Posts: 450
From: Cleveland, Ohio
Registered: Jan 2003

posted July 05, 2005 06:09 PM         

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I need some advice and I know I can count on you guys.
I've been getting treatment for fibromyalgia since December at a clinic that is "non traditional" so much of my treatment has been out-of-pocket. i don't mind paying if it is legitimate and will help me, but now I'm starting to have questions about some of the legitimacy of the procedures.
It started off with lots of blood tests and tons of vitamins. Finally in March the vitamins seemed to start helping. I also started treatment for systemic Candida and was prescribed a medication (payed for by insurance.) i just got a call today that the doctor would like to see me sooner than the 6 week visit due to results of my lyme disease test. This is a concern to me because after I got the test (paid out of pocket to Igenex)I saw a TV show that vaguely touched on the topic of fake lyme's disease tests. I did a search through quackwack.com and the company Igenex's website came up. www.igenex.com The same company that did my test. It didn't say that they were not legitimate, but it gave me that impression by being linked with that website.
So here's my concern:
1. How do I know that these results are legitimate. With a previous lab test taken in January, one band of about 7 came out positive from a legitimate lab ( which doesn't prove I have lymes) I have never had some of the strange skin rings that is typical. I don't live in an area that is typical of Lymes (Cleveland, Ohio)though I was bitten by ticks a few years ago in Chatanooga TN. I didn't have any problems as a result, my fibromyalgia started eons before this time.
2. How do I do a background check on this Doctor, this clinic, and this lab

I plan on going to my doctor's visit though it seems like an additional visit. It just seems like I should be having better results for the amount of money I've been dishing out. Some of the simple lifestyle changes - getting enough sleep, avoiding stress work the best and cost nothing. The antidepressants that my regular doctor prescribed for anxiety seem to be helping best.
Thanks for your advice.

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Posts: 226
From: illinois
Registered: Apr 2005

posted July 06, 2005 02:09 AM         

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either do the research yourself or go to REAL doctors.

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Posts: 2771
From: Here, there and everywhere.
Registered: Jun 2004

posted July 06, 2005 09:48 AM         

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Just a note here. My mom had lymes disease a year before it was diognosed.

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Posts: 450
From: Cleveland, Ohio
Registered: Jan 2003

posted July 06, 2005 07:09 PM         

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She is an MD, most everything she has done is valid and used valid testing from labs that my regular doctor has used on a previous occasion.

Philbird, could you ask her how she was diagnosed?

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Posts: 468
From:
Registered: Sep 2004

posted July 06, 2005 07:12 PM         

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"real" doctors have ripped me off as much as alternative doctors. both do it.

how do you find the honest ones?

do *any* of them really care anymore?

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Posts: 226
From: illinois
Registered: Apr 2005

posted July 07, 2005 02:29 AM         

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my vote is with doing the research. read read read. learn all about the human body.

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Posts: 226
From: illinois
Registered: Apr 2005

posted July 07, 2005 02:30 AM         

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oh and dont just read, follow your hunches.

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Posts: 450
From: Cleveland, Ohio
Registered: Jan 2003

posted July 09, 2005 10:44 AM         

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I have an appointment on Monday, so I'll see what happens. I learned the lab is not "licensed" by the state of Ohio and this test is patented so there really isn't a way of seeing if it's valid or not. If the treatment is a shot of antibiotics OK but if it's some long expensive thing, a red flag will go up. I'm hoping this appointment will reveal that all the tests are absolutely normal - hopefully.

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