Breaking Down The Barriers To Care For Lyme Disease Patients Where Other Doctors Have Failed
Lyme disease is one of the fast growing and most difficult to treat diseases in the world.Lyme patients live a life of chronic pain, with various debilitating conditions that affect the mind and body. Theseconditions leave patients searching for answers to their various symptoms, but with the lack of proper treatment, theyexperience little success. Because Lyme disease symptoms resemble that of so many other diseases and because the conventional medical community continues to be misinformed about diagnosisand treatment, stricken patients fail to receive the medical care necessary to restore their health. However, over thepast 17 years Envita has been helping patients overcome the misdiagnoses and misinformation associated withconventional and alternative medical treatment of Lyme disease.
Envita Medical Centers doesnât make any guarantee of outcomes. Results are not typical and will vary fromperson to person and should not be expected.
To help better understand the difficulty of differentiating Lyme disease from other diseases we have included a chartfrom a recent published study in the Medical Microbiology publication which shows the similarity of symptoms betweenLyme disease and other commonly misdiagnosed diseases.
Our Daughter Got Her Life Back
Our pre-teen daughter had always been active in sports and engaged at school. Suddenly she was complaining of aches and pains and was exhausted all the time. She became lethargic at school and no longer wanted to play soccer. Her pediatrician repeatedly dismissed her symptoms as growing pains and moodiness. Months later, our daughters symptoms had worsened to include headaches, swollen joints, shortness of breath, and more. For more than a year, we visited a variety of experts, all of whom told us it wasnt Lyme disease and prescribed a long list of medicines, ranging from anti-inflammatories to antidepressants, meant to ease her symptoms. Nothing helped. When another parent told me how much the chronic disease experts at Bock Integrative had helped his child, we knew I had to give Dr. Bock and Jennifer Petkos a try. The comprehensive approach they took in evaluating our daughters condition allowed them to diagnose her with two lesser-known tick-borne illnesses and they were able to design a treatment program that restored balance to her immune system. Shes now an active high school athlete and straight-A student. Thank you for giving our daughter her life back!~ Victoria, Hesler, Somerset, New Jersey
Make A List Of Potential Doctors
When searching, create a top-five list of doctors you feel is the best. Rank them in order of preference, with one being your most preferred Lyme doctor. To determine their ranking, use the following list of must-haves:
- Education should include a medical degree from an accredited university, as well as specialized education and experience directly related to Lyme disease
- Membership in Lyme disease-specific organizations
- Contributions to the study of Lyme disease
- Website, social media, or some other way the doctor stays connected with the community
- Direct connection to Lyme disease or a passionate reason for advancing their study of Lyme disease. For example, they or a family member have Lyme disease
- Can treat all infectious diseases, not just Lyme disease. This is important because Co-infections often accompany Lyme disease
Once youve narrowed your list to five, start calling each one.
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Ilads Campaign Highlights Importance Of Doctor
Bethesda, MD, December 9, 2021 The International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society is running a powerful public awareness campaign to highlight the importance of doctor-patient relationships in the treatment of Lyme and other chronic diseases. The campaign debuted this week on a jumbotron in New York Citys Times Square.
The jumbotron video highlights the challenges doctors face from bureaucratic institutions when trying to treat patients. The video sends viewers to the ILADS.ORG website for more information. .
ILADS supports a doctors freedom to treat and a patients right to choose the best treatment options available, without bureaucratic interference. A doctors primary duty is to put the patient first. Outside interference restricts a physicians ability to provide optimum care.
We want to restore real healthcare for our patients and allow doctors to prescribe the best possible treatments without interference from insurance companies and other bureaucracies, said Dr. Steven J. Bock, president of the ILADS Board of Directors.
The jumbotron is anything but invisible. The giant video screen is 29 feet tall and 56 feet across and is strategically positioned at 1500 Broadway on the corner of 44th Street and 7th Avenue in New York City. The spot will run 5 times per hour for 36 days. It is estimated that 1.6 million people pass through Times Square each day. The spot will remain in place during the December holidays and New Years Eve celebration for bonus exposure.
Treatment Starts With Accurate Diagnosis
The only way to get the proper treatment for your tick-borne disease is to get the right diagnosis in the first place and one of the best ways to do that is, if possible, to see a physician whos experienced with tick-borne diseases. Accurate diagnosis also requires high quality testing at a reputable lab. Learn more about why doctors and patients trust the tests offered by IGeneX.
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The Two Approaches To Lyme Disease
There are two organizations, the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society and the Infectious Disease Society of America that take different approaches to diagnosing and treating Lyme disease. Each one has developed and published their own evidence-based treatment guidelines. The IDSA recommends short-term treatment and expresses concerns about over-treatment. Alternatively, ILADS recommends that treatment decisions be based on the individual patient which can include long-term treatment. Dr. Robin Ridinger is a member of ILADS and follows their guidelines to diagnosing and treating Chronic Lyme Disease in addition to implementing a holistic approach to support overall healing and optimal wellness.
Why Are Lyme Disease And Other Tick
A large number of cases of tick-borne illness are misdiagnosed, especially among children. A variety of bacterial organisms can cause Tick-borne diseases, so the progression of these diseases typically dont follow a specific pattern. Tick-borne illnesses are complicated to diagnose and treat because they can affect many different body systems, and their symptoms vary widely between infected individuals. The accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses requires an experienced and knowledgeable practitioner with a thorough understanding of the complexity of these disorders.
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There Are2141doctors Who Treat Lyme Disease In Saint Louis Find The Best For You:
- 660 S Euclid AveSaint Louis, MO63110
- featured8888 Ladue Road Suite 210Saint Louis, MO63124
- featured
- 3635 Vista AveSaint Louis, MO3635 Vista AveSaint Louis, MO2.17 miles away
- 1 Barnes Jewish Hospital PlzSaint Louis, MO1 Barnes Jewish Hospital PlzSaint Louis, MO3.5 miles away
- 1465 S Grand BlvdSaint Louis, MO1465 S Grand BlvdSaint Louis, MO2.16 miles away
What Are The Best Tests For Lyme Disease
At the Carolina Brain Center, we recommend two tests. One is DNA Connexions, a urine test. The other is MacTech Imaging, a saliva test.
The DNA Connexions test identifies co-infections common to Lyme disease. MacTech Imaging picks up where the DNA Connexions test leaves off by giving doctors an idea of a patients overall microbial load. Each saliva sample is scanned for spirochetes and then given a graded score.
These two unique tests allow us to proceed confidently with treatment. Post-treatment analysis informs doctors as to whether a patient is clear.
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About The Lifespan Lyme Disease Center
The Lifespan Lyme Disease Center is a unique, multidisciplinary center entirely dedicated to the treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Our team of infectious disease specialists is highly experienced in treating patients with acute Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, and other tick-borne diseases.
A Powerful Lyme Disease Protocol
With over 23 years of treating Lyme Disease, Dr. David Minkoff is considered a world-renowned Lyme Disease expert and is routinely interviewed by the media and asked to speak at international Lyme Disease conferences to discuss the current state of Lyme Disease, his breakthrough treatment protocols, and patient success stories.
Dr. Minkoff has developed a uniquely effective, multi-protocol treatment program over the last two decades for resolving difficult chronic Lyme Disease infections, while also simultaneously strengthening and rebuilding the patients health and immunity.
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Lyme Disease In An African American Child With Downs Syndrome
Welcome to another Inside Lyme Podcast with your host Dr. Daniel Cameron. In this episode, Dr. Cameron discusses the case of a 3-year-old African American child with Downs syndrome, developmental delays and disseminated Lyme disease. By Dr. Daniel Cameron “A case of disseminated Lyme disease in a child with skin of color” was published by Bax and colleagues in the journal Pediatric Dermatology.¹ The child, who had trisomy 21 (Downs
Is There An Effective Treatment For Lyme Disease
Dr. Dane was introduced to a new treatment for Lyme disease in 2017. It was not an antibiotic, nor was it an herbal remedy. It was a mineral compound produced in liquid form that could be turned into a gaseous state and nebulized. The product essentially acts as a fumigator and blasts the body with a blend of minerals that kills the spirochetes and improves immune function. Skeptical at first, Dr. Dane tracked eight patients over the course of a year that she had treated for the neurological effects of Lyme disease. Much to her amazement, seven of those patients were clear of Lyme just over a year later. Symptom relief varied from completely gone to 50% better. However, some effects of CLD cannot be reversed.
The mineral product is called Lyme-N, and, like many aspects of Lyme disease, its effectiveness is controversial. But this is the only treatment Dr. Dane has seen eradicate the spirochetes associated with CLD.
Dr. Dane has witnessed many patients put their trust in her after becoming frustrated with more traditional Lyme disease treatments at other medical facilities. The Carolina Brain Centers way of treating patients is built upon the tenets of functional neurology, which use a combination of medical technology and brain therapy to produce healing where possible and the easing of symptoms in other cases.
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Bannwarth Syndrome In Early Disseminated Lyme Disease
Welcome to another Inside Lyme Podcast with your host Dr. Daniel Cameron. In this episode, Dr. Cameron will be discussing the case of a 66-year-old man with Bannwarth syndrome with urinary retention in early Lyme disease. By Dr. Daniel Cameron Omotosho and colleagues described this case in an article entitled A Unique Case of Bannwarth Syndrome in Early Disseminated Lyme Disease.¹ The man presented to the emergency room with generalized
Call Ahead And Ask Questions
Even if you find a doctor who specializes in treating tick-borne diseases, you will want to ask some questions before making an appointment and committing your time and money. A few basic questions to consider asking upfront include the following:
- What is your experience in treating patients with tick-borne diseases?
- How do you diagnose diseases? Do you use any specific labs or lab tests to confirm diagnosis?
- Do you test for coinfections?
- Do you use traditional antibiotics and/or herbals?
- Do you have any patient success stories you can share?
- Do you strictly adhere to CDC test interpretation criteria or are you open to alternative criteria?
If youd like to find a LLMD and want to know more about how to vet them, read the Tick Talk blog, What Makes a Doctor Lyme Literate?
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Do Your Research And Get Referrals
You can learn a lot just by researching doctors and reading patient reviews online. You can also connect with other patients through local and online support groups for various tick-borne diseases. Asking other patients to recommend or share their own experiences with different doctors can be particularly helpful when youre trying to locate and learn about physicians who specialize in various tick-borne illnesses.
The following sites can connect you to online support-group forums or help you identify different tick-borne support groups in the United States:
Potential Barriers To Accepting A Lyme Disease Vaccine
Welcome to another Inside Lyme Podcast with your host Dr. Daniel Cameron. In this episode, Dr. Cameron discusses the potential barriers to the public’s acceptance and utilization of a Lyme disease vaccine. By Dr. Daniel Cameron The study, Understanding consumer and clinician perceptions of a potential Lyme disease vaccine, was published by Devchand and colleagues in the journal Health Education Research.¹ It has been two decades since the LYMErix vaccine
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What Is An At
An at-home Lyme disease test will typically be a blood finger prick test.
If you have been exposed to the bacteria Borrelia that leads to the infection of Lyme disease, your body will have created two antibodies to fight it off. The test will look for the presence of both types of antibodies, known as immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G .
You will receive your test kit along with account information so that you can get your test results as soon as they are ready. Follow the manufacturers instructions exactly as they are described.
Each test has different instructions, so its very important that you read the kits detailed information before getting started.
Misdiagnosing Lyme Diseasethe Great Imitator
The Borrelia burgdorferi spirochete is an evasive organism which can penetrate virtually any organ or system in the body, including the brain and central nervous system, joints, muscles and heart. Lyme disease symptoms may be similar to other medical conditions, making diagnosing a challenge. For this reason, Lyme disease and syphilis have both been coined the great imitator.
Lyme disease and syphilis have both been coined the great imitator.
Patients with Lyme disease have been incorrectly diagnosed with: multiple sclerosis , fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune diseases including lupus and rheumatoid arthritis , polymyalgia rheumatica, thyroid disease, and psychiatric disorders, among others.
Fatigue, insomnia, and myalgias are seen in both Fibromyalgia and Lyme disease. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome symptoms are often seen in Lyme disease patients and include severe fatigue, impaired memory and concentration, sleep disturbance, myalgias, and arthralgias.
Steere et al. described Lyme disease cases that were misdiagnosed as Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis .
Nowakowski and Feder reported cases misdiagnosed as cellulitis.
Plotkin described a 39-year-old male with a retropopliteal rash that progressed, within three weeks to Lyme disease, with a loss of consciousness and a complete heart block that required insertion of a transvenous cardiac pacemaker.
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How Is Lyme Disease Treated
Treatment for Lyme disease involves the use of antibiotics to kill the bacteria causing the infection. The sooner you start treatment at SivIMed Internal Medicine and Primary Care, the better your prognosis. Dr. Sivakumar prescribes a two to three-week course of oral antibiotics which should kill the infection, but if your nervous system becomes infected, you may need intravenous antibiotics too.
If you need advice on Lyme disease or have any symptoms of the condition, call SivIMed Internal Medicine and Primary Care today, or book an appointment online.
The Most Accurate Lyme Disease Test
Many of the patients we see have already been tested and told they didnt have Lyme disease but continued to suffer from classic Lyme symptoms.
When we re-test these individuals with our extremely sensitive Lyme test, almost all cases are confirmed to be infected with Lyme. This is due to the sensitivity of the Lyme test we use.
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What Are The Fundamentals You Should Know About Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can be found worldwide, which develops as the result of a borrelia burgdorferi infection. Early stages of the disease often have symptoms of a rash , and flu-like symptoms such as joint pain and fevers. Later stages may have symptoms of fatigue, joint and muscle pain, and cognitive difficulties among other symptoms. Lyme disease is acquired by a tick bite, usually by an infected blacklegged tick, and symptoms may take up to 6 weeks to develop. The infected ticks frequently carry co-infections such as Babesia, Bartonella, Erhlichia, and other pathogens.
Left untreated, patients can experience long-term extreme fatigue, joint and muscle pain, nerve pain, mental fog, psychiatric problems such as depression and anxiety, and many other symptoms. These symptoms can be misdiagnosed as other conditions including, but not limited to, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, and psychiatric disorders.
Are Antibiotics Always Effective For Lyme Disease
While antibiotics are certainly beneficial in combatting Lyme disease in its earliest stages, they are usually not well-suited to patients plagued with chronic Lyme and debilitating symptoms.
In fact, antibiotics that target Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium early on may not be equipped to address complications of chronic Lyme disease including co-infections and the formation of biofilm.
Whats more, when inappropriately-used, antibiotics can actually weaken the immune system and lead to resistance.
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The Earlier In The Course Of Tick Borne Disease That The Treatment Is Started The Better For The Patient And The Worse For The Microbes
Early detection, however, can be difficult. Lyme IS the most prevalent tick borne disease in the states and it is increasing in incidence year to year. Yet the Center for Disease Control estimates only 10% of the cases of Lyme disease are reported annually. This is because only 50% to 68% of patients have a clear bulls-eye rash. Only 26% ever see the tick that gives them Lyme disease. Most people do not know that a flu in the late spring, summer or early fall can be a sign of Lyme disease. Most doctors do not know that Lyme exists anywhere but the northeast part of the United States. So early treatment is a challenge. I try during tick season in Northern California to have short appointments to check out a tick bite or erythema migrans rash, in order to effect early treatment.
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