Testing process started, costs, initial lab review

January 14, 2008

This morning my blood was drawn and sent to Central Florida Research,

Fry Laboratories, and Igenex.

According to the Igenex receptionist, they are having a special on the

tests. A bonus western blot is being performed on whole blood as well

as serum. This brings the panel to a total of four tests. I chose

this lab because they seem to be popular and dare I say trendy.

Fry Laboratories will cost about $300. They use a special proprietary

– soon to be patented cell stain. My blood will be stained, a

micrograph (picture) taken, and a report generated. Fry is the lab my

LLMD uses.

Central Florida Research was not contacted about pricing due to time

zone issues and operator apathy. Central Florida was chosen as they

seem to have their science well in order both on the web site and on

the telephone, look for the antigen, and are CLIA approved as well as

the test being CLIA approved. To me, Central Florida seemed the

strongest technically.

On the telephone I liked dealing with Fry Laboratories and Central

Florida Research. The telephone personnel at those labs seem to have

at least a rudimentary grasp of the science behind the tests and were

a pleasure to speak with. The receptionist at Igenex, while polite,

wasn't as helpful.

I found some of the forms a challenge to fill out. Two of the three

had very tiny lines to write in. The test kits were generally

confusing to deal with. They did not have an inventory of the test

items or even rudimentary instructions on which tubes to fill and or

spin. It was about an hour and forty-five minute process getting the

blood out, into the tubes, appropriate tubes centrifuged, finish

filling out the forms, fill out the shipping forms, then pack for

shipping.

My background:

Message #76889

Dated Fri Nov 30, 2007 10:44 am

I had optic neuritis in April 2000 and eventually diagnosed with MS in

the spring of 2003. I've taken Rebif, Copaxone, naltrexone, and

calcium EAP for the MS. None of those things seem to be doing

anything for whatever sickness I have. Lyme is the next disease to

look at.

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