Igenex Lyme Test years later - questions!

This is going to sound odd, but I was clinically diagnosed with Lyme back in 2013. My entire family had it, however via regular labs, only my husband tested CDC positive, and I had to go ahead to test my oldest daughter thru Igenex, and with that she tested CDC positive. I never bothered to spend the extra money on my other two or myself thru Igenex, bc all that mattered was that we were getting treated. So, here I am, nearly 6 years later. I have had several relapses, but minor ones. I have been in great shape for the past 3 years, but in April, my 2 kids got strept throat back to back and then my son got a double ear infection. That left me doomed. I got soooo sick. I Had to take a course of antibiotics, and yes, guess what, when I stopped the course, lyme decided to come out from its hiding place. Well actually, I have to make that correction, it is more my Bartonella symptoms. I am gently trying to treat it but the fact that I am being a bit reserved is not helping. I am going to have to push a little harder this time around.

So my question - I always believed that if you were taking antibiotics there was a good chance that it could affect the blood test results. I am correct on this right? What about herbals? I only started them 2 weeks ago and I am only up to taking 1 dropperful each of JKW, Cats claw and CSA. Would that affect the test?

Why am I looking to take the test - because I thought about it. I want to write a book one day. As a pharmacist, I want to be a Continuing Education presenter on Lyme, I want to possibly become a certified herbalist in addition to having my pharmacist license in order to help people with Lyme. This is my dream, and I am going to make it happen!! And so I just feel it would be most beneficial to back my story up with a positive Lyme test!!!

What about the Urine test, would that be better for someone like me, who has had it for so many years?

What do you all think? Would it be worth testing now after all of these years, esp since I am actually symptomatic at the moment? Would appreciate all of your input, thanks!!!

Very True! And if I could get a positive result now, that would be even better, because then it would clearly prove that the negative results I got back in 2013 were not reliable. Thanks for your response! I just have to figure out if the herbals will have any effect on the test! Don't want to drown $225 for another negative result!

From all the reading I have done. It looks like more bands tend to pop up after anti-microbial treatment. The only thing I remember seeing that blunts the immune response is early treatment with abx. Like treating when you still have a bulls-eye rash. Although you could account for that, by concluding the IDSA wants to sweep under the rug how bad their test is, and keep the false negative count artificially low...

Honestly the latter seems more likely to me. I would lay money on that.

I tested positive on one band 39. After 3 weeks of herbals Japanese knotweed, cats claw, andiographis I tested positive on eight bands.