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Mycoplasma Lab Results.

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA
I had mycoplasma tested when I started with Dr L last spring. It came back as high - 295 (0-99) but he said that was not high enough to mean anything.

I've been on azith (which I think kills myco as well) for a while now. Actually, that result was after about a year treatment with azith. So shouldn't the level be even lower if it is actually all gone?

Does anyone know at what level mycoplasma is considered a problem?

Thanks!
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
I've been on azith (which I think kills myco as well) for a while now. Actually, that result was after about a year treatment with azith. So shouldn't the level be even lower if it is actually all gone?

Was it an antibody test? IgM antibodies don't necessarily drop quickly, so if you had a mycoplasma infection in the past year or two, your antibodies might still be highish. Maybe a PCR test for mycoplasma (if there is such a thing o_O) would clarify whether you have an active infection or just leftover antibodies.
 

knackers323

Senior Member
Messages
1,625
Was it an antibody test? IgM antibodies don't necessarily drop quickly, so if you had a mycoplasma infection in the past year or two, your antibodies might still be highish. Maybe a PCR test for mycoplasma (if there is such a thing o_O) would clarify whether you have an active infection or just leftover antibodies.

There is a pcr test for it. I had one and it came back positive but drs told me it was a very common infection that the body can deal with by itself. ?

Depends who you listen to I guess
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
There is a pcr test for it. I had one and it came back positive but drs told me it was a very common infection that the body can deal with by itself. ?

Depends who you listen to I guess
Yeah, the body can handle it IF said body has a healthy immune system. Ignorant doctors assume -- without testing -- that we have normal immune systems and don't give us the meds we need. :rolleyes:
 

xrunner

Senior Member
Messages
843
Location
Surrey
I had mycoplasma tested when I started with Dr L last spring. It came back as high - 295 (0-99) but he said that was not high enough to mean anything.

I've been on azith (which I think kills myco as well) for a while now. Actually, that result was after about a year treatment with azith. So shouldn't the level be even lower if it is actually all gone?

Does anyone know at what level mycoplasma is considered a problem?

Thanks!

Dr Garth Nicolson has researched mycoplasma for a long time, perhaps you could email him for an opinion.
His contact details here http://www.immed.org/reachus.htm#faculty
You may also find the document below helpful.
http://www.immed.org/NewsReports/NewsReports03.2010update/PHA_Nicolson_0709_v4_07.pdf
In the following presentation there were a couple of slides quoting a study on Lyme/mycoplasma patients and persistence of infections. http://www.ilads.org/lyme_programs/ilads-live/videos/videos_horowitz.php
My own experience (but had no mycoplasma) agrees with what they both say about treatment.
 

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA
Was it an antibody test? IgM antibodies don't necessarily drop quickly, so if you had a mycoplasma infection in the past year or two, your antibodies might still be highish. Maybe a PCR test for mycoplasma (if there is such a thing o_O) would clarify whether you have an active infection or just leftover antibodies.
I actually had a negative IgM and a positive IgG.

Maybe a PCR test is the way to differentiate between and old infection and a chronic one?

@xrunner, that paper was actually the one that got me thinking about all this again!

He mentions the only lab worth using to test is VIP aka Red Labs USA but they seem to now be defunct. I wonder where they are testing now? Maybe I will send a little email and see if I get a reply.
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
I actually had a negative IgM and a positive IgG.

Maybe a PCR test is the way to differentiate between and old infection and a chronic one?

@xrunner, that paper was actually the one that got me thinking about all this again!

He mentions the only lab worth using to test is VIP aka Red Labs USA but they seem to now be defunct. I wonder where they are testing now? Maybe I will send a little email and see if I get a reply.

Stupid me, I got my IgG and IgM mixed up. :redface: IgM are the acute, recent infection ones and IgG are the long-term ones. Dr L probably thinks the IgGs are leftover from a previous infection. Really high IgG would be worrisome, but evidently he doesn't consider yours really high, just normally high.o_O

As I understand it, PCR tests for the pathogen itself, not the antibodies and so should give a clearer picture. The docs don't like to do PCR because they are expensive and insurance companies complain (and don't always pay).
 

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA
Stupid me, I got my IgG and IgM mixed up. :redface: IgM are the acute, recent infection ones and IgG are the long-term ones. Dr L probably thinks the IgGs are leftover from a previous infection. Really high IgG would be worrisome, but evidently he doesn't consider yours really high, just normally high.o_O

As I understand it, PCR tests for the pathogen itself, not the antibodies and so should give a clearer picture. The docs don't like to do PCR because they are expensive and insurance companies complain (and don't always pay).
I think you are right about L's thinking. But my issue is that I was taking Azith for a year prior to him doing that antibody test so it's not exactly a true baseline.

I just wonder how high it has to be for him to take notice. I mean, it would be one thing if he starts to treat at 500 and totally another if he doesn't consider it an issue until it's in the thousands or something. Oh, to be able to ask a simple question!

I suppose I will have to bite the bullet and get the PCR. I just don't want to stop the Azith if I still need it. Nor do I want to stay on it if I don't.
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
I think you are right about L's thinking. But my issue is that I was taking Azith for a year prior to him doing that antibody test so it's not exactly a true baseline.

I just wonder how high it has to be for him to take notice. I mean, it would be one thing if he starts to treat at 500 and totally another if he doesn't consider it an issue until it's in the thousands or something. Oh, to be able to ask a simple question!

I suppose I will have to bite the bullet and get the PCR. I just don't want to stop the Azith if I still need it. Nor do I want to stay on it if I don't.
I don't think a true baseline matters in this case unless your IgG titre increases more when you go off azith. I think that would suggest that it's the azith keeping the mycoplasma under control (Can azith do that?) rather than your immune system.

I empathize about Dr L and asking simple questions!
 

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA
So I just found in one of Dr L's documents and this is what it says about mycoplasma:

http://www.treatmentcenterforcfs.com/documents/MECFSTreatmentResourceGuideforPractitioners.pdf
  • Treatment of Mycoplasma Pneumonia

We use LabCorp less than 300 as a normal level. The patient is not considered to have persistent Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection unless the initial titer is 600 or more.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is treated intravenously with doxycycline 150 mg IV piggyback for six weeks followed by oral suppression with doxycycline 100-150 mg twice daily or moxifloxacin 400 mg once daily for three months. The goal of this therapy is a serum level which is less than twice the normal. The duration of time again is six weeks intravenously plus a minimum of three months oral suppression.

So it looks like my level of 295 is *just* normal.

But if the goal is a serum level less than twice the normal (150 or less), what about all the people that fall into the 150-600 range? Are they just left out of treatment entirely?

I may test this again next time. I've been on azith/doxy another year since then. If it's going to come down any more with that med combo, I think it will have done so!
 

minkeygirl

But I Look So Good.
Messages
4,678
Location
Left Coast
I was wondering what Nicolson's protocol is, what levels he treats at. I know years ago he did doxy a few weeks on then off. I don't remember his exact protocol.