Reply To: Ugh still anxious

[anixety365]

Hi Terri, Sorry, I renewed! Unfortunately, I am still concerned about the possibility of a false negative on the blot.

Questions:

1.As I mentioned above, my sample was not recorded at UW until 4 days after my blood draw. I am having trouble conceptualizing how the ice pack could have remained cold enough for four days. Is there something about the WB kit that helps it remain cold? The pink foam maybe?

2. I read a post on medhelp from Dr. Hansfield where he suggested the Western Blot was less sensitive than the igg and probably missed more infections.Not sure if im allowed to attach links.

Thoughts on this?I’ve heard with tests in general as specificity increases sensitivity starts to decrease. Is that not the case with the Western Blot? I never got an IGG test but I got tested 9 months after the exposure with no partners in the interim.

3. I’ve also been a little concerned about seroreversion because I got tested almost a year after the exposure. Do antibodies disappear overtime or become undetectable? I’ve seen on this forum you say that it sometimes happens with the igg but never with the western blot.

Why does it not happen with the WB? I got concerned because I came across a post on this forum where the poster said they contacted the University of Washington to ask about seroreversion on the western blot specifically.
According to the poster the lab’s response was:“Antibody levels may wane/oscillate overtime due to the patient’s immune function and/or antigen stimulation.”

Do you agree that antibodies can become undetectable overtime on the blot? I know a small number of people never seroconvert but is it unlikely someone would go from detectable to undetectable on the blot?

Thanks Terri! I probably will end up redoing the blot because I can’t seem to shake the worry.