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Preparing for Lyme+ Testing

Messages
233
I have been looking into Lyme and co-infection testing and would like to know the best way to prepare.

From my research, it seems that it's best to take something to attack different forms of Lyme, plus a biofilm breaker, to help get the pathogen out of hiding and get a clear positive. An exception is preparing for the Elispot-LTT, which requires being free from antibiotics for a month or so.

I am wondering: is it possible to do herbals instead of prescription antibiotics as a pre-treatment challenge? Is there any reason to do co-infection testing via a specialty lab (Igenex) instead of a standard lab (LabCorp)? I am also interested in study links to prove the best methods of preparation and testing. In particular, I am looking into U.S.-based borrelia and co-infections.

Also tagging: @Sushi @justy @Valentijn @serg1942 @Daffodil @willowJ


1. What antibiotics, herbals, etc. did you take to prepare for the test(s)? (i.e. antibiotic challenge)


2. What are the best tests for Lyme/co-infections?
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
As far as testing, from everything I have read, IgeneX is much more accurate (still a lot of false negs though) than LabCorp or Quest. Insurance usually seems to cover it.

As far as what to take, people often take a month of Doxy, but Something like Samento might work too. I'd guess you wouldn't want to do either before the Elispot LTT, so you could do that first.

Also, Health Diagnostics (http://europeanlaboratory.nl/) offers the "LTT-MELISA® for active Lyme." I don't know how this compares to the Elispot but it might be worth calling to see as they are in NJ instead of Germany.

I didn't do a challenge myself. Bartonella was found by PCR.

Sushir Lyme
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Lyme
 

justy

Donate Advocate Demonstrate
Messages
5,524
Location
U.K
Can't say I prepared at all... but then my Elispot LTT was negative. I was found to have Borrelia and CPn and my doctor thinks Lyme is still a possibility despite the negative test and will test again in a couple of months with more tubes of blood 9there fore more lymphocytes?)

I'm afraid I don't know much about testing - Sushi probably has it covered.
 

Daffodil

Senior Member
Messages
5,875
Can't say I prepared at all... but then my Elispot LTT was negative. I was found to have Borrelia and CPn and my doctor thinks Lyme is still a possibility despite the negative test and will test again in a couple of months with more tubes of blood 9there fore more lymphocytes?)

I'm afraid I don't know much about testing - Sushi probably has it covered.
hi justy. I am wondering which borrelia test was positive for you.
thanks!
 

justy

Donate Advocate Demonstrate
Messages
5,524
Location
U.K
hi justy. I am wondering which borrelia test was positive for you.
thanks!

DOH!! should say I was found to have Bartonella and Cpn - Not Borrelia. No Lyme testing has been positive as yet, but my doctor still thinks I have Lyme on clinical picture.
 

Daffodil

Senior Member
Messages
5,875
DOH!! should say I was found to have Bartonella and Cpn - Not Borrelia. No Lyme testing has been positive as yet, but my doctor still thinks I have Lyme on clinical picture.
hi justy! how did they find bartonella? was it IgG antibody titres?

thanks!!
 

maryb

iherb code TAK122
Messages
3,602
Location
UK
@justy
can't remember where you posted about masks for travelling. Saw these things and wondered if they were a goer?
I did get some pre-formed masks with ventilation 18months ago for my flight to Tenerife but didn't use them then, hubby has taken them for work so I now can't find out what they were or where I got them from. All I know is that they were from the US.

http://www.allergybestbuys.co.uk/r....salairguardallergennosefilter-901330m.shtml|p
 
Messages
233
Okay, so I'm on Cat's Claw. I have TOA-free Samento as a back-up in case Cat's Claw didn't work out too well. I also have Red Root for potential spleen inflammation.



I was tuned onto Red Root from a recent discussion. My left side, under the lower part of my rib cage, has been puffy ever since I got sick years ago. Although this may be due to one of many different illnesses, such inflammation can also be caused by babesia. Hooray!

I do not know for sure if the Red Root is addressing the puffiness. It seems smaller and hurts less, but that might just be placebo effect. I'll wait a little bit before making a full judgment. No noticeable effects other than this.



I take the Cat's Claw with a meal. About 40 minutes after, I started to feel hot on the forehead. It feels like the area just below the middle of my forehead is ... well ... probably vasodilated. It feels hot and "open." There's an increased level of clarity, but more dizziness and mental exhaustion. Hard to do stream-of-consciousness thoughts.

About 4-5 hours in, forehead is definitely hot and I'm simultaneously feeling both hot and cold all over - wanting to cover up yet still shivering despite normal temperature in the home. And I typically feel like I need to lay down (more so than usual). Light sensitivity is worse. Some aches, despite taking d-ribose per usual. My temperature is running lower than normal, however. Fever without the fever.


Crossing my fingers and hoping this is a typical herx.



Note for anyone wanting to try this: Japanese knotweed was suggested as the go-to Lyme herb by Buhner. However, I chose Cat's Claw due to confirmation from multiple sources of its effectiveness against Lyme. I'm guessing I can also switch to Samento, a Cat's Claw derivative, and not have to worry about the interaction with the Red Root.

What I am on now can have an abortifacient effect, so don't use if at risk for pregnancy and wait 1-3 months after before resuming sexual activity. Also contraindicated for anyone taking coagulants/anti-coagulants.
 
Messages
233
I came across at least one post saying about 5 days or so for a challenge. Some people have done doxy 1-3 months.

I was curious the amount of time needed for the body to mount a good immune response. Mayo Clinic says IgM peaks at 3-6 weeks. CDC says 4-6 weeks for IgG to be detected on a Blot.



I've heard a lot about Igenex being superior for Lyme testing, but don't remember hearing or seeing anything that suggests I would be better off getting my co-infection tests there. If anyone has anything that states otherwise, I would be interested in knowing.



So, planning to do herbals for weeks 1 and 2, and then Lyme and co-infection testing at week 4-6. Lyme test through Igenex, co-infection tests via LabCorp.
 
Messages
233
Okay, so a follow-up post.

I got my results back:

Lyme Western Blot IgM: 39 IND, 41 IND
Lyme Western Blot IgG: 39 IND, 41+

Babesia IgG: Positive
Bartonella: Negative
Ehrlichia/Anaplasma: Negative


I had a bulls-eye rash back in college. Unfortunately, the physician I saw didn't know enough about Lyme (and neither did I!), so he dismissed the ~4" rash as a spider bite or something and offered a week's worth of antibiotics if I was really concerned. I took the antibiotics, but one week's worth isn't enough to meet even the bare minimum CDC standard for Lyme treatment.

Band 39 is specific for Lyme. That is, Lyme is the only known pathogen that would cause activity on that band. The only other possibility is a false appearance, but that'd be much harder to do with activity on both IgM and IgG, exposure to a Lyme co-infection, EM rash, inadequate treatment, classic herx to Cat's Claw, etc.



According to neurology, I have inflammation of the brain. This can be caused by Lyme.

What is also interesting is the year I got significantly ill, I think I remember my creatinine and BUN being off on my blood testing. I've also had my spleen area inflamed since then. All of this can be caused by babesia.

I experience PEM, anywhere between 2 days to some weeks following overexertion. I was diagnosed with CFS, FM, and POTS last year, though I've been sick for 3-4 years.



So, it looks like I'll be seeking out an LLMD.
 

sianrecovery

Senior Member
Messages
828
Location
Manchester UK
It's a very set of feelings that go with this diagnosis - recently had it myself, borelia and babesia. Still - it is something concrete to work on. The LLMD I am working with wants me to hit Babs first - she suggests at least nine months of azithromycin and mepron, in tandem with pulsed herbs, with Transfer Factor, and treating the mold illness concurrently. We'll see. Good luck and well done on getting this far!

Recently read Bryan Rosner's and James Schaller's books, found them helpful. There is a fair bit of material on Schaller's website on babs - personalconsult.com

Marg - are you looking for a mask to travel? I use the ones off healthy house, but someone posted a proper respiratory one from Honeywell on a Dr Myhill forum the other day - will send you link.