posted
I’m getting scared about what to do. I’m seeing infectious disease doctor Wednesday and after reading many forums, it seems that I won’t get much help unless I see a lymes doctor. I have not been into naturopathic medicine, but it looks like all lymes clinics have these doctors plus they don’t take insurance. Are there no reliable medical doctors to treat lymes. I live in a university town with a good medical hospital.
Posts: 6 | From Iowa City, iowa | Registered: Dec 2017
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
There are medical doctors who treat lyme disease. However, doctors who are part of a medical system or medical center, hospital, etc. will NOT treat lyme correctly.
That is because a medical group will follow the Infectious Diseases Society of American (IDSA) which says that lyme is RARE and EASILY treated with up to 30 days of doxycycline.
This is the stand of the medical profession and it hasn't changed in 30 years. We are becoming hopeful that perhaps it will change in the near future, but we have been disappointed before.
So, to find the MDs who are experts in lyme treatment, you have to ask on boards of lyme patients like LymeNet or the lyme support groups in your state. See Support Groups on the left side of the page.
In my city, we have Johns Hopkins Hospital and other major hospital systems. They all look to the IDSA to tell them what to believe about lyme disease and how to treat it.
You want to find an independent doctor who follows the Burrascano Lyme Treatment Guidelines.
Such a doctor will not be part of a medical system. And, nearly always such a doctor will not take insurance because he will need to spend at least 1 hour with you at the first appointment. Some spend 2 hours and some even 4 hours with the new lyme patient.
ALL of the lyme specialists that treated me were MDs. I never went the naturopath route.
Before I learned about lyme doctors, I went to an infectious diseases doctor. She did not believe my positive lyme test from Quest and wanted me tested again.
She also yelled at me that "nobody could possibly have all the symptoms you have listed here!"
So, most likely, the ID you see on Wednesday will tell you that you do not have lyme disease and to stop reading about lyme on the Internet because places like LymeNet are full of crazy people.
That is my prediction. Or, you will be treated like a mental case, especially if you are a woman.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Do not go to a "Lyme Clinic." .. Go to an LLMD .. an MD who knows how to treat Lyme disease. Big difference.
Changes have been made in your state in the past year or two. You may be able to find an LLMD who actually knows something.
Contact me if you need help. I have a good friend in IA who has Lyme and he has worked in the legislature to help get things changed.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96063 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
I really advise you to take Lymetoo up on her offer of getting advise from someone in Iowa.
You can go to a ID, just prepare yourself to be disappointed that you wasted your time and money.
But maybe you will get lucky and find a ID doc that can get you started. Every once in a while, we hear of one that treats Lyme but it generally short term.
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6454 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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