LYME TESTING and RELATED EDUCATION - Why Lyme Testing isn't always accurate?
(THIS BLOG IS ALWAYS BEING ADDED TO FYI)
PLEASE email me with any new resources you learn to help me keep this up to date.
I wanted to start by having you look at these two:
It is best to have a Lyme literate doctor order the tests they choose is right for you.
LIST OF RELATED BLOGS FOR FULL UNDERSTANDING:
CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS
IgG vs IgM
AVERAGE TIME FOR DIAGNOSIS
DISMISSIVE DOCTORS
FIBROMYALGIA
MS, ALA, DEMENTIA, PARKINSONS, ALZHEIMERS
CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME - CFS
LYME BANDS EXPLAINED
BAND 41
MORE TESTING INFORMATION:
NEW AT HOME TESTING: I do not have much feedback on this yet.
"IGeneX provides laboratory services for a new line of direct-to-consumer testing from a company called AcuDart Health, Inc. Tests are available for Lyme disease, TBRF, Babesiosis, and Bartonellosis. There is also a test panel that tests for all four diseases. AcuDart Health is a separate company from IGeneX."
PROBLEMS IN TESTING:
https://www.rosaliegreenbergmd.com/post/problems-with-present-lyme-disease-testing-how-individuals-especially-children-are-shortchanged2024
INFORMATION BY RICHARD HOROWITZ
"I recommend igenex.com lab in California, as my first line test, as they use several of the most common strains causing disease to improve their testing. And we have clinically validated their findings for more than 2 decades.
"Let’s Talk About Testing for Lyme Disease, Part One – Blood Testshttps://medicaldetective.substack.com/p/lets-talk-about-testing-for-lyme
Let’s Talk About Testing for Lyme Disease, Part 2 – Blood Tests
MARTY ROSS
MEDICARE COVERAGE FOR TESTING
GALAXY for Bartonella
TESTING GENERAL INFO:
Additional opinion
Labs for Lyme, Bartonella and Babesia - "the big 3" is complicated and not perfect. We would like to give you the best info possible to help you make the wisest choices when selecting testing. I would trust your Lyme literate doctor on what he/she feels is best.
Our top Lyme Literate Medical Doctors prefer Igenex and Galaxy Diagnostics as the most reliable and accurate testing of the big 3. No test gets it right 100% of the time but these labs give you the best odds of accurate testing. Babesia is best tested by Igenex, Babesia Panel 2 is very popular. Video by top Lyme doctors here:
Bartonella is best tested by Galaxy, the digital ePCR triple draw is most mentioned.
Testing for Lyme Disease depends on your situation. If you are new to Lyme and not yet diagnosed - maybe you suddenly took sick with flu-like symptoms a few months ago and are getting worse, or maybe you've been sick a while and nothing else can be found - this is a time to test. The Igenex Immunoblot is most mentioned in this situation.
Remember, Lyme is a clinical diagnosis based on personal history and specific symptoms.
Testing is only for confirmation of a diagnosis already made. The immunoblot can help your doctor confirm the diagnosis of Lyme if you fit the clinical picture in the scenario above.
If, however, you have already been diagnosed and treated for Lyme previously the immunoblot is less helpful and most likely your doctor won't recommend you do it again. I was taught an antibody test can never tell you that you are actively infected with Lyme, only that at one time you were exposed to it.
Galaxy Nanotrap or the Igenex PCR (Lyme multiplex PCR Panel 1) is reported to tell you if you have active infection.
As a new patient you can always start off testing Lyme and its co-infections with whichever lab your insurance will cover.....these standard labs (Lab Corp, Quest) are fine for many things associated with Lyme and they do actually find Lyme, Babesia and Bartonella in a small percentage of cases. IF the "big 3" are negative however you never trust this result and would move on to evaluation by a Lyme literate practitioner with testing from a specialty lab, preferably Igenex and Galaxy. I REPEAT, DO NOT MOVE ON AND ASSUME YOU ARE IN THE CLEAR.
Bartonella in particular is very hard to catch on testing as it does not live in the blood long, which is why we see most recommendations for testing with the best test Galaxy offers - the digital ePCR triple draw. Unfortunately this is also a very expensive test so out of reach for many patients. If this is your situation, and your regular lab is negative for bartonella you will want to be evaluated by a Lyme literate practitioner who knows how to diagnose bartonella by VERY specific symptoms instead.
Vibrant Labs has become popular among patients in recent years because you can get a lot tested with one blood draw. Please remember, as with any testing of Lyme, Babesia and Bartonella, a negative result does not mean you do not have these infections. If you want to use Vibrant, email us and we can connect you to someone.
Marty Ross opinion at the bottom here:
In addition, we have noted that Vibrant does not publish a price list like the other labs and allows practitioners using it to charge what they want for the testing. Just be aware, we have found some practitioners are upcharging patients for this test. The tick borne 2.0 test should cost you no more than $950. We have seen a few doctors charge double. As patients who spend a lot to treat and we need to use our funds towards treatment. Contact us and we will help you get tested if you have practitioner choosing to upcharge.
Other laboratories you may have heard of are Stoney Brook in NY, Armin in Germany and MDL. Sometimes insurance will cover tests from these labs so you will have to check your particular insurance coverage.
When it comes to Igenex and Galaxy Diagnostics, you can sometimes receive reimbursement from your insurance company if you submit a claim after paying for it yourself. Medicare will pay for Igenex and Galaxy.
MEDICARE COVERAGE
Remember, other co-infections can be tested by whichever lab your insurance pays for as they are generally pretty accurate for everything but Lyme, Bartonella and Babesia. For example Labcorp picks up my RMSF. These should include: AnaplasmosisBrucella, Chlamydia Pneumonae, EBV, Ehrlichia, Mycoplasma Pneumonae, Rickettsia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tularemia, Toxoplasmosis.....
Mold but should be ruled out also. The recommended lab for mold is Real Time Labs mycotoxin urine testing.
Helpful videos to watch:
Understanding Lyme results
Lyme Testing isn't always accurate
PLEASE email me with any new resources you learn to help me keep this up to date.
❤️