There are a number of reasons why these tests are not accurate.

Not only are they not conclusive if positive, they are not conclusive if negative.

You could have a false positive if you were making antibodies to a disease similiar to Lyme (such as syphilis).

Listen to Kara, she is a RN; you can read about her background in the OFF TOPIC area. She shared it once with me and I made a special post I think called Kara Tyson's medical background.

Here's TREEPATROL's and tincup's combination newbie links. http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/029917.html

Print off the links then check them off as you read as you could spend several months reading all of this.
print & read Dr. Barrascono's info first; you will come back to this often.

Also, see Cheryl's extensive web sites on: LD DIAGNOSIS, SYMPTOMS, & TREATMENT ... wonderful! http://www.lymeinfo.net/lymediseasetreatment.html

The WESTERN BLOT IGM & IGG blood test nos. 189 and 188, are the only accurate tests for LD. They should only be sent to these 2 USA's Lyme testing labs:
IGENEX LAB:
797 San Antonio Road
Palo Alto, CA 94303
1.800.832.3200.

(If the early test, called IGM, is negative; the later test IGG is NOT done!)
Please see their web site: www.igenex.com for their current prices and

to print their REQUIRED form, which MUST be signed by the doctor, DIAGNOSIS CODE NO. COMPLETED!; Medicare's UPIN no., and your FROZEN blood taken EARLY in the week so it doesn't sit in post offices!

Write on their forms you want results FAXED to their drs. Office; snail mail paper copy so it's not lost like mine was!

NON-Medicare patients must PREPAY by check or credit card for the tests since they do NOT handle insurance papers.
Medicare patients do NOT have to prepay!

OTHER LAB: MDL from NJ, www.mdl.net
see their site; they too require their own form. NO prices are listed; you must call their 800 no.

Lyme should be diagnosed clinically using medical history in addition with the Western Blot blood tests as no currently available test is definitive in ruling-in or ruling-out infection with Ld pathogens, or whether these infections are responsible for the patient's symptoms.

NOTE: Please send a copy of your health insurance card to YOUR insurance comany (mine is Wellmark BC/BS, Iowa) for them to submit to BLUE CARD (handles other states) them to FORWARD to California's Blue Shield health insurance company since they will require that, DRS. Diagnosis Code No., and which date of service is correct (IGX has 3 different dates on their paid receipts....use the DATE OF ACTIVITY!).

FYI - mine was returned to me after 6 wks. After submitting; dr./blood lab failed to show DRS. DIAGNOSIS CODE NO. on their form! It went to 7 people to be returned to me! Disgusting!

I came across this new web site of good info from Natl. Institute of Health's medline library....covering many other dx illnesses...Alzheimer's/dementia, Parkinson's, Bell's Palsy, MS, FMS, CFS, IBS, etc. and was posted on www.lymenet.org.

300 OTHER medical condtions mimicking lyme disease w/citations and author's
name, Art Dougherty, Calif., 2001, is at bottom of site page! http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Oasis/6455/misdiag-links.html

Hope you each find some good info there. Saw it's from Art Dougherty, Calif. in 2001. http://www.geocities.com/lymeart3/misdiag-links.html#disease

Also, see Cheryl's www.lymeinfo.net's extensive web sites on LD Diagnosis, Symptoms, and Treatment:
http://www.lymeinfo.net/lymediseasetreatment.html

on the other hand many informed lyme docs and patients rely on lyme specific bands. for example, the 41 band is for the flagella of a spirochete and is commonly found. It is not specific to the Lyme bacteria. As far as I know these are the bands that are specific-18, 23, 30-31, 34, 37, 39, 83 and 93. The well known lype pediatric doctor, Dr Jones states that only one of these bands is needed to confirm Lyme.

You have several of these bands. If you have symptoms get yourself treated ASAP, tomorrow would be good. And get to see a LLMD.

I am a Medical Technologist (ASCP), that means medical lab tech, not currently working in the field.

Janet

quote:

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Originally posted by janet thomas:
The well known lype pediatric doctor, Dr Jones states that only one of these bands is needed to confirm Lyme.

You have several of these bands.

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Exactly my point above. Any dr worth his weight would agree.