Hello! Hoping someone here could help and I do plan on making an appointment with a Lyme literate doctor tomorrow. Long story, but my lab came back positive for 23 IGG but nothing else. My doctor didn't say anything and I only noticed after re-reading my results from back in August 2020. Some backstory (sorry it is long):

I was very sick with stomach issues March-April 2020. I couldn't eat, lost 12 lbs in less than 3 weeks from not eating, constantly felt like I was going to pass out (probably from my inability to eat), felt numbness in my left arm on and off, and felt generally very unwell. I was told to go to the hospital from an urgentcare to get an ultrasound immediately but results were normal. Went to my GP and said the numbness was Shingles (it was not and I has zero rash) and my stomach issues could be severe stress from COVID. Fast forward to May 2020, my eyes were slightly swelling, but I didn't think anything of it because I have sensitive eyes. Then in July, the soles of my feet blew up like balloons. I went to the urgentcare who tested me for covid but said it was probably just a virus. I couldn't walk for 3 days. During this time, I started experiencing severe stomach/acid reflux episodes that radiated to my back. The pain was so bad, I would curl in a ball. Then about a week later, I started developing hives and face swelling and I've had this ever since (more controlled with meds but still struggle). I was diagnosed with chronic Idopathic hives and angioedema. My first GI dr didn't know what else to do with me (I couldn't get an endoscopy with him since I had to get it done in a hospital due to my condition so currently working with a new GI). I was looking over my bloodwork tonight just trying to find answers and I reviewed my viral panel my GP ran back in August. The 2 things I came up positive were parvovirus igg (I knew that - I had it as a kid) and only the 23 IGG band of my Lyme test. Everything else wasn't reactive. He never brought it up to me so I thought it was all fine and the test had a disclaimer that I needed to have 5 reactive. But almost a year later after doing some research, I have read the 23 band is specific to Lyme. Recently, I have noticed I have been slurring my speech if I speak too quickly (very rare but I notice it), have been getting lightheaded when standing, sometimes my cheeks go numb (this could also be the angioedema) and have a lot of anxiety over little things. I still also suffer from my stomach issues and hives.. My question is has anyone here been diagnosed with only the 23 igg band reactive? I am so annoyed that I am only noticing this now after a really crap year and countless hospital/doctors visits and the possibility if I do have Lyme that it will be more difficult to treat. Any insight would be so appreciated. Thank you all for reading!

If you have band 23 positive, then YES you either do or did have Lyme. Did you have Lyme or Lyme like symptoms in the past? If not, then I would guess it may be a recent infection.

Your symptoms are a little unusual, which makes me think some other things are present besides Lyme (borrelia). Tick bites can cause alpha-gal which is a potentially deadly allergy to certain meat. Here’s some information on that: https://alphagalinformation.org/diagnosis-and-testing/

Ticks transmit many infections - bacterial, viral, and parasitic. Suggest you see a very experienced LLMD who follows ILADS guidelines.

You could have intestinal parasites, too. They also cause hives.

Thank you all for the responses. I made an appointment with a Lyme literate Dr today. She of course doesn't take insurance for the visit - only for the bloodwork so I'll be spending a small fortune but she is the only doctor I can find in my area the is Lyme literate. I do hope I can receive some answers and hopefully a path to getting better.

I absolutely will. The appointment is on the 26th which I am thankful to get in so quickly. I will be sure to report back. Fingers crossed for some answers.