Re: Strange Illness For Over One Year, Please Help!


"Susan" <nevermind@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:3qi732Feb84hU1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> x-no-archive: yes
>
> ryancinman@xxxxxxx wrote:
> > Hi Susan,
> >
> > Lyme was one of the several tests ran by the infectious disease doctor.
> > Both ELISA and Western Blot performed by Mayo were negative (IGM, IGG).
> > No traces of current or prior infection.
> >
> > Also tested for Babesia, negative.
> >
> > Good thinking though.
>
> Negative lab results are extremely common, even in fulminant,
> disseminated disease, for a variety of reasons. Even if you have quite
> a few bands specific for B.b on your western blot, Mayo won't report them.

There is the ANA that was positive which is interesting but not followed up
as far as I can tell. Reumatoid Arthritis RA titer serology or liver enzymes
are not mentioned.

>
> Other tests that should be run any time there's a suspicion of TBD are
> for the ehrlichiae (HGE, HME), bartonella, and other rickettsia. None
> of these tests are highly reliable, clinically.

Leukopenia is seen in TBD. Serology sucks. I would do PCR testing to
supplement serology.

>
> Clearly, this is only one of the possibilities in your case, but if no
> other cause is found and successfully treated in a case like yours, a
> trial of high dose oral doxycycline is often helpful, and it's
> inexpensive and safe.
>
> I didn't test positive for HGE, HME until I'd been on abx for 4 months,
> but I'd been sick enough to be disabled for years.

Serology is not ideal in interpretation of clinical situations, false
positives, past infections, subclinical infections etc.

I'd had many
> positive WB bands for B.b while acutely ill, but due to the ridiculous
> 1994 criteria, my WB was called negative.
>
> Susan

That's a problem with serology as you stated.


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