posted
You have all been so helpful and now I need more help! I was just recently diagnosed with Lyme after 12 years. I carried two children during this time, of course not knowing I had Lyme. My daughter is now 10 and my son is 4. They both complain of joint pain on and off and my daughter has also been hospitalized twice with severe urinary tract infections. Besides these symptoms and events they have been pretty healthy.
Since I had Lyme during both pregnancies, I just had Western Blots done on both of them at LabCorp. They both had the identical results - band 41 on the igg and band 41 on the igm for both of them.
Do thes results seem significant? Should I pursue it? Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!
Posts: 209 | From maryland | Registered: Aug 2007
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
Lyme is a clinical diagnosis. Personally, I don't think that you can say one way or the other whether lyme is an issue based on the WB results that you list. First of all, IgeneX is really the lab that you need to use for testing. They report all the bands so there may be more bands that would show up if you had it done at IgeneX. In addition, it is a proven fact that one can be seronegative and still have lyme disease and/or co-infections.
With those symptoms and the fact that you have been diagnosed, I'd personally want to pursue it if it were my children. I was infected at 5 years old and had many bladder infections for which I had long term abx. I also had a lot of joint pain as a child.
Just a thought/observation. If they do have it and you don't pursue it now, you may end up with older children who refuse to consider that lyme is an issue thus it can be passed on to the next generation. Sooo, even if they aren't super sick, I personally think it's worthwhile to have them evaluated by an LLMD now while you have some control. Also, I believe that children have a better chance of successful treatment than adults.
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
Thank you so much. I just don't really know where to go from here. I suppose when I begin treatment they will treat my children based on the fact that I had it while pregnant with them? I need to find that out. Your info was very helpful and I am glad to hear you were finally treated, too.
Posts: 209 | From maryland | Registered: Aug 2007
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posted
Lyme is a clinical diagnosis. You know they have a history of exposure and they have symptoms.
I would get them retested by IGeneX. I would also see an LLMD for diagnosis.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
Band 41 is not diagnostic or specific of Lyme.
Fleeting joint pain can be caused by many childhood viruses/illnesses and urinary tract infections in little girls are commonly a result of bubble bath.
This does not mean they don't have Lyme but what you wrote does not makes me highly suspicious. I would be careful because in the current climate regarding Lyme you could get accused of Munchausens unless they have a solid diagnosis. I would get them evaluated by an LLMD but they don't sound particularly Lymie to me if your description of them is "pretty healthy".
When my daughter got Lyme it was night and day- go with your gut feeling, you know your kids!!! If they seem pretty healthy maybe they are not sick, but it sounds like they have things that make you worry, so I would get them checked out to make sure!!! But they do not sound particularly Lymie to me- they have their fathers genetic background too so maybe he gave them a tissue type not as susceptible*)!! I hope so*)!*)!
Take care, Sincerely,
-------------------- 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
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
I am pretty sure I had Lyme while I was pregnant with my second child.
Possibly even the first.
I would have them tested via Igenex.
Or, ask for a 28 day run of antibiotics and then test via Igenex.
Both of my children are on zithromax for Lyme.
You really do need to find a LLMD for your children as well.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
Wow, I definitely don't want to be accused of Muchausen's!
I am honestly not really worried. My fear is that if they do have it and I let it go they may get sick eventually. I am not sure what to do. I will run it by my LLMD and see what they think. Thank you all!!
Posts: 209 | From maryland | Registered: Aug 2007
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posted
Not related to Lyme, but I wanted to ask if your children have very flexible joints (such as fingers that can touch their wrist or bend backwards, elbows or knees that bend a little past 90 degrees.) If so, write to me to find out about Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
My daughter sometimes has joint pain due to this genetic condition. My daughter was also screened for juvenile arthiris, which is unlikely but if they haven't been tested for this you might want to.
It took two years to get this diagnosis, I know I felt like it just wasn't right for a kid to have joint pain, but found it took awhile to get a peditrician to take it seriously.
Posts: 6 | From Downers Grove,IL | Registered: Sep 2007
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posted
I haven't noticed any overly flexible joints, although that is something I should look into. They seem pretty normal overall! You just hear so much conflicting info about lyme test results. I also read somewhere that children RARELY (4% chance) ever have a positive 41 band and both my kids have them. Makes you wonder.... Thank you for your help!!
Posts: 209 | From maryland | Registered: Aug 2007
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