Re: Antibiotic questions for & Connie

[Guest guest]

Hi :-)

I had the mycoplasma by PCR test in April of '98 when I was in

California at Dr. Franco's conference on using abx for rheumatic

diseases. Unfortunately, I had already started the abx two months

prior and Dr. Franco told me that the test would probably show a

negative result due to the antibiotics. I was not on any kind of

pred or other DMARDS, however.

I've always been under the impression that one shouldn't be on any

antibiotics for at least 4 (or more) weeks prior to the testing, but

I am not aware of any restrictions of pred or DMARDS relating to

testing, though. Can you find that info again? I looked though

parts of Dr. Nicolson's website at www.immed.org and couldn't find

any reference. However, in his FAQ section I found the following:

QUESTION:

How long must I be off antibiotics and immune enhancement products

before my blood is taken for testing?

RESPONSE:

Our usual recommendations are 4 weeks off all immune enhancement

products, antibiotics or anything else that might affect testing. The

reason for this is that the blood levels of intracellular infections,

such as Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Borrelia, etc., can be more easily

suppressed by antibiotics and immune responses than the tissue

levels. Thus the blood levels may rebound slowly after treatment is

stopped, whereas the tissue levels of infections are usually not as

sensitive to treatment, and they take longer to suppress with

treatment. This is one reason why the treatment takes so long for

chronic intracellular infections compared to rapidly growing

microorganisms. Another reason is that chronic infectious agents

respond more slowly to treatment, and they are often not as sensitive

to a variety of treatment approaches.

Prof. Garth Nicolson

, are you thinking of going through Dr. Nicolson's lab (if it is

an issue, make sure you check with your insurance prior to testing)

or are you going through someone else? I don't know if Dr. Luther

Lindner is still accepting blood for his studies. I might be able to

find his number.....one of these might still be current:

" During the week

you can usually reach me (Dr. Lindner) at Texas A & M University

College of Medicine,

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, , e-

mail

lindner@..., or at home at , FAX . "

Take care, . Let us know what you find out.

Love,

Connie H

-- In Rpolychondritis@y..., " A.C. Lau " <kagor@j...> wrote:

> I really have been intrigued by this mycoplasma infection concepts &

> treatment. Thank you both, for sharing your experiences with the

group!

> I'd like to ask you, if you recall taking a blood test first, to

help

> Dr. Franco diagnose what type of mycoplasma infection that you

have?