Lyme results

Hi Exana,
Since I haven't welcomed you yet - Welcome to our community!! I'm so glad you found us.

I found your first post and with those symptoms you listed with these results, you should get in to see a LLMD. These things are usually caused by Lyme disease, even though your test results are claimed to be negative. Many in this community understand this as well, so just ask if you would like more information on why.

here is the site that I use to help interpret them:www.oocities.org/hotsprings/oasis/6455/western-blot.txt You can go there to find supporting Pubmed articles showing what these bands represent.

An IgM result means that you have an active infection. It once was thought to mean an 'early' infection, but has since been revised. IgG means that the infection is at a later stage.

The more +'s you have beside a number, the stronger the reaction.

IND means indeterminate - not negative, but not quite strong enough to be "fully positive". But it means that you reacted on those bands and should be considered, especially when they are Lyme specific bands.

A "Lyme specific band" means specific for Borrelia Burgdorferi, sensu stricto - Lyme disease in the strictest sense. There are only two on the over 300 known strains of Lyme that is considered Bb, ss. Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia mayonii. Nothing else will turn a Lyme specific band positive other than Lyme disease - - even though there are over 100 different strains of Borrelia in the US that cause human illness.


Bands 23- 25 is one of the Lyme specific and indicate OspC (Outer Surface Protein "C").

Band 39 is specific to Lyme and indicates BmpA (Bacterial Membrane Protein "A")

Bands 83 - 93 are also Lyme specific.

Band 45 indicates a possible Ehrlichia infection

Band 58 indicates a likely European strain of Lyme - Borrelia Afzelii

I hope this makes sense! I'm not as awake as I thought I was!!

I don't understand how a test can be positive for both lyme specific high molecular mass protein, and positive for lyme specific immunodominant protoplasmic cylinder antigen, associated with the flagellum.

But according to the CDC it's still negative. There's clear indication of presence of lyme in your blood but somehow you don't have it. Wait, what?!?

What a joke the CDC is.

Exana - was there anymore information on the IFA? Was there a range posted?

So it is positive.

Often the IFA is part of a two-tiered test. If it's negative,the Western Blot isn't done.

Is there anything I can do in the meantime while I wait for an appointment with the Doctor my GP is sending me to? Could be a couple of months and I don't want to risk these symptoms getting worse

Some of these I have already been doing but I will incorporate the others into my day.

The Doctor my GP is sending me is known to treat patients with Lyme buy I'm unsure whether he will accept me as a patient. Should have an answer within the next couple of weeks

Girlie said...
okay - will you update us after your appointment?

Yes, of course.

Thanks again for all your help :)

Hi everyone, me again :)

So I went to see a LLND last week. After he looked through my test results he mentioned that although they are negative that in his interpretation the results are very suspicious. He has put me on a treatment plan for the next few weeks to strengthen my immune system and clear my digestive issues. In 3 weeks time, I will begin the Lyme treatment.

Generally, my symptoms have been a little better lately. I have cut a lot out of my diet in the last 3 months. No dairy, caffeine, starch, gluten, refined sugars. Just wondering if anyone here can suggest any websites that have Lyme friendly recipes. Also, is it okay to have fruit? I feel like I don't know what's safe to eat these days.

There's a bunch of sites that offer Lyme friendly diets. Choose one that fits your needs:
/www.google.com/search?q=Lyme+friendly+recipes&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Denikeef said...
Exana,

I just want to welcome you to the forum. It is a great place to get some of those questions answered. Your test certainly looks suspicious for Lyme. Give it another 10-15 years and I would bet the criteria will change and that will be a positive.

I am glad you are not letting it go.

The LLND I visited mentioned that the infection seems to be quite recent (6-8 months or so) and that typically some don't feel any symptoms for years. Is it common to get these initial symptoms and if left untreated they worsen? Or does it usually come on suddenly if left untreated for years?

Traveler said...
It's all about the "load" on the body as to when and how symptoms come on. Even if we lived a perfectly stress free life, the symptoms would eventually get bad as it's an active bacterial infection and they don't go away without treatment.

The load on the body can be from any kind of stress - a job, marriage/relationship issues, death in the family or a divorce, car accident, other illnesses, surgery, birth of a child and more. It's kind of like the 'straw that broke the camel's back' theory. It's not the weight of the single straw that breaks the camel's back, but the combined weight of ALL of the straw that's on the camel's back. Lyme works in the same way - when we have our "full body load" of stress, and the Lyme bacteria, that's when symptoms can come on like a ton of bricks for some, whether it's been days, weeks, months, years or decades since the infection first started.

Makes sense. I was going through a stressful period back in January/February and that's when my symptoms began.
If only we lived in a perfect world :)
Thanks for all the information you constantly provide. It's appreciated :)