niteboy2 ----- On all the lyme forums i have read, they say go with a reputable lab. Some better labs know exactly what to look for.
Igenex is the best, they are out of California and will let you send your sample in to them. They specialize in Lyme and other tick bourne diseases. Check out their website. I believe it is still in the $300 range. Not cheap, but it's still fairly expensive whichever way you go. I'm sure your doctor could order one for you too through their lab if you request. Labcorp is another good one, and is the one my doctor went through. Like i said, the western blot test is alot better than the elisa test.
If you think you have some symptoms, it wouldn't hurt to try and suggest a test. Thats how i did it after my doctors kept giving me wrong diagnosis after another.
Here is a list of symptoms i copied from another site. The list is long. You could have half a dozen of these symptoms and not have lyme too. Just thought i would throw these out there for anyone interested.
1. CONSTITUTIONAL SYMPTOMS (GENERAL WELL BEING)
· Fatigue, extreme or unusual
· Malaise
· Swollen glands
· Fevers, unexplained, high or low grade
. Continual infections (sinus, kidney, eye)
· New onset sensitivities
· New onset seasonal allergies
· Symptoms that seem to change, come and go
· Pain that migrates, moves to different body parts
· Early on, a flu-like illness, after which you have not been well
· Unexplained weight gain or loss
2. MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
· Joint pain or swelling
· Stiffness of joints, back, neck
· Muscle pain or cramps
· Muscle weakness
3. NEUROLOGIC SYSTEM (CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM)
· Tremors or unexplained shaking
· Burning or stabbing pain
· Weakness or partial paralysis
· Pressure in head
· Numbness in body, tingling, pinpricks · Lightheadedness, wooziness
· Increased motion sickness
· Gait disturbance
· Balance problems
· Clumsiness
4. MENTAL CAPABILITY (CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM)
· Short or long term memory loss
· Confusion
· Difficulty thinking
· Difficulty concentrating
· Difficulty reading
· Slowed or slurred speech
· Stammering speech
· Problems with word retrieval
· Attention deficit (ADD)
· Hyperactivity
· Forgetting how to perform routine tasks
· Dyslexia
· Word, spelling or number reversals
· Brain "fog"
5. PSYCHOLOGICAL (CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM)
· Mood swings
· Irritability
· Unusual depression
· Disorientation, getting lost
· Feeling as if you are losing your mind
· Overemotional reactions, crying easily
· Too much sleep, or insomnia
· Difficulty falling or staying asleep
· ADD/ADHD, especially new onset
· New onset anxiety
· New onset depression
· Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
· Manic depression
· Oppositional Defiant Behavior
· Bipolar disorder
6. RESPIRATORY AND CIRCULATORY SYSTEMS
· Shortness of breath, cough
· Chest pain or rib soreness
· Dilated cardiomyopathy
· Heart palpitations or extra beats
· Heart block (electric conduction disturbance)
7. HEAD, FACE, NECK
· Headache, mild or severe
· Unexplained hair loss
· Twitching of facial and other muscles
· Facial pain
· Facial paralysis (Bell's Palsy)
· Trigeminal neuralgia (TMJ)
· Tingling of nose, cheek, or face
· Stiff or painful neck
· Jaw pain or stiffness
· Sore throat
· Swallowing problems
· Painful gums
· Cracks around the sides of mouth
8. EYES / VISION
· Double or blurry vision
· Increased floating spots
· Pain or swelling, in or around eyes
· Chronic conjunctivitis
· Dry eyes
· Sensitivity to light
· Flashing lights
· Vision loss
9. EARS / HEARING
· Decreased hearing in one or both ears
· Buzzing in ears
· Pain in ears
10. DIGESTIVE AND EXCRETORY SYSTEMS · Diarrhea
· Constipation
· Irritable bladder
· Ringing in one or both ears
· Fluid in the ears
· Ears popping
· Upset stomach
· Abdominal pain
· Nausea
11. REPRODUCTION AND SEXUALITY
· Loss of sex drive
· Sexual dysfunction
· Males: Testicular or pelvic pain
· Females:
· Unexplained menstrual pain or irregularity
· Unexplained breast pain, discharge
· Endometriosis
· Pelvic pain
12. TICK BITE OR RASH
· Rash at site of bite
· Rash at other body parts
· Rash basically circular and spreading out
· Rash, disappearing and returning
· Usually flat and expanding
· May or may not itch
· May be pale pink to fiery red or purple
This list is not all inclusive.
