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Thoughts??? Igenix: 23 IGM positive & Bartonella - indeterminate

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Posted 8/23/2024 10:49 AM (GMT -5)
I've been battling some VERY heavy neurological issues for two years and I'm getting worse. I've treated clinically for one year so far through the Jemsek protocol. No improvement. My initial CDC western blot was just a band 41 a year ago. Went and had an igenix done a month ago and it showed up as 23 IGM, babesia/negative and bartonella/indeterminate. Would you consider that along with all of my symptoms a good indication of what I may be dealing with here? Lyme and most definitely Bart as that's where I hit every symptom from heavy nerve damage, neurogenic bladder, vision issues, weakness, etc etc etc. Too many symptoms to list out. I'ts been a living hell. Bed bound for over a year 😢
Posted 8/23/2024 11:30 AM (GMT -5)
Hi Eric

Sorry that you haven’t had any improvement thus far.
What does your practioner/nurse say about the lack of improvement?
Posted 8/23/2024 11:55 AM (GMT -5)
I've started back on oral abx for bartonella once again from the new LLMD I went to who specializes in Lyme especially with IV. Not sure why she went with orals again like I'd been on all year. Had a really bad rash and horrible neuropathy in my hands 4 days in so had to stop. Either an allergic reaction or possible herx. Not sure but the extremely numb fingers with the rash was really odd and severe. Waiting to get feeling back in my fingers before going back on.
Posted 8/23/2024 12:27 PM (GMT -5)
serologic test are very poor for bartonella - so poor that they have been withdrawn all together in some countries - like in the UK where i live

its estimated that the standard bartonella ELISA test misses something like 80% of actual cases

some of the studies published comparing serology and PCR based tests for Bartonella find that patients are either one or the other - never both - which is curious and unexpected - so points to some as yet unknown mechanism by which patients' immune systems are typically not making expected antibodies to bartonella

so - i would not set much store in the indeterminate serologic results

Igenex have a bartonella multispecies western blot which uses many more antigens and so has a better chance of detecting it - but is still serologic - so not ideal

straight PCR of blood is also poor - under 50% sensitivity in chronic bartonellosis -

galaxy diagnostics have the most advanced test for bartonella - it uses first culture in special media then DD ePCR to achieve much higher sensitivity

alternately - if you have had the characteristic bartonella linear rashes - striae - you may wish to focus on treatment without further testing
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