posted
Hi everyone- I was hoping for some advice from anybody experienced with coinfection testing. I had the complete co-infection panel from Igenex and all was negative except an Igg Ehrichia titer of 1:40.
My LLMD ordered many tests from Labcorp, such as the CD57, along with repeat coinfection testing. He said Labcorp is a very good general testing lab and seemed to think it would be good to test for coinfections, esp since I had a complete panel done at Igenex. There is no harm in having this coinfection testing repeated.
I am worried that I might at least have bartonella based on a linear rash that popped up, but it did not show up on Igenex. Should I pay to have coinfection tests rerun at a specialty lab like Fry Labs using other methods like PCR? The good thing is Labcorp is also in my insurance network, so it's a lot more economical to use. Should I at the least get a blood smear from Fry labs or repeat bartonella testing?
Does anyone know about Labcorp's reputation for coinfection testing? Has anyone had experience with Labcorp lyme-related testing? My LLMD seemed to think they were good for a repeat test. Does anyone have an opinion or advice on what tests I should have run and where? Thanks so much.
Posts: 163 | From Cleveland, OH | Registered: Sep 2007
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kelmo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8797
posted
I know many would disagree, but I go to the Fry Lab doc and he will even send out blood to Labcorp for the Western blot and do a blood slide in his own lab. He does that to help save the patient costs.
My daughter tested positive for bartonella on Labcorp.
I tested positive on 41, whatever that is..Lyme or bart, it's a guess.
posted
Thanks so much- any more opinions on Labcorp coinfection testing? I'd love to hear people's experiences with their lyme testing and what they think.
Posts: 163 | From Cleveland, OH | Registered: Sep 2007
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posted
Thanks so much- any more opinions on Labcorp coinfection testing? I'd love to hear people's experiences with their lyme testing and what they think.
Posts: 163 | From Cleveland, OH | Registered: Sep 2007
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posted
If your insurance covers I would go ahead and do it. Maybe you will be lucky and get a positve...BUT...chances are it will be negative.
There tests are not as sensitive as Igenex. Is your doctor treating you on symptoms anyway? Lyme is a clinical dx and negative tests really mean nothing.
My LLMD does not use Igenex. This has turned me off to him. I pressured him with some questions yesterday. He told me that having to pay cash for your appt. is expensive enough. He uses Stonybrook lab just hoping to get a positive to make the patient feel better about the dx. He uses this lab because the accept insurance. If a patient wants to use Igenex he will do it upon their request.
All of my labs...I have used them all...have been negative except for Igenex.
Even though my insurance covers these labs I will not have any more tests sent to them for lyme. It is to disappointing to me to keep getting negatives back. It also doesn't help to convince other doctors that you are really sick if all of your labs are screaming negative. Since most quacks are to ignorant to educate themselves on lyme they think that a negative tests means you absolutely do not have it.
My LLMD used them cuz that's what ins will pay for (Lab-Corp)- waist of a blood draw for me. Good for choles.testing, I guess, but not much in the way of TBI's.
Even thru IgeneX I've only had 1 pos FISH.
I stopped waisting my $ on testing. After 7 or 8 yrs of this I must have come to a cross roads cuz I no longer feel the need to have the test's validation that I am indeed sick.
Plus, it was always in the back of my mind that the neg test results would eventually lead to ins co's not paying for meds.
I more felt sorry for my LLMD that he didn't have the proof in his files, and felt like he was at risk by treating clinically.
Bottom line, get TX, get better, and don't worry about the validation of the tests. YOU know, and God knows, if you are sick, - good enough for me.
Posts: 176 | From Tenn | Registered: Jul 2004
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