Do I have Lyme Disease

Many people don't realize that mental issues can be a part of Lyme. Here is a list of mental disorders that can be caused by a Lyme infection:

Bipolar
OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
Panic/Anxiety Disorder
Depression
Derealization (an alterated perception or experience of the external world so that it seems unreal)
Mood Swings

Borrelia Burgdorferi can enter your brain and cause these conditions. Here are some research links.

PSYCHIATRIC IMPACT OF LYME DISEASE

Distinct Pattern of cognitive Impairment noted in Lyme Patients

Ilads Psychiatric Brochure

The Role of Neuropsychology Testing Lyme In Children

The Neuropsychiatric Assessment of Lyme Disease

References for Psychiatry and Lyme/Tick-Borne Diseases

The Human Side Of Lyme

Understanding The Puzzle Of Chronic Lyme

Can Lyme Cause Psychiatric Disorders?

Diseases Of The Mind

Spinal Fluid and Brain Tests

Remember less then half of people infected with Lyme Disease get a rash at all. But if you do get a Bull's Eye rash it is 100% diagnostic of having Lyme Disease. It may appear where you got bit or anywhere on your body. Sometimes it will be hidden under your hair, under your arm, or on your back.

Blood tests for Lyme Disease.
Our current tests are not very accurate. Your doctor will likely order first a Elisa test. If that test comes back positive then he will order a Western Block. There is also the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction).

Elisa Test
There The Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbant Serum Assay is the simplest, least expensive, easiest to perform, and most common Lyme test ordered. It is a test based on detecting the antibodies that our bodies make in response to being exposed to Lyme Disease, aka Borrelia burgdorferi. It is a preferred test by laboratories, not because it is more accurate than other Lyme tests, but because it is automated. It is a fast test, in other words, labs can turn over a quick profit with this test. This test is reported to only be 55% accurate.

How ELISA test works is that it can be primed to be very specific for some of the spirochetes antibodies. This is done by taking a lab sample of the bacteria and breaking the sample down into fragments. These fragments, or know as antigens, are then embedded on the side of a reagent vessel like a test tube. Then the patient's serum is added, and any free antibodies specific for the test strain will then bind to the antigens, which are linked to special enzymes that will change color when antibodies are present. The sample is continually diluted until the reaction no longer occurs and no color change can be detected. The sample is then reported as a dilution ratio, such as one part serum to 256 parts water, or 1:256.

The ELISA test seems simple, but it has some major flaws. Borrelia species are polymorphic. That is, Borrelia species can significantly change its surface proteins enough during cell division as to evade our immune system, which may differ from laboratory strains enough to result in a false negative, even if antiBb antibodies are present. So until we can test for every strain these tests are pretty much useless in my opinion.

The Western Blot

IgM
The first antibody our body makes in response to a foreign invader is usually immunoglobulin type M, abbreviated as IgM. This large antibody takes two to four weeks to be made in quantities large enough to be measured. It is best to test four weeks after exposure to an antigen. The IgM antibody will only stay in circulation for about six months, after that the levels of antibodies are usually too low to detect. If infection persists, this antibody may also persist. In general, a Lyme patient who consistently has detectable IgM levels is usually chronically ill, but its absence is not a reliable indicator that you don't have an infection.

The problem is, most Drs do not even know this. I have been tested for Lyme Disease on a couple occasions and it was never in the time frame suggested for accurate results. This may lead to many false negatives.

IgG
The second antibody we make after the IgM is the IgG antibody. This antibody takes up to eight weeks to form, and is gone in less than one year. It peaks at about six weeks. This antibody crosses the placenta, so an infected mother can pass this antibody to her child. An IgG antibody titer in a newborn baby does not necessarily mean active infection. It does mean the mother has had exposure to the Lyme infection, and the baby must be carefully monitored for signs of the disease. This antibody remains the longest and is the foot soldier of the immune system. It attacks viruses, bacteria, yeast, toxins, and transplants. The IgG antibody can kill bacteria indirectly by tagging or marking the foreign invaders for destruction by the killer T-cells. Or, it can kill the bacteria directly by evoking compliment, a series of enzymes and proteins that will dissolve the intruder.

The Western Blot essentially makes a map of the different antibodies the immune system produces to the bacteria. The map separates the antibodies by the weight of their respective antigens and are reported in units called kilo daltons or kDa. For example, a Western Blot may report bands at 22, 23, 25, 31, 34, 39, and 41 kDa. Each of these bands represents an antibody response to a specific protein found on the spirochete. The 41 band indicates an antibody to the flagella 41 kDa protein and is nonspecific. The 31 kDa band represents the OSPA protein and is specific for just a few species of Borrelia, as is the 34 band OSPB, and 23 kDa OSPC.

Many important bands that were specific to Lyme Disease were removed from the test for unexplainable reason. Many believe it is due to the Lymerix vaccine gone bad. Many who got this Lyme vaccine were testing positive for Lyme Disease so they removed these bands to prevent false positives in people who were vaccinated. I don't know why they wouldn't just ask a person if they had a vaccine instead of completely removing them.

PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)
These test are of the more specific of the diagnostic assays in that the PCR detects the genetic material of the organism. Instead of providing indirect evidence of infection by looking at the immune response, like the other tests, the PCR detects the genetic material itself. But, while a positive PCR result does not demonstrate definitively that current infection is present, it is strongly suggestive of current or very recent infection. Unfortunately the PCR assay is often negative when used conducted to assist in the diagnosis of Lyme disease. This could be because the genetic load in the specimen is below the detection level of the test. It may also be because the Lyme bacteria is well known to reside in the blood for only short periods of time. Lyme spirochetes are tissue tropic and may live in areas of reduced vascular circulation, so because of this the PCR assay of the blood or CSF may be negative.

There are researchers out there working on better testing methods. Hopefully soon a more accurate one will become available.

However there are certain labs that specialize in Lyme Disease. The one I refer people to is Igenex Labs out of California. If you contact them they will send you or your doctor a kit. This lab tests for more bands then traditional labs do making it more accurate. Click here to read more on Igenex Labs.

Dr Burrascano has come up with a new test that cultures the blood. To learn more New Culture Test

To learn more on Lyme Testing please read Click here

Are you looking for Lyme Bracelets? - 10% Discount

Since Lyme tests are so inaccurate, it is really common for people with Lyme to get misdiagnosed with other diseases, or with names that sound like diseases but are really just a fancy name for a group of symptoms. Some people are scared to ask their doctors what exactly is causing their symptoms. You should really consider Lyme testing if you have been diagnosed with any of these.

Possible Misdiagnosis

MS
Fibromyalgia
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Parkinsons
Depression
Panic Disorder
Manchausens
Ring Worm
Lupus
ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease

I like this book because after being on antibiotics and using western medicine for over fifteen years to try to treat Lyme, I have noticed that simply changing your diet has the biggest impact out of everything I have ever done to treat Lyme.

The Lyme Diet:
Nutritional Strategies for Healing from Lyme Disease

I recommend Cure Unknown because Pamela, was a medical researcher/writer turned Lyme Patient. She was very unbiased and did a great job on explaining the history of Lyme and why doctors are so scared to treat it. It's a great book from a science standpoint AND from the patient's view.

Cure Unknown:
Inside the Lyme Epidemic

This was the second book I read on Lyme Disease and it is still on the top three list. Again, I believe that diet, vitamins and minerals are the answers to controlling symptoms and giving your body the best defense it has to fighting these infections.

Healing Lyme:
Natural Healing And Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis And Its Coinfections

PJ Langhoff is a personal friend of mine, she has Lyme herself and is also a medical researcher/writer and was involved in the investigation against the IDSA. She has inside knowledge and has dedicated her life to helping those with Lyme.

God Science:
The Secret World of Rampant Genetics, Hidden Illness, and Biotech Profiteering