If I were you, I would continue to see new doctors until you found one who understood. Call ILADS (www.ilads.org) and get the name of a Lyme-literate doctor. When you call their office, explain the urgency and perhaps you can be seen quickly. Try a few LLMD's, if necessary, to see who can see you the soonest.

You might also call Igenex (www.igenex.com), tell them your situation, and ask them what test(s) would be best to run at this time. Ask them to send you the kit for those tests. Then ask your GP if s/he will humor you and order the tests. If you have to, and if you can, pay for the tests yourself if insurance will not cover it.

If you can get a quick appointment with an LLMD, you probably don't need to do this, but if not, it may be a helpful option.

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Tabby

The same thing happened to me. I "puzzled" 3 MD's. One was supposed to be the best in the state.

I went to an infectious disease specialist after nagging my regular dr that I may have lyme (I was diagnosed with MS since 18 years ago).

So, all this specialist did was try to convince me that I had MS by telling me things about lyme that aren't necessarily true...like, I would know that I've been bitten, I would start having neurological symptoms right away...etc.

1.5 years later, after feeling soo discouraged with all MS things that NEVER worked for me, I tested with IGenex and Bowen. I just did it on my own finally and tested positive for Lyme. Now, I'm on abx and we'll see...

So, I would strongly urge you to catch this fast if it's Lyme. Ask for someone (Dr. Harris) from IGenex to talk with you or your dr about your results. Get the Lyme PCR done with them too (if you can afford it). He'll suggest tests.

Also, move on to Bowen Labs and get the test done. I rated second highest with them. It can be really eye-opening.

In the meantime, find yourself a good dr that understands or at least is willing to learn.

Ask for a copy of your Western Blot and post it here.

Don't waste your energy with poorly informed ducks, I mean docs

by any chance do you have a photo of the rash

A bull's eye rash is 100% diagnostic

If you go to another gp and describe your rash and symptoms maybe you'll get another script for more doxy

you're at the right place now.

DOXY WARNING
1-stay out of the sun
2-have food in your stomach
3-take with liquid
4-don't lie down for 30 minutes

you can tally up your symptoms at www.canlyme.com

Welcome, hope you don't have to stay too long.

Janet

Before you completely blow up you might consider that given the ambiguity of the situation the doctor could have a point. On the other hand you did have a positive Elisa, which is the opposite of the way things usually are. As for the Western Blot, which lab did the test? Which critera did they use to rule the test was negative. Do you have a copy of the test results? If so, which bands were negative and which, if any, were positive or equivocal?

There are very important issues. Lyme disease is usually not simply a case of black and white. If you could give us this information, as well as for your own purposes, it could be very helpful in aiding us to make a better assessment of your situation-it would be most interesting to see which bands were positive. Even a "negative" test can clearly indicate the presence of an infection of Bb if the right band or bands is positive or raise some very justified suspicions if certain bands are equivocal.

Good luck and keep us posted...

Anyways...it's been difficult to pick her up lately and carry her up the three flights of stairs when my legs are weak and my body just does not want to cooperate.

As for a copy of my western blot test. What I'm looking at here certainly does not give me much to go on. Everyone mentions certain bands..and what ones tested positive or negative. Obviously the results given do not show that. The lab that performed the ELISA was Viromed Laboratories in Minneapolis, MN. The lab that performed the Western Blot was Laboratory Corporation of America in Raritan, NJ.
The criteria they have for the western blot looks like:
IGG Interpretive Criteria:
Positive: 5 of the following borrelia specific bands:
18,23,28,30,39,41,45,58,66, and 93.
IGM Interpretive Criteria:
Positive: 2 of the following bands: 23, 39, or 41.

And that's about all it said. It just says..None present/Negative.

The Elisa test however gives a titer score (?) of 1.400 (anything above 1.100 is positive)

I honestly dont know what all of this means. Perhaps one of you can interpret this.

Thanks again for your support.

I would say this duck doesn't know how to read a Western Blot....but we do...so bring it on!!

Western Blot explanation: http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/022767.html

Then the next step is to get a WB from Igenex or a test from Bowen labs.

LabCorp doesn't know how to test for Lyme. Most patients will fall through the cracks on their test.
www.igenex.com

Unfort. what you are experiencing is very common.

Just because someone is an ID, does not make them an expert in Lyme disease.

That is the understatment of all time.

It is true that lyme disease is known, rightly, as the great imitator. Thus your doctor had a right to be hesitant, or cautious, if you will,even in the light of all your symptoms. But something is obviously causing your problems.

Lab Corp is using the dumb bunny CDC criterea which anybody knows are absolute rubbish. So.:

Usually, IgM indicates recent or current infection and IgG indicates a past exposure. Lyme, however,is ever changing and it seems that causes our immune system to keep pumping out IgM. Thus, a chronic Lymie can have IgM antibodies. (and IgG)

Hope that was clear, my mind is somewhat shaky today.

Janet