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What lab work would you request?

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Lyme Disease
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Posted 7/13/2022 7:43 AM (GMT -5)
I’ve been dealing with Lyme and co-infections for the last year now (I was bit and had the bullseye rash over 10 years ago and didn’t treat at the time because I was told test was negative).

After treating at an alternative/natural clinic since October, a lot of my symptoms have cleared or occur less often. Unfortunately, I still experience brain fog/drunk feeling/DR/DP most days.

I have an appointment with my primary care physician this week and while he is not Lyme literate, he is very open to running lab work I request. My question for the group is are there any specific labs you think I should request based on my remaining symptoms?
Posted 7/13/2022 8:04 AM (GMT -5)
in my experience conventional doctors only really have access to tests which are typically normal or only slightly abnormal in patients with chronic tick borne infections

this means they can still be useful for excluding more conventional diseases from the diagnosis - but beyond that not particularly helpful in finding what's wrong and doing something about it.

in addition - with lyme etc - trying to target specific symptoms with specific tests and specific treatments based on the results of those is a particularly tricky area - as the symptoms are caused by underlying infections which do not tend to show as anything other than "normal" on most tests - as per above.
for example - all my labs have tended to be normal - or just a fraction over normal range - even when i have pushed for more tests while feeling particularly ill - even though no one doubts i am ill

perhaps safety labs are useful if you are taking antibiotics - or other drugs - long term
generally
Liver function tests
Kidney function tests
complete blood count

also thyroid function tests are worth doing as a large proportion of lyme patients have issue with thyroid - but more TSH Free T4 and Free T3 as well as anti-thyroid antibodies will be needed to be useful

similarly for cortisol - but several reading through the day are really needed to know what is going on
which conventional doctors rarely do
Posted 7/13/2022 11:21 AM (GMT -5)
Adrenals/thyroid as mentioned, also:

Vitamin B6
Viatmin B12
Homocysteine

If cortisol/ACTH come up abnormal, then 17-hydroxyprogesterone, DHEA and androstenedione
If homocysteine comes up abnormal, then folate, vitamin C, and carnitine
If B6 comes up high, suspect bartonella
Posted 7/13/2022 1:51 PM (GMT -5)
Thank you Garzie and Quin! I appreciate you sharing your thoughts/suggestions.
Posted 7/14/2022 1:54 AM (GMT -5)
“ perhaps safety labs are useful if you are taking antibiotics - or other drugs - long term
generally
Liver function tests
Kidney function tests
complete blood count “

I agree with Garzie on those labs mentioned above
Posted 7/15/2022 1:28 AM (GMT -5)
Total D3 count is also very beneficial for healing.
Posted 7/18/2022 10:09 PM (GMT -5)
Same agreement with Garzie on tests. One more I now think is important is one that tests C3 and C4. It can give you an idea if anything else is going on autoimmune wise. If both are normal, you can mark that one off for a while. That is what told me something else was also happening with me as they were abnormal, but most doctors don't pay enough attention to it, in my humble opinion.
Posted 7/19/2022 12:14 AM (GMT -5)

Quin said...
Adrenals/thyroid as mentioned, also:

Vitamin B6
Viatmin B12
Homocysteine

If cortisol/ACTH come up abnormal, then 17-hydroxyprogesterone, DHEA and androstenedione
If homocysteine comes up abnormal, then folate, vitamin C, and carnitine
If B6 comes up high, suspect bartonella

I've heard this only a few times . My b6 was at a 54.5 extremely high. The docs thought I was nuts about lying and thinking I was on the supplements which I was not. I told Dr. M in ct that I heard bart can raise b6 levels due to the proteins they let off or something like that. He said he never heard of that bt took note on it as some of us know way more than llmds and cdc it seems lol they probably enjoy taking note of what they learn from their patients also. My b6 was so high I felt Internal burning in my brain and chest . It wasn't until my therapist tesring different things routine and he said everything was normal and looked good. Even he missed the high b6 smh . I just came out bart henslae positive by Igenex.
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