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Help Determining If I Have Lyme

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Posted 3/31/2018 3:12 PM (GMT 0)
Hi guys, I posted before asking for help finding an LLMD in Milwaukee. I got in touch with a lot of people who were able to offer me some suggestions. I’m currently seeing a dr in Chicago where I took a western blot and then an igenex test. If you haven’t seen my other post, I’d like to tell you my results. WB showed abnormal for band 41 (both igG and igM ). Then I took igenex and I got a positive result. However, I don’t feel like I have LD. I developed visual snow out of no where after my face went numb and I went to the hospital. All tests performed in the hospital were normal. Been to eye specialists, neurologists, you name it.. I have the visual static 24/7 and the facial numbness comes every once in a while. Idk if those symptoms are enough to say I have LD though. I don’t seem to have all the typical Lyme symptoms. What do you think? How sensitive is the igenex test? Is there anyway this could just be a false positive?

Igenex results:

IgM: 31+ 39++ 41++

IgG: 23 ind 39 ind 41++
Posted 3/31/2018 8:54 PM (GMT 0)
Not a false positive. You have symptoms: facial numbness, visual static. And now a positive test result.
Posted 4/1/2018 2:16 AM (GMT 0)
Do you know what your treatment options are, what's holding you back?
Posted 4/2/2018 2:28 AM (GMT 0)
I would strongly recommend googling for Horowitz MSIDS questionairre. Sorry I don't have a link handy. Look at the list of his symptoms. you may be surprised to what you see on there and that you may have more than you think.

I think a lot of us have struggled with or had friends/family members question if they should start treatment based on positive tests when no symptoms are present. I think the jury is still out and it's a personal decision with a lot of factors.

If your symptoms don't bother you at all, and/or you typically don't respond well to antibiotics, it is totally reasonable to decide not to treat. On the other hand. Everybody agrees that the earlier you can start treatment, the better your chances for full recovery/remission.

There are members of this forum that have had their lives ravaged by this dissease. I suspect they would recommend you start treatment right away.

It always seems to come down to the formula of the risk vs. benefit calculus.

You should definitely learn all you can as fast as you can. Read everything you can on this forum. Ask any questions you have.
Posted 4/2/2018 2:42 AM (GMT 0)
Here’s a link to the Questionnaire:

lymeontario.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Horowitz-Questionnaire.pdf
Posted 4/2/2018 2:33 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for your responses. I just find this a bit unusual because I don’t spend much time outside. The only time I can think of possible exposure was when I was in a wooded area of northern Wisconsin last August for a few days, but did not notice any strange symptoms until January. I also don’t have flu-like symptoms either. I have noticed involuntary muscle twitches in my arms and legs but I’m not sure if that is something I’ve had before. The vision problems that I’m experiencing is what brought me to a Lyme doctor to begin with. The static, after images, and trails have been terrible and I want to get to the bottom of this. I will seek treatment but I’m just questioning if this is truly LD or not.
Posted 4/2/2018 2:46 PM (GMT 0)
its pretty typical to get infected and not know you were infected, then not have symptoms for many months later.

in my case i knew i was bit in March, however i didn't have any symptoms until July/August. so no symptoms until 4 to 5 months later.
Posted 4/2/2018 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
What were your initial symptoms?
Posted 4/2/2018 4:06 PM (GMT 0)
i had tingling in the face (left side), muscle twitching, feeling off balance, weakness, lack of focus/concentration, fatigue, headaches. a bunch of odd stuff, that no one could explain, and all my tests came back normal.
Posted 4/2/2018 7:52 PM (GMT 0)
I think with your symptoms plus all of those bands lighting up on the serology test, you would be wise to treat.

It is very common for a person infected to not see a tick.

I also think it is very common for the symptoms to gradually creep up over months. I didn't start suspecting tick borne infections until it was about 2 years into my strange symptoms that were starting to pile up. I do not remember if I had any acute flu-like bouts in the beginning stages. I did not have a bulls-eye rash.

I personally think you should treat. I am biased though as I have tolerated the antibiotics really well and improved a lot.
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