Re: OT: no co-infections??

[Guest guest]

Hi Whitney,

I tested off-the-charts positive for Lyme but negative for all coinfections. However, from everything I've read, the tests are not definitive, even from Igenex, i.e. you can test negative for coinfections and still have them. Most LLMD's here on the East Coast treat if you have symptoms, even if tests are negative. Although 3 years ago I tested negative, my LLMD thought I had bartonella and wanted to treat for it. I didn't, as it was an intense antibiotic regimen and I'd already lost 30 pounds from antibiotics messing up my digestion so much, he knew I couldn't handle it. But that's another story.

Peggy

OT: no co-infections??

So I got my Igenex test back today. They classify me as negative because 4 of the bands were indeterminate, and two were very positive with the rest negative. The band indicating Lyme DNA in my blood was very positive, so we are moving forward with treatment. I'm actually kind of happy about this because for insurance purposes I don't have a Lyme according to tests...which makes it easier to get covered. But my Dr interprets the results as positive. The surprising thing is that I don't have ANY co-infections....weird, is this possible? Anyone else not have any co-infections?

[Guest guest]

Hey Whitney,

I have heard the same as Peggy. I am a patient at Dr. K's clinic and my doc there said they don't even bother testing for the cos as the tests are almost always negative--I think they are only able to test for something like 2 strains out of 30 or something. From there ART testing plus many symptoms--she thinks I have severe bart and babs. Some other signs of bart were that I have tons of connective tissue damage and lots of stretch marks on stomach, upper legs, etc. Even though I had 5 babies, she said theres a reason why some women can't stretch as well as others. And for babs she noticed I have lots of little blood angeanomas on my skin--she said those could be for bart too--I have read that--but I have shortness of breath, etc. Also for both I really reacted on the rife machine, with just 30 seconds so I think that is a very possible good test. Good luck!

Debbie

Re: OT: no co-infections??

Hi Whitney,

I tested off-the-charts positive for Lyme but negative for all coinfections. However, from everything I've read, the tests are not definitive, even from Igenex, i.e. you can test negative for coinfections and still have them. Most LLMD's here on the East Coast treat if you have symptoms, even if tests are negative. Although 3 years ago I tested negative, my LLMD thought I had bartonella and wanted to treat for it. I didn't, as it was an intense antibiotic regimen and I'd already lost 30 pounds from antibiotics messing up my digestion so much, he knew I couldn't handle it. But that's another story.

Peggy

OT: no co-infections??

So I got my Igenex test back today. They classify me as negative because 4 of the bands were indeterminate, and two were very positive with the rest negative. The band indicating Lyme DNA in my blood was very positive, so we are moving forward with treatment. I'm actually kind of happy about this because for insurance purposes I don't have a Lyme according to tests...which makes it easier to get covered. But my Dr interprets the results as positive.

The surprising thing is that I don't have ANY co-infections....weird, is this possible? Anyone else not have any co-infections?

[Guest guest]

Hmm ok. I didnt realize the co-infection tests would be so difficult, I thought that would be the easy part. I'll do a little research on different co-infections.  That makes it tough for me because I am so asymptomatic in general (my body is not good at feeling things in general). Maybe when my D-Coil comes I'll get some good herx's from different frequencies and that will help.

Whitney

 

Hey Whitney,

I have heard the same as Peggy.  I am a patient at Dr. K's clinic and my doc there said they don't even bother testing for the cos as the tests are almost always negative--I think they are only able to test for something like 2 strains out of 30 or something.  From there ART testing plus many symptoms--she thinks I have severe bart and babs.  Some other signs of bart were that I have tons of connective tissue damage and lots of stretch marks on stomach, upper legs, etc.  Even though I had 5 babies, she said theres a reason why some women can't stretch as well as others.   And for babs she noticed I have lots of little blood angeanomas on my skin--she said those could be for bart too--I have read that--but I have shortness of breath, etc. Also for both I really reacted on the rife machine, with just 30 seconds so I think that is a very possible good test.  Good luck!

Debbie

Re: OT: no co-infections??

 

Hi Whitney,

 

I tested off-the-charts positive for Lyme but negative for all coinfections.  However, from everything I've read, the tests are not definitive, even from Igenex, i.e. you can test negative for coinfections and still have them.  Most LLMD's here on the East Coast treat if you have symptoms, even if tests are negative.  Although 3 years ago I tested negative, my LLMD thought I had bartonella and wanted to treat for it.  I didn't, as it was an intense antibiotic regimen and I'd already lost 30 pounds from antibiotics messing up my digestion so much, he knew I couldn't handle it.   But that's another story.

 

Peggy 

 

OT: no co-infections??

  So I got my Igenex test back today. They classify me as negative because 4 of the bands were indeterminate, and two were very positive with the rest negative. The band indicating Lyme DNA in my blood was very positive, so we are moving forward with treatment. I'm actually kind of happy about this because for insurance purposes I don't have a Lyme according to tests...which makes it easier to get covered. But my Dr interprets the results as positive.

The surprising thing is that I don't have ANY co-infections....weird, is this possible? Anyone else not have any co-infections?

-- Whitney Schmucker

[Guest guest]

Hi Whitney,

If you have symptoms, chances are high you have Lyme no matter what these tests

say... Most of us here have negative tests... Should I say " Welcome to the

negative Lyme test club!! " :-)

The thing is, will your insurance still pay for " Lyme " treatments with these

test results? Since the IDSA came out with their faulty ruling about chronic

Lyme in 2006, and just recently a newly installed IDSA Lyme panel was installed

and confirmed them as correct, the insurance companies are so excited as they

will no longer pay for chronic Lyme treatments! Fortunately, the CT Attorney

General, Blumanthal who investigated them in 2006 is now investigating

how this new panel was selected, hopefully he will find some funny business,

just like he did in 2006 when he had the original panel disbanded.

I know most of us can't get insurance paid treatments, a few have though.

The coinfection tests are just as faulty... And whereas Igenex is one of the

better labs for Lyme, they are just average for coinfections...

Did I post a disease specific symptoms list for you? If not, let me know and I

will.. This is the best way to tell what co's you may have... I only have Lyme,

not everyone has coinfections.. May you at least be spared those...

The important thing here is what your doctor believes! He is the man with the

prescription pad and if he believes you have Lyme, then you are 80% there!

Take care,

Jim

>

> So I got my Igenex test back today. They classify me as negative because 4 of

the bands were indeterminate, and two were very positive with the rest negative.

The band indicating Lyme DNA in my blood was very positive, so we are moving

forward with treatment. I'm actually kind of happy about this because for

insurance purposes I don't have a Lyme according to tests...which makes it

easier to get covered. But my Dr interprets the results as positive.

> The surprising thing is that I don't have ANY co-infections....weird, is this

possible? Anyone else not have any co-infections?

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Jim,  Well I did have a positive WB test, so i got that going for me. My Dr is really great, hes really working with me and If I show him evidence I have a co-i he will treat it for sure. Insurance covers my abx I'm on now, and there isnt really much else for them to pay for. I only mentioned Insurance Co cause I have Celiac Disease too-- and have had real trouble getting insured because of it.

Could you repost or send me the Co-infection symptoms. This might be tough for me because I am historically very asymptomatic of any health problems. I'll have things wrong with me for very long periods of time and will be totally asymptomatic. But hopefully something will jump out at me.

ThanksWhitney

 

Hi Whitney,

If you have symptoms, chances are high you have Lyme no matter what these tests say... Most of us here have negative tests... Should I say " Welcome to the negative Lyme test club!! " :-)

The thing is, will your insurance still pay for " Lyme " treatments with these test results? Since the IDSA came out with their faulty ruling about chronic Lyme in 2006, and just recently a newly installed IDSA Lyme panel was installed and confirmed them as correct, the insurance companies are so excited as they will no longer pay for chronic Lyme treatments! Fortunately, the CT Attorney General, Blumanthal who investigated them in 2006 is now investigating how this new panel was selected, hopefully he will find some funny business, just like he did in 2006 when he had the original panel disbanded.

I know most of us can't get insurance paid treatments, a few have though.

The coinfection tests are just as faulty... And whereas Igenex is one of the better labs for Lyme, they are just average for coinfections...

Did I post a disease specific symptoms list for you? If not, let me know and I will.. This is the best way to tell what co's you may have... I only have Lyme, not everyone has coinfections.. May you at least be spared those...

The important thing here is what your doctor believes! He is the man with the prescription pad and if he believes you have Lyme, then you are 80% there!

Take care,

Jim

>

> So I got my Igenex test back today. They classify me as negative because 4 of the bands were indeterminate, and two were very positive with the rest negative. The band indicating Lyme DNA in my blood was very positive, so we are moving forward with treatment. I'm actually kind of happy about this because for insurance purposes I don't have a Lyme according to tests...which makes it easier to get covered. But my Dr interprets the results as positive.

> The surprising thing is that I don't have ANY co-infections....weird, is this possible? Anyone else not have any co-infections?

>

-- Whitney Schmucker

[Guest guest]

My doc didn't run the co's because she agrees with Dr K (high false negatives).  Just take your time and coil and see if your herx.  You'll know in a day or two.  If I had it to do over again, I'd coil until I found 1,2, or 3 co's identified - since their herx seems to come on faster.  Then I'd do what I'm doing now.  Coiling for Lyme once a week, and two co's everyday (twice a day because I'm doing bart and candida).

 

Hi Jim,  Well I did have a positive WB test, so i got that going for me. My Dr is really great, hes really working with me and If I show him evidence I have a co-i he will treat it for sure. Insurance covers my abx I'm on now, and there isnt really much else for them to pay for. I only mentioned Insurance Co cause I have Celiac Disease too-- and have had real trouble getting insured because of it.

Could you repost or send me the Co-infection symptoms. This might be tough for me because I am historically very asymptomatic of any health problems. I'll have things wrong with me for very long periods of time and will be totally asymptomatic. But hopefully something will jump out at me.

ThanksWhitney

 

Hi Whitney,

If you have symptoms, chances are high you have Lyme no matter what these tests say... Most of us here have negative tests... Should I say " Welcome to the negative Lyme test club!! " :-)

The thing is, will your insurance still pay for " Lyme " treatments with these test results? Since the IDSA came out with their faulty ruling about chronic Lyme in 2006, and just recently a newly installed IDSA Lyme panel was installed and confirmed them as correct, the insurance companies are so excited as they will no longer pay for chronic Lyme treatments! Fortunately, the CT Attorney General, Blumanthal who investigated them in 2006 is now investigating how this new panel was selected, hopefully he will find some funny business, just like he did in 2006 when he had the original panel disbanded.

I know most of us can't get insurance paid treatments, a few have though.

The coinfection tests are just as faulty... And whereas Igenex is one of the better labs for Lyme, they are just average for coinfections...

Did I post a disease specific symptoms list for you? If not, let me know and I will.. This is the best way to tell what co's you may have... I only have Lyme, not everyone has coinfections.. May you at least be spared those...

The important thing here is what your doctor believes! He is the man with the prescription pad and if he believes you have Lyme, then you are 80% there!

Take care,

Jim

>

> So I got my Igenex test back today. They classify me as negative because 4 of the bands were indeterminate, and two were very positive with the rest negative. The band indicating Lyme DNA in my blood was very positive, so we are moving forward with treatment. I'm actually kind of happy about this because for insurance purposes I don't have a Lyme according to tests...which makes it easier to get covered. But my Dr interprets the results as positive.

> The surprising thing is that I don't have ANY co-infections....weird, is this possible? Anyone else not have any co-infections?

>

-- Whitney Schmucker

[Guest guest]

Oh, she did run a few co's through Quest - since insurance covered it, but not Igenex.  I did come back positive for Babs. through Quest, so I knew my load was really high.

[Guest guest]

Thanks ,  I'm waiting for my machine to come (should be here in a week or so). The only problem may be that I really dont have herx reactions-- we think I have a missing component of my immune system because I have a long history of not manifesting symptoms for all types of infections and sicknesses throughout my life....so hopefully I'll get a herx and know whats what. Every now and then I'll get increase in brain fog, or right now my glands are swollen....thats the most I get. Its a blessing, but also a curse. So fingers crossed that things will be clear. Gosh cant wait for my machine--It will be like Christmas!

Whitney

 

My doc didn't run the co's because she agrees with Dr K (high false negatives).  Just take your time and coil and see if your herx.  You'll know in a day or two.  If I had it to do over again, I'd coil until I found 1,2, or 3 co's identified - since their herx seems to come on faster.  Then I'd do what I'm doing now.  Coiling for Lyme once a week, and two co's everyday (twice a day because I'm doing bart and candida).

 

Hi Jim,  Well I did have a positive WB test, so i got that going for me. My Dr is really great, hes really working with me and If I show him evidence I have a co-i he will treat it for sure. Insurance covers my abx I'm on now, and there isnt really much else for them to pay for. I only mentioned Insurance Co cause I have Celiac Disease too-- and have had real trouble getting insured because of it.

Could you repost or send me the Co-infection symptoms. This might be tough for me because I am historically very asymptomatic of any health problems. I'll have things wrong with me for very long periods of time and will be totally asymptomatic. But hopefully something will jump out at me.

ThanksWhitney

 

Hi Whitney,

If you have symptoms, chances are high you have Lyme no matter what these tests say... Most of us here have negative tests... Should I say " Welcome to the negative Lyme test club!! " :-)

The thing is, will your insurance still pay for " Lyme " treatments with these test results? Since the IDSA came out with their faulty ruling about chronic Lyme in 2006, and just recently a newly installed IDSA Lyme panel was installed and confirmed them as correct, the insurance companies are so excited as they will no longer pay for chronic Lyme treatments! Fortunately, the CT Attorney General, Blumanthal who investigated them in 2006 is now investigating how this new panel was selected, hopefully he will find some funny business, just like he did in 2006 when he had the original panel disbanded.

I know most of us can't get insurance paid treatments, a few have though.

The coinfection tests are just as faulty... And whereas Igenex is one of the better labs for Lyme, they are just average for coinfections...

Did I post a disease specific symptoms list for you? If not, let me know and I will.. This is the best way to tell what co's you may have... I only have Lyme, not everyone has coinfections.. May you at least be spared those...

The important thing here is what your doctor believes! He is the man with the prescription pad and if he believes you have Lyme, then you are 80% there!

Take care,

Jim

>

> So I got my Igenex test back today. They classify me as negative because 4 of the bands were indeterminate, and two were very positive with the rest negative. The band indicating Lyme DNA in my blood was very positive, so we are moving forward with treatment. I'm actually kind of happy about this because for insurance purposes I don't have a Lyme according to tests...which makes it easier to get covered. But my Dr interprets the results as positive.

> The surprising thing is that I don't have ANY co-infections....weird, is this possible? Anyone else not have any co-infections?

>

-- Whitney Schmucker

-- Whitney Schmucker

[Guest guest]

Hi Whitney,

The problem with many insurance companies is they won't pay for abx treatments

if chronic Lyme is given as the dx... So if yours does pay, you are very

fortunate. Just four short years ago all insurance companies paid for abx

treatments for Lyme, then the IDSA came out with their faulty Lyme guidelines

and within a few weeks, most of them stopped paying for chronic Lyme treatments

of all kinds.. This is why most LLMD's today are on a cash basis, they do not

accept insurance because the insurance companies will not pay.

Sadly, not a single one of us should have trouble getting insurance because of

any preexisting condition, insurance companies only want to insure those who are

healthy and thus they will have lower pay-outs... I believe this new insurance

law is going to change all of this, but not until 2014. Unfortunately, this is

going to raise insurance rates for all of us. The company my wife works for,

their gave them two weeks notice that the premiums were going up by 75%. And it

is no surprise, the feds are going to allow them to do this..

If you have chronic Lyme and can not work, do you know Social Security

Disability Insurance (SSDI)? It is available to anyone who is ill and is unable

to work.

Here is the symptom list for Lyme and the individual coinfections... This may

help you determine if you do have any of the co's

http://www.anapsid.org/lyme/symptoms/tbi-symptoms.html

Take care,

Jim

> > >

> > > So I got my Igenex test back today. They classify me as negative because

> > 4 of the bands were indeterminate, and two were very positive with the rest

> > negative. The band indicating Lyme DNA in my blood was very positive, so we

> > are moving forward with treatment. I'm actually kind of happy about this

> > because for insurance purposes I don't have a Lyme according to

> > tests...which makes it easier to get covered. But my Dr interprets the

> > results as positive.

> > > The surprising thing is that I don't have ANY co-infections....weird, is

> > this possible? Anyone else not have any co-infections?

> > >

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

> --

> Whitney Schmucker

>