LymeNet Flash: For those who haven't read the NEJM.......

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Posted by Ann-OH (Member # 2020) on :

Here is what the article in the New England Journal of Medicine says your doctor should do for you if you still feel terrible after having been treated for Lyme (short term - as short as 1 doxycycline pill and as long as one whole month). I have split it up for easier reading.

[quote]
http://tinyurl.com/2n4mkq

Advice to Clinicians

How should clinicians handle the referral of symptomatic patients who are purported to have chronic Lyme disease?

The scientific evidence against the concept of chronic Lyme disease should be discussed and the patient should be advised about the risks of unnecessary antibiotic therapy.

The patient should be thoroughly evaluated for medical conditions that could explain the symptoms.

If a diagnosis for which there is a specific treatment cannot be made, the goal should be to provide emotional support and management of pain, fatigue, or other symptoms as required.54,55,56

Explaining that there is no medication, such as an antibiotic, to cure the condition is one of the most difficult aspects of caring for such patients.

Nevertheless, failure to do so in clear and empathetic language leaves the patient susceptible to those who would offer unproven and potentially dangerous therapies.

Additional advice to clinicians is included in the Supplementary Appendix, available with the full text of this article at www.nejm.org.

[end quote]

I think it is blatantly unforgivable to advise doctors to act in this manner.

What about patients who relapse (even they say people can relapse) and what about another Lyme tick-bite that has gone unnoticed?

This is a very stupid move by the good-old-boys who wrote this paper and I think it should backfire on them.

Ann-OH

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

"Explaining that there is no medication, such as an antibiotic, to cure the condition is one of the most difficult aspects of caring for such patients."

==========

What a bunch of CR**! [rant]

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

"The patient should be thoroughly evaluated for medical conditions that could explain the symptoms."

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I have yet to hear a single patient here who received such care from an ID duck. They are usually laughed out of their office! [cussing]

Posted by blazinglyme (Member # 13320) on :

Hi all,

Just read the article.

I think that these nuts should all be bitten and end up in worse condition that all of us put together!

I was treated by a CDC doctor. YES I laughed all the way out the office!

Even though I tested positive with CDC 2xs, her treatment was a joke. Plus she didn't want to treat me the second time! Only cause my test came back a high positive!

Than in her own nice little way told me she couldn't do no more for me. Even though I was testing a high positive on the test she gave me for the 3th time!

She was scared of me! She didn't know what to do about my lyme disease and how far gone it was!

But I do have a great LLMD now. Being treated like I should of been 4 yrs. ago!

Best wishes

blazinglyme [bonk]

Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :

!!!!ARGH!!!!!