Western blot results, finally! any advice?

Hi Rori!
No need to apologize! This is an easy one to answer!
Did you see the test results? Were there any that were equivocal (had a "-/+" beside it)? That would be helpful to know as well.

Band 23 is OSP C (Outer Surface Protein "C") and is very specific to Lyme disease.
(www.anapsid.org/cnd/diffdx/wb.html)

If you have any other bands that are positive or are equivocal, that would help back up the one positive band.

It's hard to tell which LLMD's will take just one band and call it a positive. If you already have a LLMD, it's best you ask him/her what their opinion of the result is.

Well you are still showing that the Outer Surface protein "C" of the Lyme spirochete was detected in your blood - that doesn't happen by chance. Any decent LLMD would treat you based on that result.

Well, I know that I'm really tired - usually am by this time at night (7 pm here - giggle!), but those results have my head spinning!!

I guess that's what I get for using alternative medicine! I'm out of practice in reading all of the blood tests! LOL!! Hopefully someone with more knowledge about this will be along soon!

Well, I know that the Neut stands for Neutrofils - which are a type of white blood cells, just like Eosinophils. There are several different types of white blood cells. I found this site and really like the way the info is presented, straight forward, in layman's terms and short!! LOL!
www.unomaha.edu/hpa/blood.html

and according to this site - which I use a lot! - the MCH is the red blood cells. labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/rdw/

What I don't understand is the two "LYM" results. Is that for the Lyme tests (ELISA or Western Blot) values?

I help my doc find treatments to follow sometimes, she realizes that I've been researching this for many years and she hasn't - although most of the time it's just her deciding what needs to be done next, based on her evaluation of my pulses and other body 'cues'. I never add anything or stop anything unless I talk with her first though.

I had used 'traditional' or Western Medicine or Pharma abx for a full 12 months back in '07 and by the end of the 12th month, I came home to die. I wasn't understanding the importance of detoxing (& my LLMD as wonderful as he was, didn't know either), my detox pathways were "stuck" and I was overloaded with those toxins! Soo many things were wrong - I lost my gall bladder shortly after that, and the surgery just sent me down a deep, dark hole - both physically and mentally.

So I sought out something other than Western Medicine to help me get past all of this. It took nearly 2 1/2 years to locate my current doc - I live in a very rural area and she is almost 50 miles away in a little bitty town. It took 9 months of working on bringing my body back up, before I could handle any kind of treatments.

Most of what I take are herbs, not supplements per se. I actually only take a few (ha ha, relatively speaking) supplements - Vit E, Vit C, B-12, a decent Multi-vitamin multi-mineral, magnesium, melatonin, Green tea extract, oh and I added in some zinc for the winter season and the flues that always go around. The rest that I take are herbs - usually purchased from my practitioner as they are formulas, not individual herbs. I do purchase my ginger, turmeric, kelp, coconut oil and honey from the health food store though.

LOL! Maybe a bit more info than you wanted!! -but if you still have some questions, I'd be happy to tell you more!

That wasn't a pity party, Rori! You were just sharing some of your personal experiences with me!!

Thank you for all of your kind words!! Yes, I have come a long way! When I came home to die that time, I was actually welcoming the end of a life-long struggle - although I'm thrilled that things didn't end then!! I couldn't even watch the movie 'Under Our Skin' as it showed me were I was for much too long. I surely didn't need any reminders, as it scared the daylights out of me!

Presently I would say that I'm at about 50 - 60% of where the "healthy" people my age would be, so that's a huge improvement!!! I still -of course - have plenty of ups and downs, as I'm still in treatment with a ways to go, but I'm determined to see just how healthy I can get!!

I would encourage you to give your body every chance to beat these infections by supporting whatever functions you need! I tried using Synthroid, but it didn't do quite enough for me, I had to go to using a Homeopathic remedy for my thyroid -which has dissected thyroid in it. So if the Synthroid doesn't seem to be quite enough, find something that will help. Many use a compounded thyroid med with good results as well.

I also take an Adrenal supplement, and if you have been ill for very long, I would suggest that you talk with your doc about possibly supplementing your adrenals as well. Our adrenals often are very low due to fighting these serious infections for a longer time.

I am so very sorry to hear about your nephew! My last husband (not a very nice man when he was alive), had non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, so I understand what you are saying. Yes, it's very concerning for me as well. I finally reached a point where I wouldn't follow up on any of those kinds of leads, I was determined to get healed from these infections first - only crossing those bridges if I had to kind of thing.

Take the time to enjoy as much time as you can with your precious son!! They don't stay that little boy for long! Mine just turned 27!! Gosh! It didn't sound as bad in my head as it looks on the screen!! I have a 28 year old also - ugh! Makes me feel old today.