posted
Regarding IgM and IgG...I'm catching up as I've been out of the loop for a while. After being bit or being in a high tick area and suspecting one was on you, when is the best window of time to test?
Since IgM can fade out within a few weeks but then IgG increases does this make testing after 4 weeks more accurate? Is IgG essentially going to be a more reliable show on blood work? I read this comment in the forum somewhere so I'm hoping for clarification to give the best advice to people who may want to go for testing.
Thank you.
-------------------- Just a catepillar, full of imaginal buds. Posts: 143 | From Philadelphia, PA | Registered: Mar 2011
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Bartenderbonnie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 49177
posted
After first being bit, a western blot Lyme test (mainstream medical’s choice) is USELESS, even according to the CDC!
The CDC states a western blot will not show positive for 4 - 6 weeks after tick bite inoculation. This is because it takes your body time to mount an antibody response, and the western blot test is looking for antibodies instead of the dna of the bacteria.
In the meantime, the Lyme is disseminating throughout your body. Upping your chances greatly to becoming a chronic disease state.
TREAT THE BITE 4 - 6 weeks antibiotics. Do Not Wait For Testing.
If you decide to test using regular labs, then test after the 4 weeks. During this wait period, avoid all antibiotics. There are some people who say to take a long hot shower before testing to get the bugs into the blood stream. There are some people who say to exercise before the test. There are some people who say to do a lymphatic message before testing.
There is also a LLMD who noticed if he gave a patient an ultrasound before testing, the test would be positive. I do not know the validity of these statements.
As for IgM and IgG Yes, IgM antibodies show up first in infections. Yes, IgG antibodies show up in past infections. But all bets are off with Lyme disease. You can have both IgM and IgG in past and present infections.
posted
Thank you Bartenderbonnie. This lines up with what I've been thinking/reading and what I remember from the past. Thank you for the links too-very helpful as I dig in again.
I appreciate the advice on what to do before testing that may help. I remember in the past a dose of cat's claw was also recommended if you were always testing negative but had symptoms but I'm not sure if that still holds.
I'm curious about avoiding anti-biotics during/before testing... I'm not as familiar with that. Is this because it suppresses the antibodies? I vaguely remember that a round of doxy could provoke a positive test as well but maybe this is only in reference to chronic lyme and not acute onset.
I will continue catching up on everything and I so appreciate the replies and links.
-------------------- Just a catepillar, full of imaginal buds. Posts: 143 | From Philadelphia, PA | Registered: Mar 2011
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