Jump to content
ACN Latitudes Forums

Question about Labcorp Lyme Test


Recommended Posts

Hello,

 

I have two kids with PANDAS and sensory processing/self-regulatory issues, and I, myself, have symptoms of chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia. Suspecting we might have Lyme, I went to a Lyme doctor (Lyme literate), who ordered a LabCorp Western Blot (among many other tests).

 

The results came back IgG (with one band present), and positive for IgM (with two bands present). My Lyme doc counts this as a positive and, in fact, it was reported to the state health department as positive. But when I took my results to a mainstream infectious disease doc, he told me he thought it was a false positive, even though he agreed my symptoms were consistent with Lyme. He said that my results were positive for an accute infection, but negative for a chronic or old infection, and that this didn't make sense, since my symptoms have been long term. He felt that the test results were probably the result of a cross reaction with some other bug. I called LabCorp, who said that the specificity for this test is 98.7 %, meaning that it is accurate in detecting Lyme (and not some other bug 98.7 % of the time).

 

My question is, who should I believe? Also, if I conclude that I am positive for Lyme, can I also assume my children's issues (both breastfed) came from me? Do they have Lyme bugs? or just a residual autoimmune reaction from having had their immune systems develop in a messed up environment?

 

Grateful for your thoughts.

 

P.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would go with the LLMD and not the Infectious Disease Doc. The ID has been brainwashed to follow the CDC's strict standards. I took my dd to a ID about two months ago and got the standard lecture that PANDAS doesn't exist and LD is not chronic.

 

I would recommend having your children tested through IgeneX. They are an independent lab that specializes in tic borne illnesses.

 

the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue and Fibro are consistant with symptoms of Lyme. I was dx'd with Fibro many years ago and now know it is actually lyme.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I too had symptoms of Fibro that have improved tremendously with treatment. I started on antibiotics last August and combo antibiotics for Lyme last Oct. If you have symptoms and have any indication of positive Lyme specific bands I think it is more likely than less likely LD. AND, definitely worth pursuing Lyme treatment.

 

All three of my children have congenital LD... got LD from me while pregnant with co-infections of Bartonella/Babesia. All of my children have made marked improvement with Lyme treatment. Older DS originally had PANDAS like sudden-on set after strep related illness. Was diagnosed and treated for PANDAS one year. He is nearing the end of his Lyme treatment and anticipated to be off antibiotics soon. His sudden on-set was June 24th, 2009 and he is currently 7.

 

I'd watch the video 'Under Our Skin'... you'll quickly discover how often Fibro is mis-diagnosed.

 

http://www.underourskin.com/home-store

 

-Wendy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is what it states in "Understanding the Western Blot" by Dr. J:

 

"IgM converts to IgG in about two months UNLESS there is a persisting infection driving a persisting IgM reaction."

 

 

Very Interesting. I was bitten with rash 20 years ago yet my IgM had more postive bands than the IgG. I was positive for HHV6 but so far no other co infections have been positive via blood work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

My question is, who should I believe? Also, if I conclude that I am positive for Lyme, can I also assume my children's issues (both breastfed) came from me? Do they have Lyme bugs? or just a residual autoimmune reaction from having had their immune systems develop in a messed up environment?

 

 

I would believe the LLMD, as these are the doctors who are actually treating Lyme and getting people well. The IDSA docs seem to be in collective denial. Lyme can be passed in utero, so you should definitely have your kids checked out.

 

I'm another one who's had symptoms of chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. All my labs are completely negative, but my son is positive for Bartonella and they believe he has Lyme. He's doing much better with treatment for Bartonella/Lyme. So I'm moving forward with my own treatment without positive test results.

 

A good book to read to understand what's going on in the medical community regarding Lyme is "Cure Unknown: Inside the Lyme Epidemic" by Pamela Weintraub.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also, this is from the ILADS web site, Top Ten Tips to Prevent Chronic Lyme:

 

"Currently there is no reliable test to determine if someone has contracted Lyme disease or is cured of it. False positives and false negatives often occur, though false negatives are far more common. In fact, some studies indicate up to 50% of the patients tested for Lyme disease receive false negative results. As a result, the CDC relies on physicians to make a clinical diagnosis based on a patient's symptoms, health history, and exposure risks. Doctors who are experienced in recognizing Lyme disease will treat when symptoms typical of the illness are present, even without a positive test, in an effort to prevent the development of chronic Lyme disease."

 

http://www.ilads.org/lyme_disease/lyme_tips.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It amazes me that in the presence of a positive mainstream test and clincial presentation, doctors are still unwilling to believe it could be lyme. I totally agree with everyone to follow the LLMD's advice. I refuse to see an ID doctor whenever they are recommended to me by my regular doctors for this very reason.

 

Susan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree, Susan. I only saw the ID doc out of curiousity...wondering what he would say about a positive on a mainstream lab test. He offered me little in terms of an explanation about why he did not feel that I really had Lyme, which left me wondering what it takes to get a lyme diagnosis from a garden variety ID doc. My case had to be reported to the state health department, for God's sake!

 

Paula

 

 

It amazes me that in the presence of a positive mainstream test and clincial presentation, doctors are still unwilling to believe it could be lyme. I totally agree with everyone to follow the LLMD's advice. I refuse to see an ID doctor whenever they are recommended to me by my regular doctors for this very reason.

 

Susan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello,

 

I have two kids with PANDAS and sensory processing/self-regulatory issues, and I, myself, have symptoms of chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia. Suspecting we might have Lyme, I went to a Lyme doctor (Lyme literate), who ordered a LabCorp Western Blot (among many other tests).

 

The results came back IgG (with one band present), and positive for IgM (with two bands present). My Lyme doc counts this as a positive and, in fact, it was reported to the state health department as positive. But when I took my results to a mainstream infectious disease doc, he told me he thought it was a false positive, even though he agreed my symptoms were consistent with Lyme. He said that my results were positive for an accute infection, but negative for a chronic or old infection, and that this didn't make sense, since my symptoms have been long term. He felt that the test results were probably the result of a cross reaction with some other bug. I called LabCorp, who said that the specificity for this test is 98.7 %, meaning that it is accurate in detecting Lyme (and not some other bug 98.7 % of the time).

 

My question is, who should I believe? Also, if I conclude that I am positive for Lyme, can I also assume my children's issues (both breastfed) came from me? Do they have Lyme bugs? or just a residual autoimmune reaction from having had their immune systems develop in a messed up environment?

 

Grateful for your thoughts.

 

P.

My llmd has told me that the labcorp test is not very sensitive so a positive on labcorp is significant. I hope I never need to go to an infectious disease doctor for anything because most of them do not seem to be too smart. All the information about Lyme Disease is available via the ILADS website or through lyme organizations and yet these doctors continue to dismiss symptoms and test results that point towards lyme. Some ID doctors get it though-like Dr. Jamsek in the Under our Skin movie. Cure Unknown is even better than the movie for getting a quick education in lyme disease. Its a great book and Weintraub is an excellent writer and dogged science reporter with a wry sense of humor that I enjoyed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...