Seeking a LLMD in the Atlanta area

Hi everyone,

I've already found some great resources here on the forum and have looked into a few of the names on the www.LymeDoc.org list and the Lyme Disease Associate search. I've also made an inquiry via the ILADS Doctor Search, which I'm waiting to hear back on.

I was wondering if anyone here could make a recommendation based on personal experience? After going to countless doctors the last few years, I'm awfully hesitant to pick a name off the list in attempts to get the right testing done.

A little about my story - I was bitten in late summer of 2013 (age 25), but didn't get immediately sick, so never really thought much more about it. Started having abdominal pain and pain in the upper legs around November and December, but since it would come and go, I foolishly ignored it and didn't go see the doctor until spring of 2014. Around this time, I started developing more and more symptoms...tired all the time, stiff, the beginnings of frequent muscle twitches. The doctor did some tests, but everything came back fine.

By that summer of 2014, I was having numbness in the hands and feet, brain fog, GI symptoms, and the pain had now migrated to just about every part of the body. My PCP had me seeing a Gastroenterologist, a urologist (for the pain in the lower abdomen, groin an upper legs) and a Neurologist. The only one I continued to see was the Neuro (not sure why). Had MRI's on the brain, cervical spine, lumber, nerve test after nerve test.
Never had eye issues until 2015. Started having blurriness and eyelid twitches, but the eye doctor says everything was and still is fine.

The Neuro most recently said I probably have fibro and should just take medication to minimize the symptoms(for which I've tried about 5 or 6 different medications that have all done nothing).

So all these years later, I'm still lost. At my request, my PCP did do a basic Lyme blood test back in 2014, which came back negative. At that point, I just accepted it and tried to look elsewhere. However, now after hearing so many stories on here and elsewhere about basic tests coming back negative at first, I'm not so sure. I'd really like to see a LLMD who will do all the appropriate testing to either rule out Lyme or if diagnosed, get me started on the proper treatment.

Didn't really mean to type all that much, but it was good to kind of get it all out . Thanks for reading, any help or advice is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for the info. I just enabled my email, but also sent you a quick note.

Hi MAC48 -

Glad you're here. Be sure to read the "New to Lyme?" thread that julymorning mentioned - it is VERY helpful for those starting down this road and can help explain why MDs haven't been much help to you yet, and why and how that can change. And also shares a few things you should probably start doing while you're searching for a good Lyme specialist to partner with.

In addition to the great info already provided by the other posters, here is more from one of our mods, Traveler, whom you can email for a specific lists of Lyme specialists to consider. Girlie is another great Mod who can help you as well:

And the following are more resources we encourage you to explore:
​
​​Y​​ou can go to ​​The Lyme Disease Association and search for LLMD's 3 times in a month. You have to register first. Here is the link:
​​www.lymediseaseassociation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=277&Itemid=74​

Y​ou can email ​the​ Tick-Borne Disease Alliance at​: [email protected]​

ILADS has their own referral system as well:
​​​ilads.org/ilads_media/physician-referral/

And www.LymeDoc.org

You will want to find an ILADS trained doctor, as ID Docs (Infectious Disease Doctors) as well as many others, believe Lyme is hard to catch and easy to treat, and don't believe in the reality of chronic Lyme. Go to the ILADS site to read the new (2014) Treatment guidelines to get you started on your healing journey: www.ilads.org/lyme/treatment-guideline.php

Please don't hesitate to ask any questions that come up!

-p