posted
Doctor cleared of misdiagnosing Lyme disease
BY BILL MCKELWAY TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Oct 7, 2005
RELATED: Police Beat
The state's medical board has exonerated a popular Northern Virginia physician whose treatments for suspected Lyme disease allegedly endangered her patients.
In a decision made public yesterday, the board concluded there was insufficient evidence to support allegations that Dr. Lelia H. Zackrison had misdiagnosed Lyme disease in certain patients and then treated them with prolonged courses of antibiotics and other drugs.
Dozens of Zackrison's patients and supporters showed up this week in Fredericksburg for a hearing on the charges, which involved care for three patients dating back to May 1999.
Zackrison, in support letters and among members of the National Capital Lyme Disease Association, has been portrayed as a target of the medical establishment that argues that some patient symptoms result from conditions not related to Lyme disease.
These "charges are at the heart of the Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment debate," notices sent out by the National Capital group said, urging its members to write letters supporting the Fairfax doctor to the medical board and Zackrison's lawyer, R. Harrison Pledger Jr.
Lyme disease, which can cause severe, recurrent headaches and nerve damage, is most often found in the Northeast but it is believed to be occurring with more frequency farther south. The disease is carried by deer ticks; about 100 cases a year turn up in Virginia but the diagnosis is often uncertain.
In one of the charges, Zackrison allegedly diagnosed a patient with Lyme disease despite a lack of corroborating evidence and tests that conflicted about the presence of the disease. She ordered that the patient have a catheter and undergo a 12-week course of drugs.
But the patient sought a second opinion which resulted in a finding of no Lyme disease, Lupus or reactive arthritis. The patient was treated for fibromyalgia and malnourishment.
The decision yesterday concluded that Zackrison's care for the three patients was not optimal but that there was no clear evidence that there was a violation of state law or regulations. Nor did the allegations involve actual evidence of patient harm.
Neither Pledger nor Zackrison returned calls asking for comment.
posted
Thank you so much for posting this. Some days I dread coming on line for fear of the next dose of bad news.
I find it amazing that anyone automatically assumes the second opinion is correct. Well, that patient who went with diagnosis #2 is going to pay for it for a long time, I bet.
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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posted
Well, in all fairness if insurance is not paying for the medicine that the doctor is ordering because they see no corroberating (sp?) evidence it is pretty easy to have doubts and seek a second or third opinion in hopes of just finding something to get you better.
Not saying that the doctor was wrong, just that I can understand the patient going for other opinions.
It is wonderful that this doctor and the lyme community had so much support, i think its a big victory. I imagine not many doctors in other fields would have had such a strong showing of support in an equal case.
I just hate to fault the patient for seeking other opinions, hopefully that makes sense and hopefully I understood what was being said.
Posts: 799 | From home | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
Thanks for posting, but it makes me sick to my stomach when I read outrageous stuff like this. It's okay to treat patients who have so-called fibromyalgia, CFS, etc. with psychiatric drugs, and PT but antibiotics for lyme aren't okay?
The patient that chose door number 2 will probably be registered on this board some day. On a more positive note, at least the lyme seed was planted in his/her mind. It wasn't ever planted in mine -- I would have clung to every single word of advice.
-------------------- Posts: 703 | From Almost Heaven | Registered: Aug 2004
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posted
this is a good omen for the future.
Posts: 2708 | Registered: Feb 2005
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livinlyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3773
posted
A win for our cause!! Rally up people we have work to do...
and we are winning the war!!
with every battle in favor it is a apparent the efforts are paying off!!
-------------------- "Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it." Posts: 1389 | From who knows, who cares, but somewhere over the rainbow | Registered: Mar 2003
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troutscout
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 3121
posted
I can understand the person getting a second opinion...however, when it is a trash can dx that cannot be cured or properly treated...and it is a "buzz" word in the community....
why is it that people will accept that dx and not go for the one that they have something to fight?
Glad to hear........the good Doc won.
Trout ;)3
PS.Too bad the press won't be insistant on showing the result of this...rather than the 'shock and awe' of the initial charges.
-------------------- Now is the time in your life to find the "tiger" within. Let the claws be bared, and Lyme BEWARE!!! www.iowalymedisease.com [/URL] Posts: 5262 | From North East Iowa | Registered: Sep 2002
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posted
The 'good doc' here dx'd me with fibro and malnourishment (sp?) - I suppose she was just learning as was I.
When you suffer for so many years and a doctor seems to understand your pain and puts a name to it, whether it be lyme, fibro or almost anything - its pretty easy to buy into it - well it was for me.
I'm very happy that people are supporting our LLMD's but I don't think that should mean we should put down people who are still seeking answers whether they have been told lyme and disregard it or after a bunch of negative tests, give up on that dx.
I'm sorry that I'm in the minority here so i will shut up Posts: 799 | From home | Registered: Sep 2004
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Worthless tests & labs, a dangerous vaccine, insurance companies refuse to pay, undertreatment the norm, all about money. MO. Posts: 281 | From CT | Registered: Oct 2005
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henson2
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 463
posted
The desire to be in denial about a serious disease is strong.... this patient is probably relieved to hear that someone believed it was "only" fibromyalgia and not having eaten correctly, as opposed to the frightening idea of IV antibiotics.
I was wondering myself, exactly how the 2nd doctor was "treating" fibro, as no one knows what it is really, and can only treat symptoms.
And I think it only too true that this patient will worsen and will remember the Lyme dx one day, and we'll probably see this patient on the Boards.
It's impossible to be judgemental; but I'm so sorry that this person is likely to suffer a lot more before realizing there is a way to get better.
Thanks for posting this.
Warm good wishes to all.
Posts: 1066 | From East Coast | Registered: Dec 2000
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Loribelle
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Member # 6293
posted
I would like to see more info re how that pt is doing after the treatment for fibro and malnourishment...
Posts: 1149 | From southeast iowa | Registered: Sep 2004
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troutscout
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 3121
posted
Geeeeeeeeeeez,
Lyme...a cause, a target and possible cure Fibro....cause unknown (In many cases...Lyme) ongoing pain and suffering
You tell me WHICH Doctor should actually be under board review.
Trout
-------------------- Now is the time in your life to find the "tiger" within. Let the claws be bared, and Lyme BEWARE!!! www.iowalymedisease.com [/URL] Posts: 5262 | From North East Iowa | Registered: Sep 2002
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Caryn
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 366
posted
is this the beginning of a new dawn? i certainly hope so.
i would hope my life was not destroyed and my childrens childhood and thier health comprimised in vain.
drs actually practicing medicine and not having to fear persecution for practicing medicine.
posted
Yeah, Trout! I agree that they should be questioning the wisdom of the traditional docs. My question to them is "why aren't you at least listening to what the LLMD's have to say, so that you know what you are talking about when you malign them. In my opinion, one representative from every family practice, and even speciality practices in my area (Northern VA) should have had a representative at the Hope to Heal Conference! It was in their backyard and would have been a valuable investment of their time.
Posts: 422 | From Herndon, Virginia | Registered: Oct 2005
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