Lyme Disease... MS?

Hey Guys,

I just have a couple questions I'm hoping you can answer. I was wondering If any of you have received a faint positive Lyme Disease test however it was positive because of MS?

My Lyme Disease results are:

My Lyme IgG-IgM EIA (ELISA) was Reactive
My Lyme IgG Western Blot was Non- Reactive
My Lyme IgM Western Blot was Weakly Reactive

The Mayo Clinic website states:
Diagnosing Lyme disease

IgM assay is useful for confirming stage 1 (acute) Lyme disease. (My IgM was Weakly Reactive and my symptoms have been for 5 1/2 years so this should indicate my symptoms would not be from Lyme disease as this tests positive for NEW infection.)

IgG assay is useful for confirming stage 2 and stage 3 Lyme disease. (mine was negative and my symptoms have been 5 1/2 years so this should of been positive according to Mayo Clinic and CDC if I've had Lyme Disease for a long time like months/years)

Mayo Clinic also states:
False-positive reactions may occur with patients with other spirochetal diseases (syphilis, yaws, pinta, relapsing fever, or leptospirosis), influenza, autoimmune disorders, multiple sclerosis, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.


So because false positive Lyme Disease results happen with people with ms, and given mine was only faintly reactive for NEW Lyme disease infection and non reactive for LATE Lyme disease infection.... im skeptical.

What I'm getting at is my doctor is suspicious of MS. I'm doing a balance test next week (ENG). She thinks this would also help rule out inner ear problems causing my symptoms and she thinks this would help the neurologist determine MS. Did an ENG Balance test help in your diagnoses?
My doctor has started me on antibiotics to treat lyme but she wrote on the report since Lyme disease often effects large Joints (i dont have this symptom) and the nervous system she thinks doing the balance test (ENG) would be beneficial to the neurologist to help determine if my symptoms are from something else like MS or to confirm Lyme Disease.

My symptoms are off balance, light headed all the time, a lot of the time its hard to stand. Sometimes feels like I'm on a boat. Sometimes I feel faint. Grocery stores make it worse and isles. Its been 5 1/2 year with this now. And just over a year ago I started developing tingling all the way up my spine, and it happens often now. I have poor circulation/numbness in my fingers and I'm always tired.

I have had 3 MRIs over the last 5 years which have been normal however my last MRI showed white matter spots at the front of my brain.

Whether its Lyme Disease or MS, or something else... I just want to figure it out! And it looks like I'm getting somewhere finally. Its been so long with no answers :( I'm just trying to make sure I get the right diagnoses so I can be treated appropriately and help myself for me and my kids.

Any input?

Sorry for the long novel.

ETA : More of what is confusing to me is what the CDC has on their website. This is exactly my situation, I've been having symptoms for 5 1/2 years but my IgG is negative and my IgM is only faintly positive.

CDC website says :

I have been sick for a few years with joint and muscle pain, fatigue, and difficulty thinking. I was tested for Lyme disease using a Western Blot test. The “IgM” Western Blot test was positive but the “IgG” Western Blot test was negative. Is Lyme disease the cause of my symptoms?

Answer: Probably not. First, you should only have an immunoblot (such as an FDA-approved Western Blot or striped blot) test done if your blood has already been tested and found reactive with an EIA or IFA.

Second, the IgM Western Blot test result is only meaningful during the first four weeks of illness. If you have been infected for longer than 4 to 6 weeks and the IgG Western Blot is still negative, it is highly likely that the IgM result is incorrect (e.g., a false positive). This does not mean that you are not ill, but it does suggest that the cause of illness is something other than the Lyme disease bacterium. For more information, see the in-depth discussion regarding testing for Lyme disease.
http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/faq/

Why does this all have to be so confusing Lyme Disease? MS? Something Else

Post Edited (JessicaMommy) : 5/23/2015 6:07:12 PM (GMT-6)

Unfortunately there is no simple answers to your questions , Jessica. There are many illness' & diseases that can cause the symptoms you are describing - ms and lyme being 2 of them.

I was recently diagnosed with MS and i to have also ventured down the Lyme path. I can say this. Through my travels here is what ive found. My ELISA came back as a false positive so i had very specific Lyme testing done of my blood serum by Igenex. Certain bands came back as Indicative or positive for certain strains of bacteria that is associated to Lyme, however one needs to have 5 positive bands to be diagnosed with Lyme according to CDC guidelines - which i do not have.

As you have mentioned, people with auto immune disorders tend to set off certain positives within the Western Blot test & ELISA tests. So this leaves one in a bit of a dilemma. Because It is critical to start treatment of ms as soon as possible it puts one in quite the predicament as to what treatment path to start.

I have chosen to treat MS and here is why;

Multiple lesions have been found in/on my brain with largest measuring 20mmx21mm - Several radiologists and 4 neurologists ( 3 specializing in ms) have reviewed my mri and they all concur ms

CSF tested positive for oligoclonal banding and certain proteins that are associated with ms

Visual evoked potential suggests i have optic neuritis

Elevated absolute monocyte level

Lastly, clinical symptoms

With all that being said, i am not discrediting my Igenex test results and am currently chasing down the horse that set off the indicatives and positives. - but that is another conversation.

On Monday i am going to get my blood drawn so they can check and see if there are any o-bands in my blood serum.

You say you have started antibiotics? A good way to tell if you di have Lyme is that you're going to start to feel a whole lot worse before it gets better as the antibiotics start to do their job, killing off the bacteria which in return releases a toxin which will make you herx. Im not an expert in Lyme but my guess would be no herx = no lyme.

Here is a good site that may help you in distinguishing the differences between the two diseases.


http://asp.cumc.columbia.edu/psych/asktheexperts/ask_the_experts_inquiry.asp?SI=569

Also, head on over to the Lyme section and get Travellers attention. He is very knowledgeable about the disease.

Chris - thank you for your response. that was what I wanted to know more about, is this: people with auto immune disorders tend to set off certain positives within the Western Blot test & ELISA tests.

Just wondering how many of you this has happened to. As my Lyme Blood test quailifies as a false positive according the Mayo Clinic and the CDC, im worried it was picked up because I have MS. Which has been a suspicion for a while now and currently having more tests to look in to it and see a neurologist.

Hi Gretchen did the ENG show anything wrong at all - like did it pick up some was not right with your nervous system and balance

I must also point out that no single test can determine the diagnosis of MS. Take for instance just because one has o-bands in their csf doesnt necessarily mean they have ms, however it is one very important part of completing a much larger puzzle.

Also its great you are going to see see an ID specialist ( been down that road as well ) but - the big but, if you dont meet CDC requirements for lyme he/she probably wont do anything for you and if this is the case you may want to contemplate seeing an LLMD.

As far as my ENG...i cant even remember if ive had that test. To be honest, ive been poked, proded and ran through every machine at the hospital its hard to keep track lol.

And thanks for the kind words Gretchen.

Shouldn't I feel confident if the ID doctor tells me I do not have Lyme, that I indeed do not - what do you think.

Im looking forward to getting a call for an appointment with a neurologist.. I have not seen one yet and have been waiting since my doctor sent the referral which is a 6-9 month wait unfortunately. Also looking forward to seeing the ID specialist to talk about all this mess.

Well..in my neck of the woods..ID specialists know very little about Lyme and refuse to investigate further if you do not meet cdc classifications...even if you test positive for 1 or 2 strains. An LLMD has a little bit more of an open mind and will investigate further.

Well I had my ENG done last Thursday. It wasn't that bad at all. I didn't like the part when he put water in my ears and it made me extremely dizzy. He said I did pretty good on my tests and I will get the results from my ENT in a week, but they look good from what he said. He said to me he had a few Lyme patients with the same issues as me but there symptoms were more obvious to point to Lyme Disease such as sore joints and tick exposure. He also said that what he sees with Lyme disease is the patients don't respond to the last part of the test when he puts water in your ears and I did respond. But he also said that doesn't mean its not Lyme, just his experience. He also found I seemed to fit in the MS category as well because my symptoms are typical of it.

I ended up down at the ER yesterday because over the past few days my balance has gotten extremely bad. Never this bad over the last 5 and half years with my symptoms. I can barely walk and I am doing baby steps everywhere.. holding onto my husband to get to the bathroom and walk. Very light headed and feeling as if I could faint at times. Just a foggy heavy headed feeling with extremely bad balance. They checked my reflexes which were good. They asked if I have seen a neurologist yet and I told them I have a referral put it but have yet to see one. I told them my last last MRI should inflammation non-specific white matter on the front of my brain. I told them I got a positive Lyme test on my EIA then a weakly positive western blot IgM and negative IgG western blot. Explained im on medication for 3 weeks for Lyme Disease as the reason for my symptoms. They told me I may be feeling worse because of toxin die off or this might not be Lyme Disease at all and could be something else. Like MS. They said it is very possible my EIA (ELISA) and weakly positive IgM western blot was a false-positive. They sent me home saying I will be fine, nothing serious is happening with my brain like a stroke and to continue with my medication.


I feel horrible with my balance and head right now, and no one can help me. I feel so lost and scared.

I see my family doctor on Tuesday for a follow up on the Doxy Im on for 3 weeks and next steps. I think Im going to ask her for a spinal tap as I feel this is the only way I will know if I have MS or Lyme Disease.

All my symptoms are neurological so if it is caused by MS it should show in my spinal tap and if it is Lyme Disease it should also show in my spinal tap. is this right - sorry cant put a question mark my laptop is being annoying and it wont work.

Im going to ask for another MRI, however it always takes a couple months to get a call for one.

That is what I am thinking - im having a herx reaction. I think Lyme Disease is the more obvious answer. I hope this medicine works but everyone on the forum say it wont and that it is not a long enough course or strong enough. :( Im certainly feeling the effects though of the die off.

Indeed. It's such a tough situation to get treatment for Lyme when so many doctors don't feel that chronic Lyme doesn't exist. I'm so sorry. I hope you can get reasonable treatment and find relief.

I know that many people treat with natural and herbal remedies. The Lyme board can help with that. And please don't feel I am chasing you off. You are always welcome to post here. We are happy to support you anyway we can.