Thoughts on this article? (Involves discussion of chronic Lyme)

Without even reading the article, I can tell you that they are echoing what the CDC is saying, which is only echoing what the IDSA is saying. All a load of, well, you-know-what.

Anyone who has completed only a short course of abx and had to find a forum to understand what was happening to them, and then gone and gotten the 'rest' of their treatments and healed can tell them how the cow ate the cabbage!

I know that I've had plenty of those abx and it never did heal me, but I continued to have tons of symptoms. I used herbs to actually heal, but it's the same idea - long term treatment works!!

As for your friends idea of treatment - well, first it shows how little they know of this very complex infection. Secondly, the Lyme bacteria doesn't only live in the mouth. They actually prefer tissues - that's why such large doses of abx are required - but they can be found in any organ, any tissue and even the brain and the bones. Tough to reach the bones when swishing with Listerine! LOL!

Could anyone share or comment about the "you don't have a continuing infection" but just "lasting effects" from Lyme?

I am sure someone here has had clear evidence or proof of lasting infection...

I hope I didn't offend anyone. A friend of mine, who, as far as I know, doesn't know my daughter was diagnosed with Lyme disease shared the article, and I found it interesting that an article blasting "alternative medicine" mentioned Lyme a couple of times and emphasized that chronic Lyme didn't exist.

Overall the article seemed rantish and as though the author had an ax to grind. To list all of the logical fallacies in the article would take more time than I now have...

I think I turned red when I read the USA Today article. It's an outrage. They have no idea the harm they are doing because many people who question their physical conditions will read this and discount the possibility of Lyme. This is a well-respected publication. The irony is that they talk about alternative medicine costing people so much money- of course you have to be careful with how you treat yourself - and yet, the medical industry/Big Pharma does that all the time! I think anyone who can, should write to USA Today and let them know what a load of garbage this article is. There should be a "rebuttal" from Lyme professionals and Lyme sufferers.

Are you not aware of the big controversy between the IDSA and ILADS standards of treatment? If not, here is a good place to start:
www.clinicaladvisor.com/controversy-continues-to-fuel-the-lyme-war/article/117160/

One of the big things that Infectious Disease doc's claim is that there is no such thing as Chronic Lyme disease. They like to deny that an infection can continue after 6 weeks of abx, and have given it another name- "Post Lyme Disease Syndrome" rather than admit that they were wrong. The CDC is backing the IDSA, so that's why we have such issues in getting tested, getting treatment that doesn't leave us still disabled with an on-going infection, and getting research for the same issues.

Many people choose to blindly follow the CDC and IDSA - but obviously they (or someone that they love) have yet to be infected, treated with only a short course of abx and have it not help!! The uninformed can be dangerous!

It's everywhere!

Sorry, I know that this is no laughing matter - it's very serious indeed, but I feel a little humor along the way keeps us a tad bit more sane.

Most all mainstream articles will back the CDC and the IDSA - it's more of a popularity contest than what the actual science is telling us.

What they say about testing positive after a person has had what they call 'adequate treatment' is that once you test positive, that person will always test positive.

I agree with you though, Cal cat!! It's just goofy the way they stumble all over themselves trying to avoid saying that they symptoms indicate an active infection!!!

It would be like them saying to a person who has pneumonia - you've had your two weeks of abx, those wheezing sounds and the fact that you still can't breathe are just 'Post-pneumonia syndrome'!!

I'm so glad that you see it for what it is Mommaklee. They would have to come out with something far more convincing for me to believe anything other than Lyme is the source of all this suffering...and I don't think they will. Not only because I believe Lyme is the cause for many people but also...how can they even say Lyme was a possible cause of not just neurological conditions like Fibromyalgia, but life threatening ones like ALS. There would be an uproar if people knew that they could have dealt with these conditions without such serious consequences. For the ones who know or suspect this to be the case, they feel that they have to live with this lie. Sounds conspiratorial doesn't it. So, of course, more and more people will get sick and more and more people will die. I tell anyone and everyone what I know, with the hope, they will share this information with ones they know are ill. It's a crime against humanity.

Thank you Trav, That makes sense...didn't think of that. I think what they are saying is inane. So their justification is that people will test positive for old Lyme because it stays in their system? In turn, all these chronic illnesses they label as CFS, ALS, MS, etc are these illnesses and nothing more...no explanation of a cause either. I guess they will always find a justification for whatever they deem will help them..either by profit or to save their skin. As you can tell I am furious. It shouldn't be this way. This isn't helping people. My husband could be on his deathbed if I hadn't done my research.

Cat, I for one, am honored that you felt safe enough to open up and share like that on here. It's hard to be the one going through all of this, but it's got to be pretty darned hard watching the one that you love with all your heart go through this too! I've always told my husband that I just can't imagine what it's been like living with me and I meant because of the infections and what they have done to me. He's never known me as a healthy person, but then again, neither have my own children.

The insecurity that Toby is feeling is quite normal, believe me. My poor husband, I would have such emotional issues that I would convince myself that he would be so much better off without me and would yell at him to leave and get a better life. Thank God he never did. It's been quite the roller coaster for him too. 13 years of a roller coaster!! He got a heart of gold, even if the edges are a little rough from time to time!!!

I completely understand all of your frustrations with the issues of chronic Lyme as well. After living in an area where I couldn't get any kind of help - as soon as they heard the word Lyme, I was ushered out the door, told that the doctor wasn't taking on hard cases right now, and many other excuses. I told them I didn't want that doc to treat me for these infections, just the meds that I needed like Trazodone and Xanax and a few others, but it didn't matter. They wanted nothing to do with me. I'm not the only one in my community that has been treated like this either. Oh gosh! I could go on and on about this!! LOL!

Anyway, that's what kind of pushed me into using Holistic medicine when I was so cognitively impaired. I really had no choice, but now I'm really, really glad that it worked out that way! I'm healed and I don't think I could have healed with pharmaceuticals. My body was too ill to deal with it.

Just remind Toby that you didn't marry him for what he was, but for who he is! I have to tell my hubby this from time to time as he was suddenly disabled and frequently feels the same way as Toby. Gotta love the big lunks!! Giggle!

Anyway, this whole thing is a tragedy. Some say that our fight is very similar to the beginning of the fight for recognition and truth about AIDS/HIV had - I believe it. We are in the beginning of the revolution though - at least that's how I see it.

It's so true that our fight to be heard mirrors the HIV/AIDS crisis. There is a great documentary out about the situation called "How To Survive A Plague". I really recommend everyone check it out!

The HIV/ AIDS activists fought tooth and nail to be heard and validated and to get effective drugs and treatment. And yes, the sick people were originally told that the illness was "all in their heads". Sound familiar at all?

It definitely makes you think.

  I was at the Vet on Wednesday getting my dogs yearly examine and they had a chart on the wall for for NW PA where I live and it showed over 270,000 cases of lyme in pets in the past year alone.  Come on....it pets have it..we have it.  I asked the tech. who told me they treat with dox and usually it is an on going treatment and the pet gets antiboditics for a very long time sometimes for life and that you cant get rid of it.  If the vets know this why are the human doctors not admitting to it?  She was very upset that the doctors don't tell people this.  Also the vaccine is effective on pets so why is it allowed that the manufacturer was allowed to pull the vaccine and hold the patent on it when so many people need it just because they lost money from a lawsuit.  Where I live it is epidemic and yet the doctors always say "sorry you don't have it"  "its a false positive" etc. 

Does anyone know how to treat the buzzing in the legs.  I feel it every morning and then the jittery feeling becomes part of me for the rest of the day.  The bottom of my feet hurt a lot and I get periods of what I call "Crashing fatigue" where I have to lay down to rest just out of the blue.  I am taking vitamin d, magnesium, a b complex, vitamin c and potassium along with my doxycycline.

this has been going on for 2 years and I am better, but it is so hard not to think about the symptoms and when will they next hit.  I want to wake up and say "WOW I FEEL GOOD TODAY"!  " that happened the other day and my brain said "what is wrong here, you feel good?"

I also heard one of the real lyme doctors speaking and he said the reason you have early antibodies is because the lyme can change the location of the proteins on the cell so the immune system is always making new antibodies to fight it...active and changing infection.  Part of the syphilis family..