dmonica -
I agree w/ Girlie.
The first test in the two-tiered testing methodology is supposed to indicate if your immune system is fighting something. If it's positive, the CDC recommends that the MD then administer the 2nd test, which is a Western Blot.
The problem with BOTH tests is that they are serology tests, which means they aren't looking for the Lyme spirochete itself, they are looking for the body's immune response to the microbe - antibodies.
- However, there are many many studies that show Lyme knows how to stealthily disable immune response.
- Also, the spirochetes don't spend a lot of time in the blood system, which also helps it hide from the immune system.
- And another problem is that the immune system can be quite easily be overwhelmed by all these infections and the damage they inflict.
Yet another problem with the two-tiered methodology, is the notoriously inaccurate first test and the CDC's directives to MDs that they are not supposed to administer the 2nd test if the 1st test is negative.
This two-tiered methodology was developed by the CDC as part of their disease surveillance criteria, which is designed specifically to track the spread of Lyme disease NOT to diagnose Lyme. Even their website states this, abeit very well hidden. They recommend that MDs not use the tests solely to dx Lyme but to clinically dx, which includes evaluation of health history, exposure and symptomology. However, most MDs don't realize this or if they do they don't know how to clinically treat or simply don't want to mess with it.
So, this is why Girlie suggests that you pursue an IGeneX Western Blot Lyme test, which is more accurate than a regular Western Blot:
Why IGeneX?
IGeneX processes over 20,000 Lyme tests a year, and can adhere to a more specialized structure than the CDC regulations. IGeneX includes band 31 in their testing, and also offers 30-31kDa confirmation-these bands are often positive due to cross-reactivity with other viruses, and IGeneX uses highly specific recombination antigens to validate results. In addition, IgG needs only 2 bands present (instead of 5), and the IgM needs 2 (like the Western Blot).
22 Reasons tests are wrong:
whatislyme.com/22-reasons-why-your-lyme-test-may-be-wrong/My first test was an assay like the test you took and it was negative. My LLMD knew to ignore the CDC's testing protocol and she went ahead and gave me the 2nd test - IGeneX IgG and IgM. But I took olive leaf extract for about
a month before I took that 2nd test in order to "provoke" a stronger immune response. So that's something else you might consider. My IGeneX was CDC-positive.
-p
-p