posted
Hi all So for those of you have read my other threads, after being chronically ill will some "mystery" undiagnosed illness for 8 years, I was diagnosed w/ babesia and ehrlichia about 6 weeks ago.
It has been my greatest hope that these infections are what have been causing my illness for all of these years.
However, I just received some very odd blood test results.
I am trying to volunteer at a hospital and they needed me to get bloodwork done so that they could see that I have been immunized for a bunch of diseases (so that I can be cleared to work at the hospital).
Well, my doc just called and said my results came in with something very odd.
I tested positive (both IgG and IgM) for chicken pox!!!!
I am 30 years old and had chicken pox as a kid and thus should be immune. Plus, I have absolutely no symptoms of chicken pox.
My doc explained that according to this test, it shows that I have a current active chicken pox infection.
So obviously I dont actually have chicken pox, but unless this test was a false negative, it would seem that my body is producing antibodies for chicken pox.
This is what has me concerned. Is it possible that my immune system is going haywire, and Im producing all of these antibodies for infections I dont have?
If this is the case, might I not actually have babesia and ehrlichia, but am simply producing antibodies for these infections?
Im just very confused now. If this chicken pox test is accurate, it would mean that even though I clearly dont have a chicken pox infection, my immune system is producing antibodies for it for some reason.
And if my immune is making antibodies for chicken pox which I dont have, isnt it possible that im producing antibodies for ehrlichia/babesia-meaning I dont actually have those infections either?
Is any of this possible? Does anyone know of anything that would cause someone's immune system to start producing antibodies to infections they dont have? Thanks-SH
Posts: 35 | From NJ | Registered: Aug 2009
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Chicken pox is a type of herpes virus. That means it's ALWAYS in your system. It's just like a cold sore or "other" herpes.
The virus hides in the spinal nerve endings where anti-bodies can't get to it. When your immune system is weak in certain ways, the herpes virus re-emerges until it gets shut down by they immune system.
When chicken pox re-emerges in adult it is called Shingles and can be quite painful.
I believe the tests you took are antibody tests and therefore only confirm that your immune system was knocking out the virus as it was trying to re-emerge.
Now, I'm not sure, but I will guess that your body can produce antibodies BEFORE the virus gets to the point that you're symptomatic. It's probably an ongoing battle that your body is always making antibodies for.
You ARE symptomatic of Ehrlichia and Babesia, therefore it is most probable that you have an active infection.
Does that make sense?
Why are you over thinking all this? You have an illness and symptoms that no one can figure out. But now you have positive tests and a clinical dx of TBDs. What else would explain your sx? Why don't you want to believe it?
Don't treat and see if you get better--you won't. But in a few years, you'll realize that. Or treat, and see if you do get better.
James
Posts: 872 | From New York City | Registered: Jun 2008
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If the symptoms do NOT match the test results, I'd say something else is going on. Do you have any skin rash, at all? Is it painful?
Do you have the symptoms of ehrlichia/babesia? If the symptoms match the test results, I'd say you have that illness.
Posts: 924 | From CT | Registered: Apr 2009
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posted
Yes, it is a virus that is there to stay. Cfs/ME patients also have low NK cells and a lot of active viruses. and the new-found retrovirus xmrv. Maybe a good protion of lyme patients have those viruses too, ore or less. They lower antibodies and make it hard for the body to put lyme into remission. You probably have even more viruses going on, but they did not test for them.
Posts: 366 | From Europe | Registered: Nov 2008
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posted
James I am aware that pox is a herpes virus and therefore it is in your system your whole life.
However, antibody-wise, your tests should only reveal the IgG antibodies if you do not have an active, current infection. I am by no means surprised i had positive IgG (would have been shocked if I didnt since i had chix pox as a kid).
However, the IgM antibodies, which should only be released during an active infection are what are so mystifying.
BTW, I have been treating my babs/ehrlichia ever since i was dx'd 5 weeks ago. I have my follow up appnt in a week to get retested to for babs/ehrlichia and also to see if the ABX Ive been taking will cause lyme to reveal itself in a test this time around.
Unfortunately ive been feeling worse these past 5 weeks since starting the ABX then I was before I started them.
I know this is possibly (likely?) herx reaction, and thus further confirmation that these nasty infections are in my system, and are being, at least partially, killed.
Ill let u and everyone know what my test results reaveal when I get them in a week or so.
Take care-SH
Posts: 35 | From NJ | Registered: Aug 2009
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Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
Google "lysine arginine ratio".
For herpes viruses, you need to have a high lysine and low arginine diet.
Or, you can take L-Lysine as a supplement.
This diet is also known as the herpes diet.
I feel it has helped me not test positive for herpes family viruses.
A lot of foods that seem healthy, are actually feeding viruses, like nuts. Things like yogurt and cheeses and milk and chicken will help counteract that. Or, the supplement.
I also test IgM positive for strep (a bacteria, not a virus), but don't have symptoms of it. But I know I have Lyme and babs and bart too, because I tested positive for those.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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gwb
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7273
posted
My alternative doctor told me last week that if you had chicken pox at one time or another you will always test positive for it. Seems normal from the way he explained it. But what do I know? Just sharing what I learned last week from the alternative doc..
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Somehow, the test may also be reading a cousin to the Chickenpox. Or you could have a variation of Chicken-pox that would not show spots and have other differences, perhaps.
You might consider tests for HHV-6 and HHV-7 as those are frequent herpes viruses for those with chronic and fatiguing illnesses.
Since the virus is always present, it must be always active to a more or less degree.
Now, I'm just using reason here, BUT, I'll bet the virus is always active, therefore your immune system is always active, but you don't show sx unless it gets a chance to have big break out. In other words, the virus is always kept in check.
Besides, IgG and IgM don't follow the regular "rules" with lyme, why should it with anything else?
I think your Dr is misinterpreting the test results. Would anyone here be surprised at that?
There are only a few possibilities. The test is wrong, the Dr is wrong, you have a different virus that is cross reacting, or you do have sx and you're wrong.
Take your pick.
Posts: 872 | From New York City | Registered: Jun 2008
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Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
As far as I understand....if you've had it, you'll always test positive for it.....on IgG.
But testing IgM positive for it, to me, seems unusual, even for someone who has had it in the past.
So that is why I recommended that diet or a Lysine supplement. It's how herpes sufferers keep outbreaks under control.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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