posted
When I first started researching Lyme, I thought I understood what the PCR. However, now that I may be getting one, I am not sure. Can anybody tell me, please? Thanks
Posts: 25 | From Crawfordville, Fl U.S. | Registered: Jul 2005
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They talk about the PCR tests for coinfections too.
Hope this helps,
Corgilla
-------------------- "I'll never forget good old Whatsisname." Posts: 694 | From PA | Registered: Jun 2003
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treepatrol
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posted
Thanks for the reply. My primary physican sent to Mayo Clinic recently for a second neurologist's opinion on whether I have ALS or not. ALS was not found.
In my files that I took, I had my lab results for Lyme that were performed (blood) in June and (urine) in August.
The neurologist's consulted with an infectious disease physician who said overall my Lyme results were consistent with past infection. However, it was not clear there was any evidence of an active infection at this time. She suggested to my primary that I have a CSF evaluation, as Lyme PCR could be done and also at the same time an inflammatory process could be ruled out with obtaining protein, glucose, cell count and cytology.
Have any of you had a CSF (spinal tap) evaluation and found from the results you had Lyme?
Posts: 25 | From Crawfordville, Fl U.S. | Registered: Jul 2005
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shazdancer
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According to Dr. F, a spinal tap does not rule out Lyme disease (many people have LD but normal CSF), but the lumbar puncture may rule out other diseases, so you get to Lyme by process of elimination.
Regards, Shaz
Posts: 1558 | From the Berkshires | Registered: Jul 2001
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shazdancer
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You got it, cavemen -- perhaps saying "a negative spinal tap" would have been clearer!
I guess there's also a sign when the tap is first begun -- increased fluid pressure -- that is supposed to indicate brain swelling, but it doesn't always happen, even if people do have neuroborelliosis.
I liked your explanation.
Regards, Shaz
Posts: 1558 | From the Berkshires | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted
I started the post questioning PNR explanation above.
I am now back from Mayo where I had the lumbar puncture (LP). All results were clear. However, the neurologist had already said after checking with a Mayo infectious disease doctor earlier this month, that my previous IGENX Western Block Lyme blood/urine testing showed past Lyme infection.
I ask her about this after she told me the LP was clear and she explained it something like "having had mono and it is still in your system but shows no active disease." Apparently the IGM bands are the active bands and the past infection shows up in the IGG bands. Anybody heard of this?
Now I am back to the neurologist suggestion of taking Neurontin for mild neuropathy. Is not the neuropathy coming from the Lyme? I have had the tingling, buzzing, sharp stabbing pains along with cramps and some numbness for 16 months. These sensations are all medically thought to be benign. I know they are felt and are REAL!!
Posts: 25 | From Crawfordville, Fl U.S. | Registered: Jul 2005
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You need to do some Lyme research and get to an LLMD. What they told you about the IgM and the IgG bands makes sense in theory. Not everyone evens tests positive on one of those tests yet alone both especially by CDC standards. Lyme must remain a clinical diagnosis because of the poor testing. I really wish there was a test to tell if the infection is gone or not, but presently there is not. If you had a positive WB or were clinically diagnosised and you are having symptoms of Lyme, which it sounds like you, are then you have active Lyme period.
Posts: 649 | From United States | Registered: Dec 2003
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posted
Duke, I did go to a Lyme specialist two times back in Aug and Sept. He said I had probably had Lyme since childhood. He found I had chronic sinusitis, chronic suppurative otitis media and chronic yeast. Along with that I have have lived with chronic bronchitis since childhood. He thought the bronchitis is probably caused by the sinus problem. At the first visit, he prescribed Diflucan for the yeast and Metronidazole for the sinus. I took the Metronidazole for 4 weeks.
The yeast cleared but the sinus did not. After the second visit, he told me to go back to my primary and have him send me to an ENT for the sinus and ears. He wanted me get an operation for the sinus and get tubes in my ears. I have been to an ENT and after taking a round of Ketex and having 3 CT scans he has decided he needs operate on the sinus.
In the meantime, my primary sent me to Mayo earlier this month for an EMG/nerve study and then back this week for the LP.
I feel there is some connection between the sinus/ear infection and Lyme. Apparently the Lyme specialist wanted me to get that cleared and then come back to him to look more into the Lyme factor. I am unclear on the connection at this point. I just know I am still in limbo.
Posts: 25 | From Crawfordville, Fl U.S. | Registered: Jul 2005
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shazdancer
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Hi, Nancy!
You said
quote:I ask her about this after she told me the LP was clear and she explained it something like "having had mono and it is still in your system but shows no active disease." Apparently the IGM bands are the active bands and the past infection shows up in the IGG bands. Anybody heard of this?
First off, the Mayo Clinic has a reputation for not being very good at diagnosing chronic Lyme. So I'd take their raw data back to your LLMD, but don't necessarily believe what Mayo says about the data.
Remember that the Western Blot tracks your antibody response to Lyme, NOT Lyme itself. In a perfect world (and in many other diseases) your antibodies would multiply to attack the infection when it first enters the bloodstream, which could be measured on the IgM part of a Western Blot.
After killing the invaders off, a few antibodies for that infection would continue to remain in the blood, which would show up on the IgG portion of the Western Blot. (So you might be IgG positive, but have no Lyme symptoms.)
But this is not a perfect world....
It can take a few weeks for the antibody count to go up high enough to be detected by IgM, so you can have Lyme with a negative IgM.
The Lyme bacterium can cloak itself, so that our antibodies don't always detect it at first. Again: negative IgM, but infected by Lyme.
The Lyme bacteriun can hide out in the cells for months or years, undetected by antibodies, which patrol the bloodstream. Negative IgG, but infected by Lyme.
The Lyme bacterium can suppress the immune system, so you don't make sufficient antibodies to fight the disease, even when it is active. Negative IgG, but infected by Lyme.
The Lyme bacterium is wreaking havoc in your brain, where the antibodies can't reach. Negative IgM and IgG, but infected by Lyme.
Hope that gives you an idea of how you can test negative, but be absolutely positive for Lyme disease. Your symptoms are WAY more important than the blood test.
Regards, Shaz
Posts: 1558 | From the Berkshires | Registered: Jul 2001
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