State Rep. Todd Rock works through Lyme disease By ROSCOE BARNES III Staff writer
MONT ALTO -- State Rep. Todd Rock, R-Mont Alto, is back at work on a limited basis as he recovers from a serious bout with Lyme disease.
Rock said Tuesday he had recently been bedridden for four or five days, and could not walk or do anything during that time.
"I'm feeling OK. Things are looking better at this point," he said. "It will be a few more weeks before I'm back to being completely normal."
Rock said he's a "little white in the face," and has lost eight pounds. He's on antibiotics.
"This is a disease that should be taken seriously," he said. "It gets misdiagnosed so often. When gone too long, it's hard to treat. I'm in the early part of the second stage. You can still kill it, but it has to be done aggressively."
Lyme disease, an inflammatory disease spread through a tick bite, is considered the most common tick-borne illness in North America and Europe, according to the Mayo Clinic.
According to a Mayo Clinic report, people are more likely to get Lyme disease if they "live or spend time in grassy and heavily wooded areas where ticks carrying the disease thrive."
If a person is treated with the right antibiotics in the early stages of the disease, he or she will probably recover completely, according to Mayo Clinic researchers: "In later stages, response to treatment may be slower, but the majority of people with Lyme disease recover completely with appropriate treatment."
According to Rock, his symptoms began about 10 days ago. Advertisement He began feeling tremendous joint pain, especially pain in his ankles and knees, he said.
"It was to the point where I really couldn't walk," he said. "I went to the emergency room, where they tested me for everything, including arthritis, Lupus, West Nile disease, and Lyme disease."
Rock said that as he was doing research on Lyme disease, he started to think back to June when he had a flare up with his knees and ankles. At the time he thought it was just a sign of aging. "But it got so bad I couldn't walk," he said.
He immediately went on antibiotics. He said the biggest problem at that point was that, based on symptoms, he had had the disease for six months. Because of that period of time, it had to be treated aggressively, he said.
"I asked the doctor if I could take double the amount of antibiotics. He said it was fine and that it wouldn't hurt you physically, but it would make you nauseous."
Rock's temperature fluctuated between 95 degrees and 102 degrees, he said.
"I don't know how many people called to offer support. On Sunday, no less than 10 churches brought my name up for prayer. Sunday afternoon, I made a turn for the better," he said.
He said he still has 15 days of antibiotics to go. He averages 12 pills a day, he said.
On Tuesday, he spent time at his Waynesboro office. During his interview in the afternoon, he said he was starting to feel a little pain in his joints.
"My doctor said 'It's great that you're feeling better. You still have to limit yourself until this thing is done,'" Rock said.
Posts: 217 | From Earth | Registered: Feb 2010
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posted
My doctor refused to go past the 3 weeks. Lucky him. Hopefully he recovers.
Posts: 743 | From New York | Registered: Apr 2009
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METALLlC BLUE
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6628
posted
This article makes me curious. What does 12 pills mean? What does "twice the amount of antibiotics mean?"
He's been ill for 6 months, yet he's receiving treatment for how long? He has 15 days to go. It sounds like he began treatment about 2 weeks ago, because now he has 15 more day, which coincides with the time frame.
I wonder if he'll recover fully?
-------------------- I am not a physician, so do your own research to confirm any ideas given and then speak with a health care provider you trust.
These are the types of moments that we have been waiting for!
This is a great chance for our voice to be heard.
He needs to know what happens to the rest of us that don't get diagnosed for 2 years, 5 years, 10 years!!!!
He may not have even thought of that!
Has he thought about the rest of us that DON'T get the DOUBLE dose of antibiotics that he demanded!
Can you imagine???
Okay! AS if WE could just walk in our doctors office and say "Okay, I need I.V. antibiotics and treatment for Bartonella!, then in a few months I want Mepron for Babesia treatment!"
AS IF!
-------------------- I am not a doctor. I have no clue. Posts: 606 | From somewhere out there | Registered: Sep 2009
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
It sounds like he's doing the IDSA protocol? If so, I would think he's sure to stay sick since it wasn't caught right away, which may be a good thing for us. I hate to put it that way, but I'm sure you all know what I mean.
And, yes Missing, I thought the same thing about him telling his doctor he wants to double up on the antibiotics. Guess money and politics are on his side!
I'm hoping it will do the lyme community some good though.
Posts: 217 | From Earth | Registered: Feb 2010
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posted
12 pills, of what doxy?? 1200mg a day. how could his stomach even handle that??
-------------------- 3 months Doxy 8 months of Tetra 7 months of Biaxin/Plaq. 4 months Doxy/Biaxin/Plaq. 5 months Biaxin/Plaq. Back on Doxy/Biax/Plaq On the road to recovery. Trying to make people Lyme Aware....... Posts: 289 | From R.I. | Registered: Jun 2009
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