Lyme Disease Support Group

I just hate this disease-- it seems to cause so much suffering-- I'm just not sure its the cause of mine. I have has a host of really weird symptoms, and NOTHING ELSE encompasses them all but Lyme. I definitely could have been exposed, as I live in an endemic area and had a test done at Quest (which they admit is not more than 30% accurate). It was reactive only on Band 41 in the ELISA. Should I invest in the IgenX labwork? Or are there often one or two bands reactive and disease is not present?

Also I had an episode 15 years ago where I had a flu like illness (after spending time outdoors) and was sick with lyme-like symptoms for about a year (the disseminated symptoms quickly followed the acute symptomsif this was lyme). They did a lyme test then that was negative and a test for EBV that was positive. Could what I have now be EBV reactivated or could they have missed lyme for that amount of time?

I've had symptoms for two years and in the last six months it's been really bad. I was tested twice for lyme and the Band 41 was reactive.

I was misdiagnosed for a while like many people on this forum. I'm going to a doctor in roswell ga who does alternative medicine. He used Immunoscience labs and I was tested positive for lyme and coinfections. I also have EBV. My doctor has many lyme patients and many on this forum go to him. Are you seeing a doctor?

The only band on my Western Blot was Band 41.

Told by many Drs I didn't have lyme...41 meant

nothing.

I questioned it, and thanks to the advice from

people on this and other forums like it, I got the

Igenex test.

Just like I thought...Igenex POSITIVE for lyme.

If I'd done that months ago, I probably wouldn't be

in this mess.

It may not be the same for you, but I felt it was

the best money I ever spent to find out.

If you've got symptoms...I think it's worth it.

Good luck to you!!!

thanks to you all very much for your very quick replies!! I guess im going to go for it-- what do i have to loose at this point?

I wish you all well on your roads to recovery!

You had a 41 band on the Western Blot, not the ELISA. Was it IgM or IgG?

This test misses over 90% of cases, especially when chronic. The IgeneX test still misses about 30%. Lyme antibodies may become positive after antibiotics. If you Herx from antibiotics you probably have Lyme. If you do the IgeneX WB after Herxing you are more likely to get a positive result. Have you doc also get a C6 peptide Bb antibody as well as other studies at least with a co-infection panel.

lymemd:

It was the ELISA band 41k IGG -- totally negative on the Western Blot... does that change your recommendations?

I just received a copy of my blood-work which was reactive on bands 23 and 41 for the Western Blot test. However, the final result says negative for Lyme. I have no idea what the significance is of these bands. I see you were reactive in band 41 so I'm hoping you can help me.

Any info would be appreciated! Thanks, Aimee

I have reactive bands 39 and 41 on IGeneX's Lab Test and they reported me positive because of it. I'd invest in it. Quest is completely unreliable. I tested negative even when I had the rash 15 years ago. So is Labcorp. Immunogen is another licensed lab that offers band decisive results and is in MA. www.immunogen.com, you probably know www.igenex.com already. If you have even one more reactive band with IgeneX you are considered positive on the Western Blot. Your choice, but I'd go for it for your health.

Wolfpack

CORRECTION!!!!! That website for the Lyme is www.imugen.com. The other is a cancer site. Sorry everyone.

Wolfpack