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Got the brush off from my family doctor today

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Posted 5/16/2012 10:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hello,

This goes out mostly (but not only) to my fellow Canadians who have faced the troubles of Lyme diagnosis in Canada. Last Friday I posted my Igenex IgM results on this forum, which showed positive for both Igenex and CDC criteria. Well today I finally had an appointment with my family doctor who literally looked at the results and said "These mean nothing to me". I originally had to go to a clinic to have a request to have the blood drawn because I knew he wouldn't comply and originally doubted I had lyme.

I explained to him, in plain english, my myriad of symptoms, which includes having noticed the Erythema Migrans rash. Now I have a positive IgM result and he is completely discounting it as a "mail away meaningless test". He also claimed that Canadian testing is much better than that in the United States, and I begged to differ greatly but was rather stifled by his total lack of sympathy. I told him the bands I tested positive for were very specific for Lyme. However, since I was realistically bitten last July and only tested at the end of April/beginning of May, he said it made no sense that my IgM would be positive and IgG would not. Does anyone have any possible explanation for this? I should also add that he has now referred me to a rheumatologist and had me do the Canadian testing today - the infamous Elisa. I'm quite certain I'll test negative. Here again are my IgM results.

IGENEX IGM RESULT: POSITIVE
CDC/NYS RESULT: POSITIVE

18 kDa: -
** 23-25 kDa: -
28 kDa: -
30 kDa: -
**31 kDa: IND
**34 kDa: -
**39 kDa: +
**41 kDa: ++
45 kDa: -
58 kDa: -
**83-93 kDa: IND

Post Edited (sayersn) : 5/16/2012 4:51:41 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/17/2012 12:12 AM (GMT 0)
Elisa is a junk test, as we all know.
The doctors are ridiculously ignorant.
And they don't WANT to know about it. There is just too much b.s. going on between the CDC, the college and physicians and the physicians.

Your storey is like mine. I had the rash - actually i had two at the same time, which my LLND and an LLMD feel were a sort of repeat, and that I've actually had lyme for much longer. Still, they were perfect 3" bullseye rashes, unlike any caused by insects or other arthropods. This much is known. What they don't seem to acknowledge is that the infection stays.

My own doctor said that, since I had the rashes months ago, the lyme must be gone by now. So when I got the igenex results (positive) I went to another doctor, and she laughed and laughed. It is very disheartening, and I have to admit, that sometimes it makes me doubt myself.


where in Canada do you live? I'm in B.C.
Posted 5/17/2012 12:16 AM (GMT 0)
Oh, from the lymnet board:

"IgM antibodies, when present in high numbers, represent a new active infection or an existing infection that has become reactivated. Over time, the number of IgM antibodies will decline as the active infection is resolved."


Might be useful, especially the part that says, "...or an existing infection that has become reactivated." I think this applies to the lyme infection and how it plays hide-and-go-seek.
Posted 5/17/2012 12:50 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for that, Tickle! It sucks to know (although comforting) that other Canadians are having to go through all of the debilitating symptoms only to be laughed at and altogether disregarded by the doctors they trust. I living in Southern Ontario actually. And while Lyme hasn't disseminated terribly throughout the province as a whole, there are certain regions which contain high concentrations of ticks carrying tick borne illnesses.

I was actually bitten and had the rash while camping in an area that is disclosed on the Canadian Federal Public Health Website as being a 'Known Endemic' location...

"Long Point peninsula including Long Point Provincial Park and the National Wildlife area - Known endemic"

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/id-mi/tickinfo-eng.php


As of right now I'm being tested using the Elisa. I assume if and when that returns negative, I will find it even more impossible to receive treatment in Canada. Despite all of my evidence (symptoms, identified rash, positive igenex, bitten in an endemic location) I am still regarded incredulously by my family doctor.

Tickle, have you received positive lyme results and/or treatment?
Posted 5/17/2012 3:13 AM (GMT 0)
I have positive results from Igenex.
My initial Elisa, done here through my doctor, came back negative.

I found an LLND fairly close, and am in contact with a BC doctor, Dr. M., who was forced into retirement for treating lyme 'aggressively', and is now travelling around, giving talks at conferences about lyme, trying to educate the medical profession.
Posted 5/17/2012 8:27 PM (GMT 0)
Tickle, so your initial Elisa came back negative? Does that mean you had a second Elisa performed? If so how did you fair on that one, and at what point in your illness- as in time passed since you were bitten- did you perform the first Elisa?

The reason I ask is because I had blood drawn for it yesterday, and this will be about 10 months since I was bitten. My guess is that I will likely test positive since it's been nearly a year since I had the rash. Will this hurt my chances?
Posted 5/17/2012 9:23 PM (GMT 0)
Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to make it sound as if I'd had two. I meant my initial blood tests.

I only did Elisa once, and I'm not tempted to ever do it again. lol

I hope your second one comes back positive, at least your doctor won't be able to ignore that!
Posted 5/17/2012 9:24 PM (GMT 0)
Seriously, though, you tested positive, it's time to find an LLMD or LLND and get treatment.

Your regular doctor has already demonstrated ignorance, and it's not likely to improve. Meanwhile these things are partying it up inside you.
Posted 5/17/2012 9:28 PM (GMT 0)
Another point. Have you started regular detoxing, such as IR sauna + epsom salt baths + coffee enemas? If not, you would be well advised to do so. Also start taking supplements to boost your immune system, nurture your liver and so on. Get as healthy as detoxed as you can before you start treatment, that way herx reactions will be less severe.

There's a lot of information online about all that.

p.s. I'm not a doctor, so I'm just mentioning what has made me feel much better. Magnesium supplements stopped the eye twitching, lessened headaches and muscle aches. CoQ10 has pretty much stopped the arrhythmia for me. Milk Thistle for my poor, overworked liver...There's a huge list of supplements that may help.
Posted 5/18/2012 2:06 AM (GMT 0)
No I haven't started anything. Neither homeopathic, nor Abx. Where might I be able to find info on homeopathic remedies that I can do in the meantime?
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