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Low Synthesis Rate

I am looking at a result of a spinal tap done in 2005
Text for IGG SYN
Synthesis Rate IGG, CSF: -3 5 MG/DAY
                                Ref Range: -9.9 to +3.3
IGG UBDEX, CSF                       .48

Can someone please help me understand the results.
I have been DX with Cronic stage 3 lyme disease in 2000
had been in remission until Dec. 2010 after accident surgery and much stress,
appears to have brought the little creatures out again.

I was originally DX by a clinic in VA the MD has since
passed on and the records are to old to recover

Again in 2005 blood was drawn and sent to IGenex and I was
able to get a copy of it.

THe IGENEX IGM result was Positive

band 30 IND
        31 IND
        34 ++
        39 +
        41 +
        58 IND
        66 +


with a Negative IGG result
        41   IND
        58   IND
        66   IND
        93   IND                           to me if it is indicated it is a positive seeings if nothing was thereit would have a - sort of like being kinda pregnant?    you are or your not you do or you don't

I have been enduraning a lot of pain and symptoms, sent to rhumithoid doc and then to Neurologist.   the only thing showing up, is on the EEG showing siezure activity but the medications that I have taken helped for a week
maybe two. Have starts if DJD and buldging in lower vertabre region.

Back to twitching, jerks, poor memory, forgetfulness and of course the dreadful pain.

any help in understand my tests will be appreciated.
Best Answer
Avatar universal
Oops, sorry, I got this backwards:

"IgG results indicate a more recent infection, and IgM results indicate an older infection,"

IgM is the more RECENT infection indicator, and IgG is the OLDER infection indicator, so your results are consistent with having a long-term infection.  That was from 2005, tho, and things do change.  A longterm infection sometimes doesn't show up much if at all on the tests, because the immune system gives up after a while and doesn't produce the antibodies that the tests measure.  

I think of the antibodies as the police, and after patrolling a bad neighborhood for a while and not seeing any criminal activity, the police go somewhere else that needs attention.  If however you are given antibiotics, it can stir up your immune system, so the cops come back and your test results may rise.

There is also a PCR test that can be run, that to my understanding looks not for your immune system's reaction to the bacteria, but looks directly for DNA from the bacteria.  
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Avatar universal
Welcome to MedHelp --

Very sorry to hear how long you have been suffering -- I can give you a few comments on your data above, but I'm not medically trained, so .... it's just some ideas for you, based on what I've learned from dancing with Lyme.

--spinal taps are currently not viewed by Lyme specialists (LLMDs) as particularly helpful in diagnosing Lyme or in ruling it out, because Lyme does not always present in spinal fluid. I'm not familiar with the test parameters, so can't comment further.

--it's not uncommon for illness or extreme stress to cause a flare up of symptoms, because stress impacts your immune system's ability to hold the Lyme infection in check.

--your 2005 Igenex tests appear quite positive, based on a list of meanings for the various bands on the test, as posted a while back at truthaboutlymedisease [dot] com:

IgG results indicate a more recent infection, and IgM results indicate an older infection, but as long as you have probably had Lyme, this timeline framework is less distinct.  I have read and been told that after a long infection, the immune system often doesn't react much at all to show the infection on tests, so any reaction is significant:
========================================
band 30 IND
        31 IND = Outer surface protein A (OspA), which shows up ONLY in Lyme
        34 ++  =  OspB, also shows up ONLY in Lyme
        39 +    = only shows up in Lyme
        41 +
        58 IND = may relate to Lyme
        66 +

with a Negative IGG result
        41   IND = may or may not indicate Lyme
        58   IND = may relate to Lyme
        66   IND
        93   IND = probably Lyme-related
==========================================

Overall, tests for lyme are not perfect.  They are not yes/no, up/down, red/green -- they are instead 'maybe' and 'middling' indicators that are clues for an experienced doc to read, not an absolute answer.  That's why an LLMD is important, because s/he knows that the tests are clues, not answers, and what matters is your history and symptoms, using the tests as data but not conclusions.

Rheumatologists and neurologists are not known for understanding Lyme, and they too often don't take it seriously.  If I were you, I would find a Lyme specialist for a work up.  It's not too late!  If you need help finding a Lyme doc, trying searching online for "LLMD Cleveland" or whatever area you live in.  You may have to try several searches to get the right overlap geographically esp if you live near a state line or other boundary.

Let us know how you do, okay?  Keep trying -- it's worth it to feel better.  Take care --
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