Lyme or no? CD 57

[Guest guest]

Hello,

My doctor (internist, specializing in environmental medicine) has been

telling me i have Lyme disease, and I'm getting more convinced he is

correct. The problem i have with it is that the Western Blot test was

inconclusive. I don't completely understand the test results (most

columns were negative), but i was positive ++ for band 41kDa " having

been exposed to spirochetes " , though, as my doctor says, that doesn't

have to mean lyme spirochetes. I was IND for band 31 kDa. He says the

test is not always reliable, especially in the case of someone who is

not well enough to mount an antibody response. That would be me. I

also have chronic mercury problems (being addressed).

My doctor is guiding me in Buhner's method of treating Lyme,

which he espouses. I have also read the book, which i found

independently, as well as Dr. Zhang (i have a friend who was helped

tremendously by that protocol). I find Buhner more informative, so i

am happy to follow this protocol.

The one thing that tends to convince me is my CD57 count, which was 17

a few months ago, and now is at 11. I understand that's very low and

is indicative of late-stage Lyme. Does anyone know -- is that always

the case? Or can something else make CD57 that low? What does that

mean for my chances of recovery?

Several reasons I have been hesitant to believe i have Lyme is

1. The WB test inconclusive

2. Been careful about ticks, never had a rash

3. Don't have any joint pains

4. my temp is chronically low (even on thyroid med it rarely gets

above 97). I don't get feverish though i feel feverish in spells..

The reasons for believing i have Lyme are:

1. CD57 = 11

2. tested positive for ehrlichia

3. have spent time in NY woods and land woods (and French woods -?)

I have autonomic nervous system problems, fatigue, autoimmune issues

(blood tests), adrenal and thyroid hypofunction, and other symptoms

which may be attributable to either Lyme, Mercury, or both, or neither

(i like to keep an open mind).

I also tested negative for babesia, but my doctor thinks i have it. He

says the test for this is quite inaccurate. I was on Plaquenil for 2

months but went off it because i was too miserable on it. Tried

artemesinin briefly -- it didn't go well for me. Doctor says Buhner

has revised his opinion on artemesinin anyway.

I'm been on the main Lyme protocol for a couple weeks, trying to work

up the dose, but it's making me even more lethargic than usual, and

feeling ill in the gut, and it's setting me back at my work. I

couldn't work for 6 months when this all began -- after many months of

mercury detox i was getting my brain back and working again. Now it

feels i am backsliding since beginning the herbs. I want to stick with

it, and i'm hoping it gets better, but it would help to know more

clearly that i actually do have Lyme disease.

So, I guess i'm looking for people here who are experienced with

chronic Lyme and this protocol, and maybe know something about the

various tests (i've had lots of them), and wouldn't mind giving me

some advice.

thanks for listening,

NJ