Starting with MDL?

[QPmom]

Thanks to all the supportive posts over the past few weeks. I think I have found a great doctor and he has ordered a TON of labwork which I am having drawn on Wednesday (more tests than I thought possible, LOL). He is AWARE of IgeneX and supportive of drawing labs to test there, but said that he wants to start with MDL because it is much cheaper, covered by my insurance, and anything that isn't covered by my insurance will be "waived".

I think this sounds like a good approach so am going with it...

But I hate feeling anxious and waking up every morning with muscle pain like I have been doing P90X all night. The muscles in my thighs feel like they are torn :(

Thanks

[cave76]

Note the asterisks at the bottom.

"Based on our tracking, as well as input from our referring physicians and our clinical consultant, the initial Panel to order for Lyme disease is the IGeneX Panel 6050.

This panel includes the IFA, IgM and IgG Western Blots and PCRs for Borrelia burgdorferi. The IFA is a general Lyme disease screen. The Western Blots are to determine which antibodies the patient is making. The Western Blot is 96% specific.

Since some patients do not make antibodies, the Lyme Whole Blood PCR for DNA (#456) and the Lyme Serum PCR for DNA (#453) is included.

The Complete Initial Lyme Panel **: includes IFA, IgG and IgM Western Blots and PCR (whole blood and serum):

Panel 6050 #230 (Lyme IFA), #188, #189, #456, and #453

The Initial Lyme Panel: (Use for NY Residents) includes IgG and IgM Western Blots and PCR (whole blood and serum):

Panel 5010 #188, #189 & #456, and #453

*************(IGeneX performs a courtesy PCR on whole blood in the above panels)"*******

http://www.igenex.com/Website/

[JackieCalifornia]

IGeneX has a test completely different from the ELISA/W.blot approach, which rely on your immune system's reaction to Lyme.  Lyme suppresses the immune system, and also the immune system is set up to fade after a few weeks -- but Lyme doesn't play by those rules.  ELISA and W. blot can therefore show a 'false negative' result, meaning that you are infected but the test say no.

The IGeneX test that is different from ELISA/W.blot is PCR -- polymerase chain reaction -- which looks not for your immune system reaction, but for Lyme bacteria DNA in your blood.  Even if the ELISA/W.blot are negative, you could still have Lyme, and the PCR test is a better indicator, according to what I have read and what my doc said.

[mojogal]

I haven't heard lymies speak of MDL so please keep in mind the new VA law, if your doctor tells you that you don't have Lyme based on lab results, it doesn't mean you don't have it.

Lets be hopeful though. Good luck.

[QPmom]

Wow, thanks cave76. I hope that it shows something. I want to go straight to IgeneX but I guess if my new doc (who I really like so far) thinks we should start with MDL and insurance will pay for it, will do that. If I continue to feel bad and MDL is negative, I will pay out of pocket for IgeneX.

I wonder how much I need to prepare to spend out of pocket for IgeneX? Everything is so expensive and money isn't growing on trees! ;-)

[cave76]

Ah, I see----- MDL uses the 2 tier method. ELISA first then if that is indeterminate or positive, only then will they perform the WB.

Igenex only uses an ELISA in conjunction with a WB---- because it feels that the ELISA isn't that reliable for Lyme. MDL seems to adopted the CDCs protocol for the 2 tier method which is one of the reasons most of us aren't enamoured of that method.

So-----  if that's all your insurance will pay for (MDL) then I can understand going to them. I hope it works out for you.

[cave76]

I've heard of MDL and in the past they were the 'other' lab that people sent their Lyme blood work to.

Recently I haven't heard too much about them, making me wonder if they've 'fallen out of favor' with Lymies. And if so, why? Or maybe I just haven't seen the references to them.