Who ever heard of an author you can correspond with? He better watch out - hope he has an answering machine!
Posted by onbam (Member # 23758) on :
Quote: "By no means, persistent infection by B. burgdorferi is probably rare, and many patients seeking information on Lyme disease most likely do not have a persistent infection."
[ 04-13-2011, 04:32 PM: Message edited by: onbam ]
Posted by Lymeorsomething (Member # 16359) on :
It's good in the sense that doctors can be egomaniacs. When they do not have an answer, they will often call their patients headcases. In reality, the patient often has real physical symptoms without prior or current mental health issues.
It is much easier for doctors to throw things under the umbrella of mental illness than to actually investigate unusual symptoms (what they should try to do).
Unfortunately, there are few real life Dr. Houses.
I do disagree with their assertion that persistent infection is rare. Notice how they say "probably" rare. They are not real sure themselves. It does not instill confidence.
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
well i'm gonna be positive and post this:
"We as doctors should not blame them for our limited capacity to address unexplained physical symptoms."
Posted by onbam (Member # 23758) on :
Steere said exactly that at the end of one of his NYTimes interviews.
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
Ha! That's funny!
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by lpkayak:
"We as doctors should not blame them for our limited capacity to address unexplained physical symptoms."
- They got that right!
Posted by 5vforest (Member # 29365) on :
"By no means, persistent infection by B. burgdorferi is probably rare, and many patients seeking information on Lyme disease most likely do not have a persistent infection."
I agree with the first half of this statement but disagree with the second.
Many people who get LD and are diagnosed and treated early are cured. A smaller percentage of people either fail to get diagnosed or fail to receive adequate treatment, and those are the people who search for information on Lyme disease online.
Posted by farraday (Member # 21494) on :
One of my biggest supporters was and is my psychiatrist. Long ago she told me that I was remarkably UNdepressed, considering how sick I was. Now that we know I have a number of infections, thanks to a great LLMD, she is carefully screening all of her patients and has found more of them with this misery.
It was her idea to sponsor a physician's conference to teach diagnosis and treatment techniques. I have three docs on board so far. But with my new rounds of Flagyl/Ketek, lymph therapy and 5 new room mates (our son and his family have joined us) my plate is full.
Testing for all these illnesses is tricky, but I have documented infections and can show, by the tests and numbers, how much better I am getting on the abx. My family is so pleased with my progress, as are my doctors.
Anyone living in Northern California who wants to help set up the doctors' conference can contact me and maybe we can pool our energy.
Posted by jkmom (Member # 14004) on :
I actually think it was a pretty good article. He seems to be emphasizing the lack of good tests and understands that symptoms after so-called adequate treatment might even be due to continued infection.
He says patients with strep throat treated with antibiotics who still have symptoms are not routinely told it can't possibly be strep and Lyme patients shouldn't be treated any differently.
He says patients with ongoing symptoms are naturally going to seek treatment and should be treated with respect.
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
One of my favorite spots is where they say people using the term Post Lyme Disease Syndrome (PLDS) are using "deceitful terminology".
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