP isn't a troll, he also suffers form a supressed immune fuction/immune deficientcy, and is just trying to help out by posting information with regards to current immunilogicial studies with regards to lyme and co-infections
It's a newer topic here on Lymenet, and one that has been largely "boo hooed" in the past......I think we really need to maintain an open mind and review the material from all angles( No one ever seems to mind discussing alternative therapies to death)
Consider it a wise agruement, or orginal thought
Seems alot of folks aren't clearing the disease per the innate, OR, aquired immune system response........and the INvasion/Evasion of the borrelia agent is a large part of the problem......
But it's not the whole story...really
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