posted
If you suspected Lyme in your child would you bother with a standard Western blot ordered through a pediatrician?
My son does not have serious symptoms but enough come and go minor symptoms that I am beginning to wonder.
I couldn't live with myself if I found out down the road he was ill for many years and brushed it off.
Plus this morning I said to myself "if he mentions one more odd symptom I am getting him tested" and about 5 minutes later he got up and said his eye was burning.
Thoughts? Maybe I should go straight for the Igenex test...
-------------------- unsure445 Posts: 824 | From northeast | Registered: Jun 2008
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jackie51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14233
posted
I am having the Western Blot done through Lab Corp for my daughter for her sore knees and forgetfulness. She also has periodic heavy emotions and irritabilility. while she is in an extremely heavy hormonal stage of her life, I think it's a little extreme.
If you can afford the Igenex, I say go for it. You'll sleep better.
Posts: 1374 | From Crazy Town | Registered: Dec 2007
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Pinelady
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18524
posted
unsure445 sometimes it can be very hard to find in kids.
If you suspect it I would go to a great LLMD who can help you get the best results on testing as well as knowledge they have for other signs and symptoms you do not see everyday.
There are other signs in the body, on the body and many neurological tests that can tell a tale to a trained eye that others never look for...Trust your instincts.
-------------------- Suspected Lyme 07 Test neg One band migrating in IgG region unable to identify.Igenex Jan.09IFA titer 1:40 IND IgM neg pos 31 +++ 34 IND 39 IND 41 IND 83-93 + DX:Neuroborreliosis Posts: 5850 | From Kentucky | Registered: Dec 2008
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posted
If your child has heathcare go to the ped. and get the WB in addition to going to the LLMD for the same as well as a clinical evaluation.
You said: "I couldn't live with myself if I found out down the road he was ill for many years and brushed it off."
But don't forget, on the flipside you have a responsibility to make sure your child isn't falsely treated. It can be just as harmful.
Posts: 339 | From Outer Space | Registered: Aug 2009
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If my son was really tired I think it would be a no brainer but he isn't. The few people I know who's children have had lyme all state that their kids were really tired.
BUT, his knee sometimes gets a little swollen, a few times he has said his neck and back hurt, and he never can fall asleep at night, even after a full day of sports. Every once in a while he says he gets a "shocking pain" which I have mentioned to the pediatrician and they don't think much of it.
My husband thinks we should begin with the pediatrician and go from there. If I do get a negative Igenex test I would not treat clinically unless more symptoms began. As 3030 mentioned this could be harmful.
Aplejack, can you request a test be done through Labcorp at any hospital lab or is it through a LLMD?
I guess if I am writing these posts my gut is saying don't wait any longer.
-------------------- unsure445 Posts: 824 | From northeast | Registered: Jun 2008
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jackie51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14233
posted
If your pediatrician gives you a lab slip, you'll probably be going to Lab Corp or Quest, I think. Whatever your insurance pays for, then do that first. You may have to push your pediatrician to order the Western blot. most will screen using the Elisa, which I've been told is pretty useless. Do you know much about testing?
Posts: 1374 | From Crazy Town | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
Please do something right away. I am living with the result of "waiting" for more symptoms with my 18 year old. He is now dropping out of his first year of college to move home and start treatment.
His Igenex test was neg. only 41 band showing, but he had the bart rash on his back. If I had gone with my gut last Nov. he would be a year into treatment instead of just starting now.
He was never tired and never had any aches but now he is experiencing extreme brain fog and panic/anxiety attacks.
Follow your gut!
Posts: 303 | From green bay, wi | Registered: Mar 2009
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posted
My daughter had learning disabilities, headaches and one knee hurt. I took her to my LLMD next time I went in order to have her tested. She had an ambiguous test, so we did an abx trial. She responded to treatment.
Her treatment was relatively short because we caught it before it was really bad. After 5 months she was symptom-free, so we treated two more months, then switched abx and treated a month longer.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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ktkdommer
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 29020
posted
I am in agreement with the previous posts. I wish I had known earlier. If just one person had said Lyme during the 3 years we searched for answers. My thought that I share with others is: for $200 you can have Lyme ruled in or out if you test through IGeneX and do their Western Blot IgG and IgM panels. It was the best money I ever spent. My sickest is on his way to recovery and it could have happened by in August of 2007.
-------------------- Things are never dull. After 3 fighting Lyme, 2 are in remission. Youngest is still sick, age 22. He has new diagnosed Chiari Malformation and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. Posts: 1366 | From Perrysburg, Ohio | Registered: Nov 2010
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I am getting right on this. When I picked him up at school today he said his eye is still burning.
Momofthree, I hope your son has a smooth and quick recovery! Its hard to know what is what with this disease.
Happy Thanksgiving!
-------------------- unsure445 Posts: 824 | From northeast | Registered: Jun 2008
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sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
I have done all my Western Blots, 3 of them through labcorp. Ins paid for all of them.
If you get one done by your pediatrician, just make sure to get a copy of the test result to take to a LLMD.
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
I'd probably go to a doc who does muscle testing first. I think that's as reliable as labs. Once I get myself feeling better, I think I will test my kids. They're not really sick but I think I may have been carrying lyme when I was pregnant so it just seems smart to test them.
Posts: 707 | From Colorado | Registered: Jul 2010
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tick battler
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 21113
posted
I have three young children that I had to diagnose myself. The pediatrician was of no help. Their symptoms came slowly and subtly and one of mine showed no fatigue. Insomnia was a big problem as well as light sensitivity, hyperactivity, and random pains like your son is having. The pains would only happen once a week or so.
I wish I had treated all of my children earlier. We are in the third year of treatment and they are much improved but not there yet. My daughter is the best off because she is my youngest and I knew what to look for. So hers was caught much earlier. I asked my LLMD to treat her as a trial even though he was not sure she had it. She never had a positive lyme test but later into treatment had positive babesia and bartonella tests.
tickbattler
Posts: 1763 | From Malvern, PA | Registered: Jul 2009
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-------------------- Not everything in life that can be counted counts and not every thing that counts can be counted...Albert Einstein Posts: 208 | From Northeast | Registered: Aug 2010
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posted
Yeah, I don't have much to add, cause everyone is in sync here.
Just wanted to say, I might have had Lyme since I was 14. And, the first potential symptom was my anger tolerance was gone, and I wasn't sleeping normal hours anymore.
It can start so early with practically minimal symptoms. 13 years later, I'm out of work for 2 years.
Posts: 829 | From MD | Registered: Dec 2009
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posted
Thank you all for sharing your experiences. Making an appointment today for an Igenex test. I thnk if I start with a standard Western Blot and its negative I will still be wondering anytime he has any potential symptoms due to the inaccuracy.
Muscle testing sounds good but I am not that familiar with it and don't know of any practitioners.
-------------------- unsure445 Posts: 824 | From northeast | Registered: Jun 2008
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posted
Had my DD test two weeks ago through her reg doc, so the doc calls today and says that LabCorp needs a diagnosis on her...and the doc is real gun shy about the whole thing, she said shes going to have to put down that the parent requested the test, not the fact that my DD is exhibiting several symptoms...
Migraines, auras, eye lid swelling/pain, tremors, short term memory is non existent, fatigue
Waiting on the call back, not sure if this is strictly a doc issue or the fact that my DD is on state insurance.
Either way, I WILL be getting a WB through Igx after all this...just have to find a doc that will do it.
Posts: 83 | From NC | Registered: Jun 2010
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