Aa
Results
Hi,
I've had a variety of odd and troublesome symptoms over the past 5 years, and have had virtually every test possible. All tests have come back negative, and my doctors have basically said there's nothing left to test for. I requested a lymes test earlier, and that too came back negative. My question is, have I had every possible test that there is for lymes? The tests I had were as follows:
EIA-interp NEG
CK 67 U/L
E Ewingii/ca. NEG
E muris-like. NEG
E chaffeensi. NEG
A phagocytop. NEG
B. Microti. NEG
AnEhr Interp NEG
Babe Interp NEG
Any input would be appreciated.
Thank you
I've had a variety of odd and troublesome symptoms over the past 5 years, and have had virtually every test possible. All tests have come back negative, and my doctors have basically said there's nothing left to test for. I requested a lymes test earlier, and that too came back negative. My question is, have I had every possible test that there is for lymes? The tests I had were as follows:
EIA-interp NEG
CK 67 U/L
E Ewingii/ca. NEG
E muris-like. NEG
E chaffeensi. NEG
A phagocytop. NEG
B. Microti. NEG
AnEhr Interp NEG
Babe Interp NEG
Any input would be appreciated.
Thank you
You're quite welcome -- keep trying to see a Lyme doc -- it's definitely worth it. Take care -- and keep us posted, okay?
To my understanding, only medical personnel can order tests. By that I mean MDs etc. -- and perhaps 'nurse practitioners' can also prescribe meds and order tests. Not sure.
But for certain, IGeneX won't run tests without some sort of authorization from medical personnel. They are nice people at IGeneX, so you can give them a call and ask what their requirements are. It's a fairly small company, and they are in Palo Alto CA.
Some of the tests aren't cheap, so I'd want to be sure whatever I ordered was necessary.
But for certain, IGeneX won't run tests without some sort of authorization from medical personnel. They are nice people at IGeneX, so you can give them a call and ask what their requirements are. It's a fairly small company, and they are in Palo Alto CA.
Some of the tests aren't cheap, so I'd want to be sure whatever I ordered was necessary.
I agree with mojogal -- docs who don't really understand Lyme don't tend to use the IGeneX test, but it has an important advantage over the other tests: it looks in your blood sample for DNA of the Lyme bacteria, compared to the other tests (such as Western blot and ELISA), which look only for your immune system's reaction to Lyme.
When the W.blot/ELISA tests were designed many years ago, no tests were sophisticated enough to look at the genetic level of the bacteria (which is what DNA is: genetic material in each cell). Those older, less sophisticated W.blot/ELISA tests are still useful, but are not as specific as the IGeneX test. My doc ran all three tests on me, just to get as much data as possible.
Docs who are not as up-to-date often use just W.blot/ELISA, on the theory that it's 'good enough', but it's not, because it is now known that the Lyme bacteria can and do *suppress* your immune system, and your immune system activity against a Lyme infection is exactly what the W.blot/ELISA tests look for. The test result of the W.blot/ELISA tests can then wrongly say that you have no antibodies against Lyme, and therefore do not have Lyme, when actually it may be that the Lyme bacteria are just not being located and reported on the test results.
More than you ever wanted to know, I'm sure ... but that is the reason Lyme specialists often use IgeneX testing.
When the W.blot/ELISA tests were designed many years ago, no tests were sophisticated enough to look at the genetic level of the bacteria (which is what DNA is: genetic material in each cell). Those older, less sophisticated W.blot/ELISA tests are still useful, but are not as specific as the IGeneX test. My doc ran all three tests on me, just to get as much data as possible.
Docs who are not as up-to-date often use just W.blot/ELISA, on the theory that it's 'good enough', but it's not, because it is now known that the Lyme bacteria can and do *suppress* your immune system, and your immune system activity against a Lyme infection is exactly what the W.blot/ELISA tests look for. The test result of the W.blot/ELISA tests can then wrongly say that you have no antibodies against Lyme, and therefore do not have Lyme, when actually it may be that the Lyme bacteria are just not being located and reported on the test results.
More than you ever wanted to know, I'm sure ... but that is the reason Lyme specialists often use IgeneX testing.
Here is discussion of the first test in your list, copied from the Centers for Disease Control, an arm of the Federal government.
Digging around on the internet should give you more data and similar commentary on the rest of these tests, which appear at a glance to include Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, and a few more. Your doc should give you an explanation of each test, preferably in writing and to keep in your medical files at home, in case a future doc wants to peer back in time to see what your previous test results were:
=====================================
"EIA-interp NEG = negative
"Two-step Laboratory Testing Process
"CDC currently recommends a two-step process when testing blood for evidence of antibodies against the Lyme disease bacteria. Both steps can be done using the same blood sample.
"The first step uses a testing procedure called “EIA” (enzyme immunoassay) or rarely, an “IFA” (indirect immunofluorescence assay). If this first step is negative, no further testing of the specimen is recommended. If the first step is positive or indeterminate (sometimes called "equivocal"), the second step should be performed. The second step uses a test called an immunoblot test, commonly, a “Western blot” test. Results are considered positive only if the EIA/IFA and the immunoblot are both positive.
"The two steps of Lyme disease testing are designed to be done together. CDC does not recommend skipping the first test and just doing the Western blot. Doing so will increase the frequency of false positive results and may lead to misdiagnosis and improper treatment.
"New tests may be developed as alternatives to one or both steps of the two-step process. Before CDC will recommend new tests, their performance must be demonstrated to be equal to or better than the results of the existing procedure, and they must be FDA approved. For more details, see: Recommendations for Test Performance and Interpretation from the Second National Conference on Serologic Diagnosis of Lyme Disease."
======================================================
======================================================
[The rest of these appear negative, with the possible exception of 'CK', whatever that is. What does your doc say about all of this?]
CK 67 U/L Creatinine kinase
E Ewingii/ca. NEG Ehrlichiosis
E muris-like. NEG "
E chaffeensi. NEG "
A phagocytop. NEG Anaplasmosis
B. Microti. NEG Babesiosis
AnEhr Interp NEG Anaplasmosis/Ehrlichiosis interpretation
Babe Interp NEG Babesiosis
Digging around on the internet should give you more data and similar commentary on the rest of these tests, which appear at a glance to include Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, and a few more. Your doc should give you an explanation of each test, preferably in writing and to keep in your medical files at home, in case a future doc wants to peer back in time to see what your previous test results were:
=====================================
"EIA-interp NEG = negative
"Two-step Laboratory Testing Process
"CDC currently recommends a two-step process when testing blood for evidence of antibodies against the Lyme disease bacteria. Both steps can be done using the same blood sample.
"The first step uses a testing procedure called “EIA” (enzyme immunoassay) or rarely, an “IFA” (indirect immunofluorescence assay). If this first step is negative, no further testing of the specimen is recommended. If the first step is positive or indeterminate (sometimes called "equivocal"), the second step should be performed. The second step uses a test called an immunoblot test, commonly, a “Western blot” test. Results are considered positive only if the EIA/IFA and the immunoblot are both positive.
"The two steps of Lyme disease testing are designed to be done together. CDC does not recommend skipping the first test and just doing the Western blot. Doing so will increase the frequency of false positive results and may lead to misdiagnosis and improper treatment.
"New tests may be developed as alternatives to one or both steps of the two-step process. Before CDC will recommend new tests, their performance must be demonstrated to be equal to or better than the results of the existing procedure, and they must be FDA approved. For more details, see: Recommendations for Test Performance and Interpretation from the Second National Conference on Serologic Diagnosis of Lyme Disease."
======================================================
======================================================
[The rest of these appear negative, with the possible exception of 'CK', whatever that is. What does your doc say about all of this?]
CK 67 U/L Creatinine kinase
E Ewingii/ca. NEG Ehrlichiosis
E muris-like. NEG "
E chaffeensi. NEG "
A phagocytop. NEG Anaplasmosis
B. Microti. NEG Babesiosis
AnEhr Interp NEG Anaplasmosis/Ehrlichiosis interpretation
Babe Interp NEG Babesiosis
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