posted
Is spinal fluid currently the most reliable of all testing available?
Posts: 43 | From Suffolk County | Registered: Mar 2007
| IP: Logged |
Michelle M
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7200
posted
Good morning.
Actually, you're incredibly lucky to have caught lyme in your spinal fluid -- !! From Dr. Burrascano's treatment guidelines:
_______________________________________________
"Spinal taps are not routinely recommended, as a negative tap does not rule out Lyme. Antibodies to Bb can be detected in the CSF in just 20% of patients with late disease. Therefore, spinal taps are only performed on patients with pronounced neurological manifestations, if they are seronegative, or are still significantly symptomatic after completion of treatment. When done, the goal is to rule out other conditions, and to determine if Bb antigens are present. It is especially important to look for elevated protein and mononuclear cells, which would dictate the need for more aggressive therapy, as well as the opening pressure, which can be elevated and add to headaches, especially in children."
__________________________________________
You need to find an LLMD. Chances of a "false positive" spinal tap are miniscule!! Also, you should have a western blot done only at a lab specializing in tickborne diseases, such as IGeneX, since other labs perform lyme tests notoriously bad.
If your neuro told you that spinal fluid is the ultimate indicator, he is out to lunch.
But then, neurologists are some of the worst when it comes to lyme.
Please post in 'seeking a doctor' and find an LLMD fast.
Good luck!
Michelle
Posts: 3193 | From Northern California | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
Michelle M
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7200
posted
One more thing...
Here is a fun thread to read about neurologists. It should tell you a LOT!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
| IP: Logged |
CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
No, it is NOT at all*)!*)!! Here is why!!! ********************************************* 1: Infection. 1998 May-Jun;26(3):144-50. Links
In vitro conversion of Borrelia burgdorferi to cystic forms in spinal fluid, and transformation to mobile spirochetes by incubation in BSK-H medium.
Brorson O, Brorson SH. Dept. of Microbiology, Vestfold Sentralsykehus, Tonsberg.
The purpose of this study was to examine the structural alterations of Borrelia burgdorferi when exposed to spinal fluid.
Normal, mobile spirochetes were inoculated into spinal fluid, and the spirochetes were converted to cysts (spheroplast L-forms) after 1-24 h.
When these cystic forms were transferred to a rich BSK-H medium, the cysts were converted back to normal, mobile spirochetes after incubation for 9 to 17 days.
The cultures were examined by dark field microscopy (DFM), interference contrast microscopy (ICM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
When neuroborreliosis is suspected, it is necessary to realize that B. burgdorferi can be present in a cystic form, and these cysts have to be recognized by microscopy.
This study may also explain why cultivation of spinal fluid often is negative with respect to B. burgdorferi.
PMID: 9646104
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic