Could it be Lyme?

[ehbeedub]

Hi all,

I have been having strange symptoms for quite some time now, and I'm wondering if it could be Lyme-related.

I'm unsure if they are related at all, but I have been getting strange skin rashes for about 3 years now. They usually flare up once or twice a year and subside in about 10 days. They're always diagnosed as allergies, but I recently had allergy testing and was only reactive with typical outdoor things (pollen, grass, etc).

In February, I started experiencing intense lower back pain and pain in the left leg, which eventually spread to my left arm and right leg, but it is still worst in the left leg. It feels like nerve pains, though recently my left knee has been achey and sore, and my shoulders have also been getting in on that action, though less frequently. I occasionally have nerve pain on the left side of my face, as well. I experience strange parasthesias -- hot/cold sensations, feeling like water is running down my leg.

I had a nerve conduction test that showed nerve damage in the left leg and left arm, and an MRI that was normal excerpt for a single lesion. I was worked up for MS, but given that there was only the single lesion, the doctor recommended I wait to be treated and come back in a few months.

I had a Lyme test done back in March, but I'm not really familiar with the tests for this. This is what the results looked like:

Lyme Disease, EIA W/RFL WB = .77 (negative)
Lyme Disease AB (IGG), WB = Negative, only band 41 was reactive.

Any thoughts?

[ehbeedub]

Thanks for the comment! I've been worked up and down and have a few interesting findings -- the brain lesion, the nerve damage from the nerve conduction study, vitamins on the low side though not TECHNICALLY deficient (I think the cutoff for B12 deficiency is like, 230 and mine was 258), but no other infections findings. I've been pursuing herpes as a cause, but the longer the pain lasts and the more it affects my arms and face, the less likely I think it is.

Yes, the tests were run through a Quest Diagnostics lab. I'm located in New York City, and these tests were run as part of a large neurological workup by Dr. Ramon Valderrama in midtown. He is just a general neurologist, not a specialist of any kind. Would seeing an ID doc at this stage be called for?

Someone else had made mention of the Igenex WB, and said it usually costs in the realm of $200? Do you have any other information about cost or how to obtain it?

[mojogal]

Hi, your symptoms could very well be Lyme. I have Bartonella, a co-infection of Lyme and had several lesions which were misdiagnosed as MS first.

I was misdiagnosed with other illnesses too because Lyme is the great pretender. It wasn't until I found an LLMD (Lyme literate Doc) that I found out I had Lyme. LLMD use a lab called IgeneX that is a more sensitive lab that most LLMD use.

If you want more information you can go to ILADS.org (lyme association) and read some of the articles especially Burascano's treatment guidelines which mentions signs and symptoms of Lyme and co-infections.

I am sure you will have more questions and we will be glad to answer.

[cave76]

I sounds as if you might have Lyme disease but those symptoms could also be from other conditions.

However, your lab test looks as if it were done at a CDC sanctioned lab (maybe Quest?) Those labs use tests that have been said to be about 50% in error, towards either pos. or neg.

If you're comfortable with giving us more information------ the name of your doctor (ONLY if you're comfortable!) or the city/state you live in perhaps more suggestions can be offered.

Igenex is usually the lab that most (Lyme) knowledgeable doctors send lab work to.

Hope to hear from you.