Low Lyme Test Results

[LordByron111]

Hello. I've been experiencing a good degree of brain fog, listlessness, fatigue and memory problems for the past year, and it's been making my life pretty difficult to navigate. I just learned yesterday that I have a 2 on my Lyme's test (out of a maximum of 10, I think.) My doctor says that it's too low a score to be responsible for the things I've been facing, but I'm dubious because I've experienced almost all of the tell-tale symptoms of lyme, including rare ones like seizure and tingling in the arms. My question is whether it might be possible for such a low amount of Lyme in my system to be causing these drastic, obvious problems. The only other thing it could really be, apparently, is my Testosterone, which is at a low 170.
Thanks so much for your help,
Keelan

[JackieCalifornia]

Given the test results and your history and symptoms, I would definitely find a Lyme specialist for a complete review of your situation.  

Think of it this way:  you can have a broken leg that needs a cast to mend even if the bone is is not completely broken into big chunks sticking through the skin.  Lyme is the same way:  you don't have to have all the bands on the test at 100% positive to have Lyme.  It's an overall view of the test and of your symptoms and history that a Lyme doc would look at.  

Some quick comments (Bb is short for Borrelia burgdorferi, which is the scientific name for the Lyme bacterium):

  1  ============================
Your test results:

"Borrelia burgdoferi Antibody Detection:
"Lyme IGM AB     <1
"Lyme IGG AB     <1
"Lyme IGA AB     <1"

My comments:  Antibodies are made by your immune system to kill invading bacteria.  Lyme has a special trick of suppressing your immune system's production of antibodies.  Therefore a test (like this one) that measures your levels of antibodies made to fight Lyme can be totally wrong.  If this test is positive, it's a reliable indicator of a Lyme infection; if this test is negative [as yours is], it is NOT a reliable indicator of a Lyme infection.  Different tests are needed.

  2  ============================
Your test results:

|    B. burgdorferi G30/40       Antigens Reactive:
|    AG G39/40 -- Positive      3    <5
|    ID of Bands Present        58   37   34

My comments:

--- I don't know if "AG G39/40" refers to an antigen of Band 39/40 on the Lyme test, but if so:  "Band 39 is a major protein of Bb flagellin; specific for Bb":  Bb means the Lyme bacteria [Borrelia burgdorferi]; flagellin is the little whiplike tail of the Lyme bacteria; and 'specific' means that *nothing other than Lyme bacteria will cause this test band to show up positive*.  Therefore this would be positive proof of Lyme if the abbreviations are as proposed above.  Ask your doc.

--- Band 58 is "unknown but may be a heat-shock Bb protein" -- so count this as a maybe, but in the presence of other positive bands, it would likely support a diagnosis of Lyme.

--- Band 37 is "specific for Bb" -- this is proof positive of Lyme -- nothing else would cause this band to show positive.

--- Band 34 is "outer surface protein B [Osp B]" which is "specific for Bb" -- and therefore proof positive of Lyme.

It's a bit difficult to tell how your information is intended to line up visually, there may be a typo or two in your data, and I'm not medically trained, so everything said here is subject to reinterpretation.  You should get a full explanation from a Lyme specialist.  Docs who are not Lyme specialists do not tend to see things the way Lyme docs do and can miss important information and diagnoses.

=========================================
It does not appear that you were tested for any other infections often carried by the 'Lyme' ticks, such as babesiosis, bartonella, ehrlichiosis, and several others.  A knowledgeable doc takes a careful history and note your symptoms that could indicate possible additional infections. Antibiotics used are often different among all these infections, which is why it is important to know all the infections you may have.
=========================================
Nobody wants to have Lyme, but if you've got it, do get it fixed -- because it won't go away by itself and will continue to do damage to you.  You already report "brain fog, listlessness, fatigue and memory problems for the past year, and it's been making my life pretty difficult to navigate."  

It will take medication to get rid of it, administered by a competent Lyme specialist MD.  I'm not medically trained, so all this is just from my understanding of Lyme gained from having had it some years ago.  Do find a good Lyme doc!

Best wishes  to you --- let us know how you do, okay?

[LordByron111]

Hi Jackie. Thank you so much for your prompt response.
What I see on this printout in front of me is a full page of text that reads something like this:

Borrelia burdoferi Antibody Detection:
Lyme IGM AB     <1
Lyme IGG AB     <1
Lyme IGA AB     <1

Comments: No IgM, IgG or IgA antibody to B. burgdorferi detected by capture EIA; the igG immunoblot results fall within normal limits.
Interpretation: No serologic evidence of infection with B. burgdorferi (Lyme.)

B. burgdoferi G30/40 Antigens Reactive:
AG G39/40 Positive         3              <5
ID of Bands Present        58   37   34

So my best guess about all of this is that most of the tests came up with nothing, but one particular test landed me with a 3, which is less than 5, and therefore not yet truly serious. This is what my doctor told me anyway. My friend thinks that it means that I was infected by the bacteria at one point, but my immune system managed to beat it back and away, although it's not completely gone. I'm unclear on whether or not I'm going to need a round of antibiotics. The one thing I don't want to do is to get to that place where I've already exhausted the antibiotics thing but the symptoms are still there and nobody really knows what to tell me anymore. Anyway, that's what my tests say. Thanks for your help.

[JackieCalifornia]

and PS, on rereading, it sounds like your doc may not have given you a full copy of the test results -- not just a summary page, but the whole thing.  Lyme can take you through many MDs till one is found that clicks with you, and having copies of prior tests gives the new doc a leg up on where to start.  

The tests are seldom if ever 'yes/no' simple, and what one doc doesn't notice or care about, another may see as quite important.  It sounds easy to say 'Oh I can get copies later if I need them', but the bored clerk standing by the machine pushing the 'copy' button may have other ideas -- and the patient doesn't know what is in the file that didn't get copied at all.

I am in the habit now of requesting in writing "full copies of all reports and notes" from a prior doc, and I offer to pay for the copies -- but no one has ever taken me up on that; I think they already know they are supposed to be handing out full copies.

and PS to your comment above about your doc saying you have only 2 or 10 on the Lyme test he ran:  if that test is structured to measure your immune system's reaction to a Lyme infection (as the most common Lyme tests are), the reason for 2/10 could be that the Lyme bacteria can and do actively suppress your immune system.  Supression means a low count, which you have .... and the question becomes:  why is the count low -- because of suppression of your immune system by the Lyme bacteria?  There is also the question of whether a negative Lyme test should be 0/10 -- does 2/10 mean infection?  Any amount of Lyme infection is something to pay attention to, I would think.

Let us know what you hear back!

[JackieCalifornia]

I am not familiar with the test scoring range you refer to.  It is probably from a test that my docs didn't run.  

Depending on how the test is structured and what it is measuring, it could be that any response on the test (even a 2 out of 10) is indeed significant.  Would you share with us the name of the test (like Western blot, PCR, etc.) and what lab did the analysis?