antibiotic challenge test

yes it is useful if your blood tests are inconclusive (between positive and neg). These parasites are immune suppressive. Sometimes when the immune function is too low the body stops producing antibodies and then the blood tests will pick up nothing because all of them are based on antibody response, except maybe for the direct observation of bacteria in blood (microscopy).

So if you take antibiotics the bacteria will get killed, loads of pieces of bacteria will spread around your body and this will stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies against it, chances are this will turn your tests to positive. So yes it does make sense. im not sure if the blood needs to be drawn while on antibiotics or one week after, the LLMD should know. Im saying this because the antibiotics themselves are suppressive to the immune system.

Besides helping with the tests , there is also an indirect evidence by the herx reaction: if on antibiotics your symptoms become much worse, then that's an indication the abx are killing the bugs.

I do believe that the person must be off abx for 3 weeks prior to testing. You can call Igenex to verify this.

Hard to tell, since they won't tell you. Some just think they know better, which never helps the patient. That's why we will tell people when we believe their doctor isn't helping them heal with when they have the patient doing too high of a dose too soon, or the wrong combination of meds/herbs or whatever. They are still doctors and many have at least a bit of a God complex - at least in my opinion.

I understand. When I got reinfected, I opted for no testing and just do the treatments knowing that I would herx if I had the infections. Boy was I right, I herxed like I did the first time!