Question 1

is it possible for lyme disease to come back?

Accepted Answer

Yes: One can be infected more than once.

Question 2

can back pain be from lyme disease?

Accepted Answer

Yes: The signs and symptoms of lyme disease vary and usually affect more than one system. The skin, joints and nervous system are affected most often.

Question 3

could lyme disease cause a painful burning sensation in your ribs in your back?

Accepted Answer

Lyme's disease: Although the answer is "possible" you do not want to fall into the  habit of blaming all symptoms to this condition. Always check with your physician for accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Question 4

tested positive for lyme disease igm but my western blot test came back negtive?

Accepted Answer

Then it's not Lyme: Lyme disease can be tricky -and you want to make sure you see someone like an Infectious Diseases doctor who knows how to treat it. The diagnosis is actually based on clinical findings, and the lab testing is generally 'supportive'. Since you're Western blot is negative, then it's very unlikely you have Lyme. There are other diseases that could cause 'Lyme-like' symptoms -and good to get evaluated

Question 5

what is the best lyme disease test? i've had the  basic blood test done, came back negative, but is there a more thorough test to rule it out?

Accepted Answer

Need more info.: Why do you think you have lyme disease?  When was the test done relative to tick exposure?  It takes 2-4 weeks for antibodies to form, which is why lyme disease is often a clinical diagnosis which may be confirmed only later with testing.  The antibody screening test for lyme has a high sensitivity (picks up almost all cases) but lower specificity (non-lyme cases may be positive).

Question 6

can you have lyme disease if the blood test comes back negative?

Accepted Answer

No: Others may argue this point but i firmly believe a positive lyme screen and western blot is essential for the diagnosis.

Question 7

my son found a tick on me and swatted it away but it looks like it bit me.red scab.i dont know how long it was there. will i get lyme disease? what are things to look for? i feel numbness in back but cant tell if its related. thanks?

Accepted Answer

: The risk to develop Lyme disease is extremely low after brief attachment, defined as less than 36 hours.  Given the uncertainty of the duration tick had been fed before its removal, you may want to consult with your PCP or your local health dept. regarding doxycycline prophylaxis.

Question 8

lyme disease came back negative, however, the only thing highlighted under report was 30 kd band & 39 kd band as "reactive" and it reads as "abnormal." what do these two things in quotations mean?

Accepted Answer

: It means you need to talk to the Dr who ordered the tests and the lab who did them.

Question 9

how accurate is a lyme disease ab w/refl to blot (igg, igm)  test? my results came back negative but with my symptoms my doctor seemed pretty certain

Accepted Answer

Not very accurate!: Lyme testing leaves a lot to be desired. The screening AB via ELISA misses at least HALF of all cases. The Western Blot is a better test and should be done even if the AB test is negative, but most labs do inadequate tests; the best is by IgeneX but even that may miss over 20% of cases! See http://betterhealthguy.com/lyme/testing
and https://tinyurl.com/y8opon3c for much more info!

Question 10

i worried my son spot on his back is symptomatic of lyme disease.  weve used, otc creams, a prescription steroid cream, a prescription steroid/anti-fungal cream;  the steroid cream helps takes away inflammation, but the spot is growing.

Accepted Answer

Might be/not: This would require a review of history /exam &amp; maybe some testing to sort out. Schedule a visit.

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Doctor answers about:

Diagnosing lyme disease by lumbar puncture

A member asked:

Is it possible for lyme disease to come back?

A member asked:

Can back pain be from lyme disease?

A member asked:

Could lyme disease cause a painful burning sensation in your ribs in your back?

A member asked:

Tested positive for lyme disease igm but my western blot test came back negtive?

A member asked:

What is the best lyme disease test? i've had the basic blood test done, came back negative, but is there a more thorough test to rule it out?

A member asked:

Can you have lyme disease if the blood test comes back negative?

A member asked:

My son found a tick on me and swatted it away but it looks like it bit me.red scab.i dont know how long it was there. will i get lyme disease? what are things to look for? i feel numbness in back but cant tell if its related. thanks?

A member asked:

Lyme disease came back negative, however, the only thing highlighted under report was 30 kd band & 39 kd band as "reactive" and it reads as "abnormal." what do these two things in quotations mean?

A member asked:

How accurate is a lyme disease ab w/refl to blot (igg, igm) test? my results came back negative but with my symptoms my doctor seemed pretty certain

A member asked:

I worried my son spot on his back is symptomatic of lyme disease. weve used, otc creams, a prescription steroid cream, a prescription steroid/anti-fungal cream; the steroid cream helps takes away inflammation, but the spot is growing.

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