I'm self-pay too and tend to go with mainstream first if at all possible for that reason.
I was tested for mycoplasma pneumoniae through LabCorp. My LLMD and I decided on this because of the way some of my symptoms started and my exposure.
That test is IgG and IgM, as was the HHV-6 test I had through LabCorp.
My Lyme, Bartonella, and HME were all tested through IgeneX.
Another LLMD convinced me to have everything retested through MDL. I had the exact same results with that lab (the above tests were positive, and all other tests were negative).
So I'd consider the LabCorp versions to be reliable.
Just my opinion, of course!
Posts: 95 | From Maryland | Registered: Sep 2009
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by Garth L Nicolson, PhD, Aug 10, 2009 04:14PM To: patsy10
It is certainly possible that you had Mycoplasma, such as M. fermentans, M. pneumoniae or M. hominis.
M. fermentans is the most common co-infection with Borrelia burgdorferi in Lyme Disease, and it can be found in ticks with or without Borrelia.
It can cause all of the generalized symptoms found in Lyme Disease and certainly all of the symptoms that you listed, and more.
Mycoplasma species are difficult to test for, and this usually requires a PCR test on blood leukocytes (white blood cells).
Only a few commercial labs, such as VIP Labs of Reno, know how to test for Mycoplasma infections, and even labs that are very good at Lyme testing, such as Igenex Labs, can't do the Mycoplasma testing.
It is also a possibility that you actually have Lyme Borrelia, but the testing was not sufficient to find it.
Usually multiple tests are required to find Lyme Borrelia, and many commercial labs that claim they can test for Lyme Borrelia do not use optimal testing procedures, and thus their test results are not all that good, and they miss positives in many patients.
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karenl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17753
posted
Is there any treatment for mycoplasma?
Fry labs tested me for mycoplasma or hemoplasma. But what kind of treatment is available? Is this also a question for an LLMD or are other docors specialized?
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lymebytes
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11830
posted
I was tested at Labcorp. I have spent a lot of time on Biaxin, so that is why I likely tested negative, if I had it, it is likely Biaxin killed it, it takes time to kill. According to the info at http://www.lymeinfo.net/coinfectionarticle.html the following info is provided regarding symptoms and treatment:
Mycoplasma Explanation: A genus of small bacteria which lack cell walls. M. fermentans, M. pneumoniae, M. penetrans, M. hominis and M. genetalium Symptoms: Fatigue, headaches, muscle pain and soreness, nausea, gastrointestinal problems, joint pain and soreness, lymph node pain, cognitive problems, depression, breathing problems and other signs and symptoms Treatment: Slow-growing mycoplasmal infections are not rapidly susceptible to antibiotics. Doxycycline, Minocycline, Ciprofloxacin, Azithromycin, and Clarithromycin may be used.
The pathogenisis and treatment of mycoplasma infections
Antimicrobics and Infectious Disease Newsletter (Elsevier Science) 1999; 17(11): 81-88.
THE PATHOGENESIS AND TREATMENT OF MYCOPLASMAL INFECTIONS
Garth L. Nicolson The Institute for Molecular Medicine, Huntington Beach, California Marwan Y. Nasralla International Molecular Diagnostics Inc., Huntington Beach, California Nancy L. Nicolson The Institute for Molecular Medicine, Huntington Beach, California
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