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Preferred Bart Test?

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Posted 12/25/2018 8:49 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all!

I've been on a journey trying to figure out what's wrong with me. Although I came up negative on my WB IgG IgM Igenex test and negative for Lyme/Cos on my DNAconnex test, the possibility still lingered due to so many old and new symptoms. I started looking into new things like genetic variants/mutations & neurotransmitter imbalances until...

2 days ago while surfing around reddit, I came across a Bartonella post and someone mentioned Bart rash. I hadn't seen it before but when I searched it, I recognized it as the stretch marks I got on my lower back in high school. This on top of the swollen tinder lymph nodes I got for a month back way before I started getting weird symptoms both lead me to think maybe it really is Bart. The lymph nodes came at 11 y/o, hoard of strange cognitive/eye/growth/migraine symptoms came at 13, cognitive(intelligence) decline at late 16, TMJ at late 18, facial twitching and unsteadiness in cheeks, sides of nose, above nose, and eyelids at 20-21. I also used to have random muscle spasms where it felt like there was something trying to rapidly jump out of my skin in various areas of my upper arms and some other areas I don't recall. I thought this was normal b/c I remember mentioning it to a friend who said he gets them too.

Long story short, things MIGHT be coming to fruition for an actual diagnosis after all these years. My question is, what's the most highly acclaimed Bart test? I heard there was a new Igenex Bart test but I'm sure those of you with Bart have an opinion on this question!

Also, Merry Christmas! smile

Post Edited (Darwayne) : 12/25/2018 1:58:30 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/25/2018 9:28 PM (GMT 0)
I think the Galaxy bart test is good but it’s expensive.

Those marks are bart plus you had IND band 39 plus band 41 on your WB.
Take a photo of the bart streaks

Find a good LLMD and you shouldn’t have to pay for a test - unless you want to try for a positive test.

Edit: I reread your post and see that you had the bart streaks when you were younger and can’t get a photo now.

I also had a swollen, sore lymph node for a couple years - when I was on Bartonella treatment I got another one briefly behind my year.
Continued bart treatment resolved both.
Also had the muscle fasciculations.
All over my body.
Posted 12/25/2018 10:02 PM (GMT 0)
From what I know Galaxy Dx has the best tests. Sounds like bart to me as I can identify with many of those symptoms.
Posted 12/25/2018 10:04 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Girlie! Okay, noted; will look into Galaxy.

Do you mind me shooting it over to you just to get your opinion? They're much more faint than they used to be. I'm almost positive they used to have some red tint to them as they were very noticeable some years ago, the skin felt different on the slivers and I was insecure about them. I just don't remember or have pics of them then because I remember showing my mom the first time I noticed them and she said they were stretch marks. I didn't pay much mind to them after. Thing was, I grew like 1 foot over the course of 2 years during puberty; very slow relative to many.
Now, they're harder to make out as they look more like scars now with no red.
Posted 12/25/2018 10:08 PM (GMT 0)
I was editing my post while you were posting.

Sure send me a photo - I may not respond until tomorrow - busy cooking today.

Merry Xmas
Posted 12/25/2018 10:16 PM (GMT 0)

xpeetzax said...
From what I know Galaxy Dx has the best tests. Sounds like bart to me as I can identify with many of those symptoms.

Thanks man. Two for Galaxy, sounds like a winner! Gonna see what Girlie thinks about the lower back lines and decide whether I even need to waste my money on a test.

Do you/did you have the facial twitching too? If so, was it more onset by muscle contraction?
Posted 12/25/2018 10:30 PM (GMT 0)

Girlie said...
I was editing my post while you were posting.

Sure send me a photo - I may not respond until tomorrow - busy cooking today.

Merry Xmas

Thank you. smile
I sent them to your email assuming it hasn't changed in the last few months.

The streaks are still very much so there, just not nearly as noticeable. That's good to know! For me, my lymph nodes swelled up long before I ever had any other health issues but from what I've read, lyme and Cos can go dormant then hit you later right? I still do get tinder-ness and pain every so often in the same lymph nodes.. just no swelling.

Yes, of course, it's not a rush in the slightest! Thanks for helping me out. You too, enjoy dinner!
Posted 12/26/2018 12:00 AM (GMT 0)
Lyme and coinfections can def be dormant and activate later on. I was lowly symptomatic, high-functioning for many many years until I got the flu (or mono, not 100% sure) which triggered the underlying infections to a disabling level.

Lymph nodes, neuro symptoms, and the specific skin manifestations would def make me think bart.

In regards to testing, it depends. If you have extra money to throw around, getting a positive test and further evidence can be mentally helpful for some patients and give further validation. I've always heard good things about Galaxy Diagnostics, especially when it comes to bartonella.

Have you tried any bart treatments? if you flare to those, that would further suggest something like bart is in play.
Posted 12/26/2018 12:30 AM (GMT 0)
I tested positive for Bartonella at MDL, and negative for Bartonella at Igenex. both of these blood samples were drawn within the same week, prior to beginning any treatment.

I then did ePCR and IFA for bartonella at Galaxy two months into treatment, tested positive for IFA, negative ePCR.

Galaxy is claimed to be the best, but i had good results with MDL and they are cheaper than Galaxy.
Posted 12/26/2018 4:46 AM (GMT 0)

sebreg said...
Lyme and coinfections can def be dormant and activate later on. I was lowly symptomatic, high-functioning for many many years until I got the flu (or mono, not 100% sure) which triggered the underlying infections to a disabling level.

Lymph nodes, neuro symptoms, and the specific skin manifestations would def make me think bart.

In regards to testing, it depends. If you have extra money to throw around, getting a positive test and further evidence can be mentally helpful for some patients and give further validation. I've always heard good things about Galaxy Diagnostics, especially when it comes to bartonella.

Have you tried any bart treatments? if you flare to those, that would further suggest something like bart is in play.

Interesting. I don't have money to throw around but for some reason, I really want a test to verify so I may do it.
I can't say that I have. The only thing I've ever done for provocation was 8-10 cloves of raw garlic a day, andrographis, cat's claw, and 5 drops of Oregano EO capsulated daily for 8 days with no effect besides some headaches from Cat's claw until I got used to it (normal side effect). Then, shortly after, I started noticing my left hand's motor skills were being limited by like 50-60% half the time and my hand was going 60% numb at the same time (not pins and needles, numb where it wasn't feeling things I touched). I have no idea if this carries any significance; it really doesn't bug me that much and after about 2 months, it's finally subsided but it had never happened before and it started right after my piss poor "provocation" attempt lol.

I'd probably need to try an abx for a more legit try.
Posted 12/26/2018 4:50 AM (GMT 0)

sierraDon said...
I tested positive for Bartonella at MDL, and negative for Bartonella at Igenex. both of these blood samples were drawn within the same week, prior to beginning any treatment.

I then did ePCR and IFA for bartonella at Galaxy two months into treatment, tested positive for IFA, negative ePCR.

Galaxy is claimed to be the best, but i had good results with MDL and they are cheaper than Galaxy.

Thanks for the info! With Galaxy, did you just do this option:
Bartonella ePCR™ Triple Blood Draw + IFA Serology Panel IgG?
Posted 12/26/2018 4:21 PM (GMT 0)

Darwayne said...

xpeetzax said...
From what I know Galaxy Dx has the best tests. Sounds like bart to me as I can identify with many of those symptoms.

Thanks man. Two for Galaxy, sounds like a winner! Gonna see what Girlie thinks about the lower back lines and decide whether I even need to waste my money on a test.

Do you/did you have the facial twitching too? If so, was it more onset by muscle contraction?

I didn't have much facial twitching other than my eye sometimes but I did have plenty of muscle twitching elsewhere. Particularly in my foot/hands. They were just random onsets.

Galaxy has multiple choices for tests. My doctor chose to order just the simple serology test (cheapest) because I had already shown positive for bartonella through quest but my doctor wanted to confirm. If you really want the peace of mind though, they have very accurate methods of testing such as EPCR.
Posted 12/26/2018 5:08 PM (GMT 0)

Darwayne said...

sierraDon said...
I tested positive for Bartonella at MDL, and negative for Bartonella at Igenex. both of these blood samples were drawn within the same week, prior to beginning any treatment.

I then did ePCR and IFA for bartonella at Galaxy two months into treatment, tested positive for IFA, negative ePCR.

Galaxy is claimed to be the best, but i had good results with MDL and they are cheaper than Galaxy.

Thanks for the info! With Galaxy, did you just do this option:
Bartonella ePCR™ Triple Blood Draw + IFA Serology Panel IgG?

Yes i did the Triple ePCR and IFA panel. ePCR was negative across the 3 draws, but IFA was always positive
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