Lyme Disease

Here is a link explaining the CD57 test

Jimmer-

The absolute minimum is 21 days, with 4-6 weeks being common.  Anything less than that, and you run the risk of not 100% wiping it out, and it coming back stronger. 

The CD57 test is not accepted by the CDC, (however I should mention that the CDC also doesn’t believe chronic Lyme disease exists), so take that with a grain of salt. 

In a nutshell, the CD57 is more useful for benchmarking treatment progress than diagnosis itself. Most folks with an active Lyme infection have a CD57 score of <60.  Whereas a healthy person will have a CD57 score of >300. They typically treat you with Doxy until your CD57 score is 200 or above. I was on Doxy for almost 2 years before I was able to get back to a fairly normal / active life. (I had undiagnosed Lyme for years) Also, exceedingly few labs are proficient at administering a CD57 test. 

As for treatment protocol, Here is a good link

It’s important to note that very few doctors are proficient with Lyme, it’s not that your doctor doesn’t want to help you, it’s just a specialty like oncology or cardiology, for Lyme doctors - it’s all they do…

I was recently diagnosed and was diagnosed within a week or 2 of symptoms.  Went through the 10 day doxy treatment and had symptoms return 2 weeks after completing.  Now on doxy for another 30 day course.

I was on it 21 days, I was undiagnosed for around 9 or 10 months I believe.  I had all the symptoms but the rash , never put 2 and 2 together. I could've slept 24 hours a day. I was feeling better after 3 days as far as being tired, my joints took longer. 

 Not sure if the test is covered. 

 The county did call me to verify a positive test at the time.

For the past month or so I’ve been noticing that I tire more easily than usual, especially when I am working hard, physically, and then not feeling rested in the mornings. About three weeks ago I started having some pretty significant neck pain and headaches. Then late last week I started getting some round/oval rash marks on my chest. Three days later the rash was all over my upper torso. 

I went to the doc yesterday and they started me on 10-day run of doxy. Just got a call that the ELISA came back positive. Been down this road a few times now. 

Any thoughts on whether a person should be requesting a longer regimen of the doxy, or if it’s needed? 

Also, is the CD-57 typically covered by insurance? 

Hopefully everybody on this thread is recovered or on their way to it. 

Thanks. 

I recall that as well sh!

I had 1/2 dozen Elisha Lyme tests from my primary care, rhuem doc, neurologist, etc, all negative…  They suspected I had lupus, MS, Fibro, even a brain tumor, however everything kept coming back negative, while I got sicker and sicker. 

Interestingly, there is a sweet spot for the Elisha Lyme test. For many, they will not test positive until 4 to 6 weeks after exposure. For others who are unfortunate enough to not have a diagnosis for years, and years, they will typically test for antibodies, as the bacteria by that point has burrowed itself deep into your muscles and nerves. 

New estimates show that the Elisha Lyme test may miss up to 50% of diagnosis's, and so many suffer without understanding why or what is wrong with them. 

The only fool proof way is to get a Lyme panel by Igenex - they are the best in the biz! 

I've been on it for 6yrs.....but I manage....they told me for yrs I was negative.....wrong!

Quester,

That has always been the case, around 30-40% of folks never get a bull’s-eye rash…

Skihog-

A CD57 test is more useful for benchmarking progress of treatment than an initial diagnosis.  A normal person typically has a score of 500 or above, someone with an active Lyme infection is typically going to be under 200.  LLD’s typically treat their patients with Doxy or a similar antibiotic until the CD57 score rises above 200, then they let your body do the rest. I was on antibiotics for darn near two years, as I was undiagnosed for years…

Cd57...done.... 

I'm back to almost normal

i heard there are 2 types of Lyme disease now, one with bullseye rash and another that does not show rash.

Never had the bullseye,  if it's  on your head you'd never see it. I had every symptom just never put it together.  The neck ache was a son of a buck and the screaming head aches.  I stated earlier I have reumitoid arthritis and it mimics it . You have to insist on a test.

Had one buried in my stomach a year later.  They just gave me ten days worth of doxy , no test.

Good luck Woods-N-Water.  From my experience to diagnose it early like you may have is good.  And as Brent says, getting some doxycycline for it will be good.

Looks like I never caught from I think it was 2 years ago. Got the shot of antibiotics when they took it out. Had all the symptoms before and after but 2 tests came back negative. Too many other pains to deal with. Lol.   

And yes I did have the bull size rash

That's why they thought I had lymes from a get-go

I got limes in the '80s they kept sending my lap results up to University of Madison but this was a long time ago results kept coming unconclusive

I was starting to  high fevers I finally said is the treatment going to kill me they finally decided to throw the whole kitchen sink at me I the Rocky mountain spotted ticker treatment the the current treatment for lymes and antibiotics

I've been fine ever since