Worried in Oregon - what would you do?

Hi folks. Posting here because I'm worried I have lyme or a coinfection and am not sure what to do. I got bitten by two deer ticks after backpacking for a day in a state park. They were both about the size of the letter "D" on a dime. They were probably in me for 24-36 hours before I discovered and removed them. Unfortunately, I did not save them (stupid). about three days later, I started to feel hot-headed and cloudy. I experienced some disorientation and brain fog, which has been intermittent ever since. It's been about nine days since I removed the ticks, and the heavy-headedness persists. To make matters worse, I live in Oregon, where I'm told there are no LLMDs.

So, I'm wondering what to do. What would you do? Should I try to get some tests done? Should I go see a regular MD and just ask him to prescribe Doxy? How much / at what strength should I ask for? I know you're not doctors, but I'm worried any "regular" MD may have less experience with correct treatment than you guys do! Driving out-of-state is something I'm willing to do if I have to to get a good diagnosis.

One of the reasons this is such a challenge for me to deal with is that I've had these symptoms before. They've been related to ongoing digestive issues. Whenever anything comes up, I always seem to be able to find an explanation based on my digestive system. Low blood sugar can account for all of the symptoms I've felt, and I'm no stranger to that. So I ask again, what would you do?

Thank you so much for all of your help and care. I feel blessed that I have people like you looking out for me

Are you near Portland?

If so, I can recommend somebody to you. There are LLMDs in this state. As I planned to move here a year ago I was told this was the worse place to live with Lyme. But for the first time in over 16 years I am actually getting better. Don't always believe what people say.

There is a oregon lyme yahoo group too with good info. Also one on facebook starting to build. But like I said if you are near the city let me know and Ill give you their info.

Check your mail!

Grinch4me, It is not too late. Many of us got diagnosed after years of symptoms and we are getting well. Our moderators might be able to tell you where to get low cost Abx...or use the search tool upper right to see earlier posts on that subject. Get yourself to a LLMD and see what they say.

Good luck to you!

I have the contact info for two possible choices for Lyme treatment, one in Portland and one in Tigard, Oregon. All you need to do is to email me. Click on the little blue envelope under my screen name.

http://lyme.kaiserpapers.org/oregon.html

"Although the site above mentions the Kaiser HMO and how Kaiser won't treat for Lyme----- the information about Oregon and Lyme is definitely related!

Lyme Disease in Oregon

Oregon ranks as one of the worst states in the nation to get help for Lyme disease. Over one-fourth of the state’s population is enrolled in HMO’s and standards of care seem to be determined by these entities, Kaiser in particular, and their financial influence on the state’s medical university, Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU). The Oregon Board of Medical Examiners, which includes two members who are not even doctors or in any way involved in medicine, appears to be compliant to their wishes.

Oregon has the distinction of being the first state to investigate a competent and caring doctor for treating Lyme disease patients. One of the Lyme patients of this doctor was a Kaiser member who tried to get his prescription filled at a Kaiser pharmacy. Kaiser filed a complaint with the medical board and the doctor was forced to choose between giving up his Lyme patients or his medical license.
As a result, because of potential medical board harassment, MD’s in Oregon are reluctant to help Lyme patients.
http://www2.lymenet.org/domino/nl.nsf/b18db4ad8571a779852565e3007d9d16/996155967e71fb8f852565e30012f1c0?openDocument

Contrast this behavior by Kaiser and the medical board with that of [xxx], a Kaiser surgeon who killed and damaged many patients. [xxx] had 79 medical complaints filed against him in Oregon and nothing was done. It was only after he was convicted in Australia in 2010 for manslaughter that the medical board issued a token reprimand.
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/australia_convicts_us_doctor_f.html


Lyme disease information in Oregon is dictated by [xxx]t of Providence HMO. Dr. [xxx] is also an advisor to Kaiser and a professor at OHSU. He is a past president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America whose Lyme disease guidelines were under investigation by the Connecticut Attorney General. He is also a known Lyme denier.

To avoid diagnosis, Kaiser takes the added precaution of shipping their Oregon and Washington Lyme blood samples to a Quest lab in Virginia. This virtually insures sample degradation and makes the sample worthless. According to East Coast Lyme doctors, this particular lab seems to have a reputation for not being able to find Lyme disease in their samples. According to a Kaiser lab nurse, Kaiser ships blood samples cross-country for any disease they don’t want to diagnose.

It does not appear that this dismal status of Lyme disease (and other tick-borne infections) will be changing anytime soon. Oregon residents are advised to seek professional help outside of Oregon."

[I've deleted the name of the doctors mentioned but names appears in the link]

Garden Peace------ yes, there a very good support group in Portland and it's a good match for those that prefer alternative or integrative protocols.

Cave76, do you go to the the support group very often? Yes, it is very good for those of us who want to use alternative medicine.

I just assumed you had since you knew alternatives are used by several members. I think you'd fit in fine there since there is a mix of people.

There are some there who use conventional meds and some that only use alternative meds and some that combine both. It's like this website, where people respect the choices others make. Everyone is there to learn from others and to pass on what they have learned. If you were to speak up, some may offer suggestions of other things, but they don't get mean about it.

I don't think David has an online support group, but maybe some of the people from his group are on it. I haven't heard of any online group that is Oregon based. I'll have to ask him about it.

I should warn you that I'm on the alternative side. :) I was very ill in my late 20s and allopathic docs told me to get a life, basically. I went to at least 3 trying to get help, but got the same response from all of them. A neighbor had introduced me to homeopathy, so I ended up going to a homeopathic doctor and was helped tremendously by it. I went into it with a skeptical mind, but was pleasantly surprised. I think some of those treatments are still holding, based on the fact that I'm not real bad off with my Lyme infection. It was the stress of my mother's decline over the past 3 years that made me feel worse and a lot of it is my adrenals being off. It was after that experience that I began to see the limits of science and how much is unknown. Homeopathy has been around a long time and when the AMA formed, they just about wiped it out in this country. I'm glad they didn't. Acupuncture is pretty well accepted, but I don't know why it is and homeopathy isn't since they are similar modalities. I'll get off my soapbox now!

I wouldn't snub you for your belief in SBM. It has it's place too. Everyone has to chose for themselves what they are comfortable with and I think it's just important to support people who are going through this battle, no matter what they're doing. I've gotten a lot of criticism over my choices for the last 26 or more years, but I don't think I'd be here if I hadn't switched over. I had no reflex response when I went to my homeopath, showing how far down I was, along with many unexplained symptoms. I had chronic bladder infections, yeast infections and headaches, just to name a few. I wasn't able to do much at all.

Sorry this got so long and that I hijacked the original thread. I ramble on a lot when I'm tired.

Hi Cat53. We have spoken with that Chiropractor the last 2 times we were there. The first time, he showed us around and explained the different modalities they have. He's a nice fellow.

I didn't see a laser device, so I wonder if he recently brought it. Did it help Toby? I hope so.

Does your Aussie get treated too? :) I enjoy that breed a lot, but don't think I'd be a good owner of one since they need a job to do and they take more energy too, which I don't have.

I hope Toby's herx wasn't too bad, but I'm glad you made it back to CS. Hopefully you'll make it back next week. Maybe some day we'll meet up there, but we don't have any plans of going at this time.