False positive???

Hi again Lamb,

Well, this is the rub. If your doctor is interpreting the Western Blot results according to the CDC standards, he or she may be disregarding a result that does indicate that you have Lyme.

The CDC itself recognizes the inaccuracy of the tests (the tests rely on reading antibodies to the disease, when the disease actually suppresses the immune system, preventing production of those very antibodies): the CDC recommends that Lyme disease be diagnosed clinically.

So your next step? Hey, no one wants you to have Lyme disease, but as you have symptoms and one positive test result, you should continue to look into this. If you get a copy of your Western blot results and post it here, we would be able to put our heads together and give you an idea of what the test actually says when not using CDC standards.

That costs you nothing. You could also go to a Lyme Literate Doctor for a proper diagnosis. They would send your tests to the lab IgeneX for more accurate testing and take your history and symptoms into account. This will cost you something approaching $1000, some of which would be re-imbursed by your insurance company.

Well we're here to help!

False positive results are WAY much less common than false negatives. I've seen quite a few good peer reviewed articles showing false positives to be somewhere around 1-3% and false negatives are frequently shown to be around 30-60%.

Those numbers don't quite tell the story. The tests, even using the less accurate CDC criteria, can be reasonably effective depending on when you were infected. If you were infected very recently (1-2 weeks) or have been infected a long time (years) the incidence of false negatives skyrocket. Fasle positives are primarily affected by other bacterial/viral infections you may have been exposed to. You can also show a false positive if you ever recieved the Lymerix vaccine. The quality of the lab your sample has been sent to can throw off results in either direction.

If your doctor feels the test is a false positive then she has the burden of proof on her shoulders, considering how rare they are. She should be able to lay out a clear, concise opinion that includes ample evidence that demonstrates how the test somehow delivered inaccurate results.

Hello. I am 45 yrs old and just joined. I can't get in to see an Infectious Disease Dr till next month so I'm hoping I can get some answers here. This is what I know...


July 10th I came down with the flu from out of nowhere (fever, chills, not feeling right)
July 13th My hands started to hurt so bad I posted something about researching arthris gloves. My pointer finger literally was swollen and I couldn't bend it to right.
July 15th Went to see my pulminologist because I was out of breath. I have asthma but it was never hard to walk up stairs before. He gave me antibiotics, steroids, and a new 3 med inhailer.
July 18th I still felt awful and had joint pain everywhere (thought I was going crazy). My dr was busy so I saw a YOUNG colleuge. I told him something was wrong with me and I didn't feel right. I needed to be tested. he chalked everything up to delayed reactions from the flu but agreed to draw blood for inflamation.
July 19th I was told my SED was a 41 (should be 0-20) but he still said it's problably the flu still in my system and to wait till I was done with meds and see how I felt.
July 23rd my daughter came down with a head to toe rash, dr said it was fifths disease (parvo b19). He asked about anyone having the flu or joint pain around her and I said me. He told me I probably gave it to her and to call my dr.
July 24th the YOUNG dr didn't seem to care and said it would take it's course.
July 29th back to Pulminary dr because I couldn't breathe.
August 6th I went in and saw MY DR that iv'e seen for 20 years. She looked at my daughers pics and listened and agreed it sounded like parvo but wanted to check blood to be sure. She also asked about my outdoor activities.
August 7th blood draw
August 8th I got a call at 6:30 am from my actual dr saying my hemoglobin was a 6.7 (should be 12-16) and to go to the ER.
August 9th I had a blood transfusion
August 12th I got a call from my drs office saying I tested positive for Lyme Disease
August 13th I was told I ALSO tested positive for parvo.
Because of my blood being so messed up they can't put me on antiinflamitories for the joint paint. I am on amox for 2 weeks 3 times a day. I see the Infectious dr next month.
So my questions are this...
1) has anyone heard of having a positive lyme reading because of another illness? I am not outside alot and hate bugs. I KNOW it makes sense I have parvo but not the lyme.
2) am I on antibiotics enough? My dr said some people go crazy with them.
Thanks you everyone.


I can also post my numbers if that helps.

Ty. I have asthma and need them from time to time but I’ll keep that in mind.

zoetippy,

Hi and welcome! So sorry you’re dealing with all this. I would recommend looking for an LLMD -Lyme literate medical doctor who follows ILADS guidelines - right away so you will get the appropriate treatment for the right amyof time.