how to test for lyme disease

[akas123]

hi everyone, about 3-4 months ago i had two big tick bites on my leg. Not so long after that, i start having floaters in my eyes and ringing in my left ear. I also feel weak and have mood swings. Now my joints, muscles and fingers also hurt. I was thinking of going to get a blood test tomorrow but i dont know what I have to test for .. any helP?

[ree4tu1]

Usually the Lyme Titer and Western Blot are performed, however these may exhibit a false negative in some individuals. The tests are only about 30-50% reliable based on all my extensive research however uneducated docs will tell you otherwise, You need to be tested and treated early.

[JackieCalifornia]

I would suggest you find an MD who specializes in Lyme and related diseases, sometimes referred to casually as an LLMD, or Lyme Literate MD.  It is not an official designation.

NonLLMDs will normally not order the tests an LLMD would or view your symptoms the way an LLMD would, much less treat the way an LLMD would.

What tests should be run depends on your symptom set, and everyone is different.  Only an experienced MD (preferably an LLMD, in my not-medically-trained view) can make that determination.

I see you are in Myanmar; I don't know what Lyme varieties might exist there, so only an MD can make these determinations.

Best wishes and hope you feel better soon -- keep asking your doctors questions till you get answers that make sense to you.