IgM Band 23 +

[eljomom]

Hi all,

I am usually on the pandas forum for my dd7. However, we just had my dd9 tested (through LabCorp) because she has had off and on headaches for over three years, along with occasionally saying her chest hurts. She also almost always has a temperature of 99.3, which I'm told just may be her normal. This has been for years. She does have some ocd-type stuff (evening up), etc., but so do all 4 of my kids.

 

My question is whether IgM would mean recent infection, in which case, I would think you couldn't link the test with the symptoms, as they have been going on for so long. I am NOT one to go Lyme-crazy. I am one of the people who feel that band 41 alone is NOT indicative of Lyme, and that some other bands cross react, etc. So I would appreciate any input that doesn't lump everything into "It's LYme for sure!" just based on one band positive. Just trying to make sense of this test. I know many will say to test with Igenex next, and once we win the lottery, I may do that. We are tapped out right now with other medical expenses putting us over the edge, with a high deductible insurance plan, etc...

 

Thanks in advance.

[sf_mom]

23-25 outer surface protein C (OspC), specific for Bb. Can be an early band.

 

http://www.drjoneskids.com/ Information listed under tests explained.

 

"Many physicians and patients do not realize that if you have a +/-, an indeterminate or a positive band at only one of these "bands"-- 18, 23, 25, 31, 34, 39, 83 or 93 -- then you may have Lyme disease".

 

"Some infections like Bartonella turn off the production of antibodies. Therefore, antibodies to Babesia microti or Babesia duncani will probably not be positive in some infected patients. The complete removal of Bartonella can result in explosive increases in IgG and IgM for Lyme disease, Babesia, Ehrlichia and Bartonella antibodies in some patients."

 

http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=13656

[MichaelTampa]

I believe the traditional view of igg and igm, generally, with respect to all infections, is that igm is the one that shows initial exposure, and igg is more related to current exposure. So, in general, positive igm and negative igg might be said to indicate that there was exposure, but not one that is current.

 

Then, when you get into the lyme world, there are plenty of things you can hear that are exceptions to this. With the lyme bugs changing their dna and the person's ability to make antibodies, a lot can change, and igm could, for example appear later, after the lyme bug's dna has changed and immune system sees this as new infection; or igg could go negative because person is too sick to make them, or lyme bug's dna has changed, ... So I'm not sure how much certainty there is with the igg vs. igm and what they distinctly mean in the lyme world.

[ShaesMom]

This info comes from a handout that was given to me by an LLMD in Mo:

 

IgM antibodies indicate active, current infection. You may have IgM antibodies decades into this chronic infection. Every time Borrelia grow and divide it may restimulate your immune system to make new IgM antibodies.

[jenbug]

I don't know what it all means either, but I am positive for one of the very specific ones to Lyme (23 I think) IgM and have had symptoms for decades.