If I wanted to get my children tested through Igenex how would I do this?

Their pediatrician and our family doc only use Quest.

I appreciate any help.

You can contact Igenex, and request the test kits yourself, then find a local place that will draw the blood for you.

I haven't had to do this, so I can't offer much more than that, but I do know it is possible.

IgeneX, Inc.
Tests for Lyme, Babesia, Ehrlichia, and Bartonella #800-832-3200 www.igenex.com

Good luck,
Melanie

However, you still must have a doctor's order to have it drawn and the ordering doc gets the results.

Hopefully, you can get the doctor to order it for you. Maybe ask for Igenex as a second opinion - as testing is so unreliable, etc., if he is reluctant. I'm sure you know what to say.

If the lab has any question about drawing, and they may since it is out of their usual routine, Igenex will walk them through it.

It's pretty simple though. I believe it is a gold top tube that is spun down and the serum is what is submitted.

They also have regional panels for different parts of the country to test for co-infections.

Phone them and ask for a collection kit(s) for the test(s) you want.

Take it to local doc to sign test order form.

Arrange for shipping, usually early in the week is best.

Have blood drawn locally-the lab may need to let it clot(10-20 minutes), spin it(10 minutes) and separate the serum- there will be instructions in the kit for Igenex.

Best is to draw blood and ship the same day.

You can print them out and take them to the lab for follow through.

You can also print out all the info from Igenex and take it to the doctor to help them appreciate the need for specialized testing.

Quest has one of the worst track records for accurate testing for tick borne diseases...They used to be Smith Kline Beecham...the makers of the defunct vaccine...Smith Kline was forced to divest itself of the lab subsidiary...I would steer clear of anything related to Smith Kline...

quote:

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Originally posted by breathwork:

Quest has one of the worst track records for accurate testing for tick borne diseases...They used to be Smith Kline Beecham...the makers of the defunct vaccine...Smith Kline was forced to divest itself of the lab subsidiary...I would steer clear of anything related to Smith Kline...

Good luck!

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Here's my copy/pasted info for newbies & especially about MY Igenex experience! Hope you have better luck than me! LOL.

Welcome to this 24/7 support group board!

Here's TREEPATROL's and TINCUP'S combination newbie links.
http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/029917.html

Print off the links then check them off as you read as you could spend several months reading all of this.

print & read Dr. Barrascono's info first; you will come back to this often.

Also, see Cheryl's extensive web sites on: LD DIAGNOSIS, SYMPTOMS, & TREATMENT ... wonderful!
http://www.lymeinfo.net/lymediseasetreatment.html

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The WESTERN BLOT IGM & IGG blood test nos. 189 and 188, are the only accurate tests for LD. They should only be sent to these 3 USA's Lyme testing labs:

IGENEX LAB:
797 San Antonio Road
Palo Alto, CA 94303
1.800.832.3200.

(If the early test, called IGM, is negative; the later test IGG is NOT done!)
Please see their web site: www.igenex.com for their current prices effective May 1, 2005 and

to print their REQUIRED form, which MUST be signed by the doctor, DIAGNOSIS CODE NO. COMPLETED!; Medicare's UPIN no., and your blood taken EARLY in the week so it doesn't sit in post offices!

Write on their forms you want results FAXED to their drs. Office; snail mail paper copy so it's not lost like mine was!

NON-Medicare patients must PREPAY by check or credit card for the tests since they do NOT handle insurance papers.
Medicare patients do NOT have to prepay!

2. MDLabs from NJ, www.mdl.net
see their site; they too require their own form. NO prices are listed; you must call their 800 no.

3. BOWEN labs from Florida, www.bowen.net 727.937.9077
You pay $250 tax-deductible payment for testing, and they send you a picture of what shows up in your blood. You also get the results within 24 hours after the blood is received at Bowen. They are also a 501(c)(3) lab and you can take the donation of $250 off of your taxes if you live in the US. They fax the results and then about a week later send the actual pictures.
Lyme should be diagnosed clinically using medical history in addition with the Western Blot blood tests as no currently available test is definitive in ruling-in or ruling-out infection with Ld pathogens, or whether these infections are responsible for the patient's symptoms.

NOTE: Please send a copy of your health insurance card to YOUR insurance comany (mine is Wellmark BC/BS, Iowa) for them to submit to BLUE CARD (handles other states) them to FORWARD to California's Blue Shield health insurance company since they will require that, DRS. Diagnosis Code No., and which date of service is correct (IGX has 3 different dates on their paid receipts....use the DATE OF ACTIVITY!).

FYI - mine was returned to me after 6 wks. After submitting; dr./blood lab failed to show DRS. DIAGNOSIS CODE NO. on their form! It went to 7 people to be returned to me! Disgusting!
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Below is the band comparison that I came up with for Quest and Igenex Western Blot.

Igenex tests for all 9 Lyme specific bands and Quest only tests for 5 Lyme specific bands on the IgG and 2 on the IgM.

Also, are you sure you had a Western Blot done by Quest? Did you see the results? Quest will usually do a prescreening test and if it is negative then they don't do the actual Western Blot.

We got a call saying the Western Blot was negative and I asked for a copy of the test and it wasn't a Western Blot it was a pre-screening test.

We had the doctor specify Western Blot and the lab "mistakenly" did the prescreen.

Here is the comparison
Lyme Igenex Quest IgG/IgM
Spec
18 18 18
22
23 23-25 23 23
28 28
30 30 30
31 31
34 34
37 37
39 39 39 39
41 41 41
45 45
58 58
66 66
73
83 83
93 93 93

This chart doesn't post so well, but the first column are the Lyme specific bands, second is Igenex IgG and Igm and the third and fourth are Quest IgG and Igm.

I asked our pediatrician to get a referal to send the labwork to Igenex. They will need the addresses which you can get off the kits they send out or go to their web site.