Powassan Virus & Lyme in NJ

This article and the others like it saying that Powassan virus is "Worse than Lyme" have me frothing at the mouth. An article like this puts people into a frenzy that makes them fearful of the outdoors and at the same time undermines the true threat that Lyme poses without providing any helpful information.

Powassan virus kills!! Yes it has killed 60 people in the last TEN years. Yes, children, that is six people per year. I am so sorry their families lost them. But I am pretty sure six people succumbed to the hopelessness that is Lyme or had their hearts stop from same in the last two months.

Powassan has no cure!! Yes, it is a virus, it has to run its course. However, Lyme has many, many different curative options, and yet they are withheld from those that need them. Why? why? why?

I am livid.

Viruses respond to similar treatments as Lyme. Per Dr. Buhner "Protecting the affected organs, reducing the cytokine cascade, and enhancing immune function are essential."

When he posted treatment for Ebola I was surprised at how similar (licorice, japanese Knotweed, skullcap, milk thistle) the herbs were to treating Lyme and Co. From this, I would theorize that this treatment would work for the Powassan virus as well.

Does this mean that those of us treating Lyme are less prone to getting infected by one of these viruses? Probably not, but I think it gives us better odds of overcoming it since our bodies are so inhospitable for bugs.

Unfortunately, getting rid of the deer is not the answer. The primary host for the Borrelia bacteria is the white footed deer mouse. It is in the mouse that an important part of the life cycle takes place. Removing the deer just means that the ticks move onto their next favorite hosts: people and dogs, meanwhile, the disease rages on, spread by the mice.

I'm guessing like the flu virus, many people probably get powassan and never have issues,while some are probably mildly affected and others will die. It's sad that all of these tick issues are studied in isolation. We need a robust study on our genetics and immune system to find out why some people can recover and some people can't. It's not just about abx. Even if doctors don't want to give out all this abx, why doesn't anyone study some of these other things?

And two other rants, how can the world be terrified of antibiotic resistance, claiming that even easily treatable bacteria is now becoming resistant, yet miraculously lyme disease is the most curable bacterial disease on the planet? Are we really that dumb?

And why can farmers use millions of pounds of life saving doxycycline to fatten up their animals and we turn our backs, but a doctor will loose their license if they prescribe a extra week of abx to a lyme patient. Somethings are just so wrong in this world....

Ok sorry to hijack your thread. Just had to get that off my chest....

Ok - I feel like ranting, too....lol

Re: long term antibiotics and lyme. My GP told me at my last appointment that Tuberculosis patients are treated with Rifampin for a couple of years .....

How come they deny lyme patients the same treatment? We still have symptoms...and they say "That's it...it's damage now...you'll have to live with it?"

What about long-term minocycline for acne????

And....if you don't want people on long term antibiotics for lyme disease...then put some money into researching better testing...and training for all Doctors to recognize the signs/symptoms...
How many of us had to self-diagnose?

Re: Canada - new bill passed - I think it was last September - panel to be formed to develop guidelines for better testing, diagnosing and treating lyme disease. hmmm. it's now May...I realize these things take time...but why isnt there at least more light shed on the topic...get the GP's looking for it...it's gone off the map...no more about it, and the GP's still don't consider it when their patients have symptoms consistent with lyme disease.

Ok, time to cool down now!!!