Is your doctor focused mostly on 'clinical' or on the 'lab results'?

Just curious, for most of you here: is your doctor focused mostly on 'clinical' or on the 'lab' results'?

The reason I ask is, the Lyme doc I recently saw pretty much discounts all 'clinical' evidence. He wants to see 'positive' lab results. I suspect I have had Lyme for about five years, and the lab results appear somewhat inconclusive my lab results did show an elevated IGM though).

But how about it - is your doctor focused mostly on 'clinical' results or on the 'lab' results?


Here's my 'clinical' symptoms, in general:

Constant - Neck creeks and cracks, neck stiffness, neck pain
OFTEN - Exaggerated intolerance of heat/cold
Often - Headache (had CAT scan a couple of years ago to rule out tumor)
Often - Fatigue, tiredness, poor stamina
Often - Tingling, numbness, burning or stabbing sensations, shooting pains
Often - Irritable bladder or bladder dysfunction (I have BPH and prostatitis)
Often - Stiffness of the joints, neck, or back
Often - Exaggerated symptoms or worse hangover from alcohol
Sometimes - Sore throat
Sometimes -Testicular pain/pelvic pain
Sometimes - Unexplained fevers, sweats, chills, or flushing
Sometimes - Loss of libido
Sometimes - Upset stomach
Sometimes -Change in bowel function-constipation, diarrhea (urgency)
Sometimes - Chest pain or rib soreness
Sometimes - Shortness of breath, cough
Sometimes - Heart palpitations, pulse skips, heart block
Sometimes - Joint pain or swelling (knee)
Sometimes - Muscle pain or cramps
Sometimes - Twitching of the face or other muscles
Sometimes - Facial paralysis (Bell's Palsy) - (minor – left side)
Sometimes - Eyes/Vision: double, blurry, increased floaters, light sensitivity
Sometimes - Ears/Hearing: buzzing, ringing, ear pain, sound sensitivity
Sometimes - lncreased motion sickness, vertigo, poor balance
Sometimes - Lightheadedness, wooziness
Sometimes - Confusion, difficulty in thinking
Sometimes - Difficulty with concentration, reading
Sometimes - Forgetfulness, poor short term memory
Sometimes - Pain in soles of feet (in A.M.)
Sometimes - Difficulty with speech or writing
Sometimes - Mood swings, irritability, depression
None ---Disturbed sleep-too much, too little, early awakening
None ---Tremor
None ---Unexplained weight change--loss or gain
None ---Unexplained hair loss
Unsure ---Swollen glands
N/A ---Any history of a heart murmur or valve prolapse?
None ---Disorientation: getting lost, going to wrong places

NOTE: the onset of shingles in May 2011 alerted me to a compromised immune system, which is why I’m taking action now.
• Onset of Shingles disease (May 2011)

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Are you seeing an Infectious Disease Doc?

ID docs can't give the kind of treatment that ILADS (International Lyme Disease Society) recommends and that LLMD's offer without going against their entire organization. They have their place, it's just not with Lyme and other tick-born infections. Here is a link to "The Archives of Internal Medicine" that is titled "Overall Level of Evidence Behind Infectious Diseases Society of America Practice Guidelines" - very eye opening to say the least.

Overall Level of Evidence Behind Infectious Diseases Society of America Practice Guidelines

You really deserve to be seen my someone who's relying on scientific evidence to form your treatment. Please seek out an LLMD. If you would like some more help in finding a LLMD near you, we do have a few places where you can go to get referrals. Would you like this info as well?

Traveler said...
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You really deserve to be seen my someone who's relying on scientific evidence to form your treatment. Please seek out an LLMD. If you would like some more help in finding a LLMD near you, we do have a few places where you can go to get referrals. Would you like this info as well?

Yes, I'd like as much info as I can gather. I will make certain that the next doc I visit is official LLMD "ILADS".

Many thanks

I'm located in Middletown, RI, which is about an hour South of Boston, MA.

I appreciate your help and all the comments from everyone else too!

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