Lyme specific band- Completely gone

[LaurenK]

We were told my son has Lyme mainly due to an IgM p23 band but on the last test that was done that band was completely gone but replaced with a p66 IgM. Any ideas what this could mean? Is it still Lyme?

[SSS]

Sounds like both tests were the Labcorp Western Blots?

If it were me, I would go ahead and pay for testing through Igenex.

This is what we did when dd's Labcorp Western Blot came back with IgM 23 as the only band positive-

we both then went forward with the Igenex testing, which further clarified we both have Lyme and co-infections.

[LaurenK]

Sounds like both tests were the Labcorp Western Blots?

If it were me, I would go ahead and pay for testing through Igenex.

This is what we did when dd's Labcorp Western Blot came back with IgM 23 as the only band positive-

we both then went forward with the Igenex testing, which further clarified we both have Lyme and co-infections.

 

 

We used the lab that Bouboulis had. He said it was similar to igenex.

[Orion]

Over time, we've had Lyme bands, both IgM and IgG, show up, disappear, and sometimes show up again. The lab tests, no matter which company does it, are not that reliable.

 

We've had blood draws split up and sent to different labs, return with differing results. As Lyme researcher Ben Luft (StonyBrook) said at the Institute of Medicine hearings on Lyme Disease, the antibodies are there, but the [current] testing aren't picking them up.

 

Over time, ideally you would like to see the IgM bands convert to IgG, then disappear. Of course, since that is the ideal it doesn't always happen that way. Bottomline: is the child still symptomatic? And if not, for how long? Testing can only give a partial picture of what is going on, it shouldn't be the sole criteria for treatment.