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LLMD in Western or Central Massachusetts?

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Posted 2/27/2018 3:58 PM (GMT -5)
I will be moving from VT to Mass pretty soon and was wondering if anyone could suggest a reliable LLMD in Central or Western Massachusetts?

I really need to take a break from treatment to get my mental health under control and need a doctor to visit with after that to check back with Lyme and do some Igenex testing to see if I actually still have Lyme and Co-infections or if that was cured and all I have left is this depression and anxiety..

I will at that point probably have Mass health and while not a requirement, some coverage would be nice!!!

Thanks for the help!
Posted 2/27/2018 7:19 PM (GMT -5)
Hi Goldengoose,

I know of a few in Mass. but I don't have personal experience with them. I do live in western Ma. but I travel to New Hampshire for my care.

You can email e and you also will have to enable your email in your profile to receive recommendations for llmd's from other members.

Take care, Jo
Posted 2/27/2018 9:10 PM (GMT -5)

goldengoose said...
I will be moving from VT to Mass pretty soon and was wondering if anyone could suggest a reliable LLMD in Central or Western Massachusetts?

I really need to take a break from treatment to get my mental health under control and need a doctor to visit with after that to check back with Lyme and do some Igenex testing to see if I actually still have Lyme and Co-infections or if that was cured and all I have left is this depression and anxiety..

I will at that point probably have Mass health and while not a requirement, some coverage would be nice!!!

Thanks for the help!

goldengoose - Sorry to hear that you're having some mental health issues.
You do know that testing with Igenex won't really be much help in determining if you still have active infection.
Positive bands can remain even after we're healed...and a negative result doesn't mean anything. You could still have active lyme and get a negative result.
The Co-infections are even more unreliable.

Do you have other symptoms besides the mental health ones?

No matter what, sometimes taking a break is needed. I hope you get answers you need.
((hugs))
Posted 2/28/2018 9:05 AM (GMT -5)
Girlie, even IGM markers? I have had 23 and 41 positive for years and that's why eventually I decided (after getting treated 5 times for 2 weeks) to treat for chronic Lyme.

I spoke with a representative at Igenex and he said that after an active infection has healed those markers should drop (on the iGxSpot test) I was also looking into their PCR test for Lyme.

My suspicion has been for some time though, that my symptoms may just be from depression and anxiety. That since I had Lyme in 4th grade 17 years ago that I will just always register a false positive. With the symptoms being so similar and overlapping, it makes it really difficult tell...
Posted 2/28/2018 10:15 AM (GMT -5)
Treating 5 times for two weeks each will never cure chronic lyme. If you have had it 17 years it will be difficult to cure. Depression and Anxiety are what most main stream MDs will diagnose.

Tetra alone will also not be enough, even though Flucanazol is said to be a mild cyst buster too. Clarith/Plaq is a popular old school Lyme Protocol and some say if may hit Babs and Bart as well, but its not a primary protocol for those co-infections.

I see you mentioned taking a whole bunch of Buhner's herbals. Sound like you need to hit Babs and Bart with some Rx, and follow Buhners core protocol for those as well.
Posted 2/28/2018 1:22 PM (GMT -5)

goldengoose said...
Girlie, even IGM markers? I have had 23 and 41 positive for years and that's why eventually I decided (after getting treated 5 times for 2 weeks) to treat for chronic Lyme.

I spoke with a representative at Igenex and he said that after an active infection has healed those markers should drop (on the iGxSpot test) I was also looking into their PCR test for Lyme.

My suspicion has been for some time though, that my symptoms may just be from depression and anxiety. That since I had Lyme in 4th grade 17 years ago that I will just always register a false positive. With the symptoms being so similar and overlapping, it makes it really difficult tell...

Yes, IgM antibodies can show up with chronic lyme. That's why we can't retest with the WB to find out if we are finished treatment and are in remission.
And, if the antibodies don't show up...it may just mean our immune system didn't mount a response.
So neither positive or negative gives you an answer with the WB

The IGXSpot test that the rep spoke about is different than the Western Blot.
So, did you have an IGXSpot done or a WB? The bands you mention - 23 and 41 - that doesn't show up on the IGXSpot test.
Posted 2/28/2018 5:32 PM (GMT -5)
Girlie, I have always just had the WB. That's where those IgM markers have come from. If those markers will always show up then the test was useless in the past as a diagnostic tool because yes, I did have the disease in fourth grade and was treated immediately with 2 weeks of abx and got better from that acute attack but if those markers will always be there then they mean nothing now, besides that I had the disease at some point.

The IgxSpot test is what I'm curious about taking to confirm that I no longer have the disease, along with the PCR test. The rep said if it was treated correctly it would test negative. As for the Coinfections, I will test for them as well as I never have before. If what tickbite is saying is accurate then everybody with depression and or anxiety should be on rx for Coinfections. I mean I've never tested positive, I'm not going to treat something based off of such a broad clinical diagnosis.

What I do know is I have depression, and it frustrates me that I've been told without accurate tests that I don't need antidepressants but instead a treatment for diseases I may not have. My sister has depression and anxiety and shes lived in Florida for the past 10 years. My symptoms are so similar to hers so wouldn't it make more sense that I just have that?

Thanks!
Posted 2/28/2018 8:28 PM (GMT -5)
If anyone has a recommendation for a LLMD in western Mass, I would also appreciate it. I am in eastern NY state near MA and also near northern CT.

I am currently traveling 4 hours to PA to see a Lyme specialist. He was the only one I found that I can afford. None of the LLMDs in my region of NY state are affordable; most do not take insurance. The few that do take insurance do not seem to be accepting new people at this time.

So any help would be appreciated!
Posted 2/28/2018 10:33 PM (GMT -5)
Try giving goshawk an email, I got some names from her/him but don't want to forward them without goshawk's permission smile
Posted 2/28/2018 11:09 PM (GMT -5)

goldengoose said...
Girlie, I have always just had the WB. That's where those IgM markers have come from. If those markers will always show up then the test was useless in the past as a diagnostic tool because yes, I did have the disease in fourth grade and was treated immediately with 2 weeks of abx and got better from that acute attack but if those markers will always be there then they mean nothing now, besides that I had the disease at some point.

The IgxSpot test is what I'm curious about taking to confirm that I no longer have the disease, along with the PCR test. The rep said if it was treated correctly it would test negative. As for the Coinfections, I will test for them as well as I never have before. If what tickbite is saying is accurate then everybody with depression and or anxiety should be on rx for Coinfections. I mean I've never tested positive, I'm not going to treat something based off of such a broad clinical diagnosis.

What I do know is I have depression, and it frustrates me that I've been told without accurate tests that I don't need antidepressants but instead a treatment for diseases I may not have. My sister has depression and anxiety and shes lived in Florida for the past 10 years. My symptoms are so similar to hers so wouldn't it make more sense that I just have that?

Thanks!

I had chronic Lyme and was positive for IgM
Retesting after treating won’t tell me anything - that’s why the llmd’s aren’t always retesting patients.
That’s why we say to treat until symptom free because the WB test won’t tell us anything.

I’m not saying that it never converts to IgG - it may but it’s not known when.
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