Lyme Disease Support Group
Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere. It is now one of the fastest growing infectious diseases in the U.S. Lyme disease is caused by infection with the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, and is primarily transmitted to humans as well as dogs, horses and other domesticated animals by the bite of infected ticks.
Belle mentioned fibromyalgia in a different post and I thought I'd pick up on that for a bit.
Here's what a famous Lyme doctor said about FM, which happens to agree with my thoughts. (grin)
[...]fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue
syndrome, two "garbage can" diagnoses that describe symptoms that are
extremely common in Lyme disease.
Found on:
http://www.biomedcentral.com/imedia/2025270465676362_comment.pdf
For people so inclined to read more the entire review process of a new article proposed in BMC Infectious Diseases journal. This is a rare and exciting example of transparency within medical journals and shows the process of presentation and review communications. I hope that all journals will follow suit.
It all can be found at:
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/12/173/prepub
(BTW---- some doctors will dx you with FM because they have to have a diagnosis code to satisfy insurance companies. But I hope they know it's not a 'real' diagnosis, even though the pain from it is very real.)
Here's what a famous Lyme doctor said about FM, which happens to agree with my thoughts. (grin)
[...]fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue
syndrome, two "garbage can" diagnoses that describe symptoms that are
extremely common in Lyme disease.
Found on:
http://www.biomedcentral.com/imedia/2025270465676362_comment.pdf
For people so inclined to read more the entire review process of a new article proposed in BMC Infectious Diseases journal. This is a rare and exciting example of transparency within medical journals and shows the process of presentation and review communications. I hope that all journals will follow suit.
It all can be found at:
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/12/173/prepub
(BTW---- some doctors will dx you with FM because they have to have a diagnosis code to satisfy insurance companies. But I hope they know it's not a 'real' diagnosis, even though the pain from it is very real.)
Dr. Brian Fallon,(of the Columbia Lyme and Tick-borne Research Center) concurred by association.
I'm sorry for your pain.
I also have several blood deficiencies that are known to contribute fibro/cfs and there is also a burgeoning genetic factor as well. Yes the symtoms are similar, but it doesn't mean that everyone with fibro or fs has been bitten by a tick.
While I have your attention, what type of treatments have you gone through? Did you have increased pain? Since starting rocephin, my pain level has skyrocketed. Is that typical for us lymies? Just wondering what your story is.
You said: "it doesn't mean that everyone with fibro or fs has been bitten by a tick."
I'm a bit confused by that----- but to be clear the doctors above didn't say that----- and neither will I. That's why they said that FM is a dx that can be found in many conditions and not just Lyme.
They called it a 'garbage dx ' which raises the ire of many people. I think they could have found different words--like 'all-encompassing condition that is found in many different health venues'. Whew! Probably why the word 'garbage' was used---- so the word count was less. (grin)
"Lyme treatment is very controversial"---- Yes, you can say THAT again. LOL That's an understatement, to be sure.
My story is way too long to tell here (most people don't read beyond the first few paragraphs anyway). But I was on IV Rocephin for 17 months and although I can't say it did a lot for me I do know that my pain level didn't increase during it. I'm sure it helped in some way.
What DID escalate my pain level, and I'm still paying the piper, was the Cipro and Levaquin that I used!!! Horrible drugs for me and many others---- BUT some love it and don't get the all over pain I got from them.
What DID help me most was the IM injections of bicillin over several years.
MY experience with those drugs are NOT to be considered what anyone else might have.
Nobody would listen to me and my doc told me I didnt have Lyme, he practically yelled it at me and then said he would let me have tests just to appease me and ... positive. he gave me doxycycline and told me not to get my hopes up.