ESR or SED rate and Lyme

Dear Lyme Community,

I do not have a Lyme diagnosis, but am considering it as a possibility, and have posted here before (and gotten very helpful replies).  Currently, I have a question.  

I recently got blood test results in the mail, and along with some other non-specific abnormalities, I have an elevated SED rate.  (It was 12 in July, in the test from Oct. it is 37, and the reference is <20 mm/hour).  

I searched online to see if there is any connection between Lyme and an elevated SED rate.  I found both sites that claim there is usually no elevated SED rate in Lyme, and other sites saying that it could be a strong indicator for Lyme.  I was wondering if anyone here can advise me on this?  

I know in general there is a lot of disagreement on the subject of Lyme, if anyone has information on this specific test result, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks.

[SOONERMOM]

Here is a thread that I posted on lymenet a while back.
http://flash.lymenet.org/scripts/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=064159#000000

There were a lot more threads that talked about it being low rather than high.  

I wonder if you are having the "arthritis" symptoms  that it would be more likely for those types of arthritis lab values to go up?  I don't know??

Maybe do a search with lyme arthritis and ESR/Sed rate??

[wonko]

Thanks!

I have tried to search it online, but have found claims saying yes, elevated SED and Lyme are associated, and other sites that say no, they are not.  Thanks for the link to lymenet, maybe a search there will turn up more.

Yes, I am having arthritis symptoms that began before the blood for the testing was taken, it was a rheumatologist that ordered the blood work.

Thanks for the ideas.

[patsy10]

Most of what I have read is that lyme causes few abnormal lab results.  Lyme can cause vasculitis.  An elevated sed rate can indicate vasculitis so is sure seems possible.