I've had odd symptoms for years, can't even recall when things started and have seen 3 orthopedists, 2 neurologists, a rheumatologist, a cardiologist, a gastroenterologist, two Primary MD's, and been to the Emergency room twice. They all told me that "nothing is wrong". It is really draining to have test after test come back negative. I have a friend whose wife has Lyme and when she heard my story, she told me to immediately send off to Igenex. Just got my results, but I have no idea what they mean. I'm caught in this weird mix of emotion where I hope I don't have Lyme, and yet I sort of hope to finally find something.
Symptoms affect just about every system in my body, but no real diagnosis from any of the specialists mentioned above. A quick, off the cuff summary, includes: chronic headaches (every day for 1.5 years then resolved, now they come and go), hip pain (for 7-8 years, mostly resolved), neck pain and stiffness (every day for the past 1.5 years), plantar fasciitis (every day for the past 5 years), knee/wrist/shoulder/muscle pain that comes/goes moves stabs/aches/burns for years that I can't even recall, horrible insmonia (last 4 years), massive GI issues (from top to bottom, new in the last year), nighttime anxiety (prob from insomnia), random pounding chest, extreme exhaustion, numbness in extremeties that comes as goes (new in the last year), odd liver fatty issues (including fluctuating LFT's), can't find words, frequent brain fog, 3 hernias (iguinal, abdominal, hiatal - all within the last year), 2 herniated discs in my neck (within the last year), and probably more symtpoms that I can't even recall at the moment. I kept chalking these things up to old age beacuse all the doctors kept telling me I was fine. One day it hit me when I stopped to consider all of these things that this is much more than just "getting older". I'm 37 and often have thought this is how I would feel when I am 67.
So, I have 3 basic questions:
1)Are these results that warrant a visit to a LLMD (because I have no idea what they mean)?
I have a <40 IFA for B Burgdorferi G/M/A, which I guess is indicating a NEGative result.
and 2 western blot results:
IGG Igenex result NEGative IGM Igenex Result POSitive
CDC result NEGative CDC result NEGative
18 - 18 -
23-25 - 23-25 -
30+ 28 -
31 IND 30 -
34 - 31 IND
39 IND 34 -
41 ++ 39 IND
45,58,66,83-93 - 41 ++
45 -
58 -
66 +
83-93 +
2)Anyone know a good LLMD in Dallas / North Texas (DFW metroplex)?
3)Should my wife be tested? She has some of these symptoms, but not nearly to the degree to which I have them (we always chalked it up to "getting older" but we're only mid-30's). And....what about my 3 kids? I have read that lyme can pass in utero and during intercourse so it makes me wonder if the family may have it too?