posted
I had asked my llmd to test me for this among other things because I tout it is a coinfection I should be tested for. When I asked, he refused to test me for it saying that it was not necessary. So I went to myco to test me for it, and she did. I came back with a positive IGM myco pneumonae test. I told my llmd about the results because I knew my PCP would not treat me for any positive results and this is what he said in an email to me:
You are looking for ghosts when they don't exist. I do not think mycoplasma is your main problem and the serology tests are very inconclusive other than direct cultures. The IgM can also indicate past infection as well as present infection just as it does in Lyme. Most people have mycoplasma antibodies from infection at some point or another in their lives. Biomeridian or dark field microscopy or direct culture would be far more accurate. The reason I'm making a deal about this is that treatment is similar to Lyme for mycoplasma/chronic fatigue syndrome which it is thought to cause as well as Gulf War syndrome, mainly pulsed doxycycline, which has not worked well for you. So even if we proved you had it there would be little with antibiotics that would be recommended. Ordinary mycoplasma is treated with the erythromycin drugs but this is different.
What do you think. Is he right? I thought this was a serious infection and that IGM positive indicated an active and acute infection that requires treatment.
Posts: 723 | From boston,ma | Registered: Jan 2011
| IP: Logged |
posted
I was put on Biaxin for the myco p. But I had a severe cough that went with it, along with Bronchitis at least 2x a year, the last bout that I was not able to shake with doxy or zythro - the biaxin did it for me. But my situation may be different from yours - I had signs of the co even before the bloodwork was taken.
Posts: 250 | From East Coast | Registered: Jan 2013
| IP: Logged |
Judie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 38323
posted
On my test sheet Labcorp it says if IgM is high, it recommends retesting 1-2 weeks later to assure reactivity.
Do you have symptoms of mycoplasma pneumonia?
I looked at a symptom chart and had some that were particular to it.
I think there's really no agreement on how to treat this.
For me, my titers are crazy high for IgG. Normal range is something like 1-100 and mine was 1000.
Mine have remained high.
The regular ND has suspected mycoplasma a long time even before my test, even before I got Lyme (not LLND, but she takes it seriously and wanted me to pulse antibiotics even years ago).
The PA at my LLMD said everyone has mycoplasma pneumonia.
I just saw an LLND who took my numbers seriously. This is with high IgG, not IgM.
Gosh, not sure what to say but if you have clinical symptoms, it's probably something to look more into.
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
| IP: Logged |
posted
Symptoms of chronic myco pneumonae symptoms include headaches, joint pain, fatigue, memory Impairment, flu like illness so yes I would say I have the symptoms but these are symptoms of Lyme too or other coinfections so how do you know what's causing what anyways?
Posts: 723 | From boston,ma | Registered: Jan 2011
| IP: Logged |
momintexas
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 23391
posted
I took the information below from an old post of mine. Not sure all of the links still work but hopefully this may help.
Immune Disruption
"Mycoplasmas can also disrupt the normal orchestration and organization of the host�s immune system. They can cause lymphocytes (white blood cells that bear the major responsibility of the immune system) to secrete inflammatory cytokines (proteins that facilitate cell-to-cell communication), which leads to swelling, inflammation and either stimulation or suppression of the immune system. "
"Mycoplasma are a group of microorganisms which are a cross between a virus and a bacteria. Together with Chlamydia and Rickettsia they make up a family of microorganisms known as Rickettsiae and Pararickettsiae. They are found everywhere, the hosts are usually rodents and the vectors are arthropods (insects with jointed legs) or airborne through dust. Rickettsial organisms have been found in ticks, lice, fleas, mites, meat, milk, stool and dust.
They are the smallest free living organisms. Like viruses, they are intracellular organisms but unlike viruses, they can reproduce outside cells. They lack a cell wall which makes them resistant to many antibiotics. They enter the body through skin, lungs or digestive system. They then spread through the bloodstream to infect vascular endothelium. They multiply within cells until numbers are so great that the cells burst. This then damages blood flow to multiple organs, hence the multitude of symptoms which may occur.
Research by Dr Cecile Jardin (a French surgeon now based in South Africa and specialising in the treatment of chronic fatigue) has shown that the most common symptoms of chronic mycoplasma type infections include:
Symptoms are caused by the release of 3 types of toxins into the blood:
1. Endocytokines that cause inflammation and pain. 2. Neurocytokines that produce neurological symptoms including the demyelinisation found in multiple sclerosis and psychiatric symptoms such as depression and anxiety. 3. Allergens causing allergies.
Mycoplasma infections can be occult. That means they can be asymptomatic and lie dormant until another bacteria, virus, parasite, stress or toxin activates it and causes the symptomatic phase.
Often these chronic conditions improve dramatically and even completely recover once the infection is identified and appropriately treated. In my opinion, everyone with the above conditions should be screened for chronic mycoplasma infection."
"Acute mycoplasma infections can be diagnosed by seeing an elevation in mycoplasma antibodies in a blood test. However, chronic infections often require specialised DNA testing (polymerase chain reaction). Clues to a persistent mycoplasma infection include an elevation in inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein, low white cell count, unexplained elevation of liver enzymes, elevated thyroid antibodies (in 28%) an elevated ESR, elevated rheumatoid factor, elevated antinuclear antibody and an elevated IgM antibody."
"Autoimmune conditions associated with Mycoplasmas include arthritis, Fibromyalgia, myositis, thyroid dysfunction (Hashimoto�s or Grave�s Diseases), and adrenal dysfunction, signs and symptoms of Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, Lyme,and Lou Gehrig�s Disease.
The Mycoplasma organism has the capacity to invade cells, tissues and blood, producing systemic infections in numerous organ systems. According to Dr. Nicholson, it can penetrate the central and peripheral nervous system. Because it has the ability to damage the immune system by invading the natural killer cells (NK cells) of the lymphocytes, it weakens them, reduces their numbers, and renders them susceptible to viral infections, such as Human Herpes Virus 6 (HHV6), HHV7 or HHV8. It may also explain some of the environmentally sensitive responses that are seen with CFIDS and MCS.
Mycoplasma infection can trigger inflammatory cytokine over-production that is commonly seen in CFS/FMS. With the induction of CD-4+ helper cells of the immune system, an over production of cytokines such as Interleukin-1, Interleukin-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha occurs. These elevated cytokines have been implicated in the development of many of the CFS/FMS symptoms, including neurological involvement. They can have specific or nonspecific stimulatory or suppressive effects on lymphocytes, as measured by B and T cell activation.
In addition, the Mycoplasma infection has immune-modulating effects, activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. This can cause a cascade of limbic system symptoms characteristic of CFS/FMS."
"Due to the lack of a cell wall, all mycoplasmas are innately resistant to all beta-lactams and glycopeptides. Sulfonamides, trimethoprim, polymixins, nalidixic acid, and rifampin are also inactive. Linezolid is the prototype agent of the oxazolidinone class. These agents are much less active against M. pneumoniae than the other agents that inhibit protein synthesis (224). New quinolones such as moxifloxacin, gatifloxacin, garenoxacin, gemifloxacin, and sparfloxacin tend to have somewhat greater in vitro activity than older agents such as ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and levofloxacin, although MICs of all fluoroquinolones are severalfold higher than those of macrolides (224, 435-437). Fluoroquinolones have been shown to be bactericidal for M. pneumoniae, whereas macrolides and tetracyclines are primarily bacteriostatic"
GretaM
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 40917
posted
Buhner's new book features mycoplasma and bartonella.
The information in that book is worth the purchase price.
I am a bit strapped for cash currently but I am considering doing the mycoplasma protocol when I can afford to, as I believe mycoplasma prevents us from getting well from other illnesses too.
Is it possible your doc may be open to herbal solutions for mycoplasma, if you can't tolerate doxy?
Posts: 4358 | From British Columbia, Canada | Registered: Jun 2013
| IP: Logged |
posted
I was positive for mycoplasma pneumonia both IGG and IGM for two years. Myco was also confirmed by biomeridian testing. I was treated with biaxin for 4 or 5 months for it before it finally went away.
CherylSue
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 13077
posted
up
Posts: 1954 | From Illinois | Registered: Aug 2007
| IP: Logged |
D Bergy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9984
posted
I do not have Lyme Disease but do have Crohn's.
Mycoplasma Pneumonia caused crushing fatique, and intestinal damage in my case. For most people this will not normally affect the intestinal tract, but the common denominator between the two diseases is the immune system dysfunction, and the fatique.
I am currently using frequency treatments which seem to be quite effective in reducing the pathogen. Fatique is gone, and formerly flared intestinal tract now normal.
I would not have believed the problems this pathogen can cause, until I experienced it for myself.
Dan
Posts: 2924 | From Minnesota | Registered: Aug 2006
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic