15 Years sick... been to Mayo Clinic and about 16 more Doctors all across the US, I finally put the pieces together and I actually asked my non-insurance Naturopath friend doctor to run the test for lymes because my insurance would not even run the test...Just got diagnosed 2 weeks ago in Portland OR. I am not fully understanding why this disease is not treated like Alzheimer, arthritis or such? Why are doctors scared to diagnosed or treat? I do not understand !!
Posted by sickpuppy (Member # 23846) on :
Also try to see the documentary film about lyme: Under Our Skin They have a great website.
Also see the ILADS website.
Posted by onbam (Member # 23758) on :
Read the first two links in my signature.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Why? Partly, because is is so very complex. It's really a sub-specialty and few doctors will take the enormous time necessary to learn all about lyme - and other tick-borne infections. It also take a lot longer to assess and work with patients as each one is different.
For the record, Mayo is terrible regarding lyme. Just terrible.
I'm truly sorry that you find yourself in a beautiful state that has such an inferior system of medical care if a tick has anything to do with illness.
My background is similar. Sick a long time. Many doctors gave up. Finally, my ear doctor told me to get tested but GP did the wrong tests.
I paid myself through ND for Igenex tests and was positive for 3 tick infections, advanced stage and my GP turned me away, saying seizures must have been all in my mind. I was shocked. That was 1997. I'm still shocked at the lack of care for lyme patients in this state. It borders on the criminal but we just have to do the best we can.
Oregon is one of the very worst states in which to live if one has to get lyme tests or treatment - and other tick-borne infections are not even considered.
Officially, in Oregon, Lyme is not allowed. The Oregon Medical Board wants it that way and has stripped away the right to practice for those few brave MDs who did know better. An MD can loose their license for treating lyme in Oregon. Even reporting one case, a ND told me that he was asked to reverse the report by the state. They tried to talk him out of it.
Fortunately, in Oregon, NDs are licensed by a different state agency than MDs. There are couple ILADS-educated LL NDs. Still, as with many LLMD out of state, it's self pay since insurance won't cover lyme.
Insurance companies simply do not want to cover proper testing or treatment.
We're all pretty much on our own to figure this out but there are good people here who have worked hard to gather resources and share information. Be sure to contact:
Oregon Lyme Disease Network -
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Because lyme is in the midst of a major medical controversy (it's a WAR) over its definition, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
A Boston TV station did a great show on lyme disease a little over a year ago. Here is the link to it: http://www.kettmann.com/Lyme/Save/
Then, click on "Here"
The show was taped by a girl on LymeNet and she put it on-line for all of us to be able to view it. You will learn a lot about the medical controversy surrounding lyme disease and why it is so hard to find a doctor who knows how to cure a person of lyme disease.
Also, if you are up to reading, borrow the book "Cure Unknown" by Pam Weintraub from your local library. She lays it out very well.
Pam has covered science and bio-medicine for national media (magazines like "Discover" and "Psychology Today") for over 25 years.
She, her husband, and her 2 sons found out they had lyme disease. So, she investigated lyme from both a professional angle and from the angle of the patient.