Can anyone please shed some light on this? The advice from my doctor is to retest after I am done with the antibiotics.
Symptoms are neurological mostly: started with tingling in all limbs, then burning in legs, stiff lower legs, stiff neck, right shoulder pain, shooting pains in arms that resolved, eye pains, headaches, random twitches in limbs and face.
Thanks in advance!
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
I would say it looks pretty positive to me.
Bands 23-25, 31 and 39 are bb specific....
Remember, Lyme is a clinical diagnosis....
Are you seeing a LLMD?
If not, please find one soon.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posted by chamade (Member # 11472) on :
I am not seeing one yet. Dr. Harris from Igenex sent a suggested antibiotics course to my doctor who seems pretty receptive. My 3 weeks doxy cure is ending today and from monday I will try to get my doctor to put me on Harris's recommeded antibiotics.
thanks for the answer
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
Please find a LLMD.....
I think it is great that your GP is willing to follow a suggested Igenex treatment protocol,
But there are other things to consider...
Such as co-infections, different types of antibiotic treatment, etc.
It's okay to keep your GP....Your LLMD may want to work with him/her.
Please, please find yourself someone who is already knowledgeable about Lyme and co-infections...
Hugs,
Geneal
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
39 kilodalton a is species specific for Lyme!!! Yes, you have Lyme!!
1: J Clin Microbiol. 1990 Jun;28(6):1329-37.
Reactivity of human Lyme borreliosis sera with a 39-kilodalton antigen specific to Borrelia burgdorferi.
Simpson WJ, Schrumpf ME, Schwan TG. Arthropod-borne Diseases Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, Montana 59840.
Borrelia burgdorferi is the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis, a spirochetal illness with a variety of acute clinical manifestations that may lead to debilitating neurological and arthritic complications.
Diagnosis is difficult because symptoms mimic a variety of unrelated clinical conditions, spirochetes cannot always be isolated from infected patients, and current serological tests are frequently inconclusive because of the presence of cross-reacting non-B. burgdorferi antibodies.
To identify antigens specific to B. burgdorferi that could be used in the serodiagnosis of Lyme borreliosis, we screened a Borrelia DNA expression library in Escherichia coli for antigens reactive with human Lyme borreliosis sera.
One clone carried a 6.3-kilobase EcoRI chromosomal fragment (pSPR33), which encoded two species-specific antigens with molecular masses of 28 (P28) and 39 (P39) kilodaltons (kDa).
These two antigens were immunologically distinct from OspA, OspB, and the 41-kDa flagellin. Ninety-four serum specimens from patients having
Lyme borreliosis were tested for reactivity with P39.
All of 33 the serum specimens with immunofluorescence assay titers of greater than or equal to 1:256, 13 of 17 serum specimens with titers of 1:128, and 14 of 44 serum specimens with titers of less than or equal to 1:64 reacted with P39.
Notably, many sera reactive to P39 did not appear to react with the 41-kDa flagellin.
Therefore, antibody to P39 could be mistaken for antibody to the 41-kDa flagellin in tests of human sera by Western blot (immunoblot).
Twenty-five control serum specimens, which included sera from syphilitic, relapsing fever, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients as well as from 10 normal individuals, did not react to P39. Our data suggest that P39 may be a useful antigen for the serological confirmation of Lyme borreliosis.
PMID: 2380361
Posted by lymednva (Member # 9098) on :
Ditto to what has been said. For your best chance of a complete recovery, please see a LLMD ASAP!
In the mean time if your GP will rx the suggested abx, that's great, take it!
But as Geneal said, you need to rule out co-infections, etc., and a LLMD is the best person for that.
Good luck!
Posted by chamade (Member # 11472) on :
thanks for the replies. I am going to the doc today to beg for more antibiotics and that should buy me time to get an appointment with a LLMD.
What I don't understand is how come is my diagnosis officially negative when I have the 39kda band positive and the only organism that has this is the bacteria that causes Lyme according to what I read?
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
You did not make CDC requirements for a "Positive" test....that's all.
It does not mean you don't have Lyme, you just won't be "officially" recorded as part of the CDC data base for Lyme disease cases.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posted by WildCondor (Member # 434) on :
It's positive as you have Lyme specific bands. Band 39 for example, is +, and highly Lyme specific. The CDC criteria is outdated and wrong.
Posted by groovy2 (Member # 6304) on :
Hi Chamade--
My LLMD is in SF --
Most regular docks will not treat you correctly --Waste time -money-Life-
Using a LLMD your chance of getting well Go Up a HUGEly --
CDC-FDA - is run by Medical Industry now --
Weestern Blot and Elisa tests are Very poor- Cause more harm than good --
Look for co infections - Important-
Hope this helps--Jay--
Posted by chamade (Member # 11472) on :
So after increasing my dosage of Doxy to 2x200mg (from 2x100mg) 80% of my parasthesias went away, I still have eye pains. On so many levels I am glad it this seems to be Lyme, because I convinced myself that I have MS and that my life is over. I hope doxy continues working...I will see a LLMD soon.