lyme titers. soooooooo confused.

[FondestBianca]

I've had 3 lyme titers done in the last year. In my neck of the woods chronic lyme isn't taken seriously if even believed with massive evidence of acute infection.

2 of the 3 lyme tests came back "elevated". The 3rd just under. I asked the person giving me the results if a person who has never had lyme or a lyme vax could still have the antibodies present. She said no... then I asked if someone could fight off lyme without ANY medication... she said no... then I asked why even though I have elevated levels, have never recieved antibiotics or any other treatment at any point in my life for lyme, that I am being told I don't have it. She then backtracked and said I could have antibodies even if I've never been exposed and that in addition I could have faught it off on my own and still just have antibodies lurking around in my system from a decade ago.

No doctor, lab tech, or nurse I've spoken has been able to give me a clear answer to these questions. It seems they THINK they have the answers until I give them the specifics. At that point they beat around the bush, repeat the same thing over and over, won't give me a direct yes or no... or just tell me they simply don't know.

So....

1. Can someone who has never come into contact with lyme (been exposed directly) still have antibodies present? Even elevated antibody levels?

2. Can you fight off lyme to the point it will never return (without becoming reinfected by another tick bite) on your own without medication?

3. In cases of late stage of chronic lyme is it possible or even common to have only elevated levels rather than conclusive positive levels.

[kjbrown92]

What lab is doing the test? I've been told that the Igenex lab in CA is the ONLY test worth doing for Lyme. And they have a CDC standard for positive/negative and their own as well. I just had it done, and it seemed pretty straightforward the way the osteo explained it to me. With different bands meaning different things. One of the bands even told you whether it was over a year since the infection.

Also, are you going to "lyme literate" doctors?

[FondestBianca]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

What lab is doing the test? I've been told that the Igenex lab in CA is the ONLY test worth doing for Lyme. And they have a CDC standard for positive/negative and their own as well. I just had it done, and it seemed pretty straightforward the way the osteo explained it to me. With different bands meaning different things. One of the bands even told you whether it was over a year since the infection.

Also, are you going to "lyme literate" doctors?

I've looked into igenex but my doc won't write a lab referral for it and I can't afford it. The test kit I inquired about was over $500. There aren't any LLMD's in my city or any nearby cities. There are several 5.5 hours away in Seattle but, I can't just slap it on a credit card and jump in the car unfortunatly. I've never been given a western blot. I was told that I was and that it was negative but come to find out, who ever told me that was wrong and I was never given a western blot. My clinic nor medical records show any record of one ever being done. It was explained that the person who gave me those results simply confused them with the titer test and was wrong. Very frustrating.

[Koalamom]

I would love to know the answers too. I think that if the lyme is old and was dormant, it could test low being dormant, but be positive if it flares up. But that is just a theory.

Now this may sound really far out, but the other day when I was talking to a naturopath, he told me that lyme has been found in the sprays of chem-trails. And you know I wouldn't be surprised if it was true, I don't want to believe it, but that would be a great explanation where you would have gotten it.

Another way you can get it is from sex. So if your partner has lyme it is a possibility.

[FondestBianca]

Originally Posted by bluebirdmama1

I would love to know the answers too. I think that if the lyme is old and was dormant, it could test low being dormant, but be positive if it flares up. But that is just a theory.

Now this may sound really far out, but the other day when I was talking to a naturopath, he told me that lyme has been found in the sprays of chem-trails. And you know I wouldn't be surprised if it was true, I don't want to believe it, but that would be a great explanation where you would have gotten it.

Another way you can get it is from sex. So if your partner has lyme it is a possibility.

I've been bitten by ticks at least 5 times that I know of. I've picked them off my clothese dozens more. As a kid I spent the weekends at my dad's. He lived at a lake in a heavily treed and crush area and we played outside in it all day. At my moms we crawled around on the lawn and through the neighbor's hay field.... it's likely I got it the good old fashioned way.

I certianly hope i haven't given it to my husband!

Unfortunatly, if indeed I do have it, it's likely I got it long before my pregnancies and could have passed it along to my kids. Since they don't show any clear symptoms my doc won't test them.