Igenex results

[susie]

My daughter's Igenex results came back with band 31 indeterminate, and was later confirmed positive with the epitope test. Band 41 also positive.

Bartonella antibody test and FISH test negative.

Babesia was "slightly" positive at 1:20 (normal is less than 1:20 so it was very borderline).

Erlichia negative antibody tests.

CD57=26

The LLMD doesn't think that we need to worry about the "slightly" positive Babesia, just treat the Lyme. We're starting with zitromax and will add a cyst buster later. Should I quit worrying about the Babesia?

 

 

Then there's my own WB through LabCorp. I had a positive IgM band 23. Everything else negative. He wants to test me through Igenex too. Does that sound reasonable? I know 23 is a species specific band, so I'm trying to figure out why it's a negative overall result. Does it not show that the Lyme bacteria is present?

 

I really appreciate every thing I learn on this forum. I would never have gotten this far without all of you. Thanks so much!

Edited December 21, 2010 by susie

[sf_mom]

You should NOT stop worrying about your daughter's 'slightly' positive Babesia results. It is our LLMDs perspective that there is no 'slightly' positive..... it is often those that are the sickest the have the lowest 'titer' response and the stronger individuals who have a stronger 'titer' response because they have a healthier immune response. So potentially exactly the opposite of how you are currently reading results. It makes no difference to be 1:20, 1:40..... etc. it needs to be treated. Your daughter's cd57 is low and she is sick. Have you done binding immune complexes yet to see if they are potentially impacting results?

 

I am a little shocked an ILADS trained LLMD told you this information. I would strongly recommend getting a second opinion. Too, it is often said that its difficult to make headway with Lyme until the Babesia is treated aggressive and cleared. It is a parasite and treated very differently with an anti-malaria drug. Also azithromycin alone will not treat the Lyme effectively.

 

If you have symptoms, you need to be treated. There is plenty of alternative testing that could be preformed to give you clearer results.... like provoking.

 

Wishing you all the best. She will get better.

 

-Wendy

Edited December 21, 2010 by SF Mom

[sptcmom]

Hi Susie

I STRONGLY second SF-mom here. Im shocked too that an LLMD would rule 1:20 as "not worrisome". 1:20 could just be that its how far Igenex can go. They are not equipped to go deeper with their titers. This is exactly what we had but with Bartonella with Igenex. Our LLMD (in CT) immediately zeroed in on that and after confirming with a clinical eval he sent DS's blood to another lab that goes in deeper with both the IgG and IgM. This lab does further dilution of titers and so DS actually had 1:246 IgG for Bartonella!! Remember now that Igenex had him at =1:20. A good LLMD knows labs and knows results.

 

Our both LLMDs feel DS needs to be treated further to provoke anything else that might be lurking in the shadows since his Bartonella was hiding so well. We will test for evrything again after 4-6 months of treatment for Bartonella.Like SFmom said, with my DS he just was so sick and just wasn't capable to mounting or showing a good antibody response with the first go so his initial result of Bartonella =1:20 was a HUGE clue as to that fact.

Jodie

[MichaelTampa]

Well, I'd agree with the others that it's not something to completely forget about. If the doctor was thinking to put it out of mind and never consider babesia again, I'd be very concerned with that approach. But, perhaps, consider if the doctor was really saying/thinking, okay, the game-plan to start will be to address things other than babesia, and then later on we'll figure out if addressing babesia specifically is worthwhile. I think many LLMD's agree the order of what you treat first and so on, is important, and needs to be based on the total picture of what is going on with the person (not always an easy decision).

 

Regarding your own western blot, the overall result shows negative because some geek programmed some computer to say it is negative unless there are so many positive ones, because some beaurocrat thought that would be a good thing to put on the paper. Some of this has to do with reporting requirements for the CDC. I would not pay any attention to any "overall" result, just look at the actual information, the band-by-band results. Technically, the positive band indicates some antibodies to something in band 23 is present, but not necessarily that any bacteria are present. Mostly, people look at that and figure it means your body made the antibodies because the bacteria at least was there at one point.

[JTs-Mom]

Jodie - What lab is used for this 'deeper' level of Bartonella testing?

 

Our LLMD (in CT) immediately zeroed in on that and after confirming with a clinical eval he sent DS's blood to another lab that goes in deeper with both the IgG and IgM. This lab does further dilution of titers and so DS actually had 1:246 IgG for Bartonella!!

[philamom]

Jodie - What lab is used for this 'deeper' level of Bartonella testing?

 

Our LLMD (in CT) immediately zeroed in on that and after confirming with a clinical eval he sent DS's blood to another lab that goes in deeper with both the IgG and IgM. This lab does further dilution of titers and so DS actually had 1:246 IgG for Bartonella!!

I'm sure Jodie will chime in, but I think it's Specialty Lab.

[Megs_Mom]

Jodie - What lab is used for this 'deeper' level of Bartonella testing?

 

Our LLMD (in CT) immediately zeroed in on that and after confirming with a clinical eval he sent DS's blood to another lab that goes in deeper with both the IgG and IgM. This lab does further dilution of titers and so DS actually had 1:246 IgG for Bartonella!!

I'm sure Jodie will chime in, but I think it's Specialty Lab.

 

We used SpiroStat, which is DNA testing. A positive is a positive.

[sptcmom]

Sorry guys- yes, it was Specialty Lab.

Jodie