One Band only? - Lyme Disease Message Board

fit4duty · 11-23-2003, 12:44 AM

Hi, I am new to this board and found you only by chance. I am 32yo female. I am in the Army and have apparently tested postive for Lyme Disease. As many, I dont remember ever being bit by a tick and recently found that you can get it by a mosquito bite. Never had the rash and never got sick. I have been suffering for the last 2.5 years with chronic bursitis and tendonitis in both hips since my basic training. The bursitis has only recently calmed down this last month but my tendons are still painful when climbing stairs. Occasionally I still get the sharp needle pains in my hips. I now also have mild bone digeneration in my lower back and have been suffering from that only since August. My Dr. here only tested me because he had it once and caught it early, but suffered from joint pain as well. Since no on could come up with a dx he tested me. I came back positive.... took over a month for him to tell me. Well, now I can't see him any more since I no longer belong to them since my file went to the hospital, I had to see them. I went and spoke to this guy who isn't a dr. (minder, Army medicine screwed up). Well, the western blot wasn't posted on the computer, so he said he will get a hold of the lab and find out what happened. He called me that evening and said that I only had one band present and he couldn't remember what the band was...he gave me some crazy k??59 or something like that. He didn't know what it meant and refered me to Infectious Disease...(who won't see me either)

I looked high and low on line for only on band and all I found was that it means non*reactive...?????? What the heck does that mean? I am completely lost

As well as the Army doctors or whatever people. Any advice would be appreciated. Oh, I also came up neg for rumatoid arthritis, autoimune, lupus, hypo/erthryroid. I did come up positive for inflamation in my blood...duh! I also have the occasional wrist pain and swelling and pains in my shoulders. My right one will cause my arm and hand to tingle. This has only happened twice. I can no longer run or do my situps and most likely will be kicked out of the army. They gave me three shots of steroid before testing for Lyme... What is wrong with me? I get lots of stiffness in my neck and back. More so recently and can't walk more then 20 min without being in a lot of pain now morese from my back then my hips.

Sorry so long winded, but you know how it is the first time posting.

Thanks
Kelley

DTemple · 11-23-2003, 02:37 PM

Kelley, My lyme tests were considered negative as well. Early in my infection I had the Elisa test and was 3/100 of a percent below positive, so they considered it negative. Then at about week five I tested using a Western Blot and had only one band positive. Mine was the IgG band 41. There are websites that will explain the results to you, but the problem lies with the interpretation of the tests. The CDC requires three to five bands to be positive, however there are other schools of thought on this. I found a website for a prominent medical school which said that Band 41 "was consistent with a past spirochete infection". In other words, according to that interpretation, I did or still do have lyme disease. By the way, I was also tested for lupus, ms and other infectious diseases. It is confusing for all of us, even civilians, who have access to supposedly good medical care, to get a consistent and accurate response about lyme disease. However, I think you may be at somewhat of a disadvantage by only having military medical attention. Are you able to see doctors that are not military? If so, heed the advice you see on the other postings and get in contact with a lyme literate doctor in your area.

ticker · 11-24-2003, 03:38 PM

Kelly, there is no completely reliable test for Lyme Disease. Many people who have Lyme test negative. Even the CDC (who is not up to date on current treatments) states that a negative test does not rule out Lyme. I suggest getting copies of all your test results. Maybe the doctor who told you that your test was positive could contact someone at the hosptial.

Only about 50% of people who have Lyme ever get a rash. Many are bitten without knowing it, because ticks are tiny and they inject a numbing agent so you cannot feel them on you. From what I understand, people who have Lyme should not take steroids because it can make the symptoms worse.

It is very important to see a knowledgable doctor and also be tested for all the co-infections that ticks can transmit--Babeiosis, Ehrlichiosis HME & HGE, and Bartonella.

fit4duty · 12-01-2003, 07:54 PM

Thank you both... I found out today that the only band that came back reactive was 58kd. The doctor there started me on Doxycyline. I will ask them to test me for all those co-infections. It is sad that I had 3 steroid shots and now that you say it can make it worse, it really did. I have only gotten worse. They are telling me that my problems are mainly because my muscles are weak and I need to do more exercises..grrr >( I don't understand these people.

Has anyone had chronic Bursitis bc of the LD?

Unfortunately I can not seek out civilian drs unless they have no one to see me here and have to refer me to a specialist. I am stuck with incompitent drs.

Thanks for your responses
Kelley