Life changing medical decision, Mono or Lyme

From the looks of your Igenex test you are positive for some lyme-specific bands which can only be the result of the presence of lyme bacteria.

http://www.anapsid.org/lyme/wb.html

The ID Dr will likely not acknowledge the presence of lyme specific bands as being indicative of lyme infection, although most LLMDs will.

Lyme can produce immune suppression, the reason why so many of us have other infections along with lyme. Often these are coinfections (mycoplasma, babesia, bartonella, ehrlichia, RMSF etc.) which are transmitted with the same bite which introduced the lyme spirochetes.

But many times these are infections which our immune system has been successfully handling - until the time we become immune supressed and they are allowed to proliferate. Viruses have been found to be problematic for many people with lyme, and this could be the case for you as well.

The LLMD will likely treat viral infections, as well as test for, or clinically diagnose, any possible coinfections. The ID will treat the viral infection but look no further.

If HHV6 is high, it will need to be treated, so you probably won't lose going with the ID. But if you have other bacterial infections that haven't been considered, you may not get to total remission or may relapse and will have to continue your search.

When I reach a cross-roads like this I stop and let intuition take over. I think about each option and try to feel in my heart which is right.

It sounds like you have already made a decision by cancelling the Picc line. Is this the decision, in your heart, that you want to take? Don't think, just feel.

Do you want to go ahead with ID treatment and see how far that gets you, assuming you can return to the LLMD if you need to? Or do you want to wait until the LLMD returns to continue treatment with him?

Sorry, I can't answer the question for you, but try feeling for intuition. It has never led me astray.

I cancelled out of courtesy and impulse since the Dr. to do it was a vascular surgeon and meds were ordered. I also tested positive for IGG Bartonella, which is maybe old infection since cats loved to scratch me my whole life. I had a 40 on the CD57. This made me think I had other infections and/or backed up the Lyme diagnosis.

The other thing is I tried to study old igenex lab posts and each year it appears that cross reactivity language with viruses say something else. My igenex report from this August say that bands 31, 41, and 83-93 can cross react with viruses. That's three of my four positive bands!! I found one old posting where the person said that their report said EBV can cross react, so it gets more confusing.

Im pouring through the internet tonight to find some guidance as I'm truly unsure. I was hoping I could get treated with Valcyte and and Lyme meds at the same time but the ID Dr. will not. I was told by the ID Dr. today told me that my liver enzymes were already high most likely from Doxy I was on so he didn't want me to start the full dose of Valcyte by itself until I clear all the lyme meds from my system. I believe I have reactivated mono or similar, but he said treatment with Valcyte could be up to a year and maybe months before I see improvement. I don't know if I can last that long if its Lyme.

Of course my new LLMD is in Washington for the ILADS convention so I cant ask him for guidance. Thanks for the responses. I will try to follow my heart through the fog..

I think it's possible that your lyme could be intensified if you also have a host of reactivated viruses. So I think it would be prudent to treat both, not at the same time. In my opinion, I would treat the virus first, and once viral load is down move onto lyme. It's possible that you might not be able to clear lyme even if you treat it first. I know there is a specific order recommended, and I think viruses come first but I'm not sure.

If you tested positive for bartonella, then make sure to treat that too at some point. Severe neurological symptoms are most likely from Bart and not the virus nor lyme.

I would actually encourage you to get your Lyme treatment - many people treat the HHV6 while they are treating Lyme.

I have seen where several people have said that they are being told that several bands cross react with viruses, but no one can provide any scientific data on it. At this point in time, I assume that it is more misinformation - until someone can get some proof anyway.

Oh, and Labcorp is the second worst lab to have a WB done through. Quest is worse though. Their reliability is low, they don't use the proper testing medium and their techs aren't trained for reading the Lyme Western Blot.

Here is the site I use to help translate the Western Blot results:
www.reocities.com/HotSprings/Oasis/6455/western-blot.txt

As for EBV/Mono, do some research for Resveratrol. I take 500mg daily. Resveratrol was one of the first items I came across when dx with MS. It inhibits the several of EBV.

It has also shown promise with lesions and MS type symptoms in lab mice.