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.

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deleted_user 07/17/2009

I was watching this short video by Bryan Rosner (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niEgC9yVEjE) and he brings up an excellent point about treating Lyme Disease.

Assuming that it takes a long time to beat Chronic Lyme Disease, 6 months to 3-6 years, you have to be participating in a treatment that you can withstand for that amount of time. Be it financial, time, if there is travel involved, side effects, etc...

He uses an example of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. While it may very well be a valid form of treatment. Would you be able to drive to a Hyperbaric Oxygen clinic 3 or 4 times a week and sit in a tank for 2-3 hours a day and spend a thousand dollars a session?

So when picking a treatment, find something that works for you 1) Financially 2) Lifestyle 3) Time

deleted_user 07/17/2009

Great advice, thanks Matt. You're right, this is a marathon, not a sprint.

deleted_user 07/17/2009

Those are important considerations. I think most people, when they finally find some sort of treatment for something like this, just want to be well, and don't look too far ahead. I had no idea, when I first started going to my LLMD, two hours away, that I would be driving there every week for quite a while, and sometimes twice a week. You have to be ready to commit to whatever you decide to use.

FeelingRough 07/17/2009

You are SO right! It's ashame there is no one from mainstream medicine (in Virginia anyways) who will treat the complications that arise from it or even acknowledge it.

Clearly, more research is needed. We can only hope!

deleted_user 07/18/2009

Hi Matty, Good thoughts! The financial part is tough and insurance doesn't cover much of the help to geet well. I don't even know if you can get disabilitty for lymes - trying to get through this long healing period and being unable to work is scary. I'm living on a shoesstring and praying a lot.

thanks for the good thoughtss,

hugs, clairejean

deleted_user 07/18/2009

CJ, yes some people have been approved for disability with Lyme. I think it can be a somewhat lengthy process, so if you think you qualify, you may want to consider starting that process sooner rather than later.

Locally here, I've seen lawyers advertise to help people get disability insurance. I'm guessing there are lawyers in pretty much every area who can help with it. And if they're only paid (which would need to be confirmed) if they win the disability case, a percentage of what you're awarded, it might be financially do-able.

Prayers help a lot too.......I'll keep you in mine too.

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