Lyme Testing, Anxiety, and IGeneX Labs

[Marks470]

I have read several stories on this website that are very similar to mine.  About nine months ago I had a severe anxiety attack out of the blue.  The anxiety led to severe depression with continued anxiety.  It has been the worst nine months of my 49 years.  Because there was no apparent reason for anxiety in my life, I have felt all along that there had to be some underlying reason.  I've been to half a dozen doctors and had every conceivable test trying to find a cause, all to no avail.  My wife and brother-in-law have been battling chronic Lyme for several years.  Both have severe physical symptoms but no significant anxiety.  Until recently, I was unaware that Lyme could create the symptoms I have been experiencing.  Since I am an outdoorsman and lived in one of the Lyme hot spots for years (Eau Claire, Wisconsin), I now am wondering if this could be the underlying cause I've been looking for.  Our family doctor said there is little chance that both my wife and I would have Lyme.  Then I described just one trip through the woods around our house resulted in finding 47 ticks between my son and I.  He then changed his mind quickly and agreed to have me tested.  

So here is my question.  I have been told to have the Western Blot, IgG and IgM test run.  The doctor is having this done by an unknown lab.  I have been told that I should request that the test be performed by the IGeneX labs because they are more accurate.  I have also been told that there results come back positive 98% of the time.  Is this true?  If so, that doesn't seem scientifically or statistically correct either.  Can anyone give me feedback or point me to a website where I can learn more about this?

[youvegottobekidding]

Does anyone else agree with me that 2indebt was just a troll who came here to irritate us? And whose "non-profit clinic" doesn't actually exist?

[Ricobord]

Thank you for your post.  

I have seen numerous accusations coming from IDSA doctors and others that Lyme docs are gouging desperate patients.  And yet I am confident that the ID docs at the nearby prestigious university research hospital make a whole lot more than my Lyme doc. There's a lot of overhead to treating Lyme.  Appointments take longer, there are a multitude of prescriptions to manage, more questions/issues from patients, more time set aside for staying current in the field, etc.  I have a friend who had to pay $300 to a pediatric specialist (not Lyme) for a 15 minute follow up appointment for her son.  Now is that guy accused of gouging? No, not at all.

The personal attacks are a sign of being unwilling to face the reality that patients are actually getting better with long term antibiotics.

[mojogal]

Amen to that

[JackieCalifornia]

Thank you so much for posting this.  I have the highest regard for the work both Dr Harrises have done and continue to do.  Without visionaries like them, we patients would be forever suffering.  

[paralegal2003]

I worked for another member of the Harris family for a few years (not in the medical field) and I can tell you that Nick Harris devoted half his career to finding the solution to Lyme disease because he felt it was so important. He stopped doing all the other lab work except for Lyme. I'm sure this took a big bite out of his income since he was devoting time and money to the Lyme field.

His son grew up hearing about Lyme and his dad's successes so why wouldn't he go on to practice the type of medicine he knows the most about.

My Igenex test was "inconclusive".

[mojogal]

Seems to me that money is in the heart of all of  your notes perhaps that is all you are interested in and we are all suffering or have suffered with something you can't even imagine what it is like to have and most of us spend years to find an answer for. Our loved ones are affected and everyone in our lives. How would you like to read and re-read every word you write because your brain is thinking one thing and your hands type another thing? It is not fun, and how would you like to be on the phone to your kids and keep repeating yourself but not even knowing you are doing it because you have no memory. You are entitled to your opinion but I think you are doing more harm than good telling people on here your opinions.