I also was wondering if anyone has experienced a stinging sensation on the face like a burn? Mine stings along with wicked facial flushing that was not present before the bite. Thanks in advance for replies. Happy New Year!

Sorry you haven't had any firm answers yet from your doctor.

To preserve your future, I would see an LLMD who already knows that LD is a diagnosis based on symptoms.

The test is merely a tool to support the clinical diagnosis.

Some of the sickest folks have negative WB test results. Many on this board have never had a positive WB test, but have LD.

Untreated Lyme or undertreated Lyme can debilitate you.

According to the information below by LLMD, Dr. C. in Missouri, WB Band 23 kDa is specific for Lyme and if the patient has symptoms, with only one of the bands listed below, then you have a high probability of LD.

It is WB Band 22-kDa that can cross-react with other bacteria/spirochetes; that's probably what your doctor was referring to.

From Dr. C.:
"In my clinical experience, if a patient has symptoms suspicious for borreliosis, and has one or more of the following bands, there is a very high probability the patient has borreliosis.

These bands are 18, 22, 23-25, 28, 30, 31, 34, 37, 39, 41, 83, and 93. This is true regardless of whether it is IgG or IgM..

But again, there is (no universal agreement) on the significance of these bands.

Betina Wilska, M.D. from Germany is one of the world's experts on outer surface protein A (31 kDa).

At the international borreliosis conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, I asked her personally about the 30 kDa band. She told me it was the same as the 31 kDa band (osp A).

When you have the opportunity to talk to borreliosis experts, this helps in assigning significance to findings, on an imperfect test.

As a medical doctor, I am stating all of this with no axe to grind, no professorship to protect, and no preset opinions.

Patients, personal research, and conferences have helped me interpret the borreliosis medical literature in regard to testing.

Nobody would like to have available a bullet-proof, 100% reliable Lyme borreliosis test more than I would. But we must use what is currently available. I always welcome second
opinions."
By Dr. C. in Missouri

Taken from:

http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/026659.html

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Another excellent source of information is
Melissa Kaplan's Website. She has a chart of WB bands which are a quick review:
"Interpreting the IgG & igM Wester Blot for LD:"

http://www.sonic.net/~melissk/wb.html

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If you want a symptoms list, here is an introductory new patient guide in plain language:

Lyme Disease - The Basics

www.LymePa.org

Click on the website. Click on the tan colored booklet & print out.

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The basic handbook for Lyme Disease which patients refer to constantly (includes a symptom guide):
"Guidelines & Treatments for LD"

www.ilads.org/burrascano_1102.htm

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I hope others will visit & tell you more about the symptoms you're having. I don't know if they're due to LD or a tick borne co-infection like Babesia, Erlichiosis or Bartonella.

The symptoms of LD & co-infections overlap, so it's hard to tell what's what.

Hope this helps in some way.

There is even more information about Western Blots on the Newbie Links by Treepatrol in your first post, if you need it.

Keep asking questions------we don't want one more person going undiagnosed if they have LD.

There's a great deal of misinformation about LD in the medical community; and some posters, including me, have learned the hard way that it's hard to find the truth sometimes.

Happy New Year,
Jan

quote:

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Originally posted by Heather0805:
I I had a WB after taking Doxy. 100 mg X 14 days. OF course, I would expect it to come up (-) after the Doxy.

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Actually that helps a lot of people get a +positive+ test. Not always, but they say it helps.