posted
How many of you have repeated a Western Blot? Or even an ELSIA test after being in treatment for a long period of time?
I have a theory that now that I have been on 9 months of abx, I expect my test to come back MORE positive than the intial test. Maybe even get a positive ELSIA now that I have developed antobodies?
Have any of you done this?? I'm considering it. I'd like to have some sort of measure on my progress. And also like everyone else, since Lyme is so hidden, I'd like to convince myself that I am actually suffering from Lyme and not something else. It's hard not to have those thoughts when you have been treating for this long and have only made small gains. I'm sure you have all had these thoughts...
So.. retest? or would I be wasting blood and money. I call it red and green.
-------------------- 26 months of treatment. And counting....... Posts: 298 | From Northeast Kansas | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
I re-tested after 2 months of abx and plan to after another 6 months. My 2nd test came back a little bit more positive, but still not CDC or Igenex positive. First test I had IGM 39-kda +. Recent one I had 39-kda + and 41-kda IND. So very close to officially positive. Also another less specific band showed up as + the 2nd time.
-------------------- Why me? Well, why not me??? Posts: 411 | From San Francisco, CA | Registered: Mar 2007
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October 2005 I tested positive through Quest (Elisa) and IgenEx (IGM Western Blot).
On treatment since then and re-tested through a third lab around April 2007 (1.5 years later) and was still IGM positive.
Just started rocephin a week ago...maybe that will help me?
-David
-------------------- Same nightmare, different day! Posts: 401 | From East Coast | Registered: Nov 2005
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Melanie Reber
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 3707
posted
I honestly feel that it would be a waste of your resources to do another ELISA. We are all aware of the lack of specificity with that one, so why bother?
As far as retesting with the WB- that would be a decision between you and your doc based on what you are really seeking.
If you are looking for confirmation of Lyme, it is a gamble. There are many reasons for a negative WB, and none of them prove that the disease is not present in your system, even IF it isn't present in that sample of blood.
I was re-tested, but only for the WB IgM. I already had very strong previous positives in both IgM and IgG, so my doc did not need confirmation...he was only interested in the level of current antibody activity.
I do think the theory of ABX stirring up a more positive result has merit, but I have only seen it advised after a short course of ABX in the beginning of treatment. In other words, the trail of ABX in the beginning sometimes helps to jump start the antibody response, therefore allowing a possibility of a more positive test result.
After a nine month treatment...I am not so sure that your theory will pan out. But, it is anyone's guess.
I think you need to weigh the pros and cons of a possible negative result. It may help yourself and your doc IF you receive a positive, but it may also hurt you by way of increasing the uncertainty of a diagnosis for insurance purposes.
Until such time as testing is 100% accurate...I still believe that exposure, symptoms and reactions to meds are the most reliable means of deciphering a Clinical diagnosis.
Also, if you are not making much progress after 9 months of treatment, you may need to look at other factors- a med change, possible co-infections?
My best, Melanie
Posts: 7052 | From Colorado | Registered: Mar 2003
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