posted
I've got negative on all the strains from Quest, but I've have scratch-like rashes on my back. Sent the pics to my LLMD, and she said it could be Bart. Confusing. How accurate is the test from Quest? Anyone knows a better lab for this?
Thanks,
Posts: 11 | From MA | Registered: Jan 2011
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posted
No one? Thanks.
Posts: 11 | From MA | Registered: Jan 2011
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Jamers
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 28016
posted
I don't know much of anything about this stuff But I got tested through Igenex which is supposed to be the best for Lyme after repeated failures with other tests. I did come up positive for Lyme but no co-infections. But I have many symptoms of Babesia. Apparently the tests are not very reliable and your doctor should treat you based more on symptoms. If he thinks that you have Bart. he is probably more accurate than any test...I would think. This is just based on what I've been reading. Hope that helps.
-------------------- Diagnosed Pos. Lyme Nov. 17, 2010, Igx. Pos. Babesia Duncani March 2011, Igx. Clinical diagnosis for Bartonella Posts: 1127 | From North Carolina | Registered: Sep 2010
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
I understand the coinfection tests done by Quest and LabCorp are worthless.
That includes bartonella, babesiosis, ehrlichia, etc.
Burrascano says to use a "good reference laboratory" to test for lyme and all the coinfections. Quest and LabCorp are not reference laboratories.
My lyme doctor uses Igenex. Burrascano said during public lectures to use Igenex. They are a tick-borne disease specialty lab in California.
You can see that a lab that specializes in tick-borne diseases would be a better place to be tested for these things.
Not only that, but the blood has to be sent to the lab right away, before it starts to clump up. If it clumps, then the antibodies will be caught in the clump and you will test negative for that reason.
Quest and LabCorp don't send your blood anywhere right away as far as I know. The lyme doctor's office calls for express pick-up after they take your blood. That's what you want.
A good lyme doctor will draw your blood on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday and have it shipped express mail immediately to Igenex, being sure it does not sit over the weekend in the post office. That handling gives you the best chance of getting an accurate test.
"The "right laboratory" means one that specializes in borreliosis testing.
In the past, I have done head to head comparisons with 3 different regular labs. Western blots were drawn and sent on the same day to 2 different labs.
The labs that specialize in borreliosis testing typically found borrelia-associated antibodies, that the regular laboratories missed.
If these specialty labs find a borrelia antibody, I trust it to be significant, because patients respond to antibiotics.
You get what you pay for, so use a lab that specializes in borreliosis. The right way to process the Western blot specimen means for the blood to be drawn and express mailed early in the week.
Research shows the borrelia antibodies have the potential to clump together, resulting in false negative test results. So far, unclumping has not been practical for laboratories to do.
The fresher the specimen, the more accurate the test results. Patients at our office are scheduled Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday if testing is to be done.
This way, express shipping will assure that the specimen does not spend the weekend sitting at the post office. This is the right way to test and ship borreliosis specimens."
You can find this under "Quick Links to Popular Topics" which sits at the top of the Medical Questions forum.
It is called "Dr. C's Western Blot Explanation."
Although it talks about the Western Blot test for lyme disease, the same priciples apply to the coinfection tests.
However, I must tell you that you can even get a negative test from Igenex and still have bart or babs. So, the diagnosis of these diseases is made based on symptoms by a doctor who is very experienced at dealing with these diseases.
I got a positive bart and babs test through Igenex. I really had no symptoms of either disease, but yet I had them. That's why I couldn't get rid of lyme disease. I had a doctor who just treated me for lyme for 2 years. He helped me, but I could not get off of the meds without being as sick as ever within 2 weeks.
I changed to a Burrascano type doctor and he tested me for bart and babs through Igenex, treated me for these diseases, and got me well.
It has now been almost 6 years since I completed my treatment and I am still symptom-free, enjoying my life.
If you do not treat every coinfection that you have, you will just relapse when you stop treatment. So, if you have symptoms of bart, I strongly suggest you get treated for it. It could make all the difference in the world.
In the state of Maryland, every single person with lyme disease also has babs and bart. The ticks around here must be carrying all 3.
In fact, some lyme doctors (in other states) routinely treat all their patients for all 3 diseases to be sure they cover all the bases.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Jamers
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 28016
posted
Very informative TF. So glad to hear that you have been well for 6 years! That gives me so much hope which comes in handy right now. Makes sense to just treat all 3 regardless.
-------------------- Diagnosed Pos. Lyme Nov. 17, 2010, Igx. Pos. Babesia Duncani March 2011, Igx. Clinical diagnosis for Bartonella Posts: 1127 | From North Carolina | Registered: Sep 2010
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But I got tested through Igenex which is supposed to be the best for Lyme after repeated failures with other tests. I did come up positive for Lyme but no co-infections. But I have many symptoms of Babesia. Apparently the tests are not very reliable and your doctor should treat you based more on symptoms. If he thinks that you have Bart. he is probably more accurate than any test...I would think. This is just based on what I've been reading. Hope that helps.
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