Had Lymerix vaccine years ago, now I'm becoming concerned

Hello, This is my first post here, and I am hoping that your collective wisdom can point me in the right direction. As you can see from my title, I had the vaccine series, and luckily I did not get sick. I live in New England and get tick bites all the time. Just over a year ago, I had a titer pulled for a particular bite that was worriesome. These were the results provided by Imugen in Norwood, MA:

IGM <1, Igg <1, IGA <1
BLOT IGG G39/40 # BANDS 6 (this was flagged as the range should be <5)
G39/40 REACTIVE BANDS 66 60 41 30 29 19
BLOT IGG 4973 # BANDS 3

The Comments: Significant number of IgG antibody specificites to B. burgdorferi detected by immunoblot. No IgM, IfG or IgA antibody detected by capture EIA.

Interpretation: This pattern of findings may represent immune responses to B. burgdorferi infection in the remote past (for example a past treated infection). These results do not suggest active Lyme infection.

At the time, I didn't think to inform my doctor that I had had the Lymerix series, as I didn't realize that it could have had an impact on the results. She simply told me that I had been exposed to Lymes at some point.

Recently, I learned that folks who have had the vaccine need to have their samples sent to Igenex Labs in California. I have also read here that Bands 31 and 34 should be included in the testing. I did not know this when I was tested last.

My only 'symptom' is chronic lower back pain. It is very stiff most days, and sometimes I find it hard to straighten up. I also have a strange rash on the back of my arm, though this could be something completely unrelated ??

I guess my question is should I get retested and/or see an ID doctor in your opinion(s)?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Cheerio

I second ToddPauls advice.

They can also give you a doctor locally to you that might be able better to assist in interpretation.

Most of the cases on this forum seem to have a bit more symptoms then you but strange rashes and back pain can be associated with lyme.

I often have encouraged many people that I know that think they have lyme to go the alternative route with herbs/natural medicine if they are not extremely ill. Many have had really, really good results with that and it is a bit more affordable usually to see an herbalist then go through the whole lyme doctor thing.

~beth

Only 10,000 people relieved that vaccine. I think it's absurd they don't include the bands because all a doctor would need to do is ask their patient, "did you get the lyme vaccine?"..... Rocket science.

Anyway I was at a round table for prescribing practitioners about a month ago and I was told by one of the lyme docs that a number of people who received the vaccine ended up with lyme like symptoms that never went away. With that said you need to figure out if this is lyme, or complications of the vaccine, or something.

Hi Cheerio,
Welcome to our community!
have you read through our "New to Lyme? Start here!" thread yet? It's packed full of really important information that I'm sure you will find useful.

The Lymerix vaccine will mess with Band 23 on the Western Blot test, other than that one band though, all others will respond as well as they do for anyone else.

You had band 39 come back as positive, which is a Lyme specific band that the Lymerix vaccine doesn't interfere with, so you have the bacteria inside of you. Unless you have had appropriate treatment (ILADS), you will run the risk of developing more and more severe symptoms.

Band 39 represents Bmp A - Bacterial Membrane Protein 'A'.

IgM antibodies are the first ones formed, but that takes 6 - 8 weeks. Then IgG antibodies are formed and those represent a chronic infection that can be from approx 4 months to many years old.

You should find and consult with a good LLMD to see if you should start treatment of some kind.

I am so grateful for all of the advice so far. Please keep it coming. This is all so new to me. I have learned that there is a LLMD here on the Cape; Dr. Sam T. Donta. Does anyone have experience with him, or know if he is a good one?
~Cheerio

Enable your email that's how people give names. Nobody posts them, it's to protect the doctors who are helping people. :)

Traveler who could keep all this crud straight! lol the des don't even know how to interpret the results of a western blot!!!

ok...email has been enabled (at least i think it has been..) so, then, can anyone recommend a good llmd on the cape? or boston?

thanks in advance,
cheerio