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Igenex 2nd test results back after 1 year of treating lyme/babs

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Posted 5/24/2016 12:50 PM (GMT -5)
LLMD ordered the Igenex Lyme IgM Western Blot, Lyme IgG Western Blot and Babesia FISH test in late April after I treated Lyme and Babesia mostly since Feb 2015 for almost a year. I started Bart treatment in Jan 2016.

Here are the results:

Lyme IGM
31kDa ++
41kDa +
83-93kDa IND

Lyme IGG
39 kDa IND
41kDa ++
58kDa +

Babesia FISH POSITIVE


Igenex test results say Negative for both Lyme Tests. What about the posititve/IND bands how to translate?

I'm also really pissed that I didn't test negative for Babesia as I treated that very aggressively for a year using pretty much everything under the sun to eradicate (Mepron, Malarone, Coartem, Alinia, Artimisiae, Crypto and a few more). ARGH!
Posted 5/24/2016 1:19 PM (GMT -5)
I might not be of any help to you - all I have is my opinion (based on a ton of reading)... but I don't think current tests - even IGeneX - can tell you very accurately whether or not your treatment has cleared the infection enough that your immune system is now dominant.

You'll never be "cured" as no current treatment can eliminate all of the infection. The goal is to get your immune function dominant and to eliminate symptoms (as much as you can--this is why people who have finished treatment say they are "successfully" back to 90% of their former selves). I think only the symptoms can suggest whether or not your immune system is now in control.

What was the purpose of the tests?

I'm not sure why MDs retest other than to satisfy insurance purposes and they may or may not be real up front with the patient about this, although they should be (mine was). I've been treating for 2 yrs, 18 months w/ IV abx and my LLMD retested me in January. My lyme ELISA test was positive... so what does that indicate? Not much other than my immune system is working a lot harder now than it was when I first tested in March of 2014 and the ELISA was negative.

So, others might have a different opinion but I strongly encourage you not to read too much into the results of retesting. More importantly, how do you feel?

-p
Posted 5/24/2016 1:25 PM (GMT -5)
I'm curious - what were your first test results?

The WB - is based on antibodies - we can't rely on that to determine if we still have active infection...as with lyme, and many other infections, our body will continue to produce antibodies even if the infection is in remission and no longer symptomatic.

But, the FISH - I understood it to be a blood smear - that detects the RNA of the Babesia. I thought with that one...that there would not be any RNA if you no longer had active infection.

Hopefully others will chime in.
Posted 5/24/2016 2:02 PM (GMT -5)
First test was Feb 2015 results below. The Babesia FISH is definitely indicative of an active infection as it can see the buggers in your blood.

I think the LLMD did the tests to see if I should be actively treating Lyme and/or Babesia as well as right now I'm on Rifampin/Doxy and while Doxy will have effect against Lyme it won't against Babs.

IgM
23-25kDa +
31kDa ++
39kDa +
41kDa IND
83-93kDa IND

IgG
39kDa IND
41kDa IND
58kDa +
Posted 5/24/2016 3:24 PM (GMT -5)
>>More importantly, how do you feel?

Not good of late in fact not good since I first got infected almost 2 years ago. This is part of why the tests were done. I have Lyme, Babesia for sure and Bartonella via symptoms. It's been very difficult trying to determine what bug is causing what symptom. My primary symptoms are head inflammation (best way I can describe it) and heart/chest pounding. A few other ones but those are the main things.

I have no noticeable pattern in symptoms. I sure don't have some monthly "flare" that Lyme is supposed to induce so I'm guessing Lyme is the least of my problems. So what to treat? I treated Babs for a year and I still have it. I've been treating Bart for 4 months and not much progress. Is Bart blocking my full recovery of Babs? Maybe. Is Babs blocking my full recovery of Bart? Maybe. This is the $64,000 question!
Posted 5/24/2016 3:30 PM (GMT -5)
Is head inflammation the same as headache or head pressure?
Posted 5/24/2016 4:33 PM (GMT -5)
You will always test positive for antibodies for the rest of your life (that goes with a lot infections outside of lyme too).

It's an evolutionary adaptation. Your body will always keep antibodies out there just in case the threat presents itself again. You want your body to do this. It's how humans have survived this long.

So an antibodies test will always show positive even if are symptom free.

Post Edited (dacarte3) : 5/24/2016 4:51:41 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/24/2016 5:30 PM (GMT -5)
For the lyme WB, yes. But, the Babesia FISH test - isn't based on antibodies - it's detection of the bacteria RNA - so I'm thinking if you see it there under the microscope - then it's still there.., correct?
Posted 5/24/2016 7:18 PM (GMT -5)
>>Is head inflammation the same as headache or head pressure?

its neither as i said its very difficult to explain. the closest thing i can describe to it is how you feel when you're coming down with a fever. you aren't hot but it feels a bit that way. it doesn't affect me cognitively i can still think normally. there doesn't appear to be any discernible pattern on when it hits and what frequency.

for example going back to last tues on tues had a really bad head 'attack' at noon and then again at 6:30pm. one lasted 20 min the other about an hour. nothing discernible for the next 3 days then sat it hit again at night and its hit at night again on sun, mon and tonight.
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