I would stick with your LLMD and forget your MD/Duck. He is already raising doubts/concerns because of the IGG/IGM. Now your MD is going to get an Infectious Disease duck involved. None of which probably believe in Lyme.

If you have a lot of symptoms and you were fortunate enough to get a positive test, I would say run away from the other doctors and stick with your LLMD that is going to
treat your Lyme and Babs.

Don't get started in the doctor merry go round. You will never get off and you will never get treated or get answers. When you get more doctors involved they will agree to disagree. They certainly will not believe in Lyme no matter how many positive tests you have.

You have already had spinal tap and many other tests per your post. Sounds like Lyme to me. I am sure others will chime in here as well.

Research and study all aspects of Lyme so that you will feel comfortable with this diagnosis and the knowledge will help you cope with the daunting lists of symptoms you will endure as well as the doctors that pooh pooh Lyme.

The tests results - one means that you have recently been infected, the other means that you have had the infection for a long time. I can't remember which one is which.

My bloodwork came back p41 positive in IGG and p41 and p23 on IgM.

As lyme is a clinical diagnosis - and I was symptomatic, my doc is treating me for it.

Only one (igg or igm) needs to be postive to start treatment, especially if you have the symptoms. If you go to the CDC website, it will explain it too.

Also if you do a search for Western Blot - there have been a few great posts describing it even better. I've never pasted forums before, so hopefully this will work for you. I think there are a few others too.
http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/022767.html

It sounds like, though, your in good hands with the llmd and will get the treatment you need.

Also, from what I've read (and I am no dr) the spinal tap may not show anything. I might ask your llmd about that and then speak with your boston md.

I know others will add to this, with even more experienced opinions. Take care.

I believe (if I recall correctly) the IgM means a recent (and/or active) infection whereas the IgG means you have an older infection (or inactive infection)which unfortunatly...most non-LLMD's interpret this as you may have been "exposed" at some point in your life because you show antibodies, but if you got 3 weeks of abx, you are already "cured" (despite stil being symptomatic)

You said you were positive on the IgM so that is a recent and/or active infection...I too tested positive on this according to my LLMD...but "not positive enough", on enough bands to be CDC positive...(so an infectious disease doctor would say I DO NOT have Lyme... I too, was so confused and didn't know who to listen to at first there, myself...but I know I have lyme...(I also tested positive on a PCR test, which finds the actual DNA of the pathogen...hard to dispute that!!)

So if you start hearing things from your MD and the infectious disease doc that you DO NOT have lyme...I say run, don't walk, back to that LLMD...

Lyme is so political...I never would have believed it till I experienced it, but like mentioned by others...Lyme should be diagnosed clinically, by symptoms...not just blood work (even the CDC has changed it's guidelines about this...unfortunately, the CDC has not done a good job getting the word out to the mainstream doctors who are still following old guidelines...) Bloodwork is still helpful in getting insurance coverage etc...but if you have the symptoms and have ruled out other diseases, trust that more than what anyone says about your bloodwork...

Another reason to stick it out with the LLMD, is even if the non-LLMD agrees to treat you for Lyme...More than likely he will undertreat you...and I highly doubt he will have any clue how to treat Babesia...but... there are the rare non-LLMD's willing to work with you AND the LLMD, or to consult and learn from an LLMD...but make sure you ask a lot of questions and compare them with how your LLMD would answer them...

Lyme is not something to mess with...most people do best under the care of a true LLMD!!

Hope this helps a little,
Keep us posted...

Kira