Where’s the progress?
We’ve covered the topic of chronic Lyme disease a couple of times throughout the past 4 years. And unfortunately for patients who are suffering, the medical community still refuses to get it’s act together when it comes to diagnosis and treatment. Instead of progress, all we see is more fighting among the two schools of thought of whether it exists or not—including demonizing the few physicians who are trying to help and patients who are desperate. I realize we don’t currently have all the answers, but to do nothing with these cases should be considered negligence.
Let’s stop fighting and get busy finding a solution. Because something is wrong.
Check out this article in the Capital Times to get a better understanding of chronic Lyme and the extent of the controversy. And here is a Lyme Symptom Checker.
Related:
My 2007 interview with Lyme survivor Chris Erickson (misdiagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease for over 10 years).
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An Emerging Epidemic? A Closer Look at Lyme Disease. (An interview with “Under Our Skin” director Andy Abrahams Wilson)
Catch other past shows on podcast
I recently contracted Lyme, and was ignorant at first to the cold shoulder that the medical community gives the disease. After going through 3 different doctors I was finally diagnosed with the disease. This disease needs to become more recognized and thought of as a serious medical issue. I am currently seeing a specialist, who has treated me with a numerous array of different drugs, so far I feel that I am getting better, but wish I had known about how serious this disease actually is. Don’t trust the average MD who brushes considers Lyme an insignificant problem.
I found a tick on myself that was picked up on a trip to Southern Texas. Within a short amount of time I came up with multiple symptoms and self diagnosed. I was lucky to visit a doctor who listened to my story and told me that it was a scam to take all these tests to verify the lyme disease because the test cost $200+ and were not always accurate. The cure was a round of antibiotics for 50 dollars. Labs are making money when the cure is simple.
Dear Kathleen,
I am so glad to see you are discussing Lyme Disease.
First a note to Steven V. your are right about one thing and that is a round of antibiotics works IF you are diagnosed right away with Lyme.
Respectfully,you are dead wrong about the cure being simple.
It is one of the most complex diseases and hardest to cure of any I have ever heard of, IF not diagnosed right away.
There are NO Lyme literate doctors in Madison Wisconsin that I have been able to find, which I think is absurd!
Dean Clinics & University of Wisconsin Hospitals & Clinics——-Really????????????—————-Really!!!
My husband was having shortness of breath upon exertion, and was misdiagnosed for 16 months with asthma. Went for another opinion and after finally listening to him, sent him to a neurologist and diagnosed him with ALS.
We wouldn’t accept that diagnosis, especially after seeing the video “Under My Skin” which tells how Lyme mimics ALS, MS, Parkinson’s, etc. so had to pay $1,135.00 out of pocket to test for Lyme at IgeneX in CA. as the only give the insensitive Elisa test here, and of course that was negative, but the test came back positive for Lyme & the Ehrichlia Chaffeenis co-infection.
So we had to find a doctor 2 hrs. north of Madison for treatment, and had to drive 4 1/2 hrs. north of Madison to have a picc line put in by a radiologist and now having to hire a nurse from a health agency to come to the house to change the dressing weekly and draw blood as our doctors are just not behind this at all and won’t deal with it.
How outrageous is this??
I am so happy you are addressing this and hope that you will talk to more people and put a voice to it, so that all the thousands of people suffering from this dreadful disease can finally get the help they need, not to mention the financial benefit of having the insurance companies pay for these ridiculous costs to try to get well.
Thank you so much.
Please let me know if you would like to discuss this at all.
We have a mutual friend, which is a very interesting story.
Dixie