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Posted 1/19/2016 8:03 PM (GMT 0)
I am lying in my hospital bed s/p knee replacement this morning. It's been a good experience so far...I have adequate pain relief and I walked to the bathroom already.
I received a voicemail from my NP telling me that the Western Blot was positive. Here are the results:

nent Standard Range Your Value Flag
Lyme Ab IgM by WB: Negative Positive A
Band(s) present: 41, 39, 23 kDa
INTERPRETIVE INFORMATION: Borrelia Burgdorferi Antibody, IgM
Western Blot
For this assay, a positive result is reported when any 2 or more
of the following bands are present: 23, 39, or 41 kDa. All other
banding patterns are reported as negative.
Performed by ARUP Laboratories,
500 Chipeta Way, SLC,UT 84108 800-522-2787
www.aruplab.com, Jerry W. Hussong, MD - Lab. Director
LYME AB IGG BY WB: Negative Positive A
Band(s) present: 93, 66, 58, 45, 41, 39, 30, 28, 23, 18 kDa
INTERPRETIVE INFORMATION: Borrelia Burgdorferi Ab, IgG Western Blot
For this assay, a positive result is reported when any 5 or more
of the following 10 bands are present: 18, 23, 28, 30, 39, 41, 45,
58, 66, or 93 kDa. All other banding patterns are reported as
negative.

I'd appreciate comments/thoughts about interpretation of this test, where to go from here...I'm reading Horowitz's book and Buhner's is next. Postop advice welcomed, too! My NP wants me to start on Doxy right away. I received vancomycin preoperatively, and that's it as far as antibiotics go.

Thanks in advance...I appreciate the thoughtful, caring, intelligent, responses I find here.
Posted 1/20/2016 3:05 AM (GMT 0)
Looking at your results...you have several lyme specific bands present on the IgM and IgG.

I don't get why it says "Negative Positive A" for the IgM
and "Negative Positive" for the IgG.

You are definitely positive.

So, are you switching the vancomycin to doxy? I'm not familiar with the vancomycin.
What is your dose of doxy?

Wishing you speedy healing...
Posted 1/20/2016 3:52 AM (GMT 0)
Which was septic? The joint prothesis or the skin?

Prayers for healing that up!!

If it were me I would work on getting the knee well and then tackle the lyme with your NP. Write down the meds for the knee to share them with the NP. That way he/she will know what you have already taken and it may be beneficial in the treatment of lyme too. Here's hoping that is the way it goes.
Posted 1/20/2016 3:50 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, Girlie And PeteZa.

Results appear confusing due to transfer of information from medical record to here. It is positive! I learned here that Band 23 means Lyme. Thinking that I read that other bands are significant for coinfections... Plan to research that further.

No infection currently. (Preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis is mandatory for joint replacement...I received Vancomycin and Ancef)
As far as doxy goes...I believe that I've had this for a long time, and I've read conflicting information re antibiotic effectiveness in late stage Lyme, don't want to tak unless necessary. My NP gave me an rx for 6 weeks of Doxy 100 twice daily for 6 weeks. I am looking into options re LLMD, finances are an issue. I'd like insurance to cover LLMD but know that's unlikely.
I currently see an openminded NP and I also pay out of pocket for an MD/DO/functional medicine doc. I'd like to keep working with them if possible. Time will tell. I'm trusting that I will find my way and am grateful for the support I'm getting here.

Hope this makes sense. In addition to my usual brain fog I'm in a narcotic haze.





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Posted 1/20/2016 5:28 PM (GMT 0)
Doxy alone won't heal late stage lyme....and it can also promote cyst forming.

But, having said that...many LLMD's still prescribe doxy for those of us with later stage lyme...but a second antibiotic is added - within a few weeks.

The usual dose is 200 mg twice daily. 100 mg is okay to start, but it should be increased to 200 mg twice daily.

Don't worry, you WILL find your way....it just takes time to absorb all the information...
Posted 1/20/2016 5:33 PM (GMT 0)
Well, I think you are doing excellent since you are in a brain fog and narcotic haze post op!!!

As for your tests - there seems to be some information that either isn't being reported or it's not "lined out" right - it's all jumbled together - so it's not making much sense to us here.

That you were told that it's positive is enough for now though. I'm glad you've chosen some good books to read!!

I would encourage you to use the doctors that you are already seeing. See if they either have the training or would agree to get the training through ILADS to treat you - the doc's get continuing education credits for attending!! Just go to ILADS site for the information, or when you are ready, ask here on the forum and someone will get it for you.

The NP could help you with the herbal aspect and the Functional medicine doc could help with abx if you choose to use both, or there are many other combination of things that they could each do for you. It all starts with you talking to them though to find out if they are willing to take this on.

I used a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor to help me heal. I was the first person she had ever knowingly treated for Lyme, and once I was done with my treatments, she said she never wanted to knowingly treat another Lyme patient because we are so complicated!! LOL! She did continue to see me until she had to close her practice and move out of state to take care of her parents though.

The Doxy dose isn't high enough though - it needs to be 400 - 600 mgs a day. Your NP is only going by IDSA treatment standards. It could be because they don't know what else to do, or it could be that they won't treat by ILADS standards, so it's best to ask.

But first things first. You have a positive test! Congratulations! Know you know and can get started with your healing of those infections soon!! But first, you will have to get through the recovery of your knee replacement. Many find that such trauma brings on Lyme flares, so do be sure to be detoxing well, and taking care of yourself as you recover from this surgery.
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