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Reputable Lab for Western Blot
My wife has been living for about 1 1/2 years with undiagnosed pain in knees and shoulders, muscle aches/pain (particularly in back), overall malaise, depression, skin sensitivity (sometimes taking a shower hurts).
The Lyme-associated symtoms, discovery of a tick in summer 2007 (no tell-tale rash noticed), negative Lyme testing (EIA) and research has led us to believe a Western Blot test is in order. From the reading I have done, I realize the importance of finding a reliable lab for the testing. Can anyone recommend such a lab? Also, any recommendation for a doctor who is "Lyme-smart" in the Annapolis, Md area would be helpful. Tks.
The Lyme-associated symtoms, discovery of a tick in summer 2007 (no tell-tale rash noticed), negative Lyme testing (EIA) and research has led us to believe a Western Blot test is in order. From the reading I have done, I realize the importance of finding a reliable lab for the testing. Can anyone recommend such a lab? Also, any recommendation for a doctor who is "Lyme-smart" in the Annapolis, Md area would be helpful. Tks.
I think good results should be reproducible.
My LLMD (I live about 1 hour from Annapolis, but feel free to send me a note about finding an LLMD) ordered mine to be done at Igenex.
Due to expense, I only had a single W. bot done. If cost weren't an issue, I would have liked to have at least 2, with blood drawn at about the same time and analyzed at different labs. That way, I could compare the results and better judge my situation.
At this stage, I do trust my LLMD and believe that my diagnosis is correct, but lots of patients go through such ordeals, and it can seem (and probably happen with some doctors) that LLMD's diagnose anyone who walks in the door.
I don't recall a bite, never saw a bull's eye rash, and had 2 negative ELISAs spaced by six months. I agree with you that a Western blot is in order for your wife.
My LLMD (I live about 1 hour from Annapolis, but feel free to send me a note about finding an LLMD) ordered mine to be done at Igenex.
Due to expense, I only had a single W. bot done. If cost weren't an issue, I would have liked to have at least 2, with blood drawn at about the same time and analyzed at different labs. That way, I could compare the results and better judge my situation.
At this stage, I do trust my LLMD and believe that my diagnosis is correct, but lots of patients go through such ordeals, and it can seem (and probably happen with some doctors) that LLMD's diagnose anyone who walks in the door.
I don't recall a bite, never saw a bull's eye rash, and had 2 negative ELISAs spaced by six months. I agree with you that a Western blot is in order for your wife.
My LLMD uses Igenex, in California. To get the test done by Igenex if you are back East, you get a 'kit' from Igenex (it's about the size of a regular size cereal box; they can mail it to you -- probably you need a doctor's order to make all this happen, or maybe just the blooddrawing place needs the dr's order, not sure) and then go to your local lab to get the blood drawn.
The drawing lab then sends the completed kit to Igenex for processing.
Labcorp back East is apparently the preferred lab, since they mess up less often than the other major lab company.
(They get nasty sometimes about doing the draw, but don't let them scare you off. It may just be the particular Labcorp manager at a location. It happened to us when doing an East Coast blood draw, and I called up Labcorp's head office and told them what happened and they were very apologetic about the cranky manager. The return visit went much better. Like you need extra hassle when you're sick as a dog, huh.)
The drawing lab then sends the completed kit to Igenex for processing.
Labcorp back East is apparently the preferred lab, since they mess up less often than the other major lab company.
(They get nasty sometimes about doing the draw, but don't let them scare you off. It may just be the particular Labcorp manager at a location. It happened to us when doing an East Coast blood draw, and I called up Labcorp's head office and told them what happened and they were very apologetic about the cranky manager. The return visit went much better. Like you need extra hassle when you're sick as a dog, huh.)
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