Epstein Barr Virus vs Lyme disease

[Michael5]

I was diagnosed with EBV two and one half years ago and am still suffering from various symptoms.  Lately, I have been reading a lot about Lyme Disease and am wondering if the test for EBV can be positive when you really have Lyme Disease.  I was tested once for Lyme and it came back negative.  Has anyone who tested positive for EBV when they really had Lyme Disease instead?

Thanks

Mike

[patsy10]

Lyme disease is very hard to diagnose.  You can test negative and still have it.  Most physicians use the first screening test for it (ELISA) which is something like 40% accurate.  What typically happens is, it comes back negative and the doctors says it's not lyme.  This is often the end of the road regarding lyme so many people suffer endlessly with debilitating symptoms.  Most of us have EBV in our systems.  Did they test IGG(past infection) or IGM(current infection) or both?  Usually it's both.  EBV can be treated with antivirals if it is active.  Also, lyme causes the immune system to be depressed so then the dormant EBV becomes active.

[Michael5]

Patsy

They tested me for both and the test showed Iwas high >170 for IgG.  My tests showed negative for IgM,  My Dr did give me Valtrex after I asked a couple of times.  It did seem to help, but that was about two years ago and I still don't have my strength or energy back.

Thanks

Mike

[patsy10]

That's indicates an old infection.  I think something else is causing your symptoms.  Did your doctor do a lyme western blot, or was it the ELISA?

[Michael5]

They did a Western Blot Reflex for Lyme IgG/IgM Ab & Ab,Quant, IgM; both of which were negative.  This test was done about a year after I got sick and was diagnosed with EBV.