My Igenex Results

Hi Asmoline,

IND just means that they don't have quite enough information to call it positive, but that it is most likely positive. In other words they see something. And no not everyone gets IND on the same things.

The double starred bands are Lyme only from what I understand. Considering that the two that did show an indication are Lyme specific I would go to a LLMD. Sometimes the tests don't show all the bands because the anti-bodies are no longer detecting them. They morph into something else once an antibody is detected.

Did Igenix say it was a negative?

No, you don't need to pursue other paths for your main infection, you have some Lyme specific bands that are IND.

Here is the site that I use to help interpret test results :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 18 & 41 (whether in IgM or IgG) are indicative of the tail of the bacteria, which can cross react with other Spirochetal bacteria such as Relapsing Fever, Pintas and Yaws, and Syphilis.

Bands 23 - 25 indicate OspC (Outer Surface Protein "C") with band 25 being Lyme specific.


Band 31 indicates OspA (Outer Surface Protein "A") and is Lyme specific.

I've been waiting for someone to come up with Band 31 as an IND or positive. I've recently learned some new information about this. Supposedly it's a band that was created in the lab, so we aren't sure how it's showing up in people, unless the scenario of ticks escaping the lab in Plum island is true. Band 31 is Lyme specific though, but I'm not sure on exactly what all it means now due to this new information.


Since you've been having a hard time with Buhner's for that long, you likely aren't detoxing well - or you're having an allergic reaction, since you didn't list the issues you were actually having.

I agree with you on the expense of it all! It's crazy!! And so many of us are either out of work or on reduced schedules that it's very taxing on what little money we do have. Not to mention that the WB is only good to determine if you have the Lyme bacteria, and can't be used to gauge recovery/healing.

I'm so sorry, it does sound like you are herxing. How's your detox routines? I'm forever talking about detoxing on this forum, but it's vitally important, not just for improving how we feel, but for healing and not having a serious, life threatening herx, as a few have gone through.

A few thoughts on helping some of those symptoms:
Oil pulling has been talked about frequently here lately, it could help with your gum/tooth issues, especially if you add a drop of oil or oregano or something in with it.

Magnesium is essential for our muscles. Are you supplementing with magnesium? I'm using magnesium orotate. www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/types-of-magnesium/

Stephiana is supposed to help with eye issues - something you can check into if increased detoxing doesn't relieve this well enough.

I would encourage you to go through this list and see what you can fit in like dry skin brushing, apple cider vinegar or other things: www.tiredoflyme.com/detox-methods.html

Have you had the gene testing for detoxing issues (MTHFR)? That may offer some answers for you as well.

I've not looked at stephiana prices yet, and I'm like you, it can be painful to see some of these prices! I buy bulk herbs and either make medicinal teas, tinctures or capsulize them myself. It takes some time, but it saves me a lot of money.

Yes, your test results show that your immune system is trying to fight it (the IgM response), but that there's not enough of a response to push it over to a 'fully positive' test.

I understand those feelings of just wanting to quit, but what waits for us if we quit isn't pretty since we will be trying to live with an infection that will continue to do damage. That's called treatment fatigue and I deal with it a lot lately. It's hard to convince myself to keep going some days, but members here and a few other people in my life help keep me going, plus the knowledge of what life is like trying to live while untreated. At least with treatment I have hopes of healing and feeling better one day. It's a day by day (sometimes hour by hour) struggle at times though.

Hang in there!!

AWW!! Thank you!! And yes it helps to hear these kinds of words from those that I spend most of my days with! You all are the only ones that can understand how hard my days are too! This community has helped me out a lot too. So thank you to you too, as you are a part of it.

Have you ever tried getting in your charcoal during the night if you get up to use the bathroom at night? I do that whenever I'm in need of it - and remember to set it up! LOL! I have to remember to have a big glass of water sitting next to it because that will get my attention. Just having the charcoal setting out isn't enough! LOL! But once I'm in the routine of doing it, I can be pretty regular with it.

I would still encourage you to look into more detoxing routines though. I use a lot of them every day to keep up with the toxins.

ILADS trained LLMD's should be diagnosing lyme clinically, with testing used as a back-up.

Our immune function is compromised and our body isn't always capable at mounting an antibody response to the bacteria.

So, yes, IND alone is enough when symptoms indicative of Lyme disease are present.

Are you asking about how to get a positive test result?

You could try taking Olive leaf extract...for several weeks prior to testing. Hopefully someone who has done that will be on here to give you more details. You could try doing a search on this forum on OLE and see what comes up.