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Posted 5/28/2015 11:39 PM (GMT 0)
I was looking through my blood test from 2009 and saw that I had a Lyme western blot taken and IgG p41 was present. Then, it hit me. I had a bulls eye rash around that time that I had completely forgotten about because I had been seen by a doctor who tested me for Lyme and I didn't have any symptoms. Is it possible that I'm just getting the symptoms now, 6 years later, and having the IgM p23 show up now??
Posted 5/29/2015 12:52 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, it is possible in my opinion. Remember that the Western Blot test only checks for antibodies, so your body may have recognized the infection & been fighting it off just fine in 2009. (Anyone more well-versed, please correct me if this info is wrong.)

I've had somewhat "mild" symptoms of lyme since I was 7 years old but they didn't become debilitating until 30 years later. It also took that long to get a positive teat or diagnosis. I believe my immune ststem actually kept it in check pretty well for most of those 30 years. Then it just couldn't take it anymore with my added stressful lifestyle, living in cold weather, constant worry about my ill mother and challenging teenager, plus constant air travel for work. That was my breaking point where lyme took over.
Posted 5/29/2015 12:57 AM (GMT 0)
Agree w/ Maui…

I was around ticks in the midwest from a very young age and I'd always been overly susceptible to high viral loads… who knows if I was infected a a child.

But I'm pretty sure I was infected about 16 yrs ago living/working/travelling in the NE for 10 yrs. I overcame the initial sx but slowly everything broke down. No one even thought to suggest lyme, since I was living in an endemic area. I crashed in '06 and slowly recovered over the following two years… and crashed again in '09 and never really recovered. I finally suspected lyme in Aug '13.

p
Posted 5/29/2015 1:21 AM (GMT 0)

mauihawaii said...
Yes, it is possible in my opinion. Remember that the Western Blot test only checks for antibodies, so your body may have recognized the infection & been fighting it off just fine in 2009. (Anyone more well-versed, please correct me if this info is wrong.)

I've had somewhat "mild" symptoms of lyme since I was 7 years old but they didn't become debilitating until 30 years later. It also took that long to get a positive teat or diagnosis. I believe my immune ststem actually kept it in check pretty well for most of those 30 years. Then it just couldn't take it anymore with my added stressful lifestyle, living in cold weather, constant worry about my ill mother and challenging teenager, plus constant air travel for work. That was my breaking point where lyme took over.

So basically I could have had Lyme for the past 6 years and didn't know it until this past year? That's crazy. If you can, can you explain to me the difference between IgG and IgM antibodies?
Posted 5/29/2015 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
Glad to see that you're now posting on a regular basis. The Lyme bacteria (borrelia burgdorferi) hides in cyst form (that's the easiest way to put it), and can go in and out of remission.

Did you find an LLMD?

Margaret
Posted 5/29/2015 2:36 AM (GMT 0)
I have

teragram said...
Glad to see that you're now posting on a regular basis. The Lyme bacteria (borrelia burgdorferi) hides in cyst form (that's the easiest way to put it), and can go in and out of remission.

Did you find an LLMD?

Margaret

I have a lot of choices for an LLMD, I'm just having a hard time choosing the best one, money wise and how well they diagnose/treat patients. All the doctors I'm looking at have mixed reviews, some really great and some awful ones.
Posted 5/29/2015 3:32 AM (GMT 0)
It used to be thought that IgM was a recent infection, but that view has changed...IgM now means 'active' infection.

IgG - I think after treating effectively, the IgM are supposed to change to IgG when the infection isn't 'active' anymore...but I don't think that always happens.

Anyone else know about this?
Posted 5/29/2015 4:04 AM (GMT 0)
Agreed, that is the intent of the two different measures of antibodies to the different components of the spirochete. But most of what I've read suggests experienced LLMDs ignore it.

My LLMD suggested IgG and IgM indicators on the Western Blot tests are meaningless. If bands show up for either, you're positive and the tests are not viable means of understanding a new versus old versus reactivated infection.

Given the onset of sx, I'm fairly certain I was infected over 16 yrs ago. According to my IGeneX WB, I was only recently infected. It could mean that my body recently produced antibodies to a reactivated infection, but generally, that is meaningless.

p
Posted 5/29/2015 9:03 AM (GMT 0)
My daughter has just 41 positive on her western blot. Her ELISA was through the roof positive. Both of these were done just 2 weeks and 1 day after we removed the tick and I've heard that is too early for a WB but that band 41 is usually the first to show up. It also isn't one of the bands that is "Lyme specific" so if you have syphilus EBV or CMV it could also show positive. From what I've read this is usually very rare though and if band 41 comes up positive then consider yourself positive for Lyme also
Posted 5/29/2015 10:49 AM (GMT 0)

Pirouette said...
Agreed, that is the intent of the two different measures of antibodies to the different components of the spirochete. But most of what I've read suggests experienced LLMDs ignore it.

My LLMD suggested IgG and IgM indicators on the Western Blot tests are meaningless. If bands show up for either, you're positive and the tests are not viable means of understanding a new versus old versus reactivated infection.

Given the onset of sx, I'm fairly certain I was infected over 16 yrs ago. According to my IGeneX WB, I was only recently infected. It could mean that my body recently produced antibodies to a reactivated infection, but generally, that is meaningless.

p[/quote

So now the infection is active? That's so weird how 6 years later I start developing symptoms over the last year.

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