Hi Mike1977 -
You're right, the ID doc is going to be "interesting".
Really, I think you'll have less fuss and stress by incorporating some herbal protocols for both Lyme & bart now, along with your abx.
But if you want to see the ID doc, the best approach is to be very well prepared and you're just the right kind of guy who can get prepared for an ID doc. Clearly, you're willing, interested and capable of doing research and learning (with the cognitive problems Lyme & Co can trigger in people this is not always the case.)
Plus, you're already on some abx, so you're making progress.
I'm assuming your intent in seeing an ID doc, while you're waiting to get into an LLMD, is to get more abx to continue your Lyme tx. You're not going to get much help with anything bart. You can try this approach with any MD (and truthfully, you might have better luck with a regular PCP). But this is what I would do:
- I'd read up on the IDSA Guidelines, which is what most ID docs follow, to anticipate what his approach will be (I can help point you to the applicable sections).
- Then I'd predetermine if you're just asking for more abx or also testing. There is really one test to ask for - the IGeneX WB so you can start there. It would be even better if you can get this test done and take positive results to the ID doc. But it's good to understand why he will probably want to give you different tests, and your best approach around this. More info on IGeneX below.
- If the ID doc agrees to test you with the IGeneX, it's going to take a few wks to get results back. Hopefully, you'll get positive results. You'll need to do a little more reading on why these tests are USUALLY inaccurate and also the results are usually misinterpreted, particularly by ID docs, so that you can prepare yourself for that discussion.
In a nutshell, the CDC's Lyme testing methodology is two-tiered and was designed for disease surveillance case study, NOT for diagnosis. So the tests themselves and the interpretation protocols the CDC set up, that IDSA and ID docs follow, miss most Lyme cases - they're far too strict for Lyme diagnosis. Therefore, the CDC has a disclaimer on their website that many states now require labs to place on the tests results that Lye is a clinical diagnosis - that tests should not be used alone to determine dx.
- If you get negative results, the info you glean will also help you reinforce to the ID doc why the tests produce false negatives and help interpret the results correctly. You'll want to read up to understand why MDs often don't know how to interpret Lyme WBs correctly - this might help turn a "negative" into a "positive" result.
- Better still, preparing your health history and symptomology beforehand will help you with this part of the conversation, so that the ID doc has organized info needed for a clinical dx. Now, he may still refuse to---or be incapable of---clinically diagnosing you.
Why IGeneX?
IGeneX processes over 20,000 Lyme tests a year, and can adhere to a more specialized structure than the CDC regulations. IGeneX includes band 31 in their testing, and also offers 30-31kDa confirmation-these bands are often positive due to cross-reactivity with other viruses, and IGeneX uses highly specific recombination antigens to validate results. In addition, IgG needs only 2 bands present (instead of 5), and the IgM needs 2 (like the Western Blot).
22 Reasons tests are wrong:
whatislyme.com/22-reasons-why-your-lyme-test-may-be-wrong/www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=3461983Hopefully this is helpful.
-p
Post Edited (Pirouette) : 6/10/2017 4:25:03 PM (GMT-6)