I SOUGHT OUT THE SECOND OPINION OF ANOTHER DOCTOR TODAY AND AM BLOWN AWAY BY WHAT HE SAID. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR REACTION AND ADVICE.
I HAVE SEEN A DOCTOR FOR OVER 3 YEARS. HE HAS DIAGNOSED ME WITH LYME, THEN BABESIA AND CURRENTLY HAS SAID IT IS BARTONELLA. HE IS VERY EXPENSIVE, HE TREATS ME WITH MOSTLY NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS AND WILL ONLY USE ANTIBIOTICS IF i ASK FOR THEM. I AM NOT GETTING BETTER AND IN FACT SEEM TO BE WORSE. i HAVE DEVELOPED A BI-LATERAL PAIN IN MY LEGS, SHINS, INSTEP, TOES, MY WALKING IS EXTREMELY AFFECTED. WHEN I GET UP IN THE AM, I CAN HARDLY PUT ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER.
ANOTHER MD, WHO IS WELL-RESPECTED IN HIS FIELD (ORTHOPEDICS) RECOMMENDED THAT I SEE A RHEUMATOLOGIST WHO HAS DEVELOPED A SECOND SPECIALTY IN LYME. BEFORE HE WOULD ACCEPT ME AS A PATIENT, HE ASKED THAT I FAX ALL AVAILABLE BLOOD TESTS TO WHOM (i HAVE 3 YEARS' WORTH) TODAY HE CALLED AND SAID THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF LYME IN MY BLOODWORK, THE DOCTOR IS A CHARLATAN,WHO IS ROBBING ME and since he also sells the supplements he "prescribes", he should not be believed. THIS DOCTOR RECOMMENDED THAT I SEE A NEUROLOGIST. I thought I had finally gotten a diagnosis for what ails me and I get this news...WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
First.. please make future posts in regular type so those here can read it. Thanks so much for your consideration.
Secondly, neurologists are usually worthless when it comes to Lyme and Co.
PS.. rheumatologists are also clueless
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
I second Lymetoo's advice. It strained my eyes to read the all capitals and I am not sick. There will be Lyme patients who cannot read your post.
Most doctors do not recognize Lyme Disease and will say what that doctor told you, that you don't have it.
Do you have a copy of your Western Blot? Maybe you could post it.
Posted by lou (Member # 81) on :
Did you specifically want someone who would treat without antibiotics? Is that why you were with the first doc? If he will treat with antibiotics, did you ask for them when you weren't getting well?
Most people do need antibiotics and if you go to a doc who really knows something about lyme and other tickborne diseases, that is what you will get. Plus antimalarials for babesia.
Yes, please do post the results of your lyme testing.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- The only word I could make out in your post was "rheumatologist"
- they are usually very ignorant regarding lyme, other tick-borne disease and other stealth infections. Consult with a good lyme literate MD or ND who is ILADS-educated. Nothing less.
Post in "seeking a doctor" forum AND also contact your local lyme support groups.
You are clearly not getting well on natural supplements.
Fire your doctor. Ignore the orthopedist and rheumatologist. Don't bother with the neurologist.
Get to an LLMD and get the correct testing and treatment.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Go to one of the good lyme doctors I recommended to you in September. Then, you will find out if you have lyme or not.
Neither doctor requires you to buy anything from them.
If you have lyme, it will continue to progress until you get adequate treatment. That could be what is happening.
If you have been with a doctor treating lyme and coinfections for 3 years and you are not better, but, in fact, worse, it is long overdue for you to change doctors.