Is There a Definitive Test for Lyme Disease?

Thank you for writing this . I have been suffering for years with Lyme and the complicatons of it. I once was given treatment for 10 days "just in case I have Lyme" from that point I got more sick, I was in the hospital for 2 weeks while they tried to find out what was wrong with me. I was no longer able to walk. they sent me to a nursing home for "rehab", saying it's all in my head . When I inquired about seeing specialist, they refused. when I did get to an Infectious Disease Doctor in two different years, they said I don't have Lyme,"it's in your head". After three years in a Nursing home through word of mouth I have found a Board Certified Neurologist who specializes in Lyme. This Doctor not only Diagnosed me with Lyme but said I also have a couple of coinfectons along with it. Since Ive had Bell's Palsy several times in over thirty years this disease has been in my system for a long time. But the Infectious Disease Doctors couldn't Diagnosis it? So I've had to loose my life all this time because of that.

They should let only the Doctors who really want to help people with Lyme so they can be specialist and help more people.

P Princess of MA 7:45PM March 21, 2011

Can someone tell me what symptoms they had or have? My grandson,16 has missed so much school this past year that he was put on a special list for frequent absentees. He misses school because he gets sick to his stomach just about every morning, vomiting, and often with diarrhea. He also has constant knee pain.

Colleen of MI 7:41PM May 27, 2010

Is there no definitive test for lyme? I was having a number of symptoms--joint pain, muscle pain, fatigue, headaches, confusion. I got a lyme and ehrlichia test. I came up positive for Ehrlichia, but only had one out of three (vs 2 out of 3 for a positive test) for lyme. I was 2 weeks of doxy, and my joint pain got much better, though it was hard for me to say overall how I felt because I think the antibiotics made me feel bad.

I think about 2 days after I stopped the antibiotic I had mild joint pain again, which has been getting steadily worse over the past two weeks. I am still not as bad as I was when I started antibiotics, but there seems to be a downward trend. Doctor feels like 2 weeks should have killed the ehrlichia, so feels there i a reasonable chance it is lyme.

Does this sound right? I am glad that she is willing to treat, it is just curious to me that 1. I don't remember a rash (this is maybe my biggest issue) 2. the test was negative. Of course, I don't remember getting bitten at all and clearly I was because I positive for ehrlichia. I don't know what lyme test I had, but is there nothing that doesn't turn up the false positive. I am in a heavily lyme area, Northern VA.

I guess I am just having a hard time gearing myself up for treatment without a positive test, but from reading here it sounds like I might actually never get that but it doesn't mean I'm not infected. I would really appreciate other people's thoughts/experiences. Thank you.

DRE of VA 11:05PM March 30, 2010

To Cyndie of NJ. Who is the doctor that you went to in NJ. I was tested for Lymes based on the symptoms that I had. I never found a tick on me or had a rash. One doctor told me that I was positive treated me for one month with doxycycline then send me to an infectious specialist. The specialist told me that I had a false positive because only two of my IgM was positive and one of my IgG. I am still in a lot of pain and it is interfering with my job and my everyday life.

Barb of NJ 4:12PM March 18, 2010