Sed Rate and CRP

[Ree4tu]

I was just told by a primary care physician that if one has Lyme Disease, their Sed Rate and CRP would be elevated. He believes I do not have Lyme because my Sed Rate and CRP are not elevated, in fact very low. He didn't know what to make of my CD57 being so low and asked if I had an HIV test which of course I did and it was negative. So, how many of you diagnosed with Lyme had elevated sed rate and CRP? Is this another false perception by a physician about Lyme Disease?

[patsy10]

Wonko was correct.  Those test are non-specific markers of inflammation.  So is the ANA.  The sed rate can indicate vasculitis if elevated so this can be positive in lyme as the disease causes vasculitis.  My sed rate and CRP are also very low.  I would say it is false perception by a physician in my opinion.  

[Ree4tu]

Thank you for your response. We are really opposites!  No, I am not awaiting the Western Blot, I believe that is ginak.  I had a Western Blot, but not the Igenex Western Blot yet.  The Western Blot I had was totally negative.  I was tested for co-infections also which were negative.  I had the Elisa about three times over this past year and it was negative.  So why is my CD57 test 38 and why am I so sick? My alternative MD tried to guess by my symptoms and my CD57 that it was chronic lyme and put me on a trial of doxy.  I had a bad reaction to the doxy, so I stopped.  I was getting IVs before all this at the Fibro and Fatigue Center in Philly. I had severe herx to the first two IVs. They advised me that this reaction is due to my body fighting a chronic infection. They also suspected Lyme. The only abnormal tests so far are the CD57, my EBV was 5,120 (unheard of) and my vitamin D at one point was 5.  Who knows, maybe I don't have Lyme.  You think one of the tests would have been positive by now.

I will be interested to hear what others say to, but I put more faith in what a LLMD has to say vs. a PCP.

Thanks again for listening.

[wonko]

That is interesting.

My SED rate was high and my LLMD told me that is *unusual* for Lyme.  I also had elevated CRP, but just slightly out of normal range.  My CD57 was normal, so I guess we're opposites!

To my (medically untrained!) knowledge, both the SED rate and CRP are non-specific markers for inflammation.  Neither one can be used alone diagnostically for Lyme or any condition (again, to my limited knowledge).  So I don't see how your levels being normal rules out Lyme?  I'll be interested in what others say.

I can relate to struggling with your PCP.  Mine was very much at odds with me when it came to Lyme.

I forget, but I think that you are awaiting your Western blot results?  If so, try to sit tight and review those results with a doctor who has more experience with Lyme.  Don't let this doctor get to you, it doesn't sound like he has answers for you.