Re: Length of time for Lyme disease test to remain positive

[Guest guest]

I hate to say this but I've had Lyme and Co infection since my original

diagnosis in 1990 and I've done nothing but flip flop on tests the last 14 yrs.

One

day it may be negative the next it may be postive....but I have never ever

had a stings of negatives once.

Robyn

In a message dated 7/20/2004 11:25:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

gmm421@... writes:

Does anyone know how long lyme disease can be detected in blood tests?

My wife contracted Lyme last year and was positive on 2 of 3 " bands " ,

then a few months later after four weeks of antibiotics, she was only

positive on one " band " . Unfortunately, we have to pay $350 for each

test and we need to ensure she is clean before applying for insurance.

Of course, this assumes the insurnace company will care if the Lyme

is no longer present in her system. Interestingly, if she was an

alcoholic with a single DUI, they would not deny her insurance.

[Guest guest]

> Does anyone know how long lyme disease can be detected in blood tests?

Testing is hit or miss, tests are more commonly false negative, than

false positive. The spirochetes do not live in the blood, just use it for

travel when the environment isn't hostile or after replication. I went 17

yrs misdiagnosed and my tests have been positive ( easily 25 tests in a 5

year span), just about all that is, ranging from Western Blot to LUAT to

PCR. Note that I did get reinfected maybe as little as 6 yrs before testing

started. Lyme is a clinical diagnosis ( you can go to www.lymnet.org and

then search for Dr B's 2000 guidelines for treatment ) that has the symptoms

for clinical dx listed.

So she has to be 'free' of Lyme before she can get insurance, I am

assuming health? There are some labs that aren't great at testing, maybe

someone can post their name ( I cant recall) and you can use them since you

'don't want the test to be 'accurate' good luck!

[Guest guest]

Hi Greg,

Is your wife being denied health or life insurance because of a

history of Lyme? Some states have laws about prior condition

restrictions (CT does). I think it might be a good idea to look them

up. Your state representative can help if you need it.

As for the test results, someone on this list can help me out with

this because a lot of folks here know more than I do about it. But

here's my limited understanding of it. There are IgM and IgG bands

that doctors look at on a western blot result to decide if someone has

an " active " infection. One of them is an indication of active lyme

and one isn't, goes the standard medical reasoning. The reference

below describes which is which. Given that this is the case,

shouldn't the insurance company be only looking at the one that

indicates an active lyme infection and not evidence of past infection?

I also don't know how much I agree with this criteria given the

stories I've heard about persistent infections on this board (as well

as my own experiences), but I do know that it is common medical

practice for doctors to use this criteria to determine whether or not

the infection is active and whether or not to continue or resume

treatment for lyme.

Good luck with the insurance company!

-

" A positive IgM result with clinical history may indicate early Lyme

disease or a persistent infection. A positive IgG result with clinical

history may idicate Lyme disease or could indicate sensitization, not

active disease. (Patients testing positive for Epstein Barr virus,

rheumatoid factor or those with other spirochetal disease may have

antibodies that rect with Bb via molecular mimicry/cross reactivity.) "

http://www.biodia.com/test915.html

> Does anyone know how long lyme disease can be detected in blood tests?

> My wife contracted Lyme last year and was positive on 2 of 3 " bands " ,

> then a few months later after four weeks of antibiotics, she was only

> positive on one " band " . Unfortunately, we have to pay $350 for each

> test and we need to ensure she is clean before applying for insurance.

> Of course, this assumes the insurnace company will care if the Lyme

> is no longer present in her system. Interestingly, if she was an

> alcoholic with a single DUI, they would not deny her insurance.

>

> Any help is appreciated,

>

> Greg

[Guest guest]

Hi Greg:

I thought that Quest is one of the labs less likely to come out

positive. Also, doesn't insurance only believe in CDC positive?

best,

lea

> Does anyone know how long lyme disease can be detected in blood

tests?

> My wife contracted Lyme last year and was positive on 2 of

3 " bands " ,

> then a few months later after four weeks of antibiotics, she was

only

> positive on one " band " . Unfortunately, we have to pay $350 for

each

> test and we need to ensure she is clean before applying for

insurance.

> Of course, this assumes the insurnace company will care if the

Lyme

> is no longer present in her system. Interestingly, if she was an

> alcoholic with a single DUI, they would not deny her insurance.

>

> Any help is appreciated,

>

> Greg