The LLMD I went to in 2005 did not test for bart. I looked up the paperwork and found babesia and erch, no bart.
Should I have the Igenex test redone? The reason I ask is because I had several problems with this doctor and quit going to him. I don't doubt Igenex and their quality, however, I have major issues with his office.
Igenex informed me that the blood sample must be protected and kept at certain temperatures and if not the test results may be invalid or incorrect. After my experience, I'm not sure his office is qualified to do this.
What do you think? I think he should have tested for all co-infections. He did a Western Blot and also sent my blood to some lab in Austin called Esoteric Labs.
I don't know of any other doctor in the DFW area that will do bloodwork and send it to Igenex for me tho.
Posted by suki444 (Member # 4261) on :
Hi Most of us have Bartonella and it is very difficult to get a positive test. I used to see Dr B and I tested negative for Bart but he said clinically I had many symptoms.
Is there any way your LLMD would prescribe a Bart drug for you without testing? to see how you responded?
Isn't it MDL that do the Bartonella tests? I am not sure.
Sorry I cannot help with advice in your area I am in the UK
BW Emma
Posted by Jill E. (Member # 9121) on :
I've had several Bart tests, both through IGeneX and MDL. MDL has tests for various strains of Bartonella.
I always followed the blood drawing/shipping instructions and don't recall any specific directions about temperature - I just put it in the right container and shipped it in the enclosed Fed Ex or DHL wrapping.
We always suspected Bart in me because of the number and severity of central nervous system symptoms. However my test did not turn positive until I started on Bart medication.
Are there specific symptoms you suspect are Bart or are you just wanting to be thorough? Bart is often treated based on clinical symptoms because of the difficulty of getting a positive Bart test.
Jill
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
I am concerned because I have ALL the classic signs of lyme. Mostly headache, eye twitching, eye pain, blurry vision, dang tinnitus, sore muscles, diahhrea, stomach pain, sore under ribs and back, sensitivity to light, and on and on.
I didn't have confidence in that doctor and would like to have tests redone to confirm exactly what I do have. And if I have co-infections, I need to know because I understand you treat those differently.
That doctor said I was unusual because I had no co-infections, but I've never heard of anybody who had no co-infections, have you?
Posted by Jill E. (Member # 9121) on :
Most of the Lyme patients I know have coinfections.
Dr. B's DVD about Bartonella-like organisms mentions that Lyme patients who have an abundance of central nervous system symptoms versus other symptoms tend to have Bartonella or Bartonella-like organisms.
A lot of my symptoms (burning, paresthesia, myoclonus, tremors, etc) can be considered central nervous system symptoms - but I also have muscle aches, joint pain, noise/light sensitivity, blurred vision, so who knows.
Given that so many Lyme patients have Bartonella, it seems smart to pursue it.
Take care, Jill
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by suki444: Is there any way your LLMD would prescribe a Bart drug for you without testing? to see how you responded?
That's what I would do.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by randibear: I didn't have confidence in that doctor and would like to have tests redone to confirm exactly what I do have. And if I have co-infections, I need to know because I understand you treat those differently.
OK...So you were tested thru Igenex and they found Lyme and babesia, right??
Then GO WITH IT. Just because that dr is "not the best", doesn't mean Igenex had it wrong.
Find a dr who will treat you for bart and/or send out blood to Igenex or MDL for bart and then treat if positive.
Posted by lymeinhell (Member # 4622) on :
Ask for some Rifampin. He should be able to dx you clinically (and you scarily sound just like I was). And Rifampin and Flagyl did the trick.
Posted by jasonsmith (Member # 10914) on :
How long do you need to be off of abx/Flagyl before you send blood off for antibody testing?
I was looking at sending some blood off to the Fry lab for blood smear/pictures, and some antibody testing for Bartonella IgG and IgM. The lab tech there told me that I didn't need to be off abx when I drew blood for these tests.