posted
I just got results back from IGeneX from the deer tick I sent to be tested. I'd pulled it off of me (not engorged) 3 weeks ago and had an immediate 1/2 dollar sized bullseye rash on my knee. My LLMD said that that meant that I had Lyme Disease and I've been on amoxycillin since (currently pregnant, can't go on doxy).
I sent the tick away for testing for Lyme and all coinfections and it came back negative for all. Igenex says that their tests are 97% accurate. I would like to think that this is great news and stop taking antibiotics as I know it's not great for my baby. But my LLMD confirmed that the photo of my rash was a bullseye rash which means I have Lyme Disease. So I'm unsure of what to do now.
Does anyone know how accurate Igenex tick testing is? Anyone else had a situation like this where they had a rash but tick tested negative for Lyme?
Thanks!
Posts: 5 | From Coastal ME, USA | Registered: Aug 2005
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
Not sure, but I wouldn't bet my life on a test. Lyme is devastating. I can affirm that first hand. Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
I had the same thing happen to me. I got bit, sent the tick off for testing of babesia and Lyme... 9 days later, while waiting for test results... I became ill.
I had fortunately gotten on doxy the first day. I would never send in another tick to be tested. Just TREAT!
(PS... sent it to Igenex.. the best lab!)
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
I recommend you borrow the book by Pam Weintraub, "Cure Unknown" from the library.
In there, Pam says that there are numerous strains of lyme disease (something like 17) all of which cause bulls eye rashes. However, all of these strains but 3 are "self-limiting" meaning that all they cause is the bulls-eye rash. The lyme goes no further in the body.
Only 3 strains of lyme disease go past the bulls eye stage and spread throughout your body.
If this is the case, then that explains why so many people get a bulls eye rash and go to their regular doc and get a few weeks of antibiotics and are fine. It is because they would have been fine without any antibiotics because they had one of the self-limiting strains of lyme.
Didn't you ever wonder how that happened? That would also explain why so many doctors believe that lyme is easily cured with no more than 30 days of doxy. They have experienced it!
I discussed this with my now-famous lyme doctor and he seemed to agree with what Pam Weintraub said.
I wish I could remember where in the book it says this, but I believe it is near the very back of the book.
Pam has credentials, so I think you can pretty much trust what she says--that her statements are a result of good scientific research.
Why not fly this explanation by your lyme doc and see what he thinks.
If it were me, I would have wanted my lyme doc to treat me for not only lyme but also babesiosis and bartonella. Is that possible while pregnant? If so, I would want to see if I got any sort of a herx from this treatment.
When I got a bulls eye after pulling a few weeds (never saw the tick) back in Aug. of 2008, I got to my lyme doc within the week and he treated me for all 3 diseases. I had a very mild herx on day 3. Never had any other symptoms. So, at the end of 30 days, I was done.
That herx on day 3 told me and my doc that the tick did indeed give me some disease(s).
Years prior to this bite, I had undiagnosed lyme disease for at least 10 years. Turns out I also had babs and bart. My third lyme doc got rid of all of these diseases for me and I completed my lyme treatment 5 years ago. I am still symptom-free, enjoying my life.
The doc that got me well is the one I saw in 2008 when I got that bulls eye.
So, that's 2 people who believe you can get a bulls eye and not have to worry about lyme disease. The problem is that we don't have a way to test for the 3 strains of lyme that cause this terrible sickness. So, we end up having to treat every single bulls eye.
This explanation might also explain why Igenex told you the tick did not have lyme, I guess.
However, Lymetoo has posted on here a number of times that she sent a tick to Igenex for testing and the test was negative and she still got lyme disease. So, that is one person I know of who got a bad result from Igenex. Hopefully, she will see this post and reply herself.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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