posted
When I was in with Dr J for my son I forgot to ask about the Wb he had done in hospital. Maybe you guys can help me out. His Wb IGG was positive and his IGM was positive what does that mean when they are both positive?
His reg family doc told me that because the IGM was positive that it means that it was a recent infection that he just got it.
Then i read something about the IGG being positive means that the infection has been there.So I am confused can someone help me understand.
Dr. J sent blood off on tuesday to Igenex and MDL they said it will take 3 weeks for those to be back.
Posts: 78 | From Port Jervis, NY USA | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
Good question! I can't believe I don't know the answer....maybe I once knew and I forgot?? my lack of brain power really shouldn't surprise me any!!
Read thru this......the answer may be there. I know Dr C [of MO] discusses both the IgG and the IgM.
for your info, have your dr. contact IGENEX and ask that they FAX the western blot results to his office and snail mail the paper copy. It takes ONE week only for the results.
I had to wait 6 weeks since someone lost my results!
bettyg
Posts: 1 | From US | Registered: Aug 2015
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Carol in PA
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 5338
posted
Yes, I had a doc tell my that my positive IgM Western Blot meant that I had a recent infection. Even though that group of doctors had been seeing me for 15 years for fibromyalgia symptoms.
I have since read the a positive IgM can mean that you have an active infection.
A positive IgG means that there are antibodies present for that bacteria, which shows a past infection.
Carol
Posts: 6956 | From Lancaster, PA | Registered: Feb 2004
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janet thomas
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7122
posted
Since the Lyme bacterium is a clever little bugger it keeps changing it's antigenic appearence. So our immune system is constantly scrambling to keep up, so to speak.
Thus you have a continuing IgM response.
A lot of bands on a WB is good because it means the immune system is fighting the infection.
Matter of fact, I was told by Dr N H that as you are treated more bands is a very good sign.
Now I had been doing some thinking after all this happen to austin. When he started school in 2004 his teacher and I began to notice a big change in his school perfomance having alot of difficulty with his eyes and focusing.
He was getting headaches alot while doing work. His teacher also reported dizziness and visual fatigue. Which the vison teacher had also found while doing her testing on him. The exam could not be completed due to the visual fatigue and headache.
Number reversals and learning new things and remembering them. I decided to have the school start testing him. Well they wante me to have his optometrist do a secondary exam that was developmental.
Well austin did not score very well with these tests. Doc said he has 20/20 vision. He said he has some very signifigant motor lags. He had difficulty using both hands simutaneously while doing circles on the board. He was unable to sequence three hops alternately and had signifigant segmaentation and motor overflow while doing the standing angels test.
Spatially his organization is very immature. Also had concern with his saccadic eye movements and fine motor skills in general. Delay with laterality though most of it was reversals of numbers not letters.
This is why I was questioning the IGG because in order to have a positive IGG you need to have antibodies which mean there was a past infection.
So this could mean that he has had this since 2004 and we didn't think of lyme when the school problems started.
Now EM rash I seen was july 10th. Now could that be that the rash took that long to show. Or was he reinfected this year as well. Or he had it in 2004 w/no rash and then these were new rashes?
But we will never really know will we. I guess we will really find out if the lyme has done neuro damage. Austin is going to be having a neuro physcological exam.
Your opinions are appreciated.
Posts: 78 | From Port Jervis, NY USA | Registered: Aug 2005
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lymie tony z
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5130
posted
Hi Briteyes,
Igg is supposed to mean you were exposed at some point in your life...Igm is supposed to denote that you have a current infection...
However.....I have had both....one or the other...and none....the tests do suck...even from igenex and stoneybrooke...
Or the fact that the dang chetes are good at hiding....which is probably the case....
IMO your kid definitely is positive because of the pos IGM...and symptoms.....but hey I'm just a patient.... I never saw my bullseye rash until after I started treatments with doxy and amox...way back in 98.... and I doubt very seriously if I got bitten and infected from march of 98 to OCT of 98 when rash showed up on my stomach....
There's lots and lots we don't know about this disease//
I still show pos for IGM and IGG my last test thru stoneybrooke...with same blood draw that was sent thru HMO to who knows where and came back negative.....go figure....ya gotta go by symptoms....zman
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Posts: 2527 | From safety harbor florida(origin Cleve., Ohio | Registered: Jan 2004
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I just wish there was better testing. I just would really like to know how long its going to take for him to get better. Due to us not knowing when he was bit etc.
I would hate for him to live his childhood sick. All because these nasty ticks give disease. I posted a topic in general on a tv show I watched last night on blood sucking bugs. It was quite knowledgable.
Posts: 78 | From Port Jervis, NY USA | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
Yeah I have the same feeling about him having it since 2004. Austin is 9yrs old. Yes I did view the info that your link took me too. Thank you.
Posts: 78 | From Port Jervis, NY USA | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
Well austins ultra sound showed sludge in the gall bladder. Dr J office called and the rocephin is being stopped.
He is changing it to CLAFORAN IV 2grms 2x a day and he is to have another ultrasound in 30 days and labs have to be done once a week. So they can keep an eye on his white blood cell levels.
His diet also has to be low fat. Austin is not happy about that. So I told him we will all start eating that way and you won't be the only one.
Posts: 78 | From Port Jervis, NY USA | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
Recently told positive for one band. Benn suffering with fibromyalgia for 17 years. My LLMD says one bnd does indicate infection but I was told it is old and I am in late stage lyme. I need proff for my attorney to convince a divorce judge to allow me to use some funds that have been frozen. I have been diagnosted with late lyme recently. I am so depressed and hopeless. I have been abused for years for looking OK while definately not feelingOK. I feel horrible in every way, every where. Recently I notice I can't remember how to spell sinmple words or place them incorrectly in sentences. Sound familiary?
quote:Originally posted by Carol in PA: Yes, I had a doc tell my that my positive IgM Western Blot meant that I had a recent infection. Even though that group of doctors had been seeing me for 15 years for fibromyalgia symptoms.
I have since read the a positive IgM can mean that you have an active infection.
A positive IgG means that there are antibodies present for that bacteria, which shows a past infection.
posted
Well austin went to dr j yesturday and they administered his first dose of the new abx. He did fine no allergic reaction. His family doc called me yesturday before I left for Dr j office. He just wanted to explain why he feels the way he does. All in all he is talking to the wrong docs. He said but your austins mom and you do what you feel is best for him.
He also suggested that I go to see the Infectious disease doc on friday and if I didn't like what she had to say than not to go back to her.
Posts: 78 | From Port Jervis, NY USA | Registered: Aug 2005
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