posted
Hi, I am new to this forum. I have been sick for a long time and was diagnosed by my dr as having fibromyalgia. I have been on cymbalta and pain meds which help. A few years ago, I wanted to see if maybe I had lyme and went to a lyme/obgyn dr in Denton, Tx. He wanted me to have the lyme lab test but at the time it would have cost $850 approx for all the different types of tests. Since insurance did not cover it, I didn't have it done. He said that just by the way I answered the lyme questionnaire that he was certain that I did have it. When he told me that I would be on antibiotics for a long time, I got nervous. Well, now I feel as if my illness has progressed and I am considering starting over in seeking a lyme dr and treatment. Now, I am uninsured and have lost my business due to not having the energy and mental alertness needed to continue to work.
Where would I start? Are there cheaper lab tests anywhere? I would like to find a dr in Dallas if possible. I know the lyme dr's are hard to find.
FYI: About 25 years ago, I used to own land in Ok where we built a cabin. We hiked, camped out and cleared our land. Once after a long weekend trip to OK, I felt like I was coming down with the flu. I went to see a doc in the box and he asked what had I been doing. When I told him that I had just gotten back from being in the woods he started checking out my head and found an embedded tick on the back of my head near the hairline. I didn't even know it was there! There were a couple of other times I was bitten by ticks. I never saw a rash or anything.
After reading lots, I know bullseye rashes don't always show up. I am now more sure than ever that I may have lyme.
If I don't have lyme, how will I know? If I do, how will I know? Hope this makes sense.
Thank you for letting me throw all this out there. I really would appreciate your support. My friends at ProHealth Network (fibro) recommended I come here.
God Bless, MB
Posts: 3 | From Dallas, Texas | Registered: Dec 2010
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posted
Mary -Bella I am sorry you have been suffering for so long. You are at the right place for support and "advice." Most people I know use the company Igenex which is based out of California and you ship your blood draw to them. The standard blood work for Lyme is not reliable and would more than likely be a waste of your time and money. Lyme is diagnosed in a clinical manner by assessing an individuals symptoms. You must do your very best to work with a LLMD-Lyme literate MD. More than likely a person in your state will respond to your message and make a few DR. recommendations. Please hang in there and God bless you
Posts: 108 | From Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2010
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quote:Originally posted by Mary-Bella: Hi, I am new to this forum. I have been sick for a long time and was diagnosed by my dr as having fibromyalgia.
I have been on cymbalta and pain meds which help. A few years ago, I wanted to see if maybe I had lyme and went to a lyme/obgyn dr in Denton, Tx.
He wanted me to have the lyme lab test but at the time it would have cost $850 approx for all the different types of tests.
Since insurance did not cover it, I didn't have it done. He said that just by the way I answered the lyme questionnaire that he was certain that I did have it.
When he told me that I would be on antibiotics for a long time, I got nervous. Well, now I feel as if my illness has progressed and I am considering starting over in seeking a lyme dr and treatment.
Now, I am uninsured and have lost my business due to not having the energy and mental alertness needed to continue to work.
Where would I start? Are there cheaper lab tests anywhere? I would like to find a dr in Dallas if possible. I know the lyme dr's are hard to find.
FYI: About 25 years ago, I used to own land in Ok where we built a cabin. We hiked, camped out and cleared our land.
Once after a long weekend trip to OK, I felt like I was coming down with the flu. I went to see a doc in the box and he asked what had I been doing.
When I told him that I had just gotten back from being in the woods he started checking out my head and found an embedded tick on the back of my head near the hairline.
I didn't even know it was there! There were a couple of other times I was bitten by ticks. I never saw a rash or anything.
After reading lots, I know bullseye rashes don't always show up. I am now more sure than ever that I may have lyme.
If I don't have lyme, how will I know? If I do, how will I know? Hope this makes sense.
Thank you for letting me throw all this out there. I really would appreciate your support. My friends at ProHealth Network (fibro) recommended I come here.
God Bless, MB
Hi and welcome - breaking this up for easier reading for many here.
I suggest you keep a simple thread here to find a doctor, and start a discussion in either Medical Questions or General Support.
More people will see your discussion questions in the other forums.
Yes, fibromyalgia is a common presentation for Lyme. You sound like you have Lyme.
The IGeneX lab is offering a huge testing discount for those who are low income. You can discuss it with them. www.IGeneX.com, 1-800-832-3200. They will send a free testkit.
But not everyone who has Lyme tests positive, for many reasons. So Lyme-literate doctors also treat clinically, by history and symptoms.
Antibiotics and other kinds of treatments will help.
Posts: 13155 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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posted
Mary.. You may want to copy and paste the information you posted above into your thread over in Medical. That way, everyone will have the information they need in order to help you.
You can get a Western Blot test thru Igenex Lab for around $200. That would be test #188 and 189 ..
posted
Lymetoo, I have lived in the DFW area for 22 years. There are other LLMDs in Texas?
Besides a doc in the HEB area who is NOT accepting new patients, there are not any other LLMDs in the DFW area.
Posts: 151 | From SW US | Registered: Feb 2009
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MichaelTampa
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 24868
posted
I think, in some cases, where money is really limited, I'm not sure the point in getting tested. With a history of a tick bite and lyme-like symptoms and having explored other avenues without success, at some point, it makes sense to treat with lyme.
Your first step is to try and find a doctor who can work with you, and that sounds like it will be tough, given where you live.
However, in a position of limited money, realize, the treatments are going to cost you some, you might best save your money for the treatments.
As you look for a doc or as you first visit one, a question to ask is, would any testing result change the treatment plan. If the treatment to start with is the same regardless of the test result, then there's no point wasting money on the test.
Just something to think about.
Posts: 1927 | From se usa | Registered: Mar 2010
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littlebit27
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 24477
posted
Michael-the point for some is just piece of mind. So I think that's the point even when short on money. I was broke but still paid $485 for the two WB's and one test for babs and one for bart. I probably wouldn't have treated without my blood results.
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