I need help

[Terry]

A friend of mine recently was diagnosed with Lyme disease. The doctors up here don't seem to be to familiar with the treatments, or etc. She really is suffering with this and any help would be apreciated. Anyone with contact info on specialists, treatment options, or etc would be apreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[deadheadskier]

All I got is (((vibes))) for your friend. I've heard it can be real tough and wish you luck in finding her better care.

 

[Beetlenut]

I'll PM you with my wife's email address. She, and our two kids, have been dealing with Lyme for a long time.

 

[Moe Ghoul]

All I know is that it's usually treated with antibiotics. If treated within 48 hours after contracting/bitten, it's "cureable" I keep a few different antibiotics on hand for that and other infections.

 

[MRGisevil]

Take whatever Beetle has as far as info goes, Terry. He'll help you out.

 

[Dr Skimeister]

The most current research as it pertains to dogs, most of which is extrapolated from research on humans, shows that 1/3 of individuals that live in a Lymes endemic area test positive for it. Almost all of the northeast and New England is considered endemic for Lymes. It's still confusing as to why most individuals that are exposed to the bacteria that causes Lymes never show any illness from it but that some individuals do. The most likely explanation is that those individuals with clinical illness associated with Lymes have some weakness, perhaps even temporarily, of their immune system that allows the bacteria to cause the clinical signs of fever, malaise, joint pain, etc. Treatment with antibiotics for a sufficiently long duration is very effective in individuals with a sufficiently strong immune system. Failure of treatment or relapse warrants investigating the integrity of the patient's immune system strength.

 

[ckofer]

As with most medical issues, the web can be quite helpful but you need to evaluate the credibility of any source. It pays to read many sites to get a handle on things. Forums such as this one: http://www.mdjunction.com/forums/lyme-disease-support-forums can be quite helpful. If nothing else, it will help you to understand the doctors.

 

[bigbog]

Hit the web for leads in the Boston area...a great area..imho

Yes, the Web(like Chris K's link)..both her symptoms and Doctor/Hospital-Clinic referrals..I'd first try in Boston area...then maybe NYC. Every hospital has a telephone Doctor Referral line...someone can help her out as well with names..etc...
Just four that I know....
Mass General
Deaconess
Brigham & Womens
Lahey Clinic?

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

A friend of mine recently was diagnosed with Lyme disease. The doctors up here don't seem to be to familiar with the treatments, or etc. She really is suffering with this and any help would be apreciated. Anyone with contact info on specialists, treatment options, or etc would be apreciated. Thanks in advance.

I had a lyme disease tick bite about 9 years ago. There was intense pain in my arm and the tell-tale sign was the bulls-eye. I was given some sort of shot and a few weeks later a blood disease said the disease was out of my system..is your friends Lyme disease recent?

 

[Beetlenut]

The most current research as it pertains to dogs, most of which is extrapolated from research on humans, shows that 1/3 of individuals that live in a Lymes endemic area test positive for it. Almost all of the northeast and New England is considered endemic for Lymes. It's still confusing as to why most individuals that are exposed to the bacteria that causes Lymes never show any illness from it but that some individuals do. The most likely explanation is that those individuals with clinical illness associated with Lymes have some weakness, perhaps even temporarily, of their immune system that allows the bacteria to cause the clinical signs of fever, malaise, joint pain, etc. Treatment with antibiotics for a sufficiently long duration is very effective in individuals with a sufficiently strong immune system. Failure of treatment or relapse warrants investigating the integrity of the patient's immune system strength.

Agree with everything you said. The Lyme parasite or organism is similar to the Malaria organism. It is known as a spirochete. The Lyme spirochete reproduces every 28 days, so if you get on antibiotics fast, you can kill it before it has a chance to reproduce. If not, it is very difficult to completely rid your body of all the spirochetes. They have the ability or characteristic to hide and wait for conditions in the body to become more favorable for reproduction. They can do this because they are pleomorphic, meaning they have the ability to change shape dramatically or to exist in a number of extreme morphological (changing) forms. The most favorable conditions in the body for the organism to proliferate is when the immune system is compromised by some event or disease.

A major problem when trying to rid your body of chronic Lyme, is that you can only kill-off an amount of the organism that your body's detox and elimination system can handle. Kill-off too much at one time, and you end up poisoning yourself with the dead spirochetes by having them leach back into your body. This manifests as extreme flu-like symptoms. It is a very opportunistic organism. I'm not even in the medical field, and wish I didn't know anything first hand about this insidious disease, but you have to do your homework now days and take charge of your own health. My wife knows far more than I do because she has been suffering with it for 20+ years.

 

[Vortex]

Thoughts are with ya bud.

 

[hammer]

My daughter had Lyme last year...she got the telltale rash right away, went through the course of antibiotics, and as far as I can tell she was "cured". She was one of the lucky ones...sounds like chronic Lyme is a tough disease to deal with.

Does anyone know if someone who had the disease and was treated has immunity from it?

 

[Beetlenut]

Does anyone know if someone who had the disease and was treated has immunity from it?

According to a Health Website:
Lyme disease routinely stimulates the production of antibodies; in fact, detecting the presence of these antibodies is helpful in establishing the diagnosis. Unfortunately, these antibodies are not protective, because the amount of antibody in the blood generally falls over time, and because antibodies to one strain of the bacteria may not protect against other strains. Therefore, it is possible to get Lyme disease more than once.

Also there is more than one type or strain of tick borne disease. And they're not even sure about mutations of the disease. I've tested positive for the disease and went on a course of antibiotics several times over the last 15 years.

 

[Grassi21]

A couple years back I was feeling run down, depressed, achy all over, and irritable. I was putting off my annual check up due to work. I was on a business trip in San Francisco and felt like complete crap. So much so that I went to the ER. The ER doctor had no clue what was wrong with me and said the itchy rash I had was probably due to allergies. When I got back to CT I scheduled a check up and mentioned how crappy I had been feeling. The doc took one look at me and knew it was lyme. He put be on a month of antibiotics. He also noticed an abnormality in my EKG. He made me go for a stress test that same day. There was an inflammation of the lining of my heart that the docs believed was caused by the lyme. A few months later I was feeling that same achy feeling in my neck. I went back to the docs fearing that I had not kicked the lyme. After an x-ray and MRI they diagnosed me with a degenerative disc between C5 and C6. So the lyme was masking the issue in my neck. Good times. I also had lyme back in junior high. That time they just gave me 1 week of antibiotics.

 

[bvibert]

I just found out that I have Lyme disease. Looks like I caught it within the first two weeks, so hopefully I'll be ok. I have 3 weeks of antibiotics to go through.

 

[drjeff]

My daughter has now had it twice - both times she presented almost flu like with a multi-day fever, generalized malaise and then about 4 to 5 days after the flu like symptoms showed up she developed a rash. 2 weeks of antibiotics took care of things, and we now actually get her blood checked for presence of the lyme antibody both in the spring and fall nowadays. Other than that both my wife and I are very diligent about checking the kids over for ticks daily

 

[Beetlenut]

This might interest anyone who wants to keep ticks away from their home and yard naturally. My wife sent me this:

6 non-toxic tips to tick-proof your yard

In an effort to avoid Lyme disease, some still turn to chemical treatments such as DEET to make their property less appealing to deer ticks. While the chemical DEET is an effective tick repellent, it also contains ingredients that can harm both people and the environment. Fortunately, there are safe, chemical-free alternatives to DEET that can effectively discourage deer tick infestation in your yard and limit your risk of contracting Lyme disease. Here's how.

1. Keep the lawn mowed. Get rid of tall grass and brush, especially at the edge of your lawn, to eliminate the spots where ticks like to live. Clean up leaf litter too. Instead of tossing grass clippings and leaves into the garbage, consider composting them and use the rich soil in your garden. Once dry, grass clippings also make great mulch.

2. Create a barrier. Ticks don't like to cross paths lined with wood chips or gravel. Place a gravel or wood chip buffer zone between lawns and wooded areas to help keep ticks from crossing into your property. You can also spread diatomaceous earth around the entire perimeter of your yard as an inexpensive alternative that is easy to apply. Diatomaceous earth is a completely non-toxic insect killer that is made of silicate shells ground to a fine powder. The shells have razor sharp edges that lacerate the outer shell of the insect (flea, tick, earwigs, slugs, ants, etc.).

3. Shed light on woodpiles. Keep wood in sunny areas. Moist, wooded areas are inviting for ticks. Sunny, dry conditions are not. Clear brush and leaves where ticks live. Ticks can often be found crawling around messy woodpiles in shaded areas. If you keep the wood neatly stacked and in a spot that gets some sun, it will dry out faster.

4. Repel with a plant. Garlic, rose geranium, citronella, rosemary and other strong odiferous plants and essential oils are good mosquito and tick repellents. A bug spray made with these essential oils is also available and safe to spray on your clothing called Little Bugger. You can try planting American beautyberry bushes too. They're attractive plants, and the leaves have been shown to repel ticks.

5. Create "Tick-Safe Zones." Keep patios, play areas and playground equipment away from shrubs, bushes, and other vegetation. Regularly remove leaf litter and clear tall grasses and brush around your home, and place wood chips or gravel between lawns and wooded areas to keep ticks away from recreational areas and away from you.

6. Discourage deer. Deer are the main food source for adult ticks. Keep deer away from your home by removing plants that attract deer and constructing physical barriers that may help discourage deer from entering your yard and bringing ticks with them. If you live in an area where bird feeders attract deer, it's a good idea to remove them.

 

[Breeze]

Terry,

try this link

http://www.lymenet.org/SupportGroups/UnitedStates/Maine/


These folks are in the trenches, should have some words of wisdom.

Breeze