I was recently tested (again) for lyme via a western blot at the local hospital. They use Arup Labs for their Lyme testing. I came up positive on the IgM for bands 41 and 23kDa. According to the reference this is a cdc positive result. However, my IgG was negative. Also, my C-6 peptide has been negative twice.
I have searched on WB meanings, and read everything I could find on false positives archived on this site. Many feel that a negative IgG with a positive IgM equals a false positive. This late in the disease process (10 years) and treatment (10 weeks IV then 6.5 months of orals), is it positive or not??? Also, I have ridiculously high EBV titers, and have had really high HHV6 titers although these have declined.
What's the opinion? I think I have Lyme and Co. I certainly have all the symptoms and the history. I just fear that my insurane company, or (God forbid I should need it) an SSI panel could deny Lyme with this positive result. This is crazy!!!
Help? Insight? Opinions?
-------------------- Mountaingirl
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson Posts: 138 | From West Virginia | Registered: Sep 2007
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sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
More chronic Lyme patients are IgM positive than IgG. If you have symptoms and a positive WB (either IgG or IgM), then you have Lyme. I'd go see an LLMD for proper diagnosis and treatment.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
I have two LLMDs that I see. One is my primary physician, and the other is my Lyme specialist. Both arer ILADS memebers.
-------------------- Mountaingirl
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson Posts: 138 | From West Virginia | Registered: Sep 2007
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feelfit
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12770
posted
I can only respond to you through my own experience. I was IgM Positive w/ 9 of 12 bands being positive w/ 31+++. I was IgG negative.
This was after 15-18 years of having been sick on and off....remitting and relapsing w/ an unknown illness.
When I tested positive IgM I was very symptomatic and DO NOT believe that it was a false positive....It is my belief that these bacteria have the ability to come out and play when the conditions are right.
I do not believe in false positives.
Read Dr. C's explanation of the Western blot at the sticky at the top as Lymetoo always suggests.
feelfit
Posts: 3975 | From usa | Registered: Aug 2007
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posted
Thanks for your insight! I felt really bad when the test was performed, so maybe the bugs were coming out to play.
-------------------- Mountaingirl
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson Posts: 138 | From West Virginia | Registered: Sep 2007
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cantgiveupyet
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8165
posted
i felt very bad when i had my last WB done. Finally pulled an igenex IGM and IGG positive.
If you have a positive i would get treated.
-------------------- "Say it straight simple and with a smile."
"Thus the task is, not so much to see what no one has seen yet, But to think what nobody has thought yet, About what everybody sees."
-Schopenhauer
pos babs, bart, igenex WB igm/igg Posts: 3156 | From Lyme limbo | Registered: Oct 2005
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