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Posted 6/24/2009 1:55 AM (GMT 0)
When I saw him mentioned on this board and that he had had Lyme disease, I went searching. I did not find a lot (that wasn't heresay).

What I did read stated that he was diagnosed w/ Lyme 3 years before diagnosed w/ Parkinson's.  If this is true, then we are, understandably suspect of his Parkinsons.  Unless it is possible that Lyme causes Parkinsons?

Questions:  Who knows the probable truth in this?

Considering the fact that he probably has the best Drs evaluating and treating him, added to the fact that he knew he had Lyme, why, oh why would this never have been put together for him?  Does anyone know? You would also think that he must have done a lot of research when he first started having symptoms -- is there any reason he did not suspect Lyme vs Parkinsons?

does anyone know if he denies having Lyme or considers Lyme to be any part of his current illness?

Most important, it would sure help if he attributed his illness to lyme and became a spokesperson, esp regarding misdiagnoses, lack of trained MDs, and difficult treatment!

Posted 6/24/2009 3:10 AM (GMT 0)
my feelings are, if you get lyme you will or could get PD.. i feel like i'm in the beginning stages of PD, with my right thumb twitching and i'm unable to hold up my right foot without it twitching.

he has the best medical team, and we are prolly suspect to PD.. its just easier to say PD than lyme. I bet if he said i have lyme, people wouldn't take him that seriously
Posted 6/24/2009 4:13 AM (GMT 0)
Have you seen Under Our Skin? Ben the professional baseball player was also told by "the best Dr.'s" that he had Parkinsons. It was a friend I believe that suggested he be tested for Lyme and since he's been on treatment for Lyme, he has gotten significantly better.

The "best Dr.'s" may not be "the best" when it comes to Lyme.
Posted 6/24/2009 12:57 PM (GMT 0)
Lyme,

I hear you loud and clear on what you're saying. I've been thinking about him a whole lot since I read the posts. What if he does have Lyme and it is mimicking Parkinsons? How sad that would be that he could be treated and wouldn't know it.
Posted 6/24/2009 4:13 PM (GMT 0)
July 30th baby !!!!!
Posted 6/24/2009 11:25 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

Based on the article below, Michael J. Fox admitted to David Letterman he was bit by a tick and was treated for 3 weeks:

The 35 year old actor kept up his hectic daily grind, but he did postpone an appearance on David Letterman's Late Show. When he finally did appear on the CBS talkfest, he revealed to Letterman: "I got a dose of the Lyme.   You feel like crap."

"l got bit by a tick," he confessed. "They're really tiny."

"Then what happens is you get this little red mark. You think it's a rash or you think it's some bad thing, but it's a tick bite."

"Then you are doomed because it's already too late."

Fox, who married to Tracy Pollan and has three kids, 7 year old Sam and 2 year old twins Aquinnah and Schuyler, was put on antibiotics for three weeks -- the standard treatment for Lyme disease -- but docs warn there could be lingering problems.

"Until patients have been medically cleared, they should be careful not to overexert themselves or overexercise."

Tom Skinner form the Centers For Disease control and Prevention in Atlanta, explains that Lyme disease effects each person differently.

"Some people experience brief bouts of what appears to be arthritis," he explains.

"As the disease progresses into later stages, it can lead to nervous system abnormalities, including numbness in different areas of the body, Bell's Palsy (facial paralysis) and in some cases, meningitis."

"In some instances, people can experience irregular heart rythyms, which could be fatal if not treated."

There were 10,000 cases of Lyme reported in the U.S. last year, mostly in the Northeastern and North Central regions.   The early symptoms include fatigue, chills and fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, swollen lymph nodes and a red skin rash, says Skinner.

"Some symptoms of Lyme disease may not appear until weeks, months or years after a tick bite," he adds.

"Some people can expect recurring bouts of the disease, especially if the treatment was unsuccessful, so Michael J. Fox is not out of the woods yet."

Fox, here with wife Tracy Pollan and son Sam, won't take it easy.

Fox admits to Letterman:  "I got a dose of the lyme"

http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/archive.cgi/noframes/read/71489

In my opinion (and I'm not a doctor), MJF does NOT have Parkinson's, I think he is using that disease for political reasons.  Just my thoughts.  eyes

Denise

Posted 6/25/2009 12:08 AM (GMT 0)
Deeja -- I had read the piece that you posted -- and it was about the most info that I could find that wasn't a rehash of the same piece. I'm pretty shocked that we can't find more -- as open and visable as MJF has been w/ his disease.

By 'political reasons', do you mean, like that he's now a 'spokesperson' for PD? And so now no one will want him to say or learn that he has chronic LD?

I sort of can't believe this is happening! I would have expected to find a lot of stuff on his diagnosis w/ the lyme all mixed in. I would have expected to find 'research' on if his Lyme is mimicking PD, or if Lyme causes PD, or if this was all some sort of off the wall 'coincidence'. I would have expected to find a lot more questions out there than what I found. I guess I'd hoped someone on here would know more... and that's too bad.

If MJF really has a chronic infection that is treatable, and a disease that is reversible (or halted) by treatment, just as CG says -- that is a serious tragedy! SURELY he is not protected from all the info out there?!?

I guess we can hope that perhaps he is trying some sort of lyme 'treatment' and I would understand not going completely public and reversed until he had something concrete, like a clear improvement in his disease. I haven't kept up w/ him and I regret that -- I always liked him.

James from MO (hey, I'm from KS...) I understand your fears. And it sure looks like we have a lot of unanswered questions. Does Lyme cause PD? or does Lyme just mimick PD in SOME people? Or is PD really Lyme? I hope that you feel some confidence that you are at least entering into your diagnosis openminded, and that if you really have Lyme, I hope that you are able to learn that. If that is the case, I feel very confident that if properly treated, you will have obvious improvement.

Weary, I wish I had seen the whole movie -- I've watched the snippets on youtube. Gotta save that 35 bucks for the LLMD who doesn't take insurance...... SURELY SOMEBODY (per V and G's M) will learn SOMETHING from this??!!
Posted 6/25/2009 11:52 AM (GMT 0)
Hi +Lyme,

I don't think we can find anymore information because there simply isn't any.  All MJF said was he was bit by a tick, had a rash and was treated for 3 weeks, end of story.  I believe he was warned of the effects of chronic lyme but I think he ignored it.  Who really knows what goes on behind the scenes?

I read that a tremendous amount of people have written to MJF to explore treatment for chronic lyme but obviously that never happened.  So MJF wants to believe he has Parkinson's which makes no sense to me. 

Yes, I find this all very sad when he can be treated for the "real" cause of his problems which I believe is chronic lyme in my opinion after reading about his background.

MJF is an interesting person as he admits he "doesn't" take his medicine when making TV appearances, etc. to show people his twitches, jerks, etc. 

He wants bills to be passed regarding stem cell, etc.  That's what I meant about using Parkinson's for political reasons. 

Do I think it would be better if he did explore the possibly of chronic lyme causing all of his problems and being a spokesperson for Lyme Disease?  Of course I do!   I wish he would join hands with Daryl Hall and become an advocate for lyme.   But that's his choice and his life. 

So it is what it is...  We can't change others, we can only change ourselves.   We can only suggest and that's where it begins and ends.    I don't believe lyme causes Parkinson's as I personally do not believe that disease even exists.  Just another made up name for the "underlying" causes of chronic lyme.

 

Denise

Posted 6/25/2009 12:05 PM (GMT 0)
Anything is possible with Lyme. It causes everything is seems. A few months ago it was causing cancer. So it stands to reason it causes everything else too.

God speed healing everyone --
Posted 6/25/2009 7:06 PM (GMT 0)

If you do a quick search, you will find that lyme disease (specifically borrelia) plays havoc with hormones and neurotransmitters (dopamine).

Parkinson's is associated with depleted dopamine levels, so the possibility is there.

Posted 6/26/2009 3:02 AM (GMT 0)
kwahraps, what possibility do you mean? That lyme causes PD or that they are one and the same?
Posted 6/26/2009 6:46 AM (GMT 0)
Parkinson's occurs when the dopamine center in the brain is damaged. And Parkinson's occurs when the dopamine chemical release has been slowed by 80%. Dopamine not only contributes to your mood but it makes movements smooth. So a lack of it causes jerky uncontrolled movements. When lyme gets in there the immune system goes after the spirochetes and the gas surrounding the spirochete. so if the spirochete burrows in your dopamine center the immune system still goes after the surrounding gas which is emanating in your own tissues so you attack your self. one scenario. also the gas itself is damaging, the gas is also called neurotoxins. So you have the triple threat of the damage alone of the burrow hole of the spirochete, the damage of its surrounding halo of neurotoxins, and the dynamic of your own autoimmune response because of the bodies inability to tell the difference from your tissues to the spirochete because of the engulfing neurotoxins.
ALS Lou Gehrigs Is the damage of the center that controls signals to your brain to actually control movement period. MS-nerve sheath damage just messing up signals to brain. So damage can occur anywhere because of the way lyme works.


My question of Michael's situation is; If he was diagnosed w Parkinson's 3 years after the lyme, did his symptoms of Parkinson's start before the lyme?
Posted 6/26/2009 9:28 PM (GMT 0)
does anyone know
Posted 6/27/2009 1:16 AM (GMT 0)
seems like he'd have some of the more "classic" lyme symtoms don' t you guys think?

did he have brain fog? knee swelling? etc. etc. etc. along with the parkinsons disease?
Posted 6/27/2009 5:22 AM (GMT 0)
I gotta ask again
My question of Michael's situation is; If he was diagnosed w Parkinson's 3 years after the lyme, did his symptoms of Parkinson's start before the lyme?
Posted 6/27/2009 4:27 PM (GMT 0)
Veromia, none of us know the answer to that. That is what is frustrating -- all we have been able to find is that he stated he had lyme disease appx 3 yrs before being diagnosed w/ Parkinsons. And he made the statement very lightly, altho it was a factual statement. He was kind of joking about it.

When I have time, I will try more searching, but I don't know that there's anything more available to us. Other boards may discuss it, but I think we know that might not necessarily be reputable info. I always look for pieces that at least seem to be reputable (like I found his quote in many pieces), or that have links I can follow up.

someone above said that people have written to him about lyme. I do not know if there have been any results from that.
Posted 6/28/2009 4:47 AM (GMT 0)
I read his twitching finger symptom first started on the set of a 1990 movie then it says he was diagnosed with P in 1991.
So if it was three years prior to 1991 he got Lyme. He had to have got a bad case to have given him parkinson's that quick.
It means that he had to have really been hurting his immune system so bad to put it in a posistion for lyme to progress that rapidly. they did say that he did not rest to heal.. The scenario for this to happen is there with what was said about the grueling schedule at the time.
Posted 6/28/2009 3:23 PM (GMT 0)
I am left wondering about his lyme. Can't find anything about how he was diagnosed, whether he had a known bite (he said he had a bite, but I don't know if this was based on a known tick or stated because he knew he had lyme?), a rash, or what. Talking to my kids about it, one suggested maybe he was misdiagnosed w/ Lyme earlier, when it was really PD. We just don't know anything about his diagnosed (or un-) lyme disease. Or how it progressed or what. There is just too much unknown, unless someone has any kind of accurate medical history on him.

It just really shocked me to hear that he had had lyme, and then now PD. Too many unanswered questions. Unfortunate, because if they all could be answered, we could have learned a lot -- as well as the medical profession!
Posted 6/29/2009 4:26 PM (GMT 0)
Some people want to believe they have anything but Lyme.
People over on the MS board usually get angry at the mention of Lyme.
Posted 6/29/2009 10:05 PM (GMT 0)
Hello all, I was told I have PD, but it turns out I have Lyme. There were some symptoms I was having that didn't add up. I got a test done through IGX and now seeing a LLMD. Been in treatment for 5 months. I've seen some improvement, I have a long way to go though. I also know of a lady that I chat with, she was also told she had PD, come to find out she has Lyme as well. Her LLMD told her it would take up 5 years for her to get better. I'm also looking at years.
Posted 6/29/2009 11:05 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Strengthenme,

Nice to meet you and glad to hear that you do not have PD as lyme is treatable.   I had lyme since 1995 and have been in remission for almost 4 years now.  It took me less than 1 year to get better (I chose to use alternative medicine as that is what worked for me).

As far as Michael J. Fox is concerned, my curious mind did some more researching and all I found out is this:

MJF was born in Alberta, Canada and his family moved all around Canada because of his father's career (a police officer and member of the Canadian Forces).

MJF dropped out of 12th grade but no explanation was given. 

When he was 15 he co-starred in a Canadian TV series called "Leo and Me".   At 18 he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career. 

Fox started displaying symptoms of early-onset PD in 1990 while shooting the movie Doc Hollywood, though he wasn't properly diagnosed until the next year.  In 1998, he decided to go public with his condition.

BUT the most interesting part is that MJF was bit by a tick and admitted he had lyme in 1997!   For some strange reason, I think he was exposed to lyme disease much earlier but it was never said or proven.

He refused to take doctor's advice and slow down and rest.  He only took antibiotics for 3 weeks and then he ignored everything except his acting career.   I read this on the internet:

"On the cover of the National Examiner's (yes the tabloid) May 27, 1997 edition which is currently out, the "Bug Bite Threatens Michael J. Fox Career" banner is flying just above "Oprah's Battle With Baldness."  open to page 35.   Star refuses to take doctors advice to slow down...
MICHAEL J. FOX CAREER THREATENED BY BIZARRE DISEASE. "

To conclude, I believe Fox does NOT have Parkinsons but really has all the symptoms of chronic lyme.    Just my opinion.   If Fox really knows this, he is not talking as that would cause some stir as he is an advocate for Parkinson's, right?

Denise

Posted 6/29/2009 11:12 PM (GMT 0)
For what it's worth - and I apologize if I'm repeating info - He once said in an early interview that by the time his little pinking finger started twitching, the damage to his brain had already started.
Posted 6/29/2009 11:18 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know.. I guess the only way I would know is if I could jump inside MJF's body for a few minutes!  Wait, that didn't sound good, did it?

Repeating yourself? I am always repeating myself!!   tongue

Denise

Posted 6/30/2009 10:21 PM (GMT 0)
The poor gal on Under our skin looked to have Park too....but she was cured.
The medical world that we live in wants to label everthing very quickly. Diet and vitamins never come up...just take a pill.
Lyme hit my brain and heart the worst. But in reality it was not damaged at all. It all was washed off once my immune system got a major boost.
If I do not take care...and follow all of the advice and perfect diet...and get rid of the stress...etc, then symptoms seem to be on the horizon.
All of the auto immube diseases start to fall like dominos once your immune system is attacked by these bacteria in our world.
If he lived in Canada...were lyme is really bad, I am sure that he got it many times...and therefore finally took him down, the the fancy Dr.s who all have to label him very quickly came up with Park.
My fancy Dr.s told me that I had mono....haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Posted 6/30/2009 10:23 PM (GMT 0)
Which came first....the chicken or the egg?
The lyme.
It is the bacteria that causes all of these problems.
I am reading a book about auto immube disease's, and it is like reading a whole book on the symptoms of lyme. We get them all.
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