Maybe it's because I'm quickly losing my academic skills to this rotten illness and dwell on this too much lately? but....since we have a hell of a time as it is trying to have this disease recognized in the medical

So, just to point out, some docs are saying Lymes, which may be why some patients are too. At the time, this was all new to me and I didn't know what to call it, so I didn't correct her (but I kept thinking Lymes was wrong). I always found it odd.
I'm never sure whether or not to correct people because I know how much everyone is suffering, but I have always found it to be confusing when I try to respond.

Thanks for bringing it up and raising our awareness,

My LLMD once told me to try saying Erlichia and see if you get a better response from people (especially doctors). I always do. People seem to take that more seriously as a "real" illness, I guess because it sounds more technical and therefore people assume more identifiable by blood tests than Lyme disease sounds like it would be.

Interesting.

Naming this outbreak after the town in which it occurred, he called this illness Lyme Arthritis. By the late 1970s it was recognized that the illness had systemic manifestations including neurologic, rheumatologic, dermatologic, and cardiac components and so the name of the illness was changed from Lyme arthritis to Lyme Disease.

In 1982, the infectious agent Borrelia burgdorferi was identified (4). Soon thereafter, reports indicated that the European neuroborreliosis was caused by a similar if not identical organism (13). In acknowledgment of this infectious agent, Lyme disease is now referred to as Lyme borreliosis.

But few could pronounce Lyme borreliosis so in 1992, it became Lyme Disease.

Then Lyme.

Dr. Willy Burgdorfer identified the microorganism. He wasn't crazy about having a terrible bacteria after him (borrelia burgdorferi). He's a true humanitarian.

I excuse Lyme newbies for it, as it's a common mistake. But medical 'professionals' should know better.

Well, I have to say hearing people say "oh ya, you got Lymes" drives me totaly nuts sometimes.

I am now called "The Lyme Queen" in my town, as everyone thinks of me as a poster child for Lyme Disease. As I have had it for over 2 years, my son was just recently diagnosed, and I have sent at least 15 people to the ER with a confirmed bulls-eye for treatment in the past 2 years.

I have bought books for the library, and can be seen all over town distributing Lyme Brochures. I'm sure some think I am a little odd

So I guess I really don't care if they call it Lymes or Lyme as long as I am making people aware about this disease and getting others talking about it's dangers.

But deep down, I have to say it does kinda irk me

The many docs I've seen and begged for help over the years think/thought I'm crazy. Today I simply tell them if I'm not I sure as H should be by now!

My neighbor, Erin-who I never see, told me that she mentioned to someone in the sub that I had Lyme-she is fairly aware-as her mother was a gardener

Well, The lady-who has never set eyes on me-told Erin-that if I would just stop eating all citrus fruits-really-I would be just fine!

hearing the word Lyme's or Lymes or even Lymie (aren't they from England?), erks me like...

fingernails on a chaulk board

My LLMD, Dr. C of MO, always refers to the word Borreliosis when refering to Lyme Disease....

Oh, and when folks say to me Lyme's Disease, I, always, say back, "it's Lyme Disease, named after a town in CT named Lyme, not Lymes, CT."

But, then again, my regular PCP who has said to me and Chip that we know more about Lyme's Disease than he, still says it wrong...

oh, well, I travel on to read other posts now.

Rosemary

One time I read in either Dear Abby or An Landers where someone had written in because the column capitalized AIDS. The woman said it was offensive because you dont capitalize cancer! HA!

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And really I dont think it should even be called Lyme since the disease already existed other places. But really it isnt Lyme at all. Lyme is more of a nickname.
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it is my understanding that now the Policitly Correct thing to say is HIV since it has discovered to be an actual virus rather than a syndrome.

Since this, too, can be applied to Lyme Disease...the politically correct thing to say when referring to CFS or Fibromyalgia...well, someday it will be.

They are beautiful old artist colony towns. I bet it didn't give the property values any boost to have a disease named after them!

You are correct. AIDS is an accronym. That is why it is so funny.

Many people do not know this but there is another word that is accronym. It was used by the police in the 1800's when they would arrest prostitutes:

For
Unlawful
Carnal
Knowledge

So far as PC I dont know. But HIV is more correct for someone infected with the AIDS virus since not all people move into AIDS.

hearing the word Lyme's or Lymes or even Lymie (aren't they from England?), erks me like...

Sorry to offend you, Rosie, with my term *Lymies*, it was in referance to "Several persons with Lyme Disease" All of which are not offended to be called that. We are a little band of sufferers-that talk about our experinces and progress with the disease fairly frequently.

Much positive support is derrived from this group of sufferers.

I have been told there are actually two correct terms for Lyme: Lyme Arthitis, which is the term if your main manifestations involve arthritis

Or Neuro Borrelia: which is used to describe the later(Suppossably Later)neurological form of the disease

Also forgive me, as I will type whatever is faster to get my point across-I have some cognitive issues that pertain to the Lyme, and my spelling, and writing have gone down-hill

And as a Northerner in the South-there are different slang words used everwhere, I forgive anyone who slaughters the word
Lyme-if they have a good heart

Two years ago I got this disease when I was home visiting in Connecticut. On that trip, I went to the Florence Griswald museum in Lyme Connecticut. Great museum full of impressionists paintings. My husband and I were looking at the paintings, and there in-between these wonderful works of art was a framed picture of a tick and the story of Lyme disease. We found it to be odd at the time. Odd being that it was placed with all the impressionist paintings. Little did I know then, that I was just beginning my own ordeal on that very trip!

I don't know how people in Lyme feel about this disease being named after their town, but they did put up the picture of a tick and a little info about Lyme disease in one of their museums!

Next time a doc says it wrong, tell her/him that Lyme CT for which it is named is a town.
It was not named for being discovered by a person, so no person named "Lyme" can claim it and call it "Lyme's disease."

As for "Lymies": I never liked that nickname because it sounds too "cute". I don't picture anyone over 10 when I see or hear that and I certainly don't picture elderly sick people or deathly sick people of any age.

I always said and wrote "Lyme disease patients" to preserve some seriousness and a last shred of dignity. Even "Lyme pts." would be better if a short version is needed.

Occasionally, I do mention to newbies here [is that too cute??] that it's Lyme, not Lymes. Drives me nuts too. And the most understandable reason for people should be that it's named after a town named Lyme, not Lymes. [as someone else stated]

Oddly enough when I went for my picc line placement only 3 weeks after being diagnosed. I heard the Dr. in radiology say Lymes..This hospital has done at least a couple hundred Picc lines for my LLMD since it is the only hopital nearby so they have certainly seen many more Lyme patients than just me. I did think it strange that a DR. or radiologist would say it wrong.

More recently the MD that works in my Chiropractors office called it Lymes the first few times I visited her (for Chiro related MD treatment).. She is very up in years, maybe 68+ and sweet as can be and she actually admitted not knowing about this disease but was interested to learn a bit.

I too am guilty of saying "fellow lymies" to refer to Lyme-friends here ...and although I thought it was a warm and friendly term at the time I posted it, I will try to refrain from using this term if some lyme patients are uptight about it..

But I want to go on record as saying that being refered to as Lyme victims somehow does irk me to no end.

Sandi

When AIDS became a popular "word" every teacher's aid wanted to be called teacher's assistants. Being offended at being called aids.

Lyme is a beautiful little town with extemely high taxes and very strict planning codes.

Just because it was diagnosed as coming from there we all know it is everywhere, it could be called Tick disease for all I care.

I am grateful we have the freedom to have a forum were we all can meet, and grateful for everyone who contibutes.

Now...it could have upset someone, but my sister took it with a sense of humor (as the friend hoped she would) and we all had a great laugh looking at the arrangement.

It is hard to know what to do, what to say sometimes. I would like to know what the "politically" correct word is to refer to those who have lyme disease as I do not want to offend anyone.

Lyme patients? The definition fits. Is that the least offensive to everyone?

Humor makes a bad situation much better.

I dont mind if someone calls me a Lymie or a person with Lyme or Lieme..just as long as they believe that I am sick and I can find a Dr. to treat me. That is all that matters.

But I am crazy, sick etc because I have Lyme, not Lyme's. People with Fibromyalgia don't mind being referred to as Fibros, but they may have an urge to correct someone saying Fibro's Disease.

I HATE the word "Lymes".

I just think...what an ignoramus.

It's Like...."Use your Discovery Card" lol

I agree with Rosie on the Borreliosis thingy.

However...I actually instruct people to call me.......Lymie. It's funny.

And NO ONE makes fun of me...since I work about 60 hours a day at my furniture store....and am starting up another business.

PS>>>>>>>>>>>>

I want all of you people that need to raise funds for your local Lyme Group/Cause to read my new subject-Raisng money.

My aim name is Lymie and I like it dammit......

As for me, when I was first diagnosed I went out to a bar with my friends with my cane, both wrist braces on, and I couldn't drink and the bartender asked me why. So I told him....he put up a shot glass on the bar filled with LIME JUICE.

I thought it was pretty cute.........maybe cause he was cute heheheheh

Take Care everyone
Abbie

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You can only see the stars when its the darkest.................

Aol instant messenger name: Lymie711
come chat...learn how http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/026909.html

I never really get tired of that.

Lymes makes me mad as well.

Trust me , They will know what to call it when 25% of the population has it, and they figure out its spread sexually.

Hope this doesnt sound mean, I just get freaken sick of denial and ignorance.

You cant control how other people feel. If something upsets them, let it be. I have seen posts where people have indicated it is lyme and not lymes. I think that is first and foremost in education of this disease.

By the way, my post to LOPA was NOT cruel. If it was, I woudl have been ignorant and not included a smile. It was a joke. Lighten up.

Thats just my opinion.

And its still Lyme to me!

Just because someone says something you may not like as you do not like some correcting the usage of the word LYME as we do not like the use of the word LYMES ( makes for a pretty circular back and forth, mute argument)

don't ever assuem that people arent working their aszes off in the backround looking for cures or searching or doing what they can. THAT was ignorant.

--Annie

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<a href="http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Lyme_Camp/join">

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They proceeded to tell her there was no Lyme in Oregon, checked for SARS and a few other things and finally came up with a diagnosis!

She was happy to call me and assure me that "they didnt have" what Lish has. The doctor found a difinitave test....the man had Borellosis and needed to be hospitalized with IV antibiotics for the next 6 weeks, followed by 2 months of orals.

Just had to post to this one because I thought it to be very funny!!

I refer to us as "LYMIES" and noticed a long while back that my mom did not like that.

I asked her about it and she said she did not know what I was talking about. I copied and pasted it to her and she said that is how she felt at the time. Guess more important things are taking a front row seat in the "erking" department these days, like my g-ma.

Well fellow lymies.......how ya doin?

I find it endering and cute. So, how about that? Later.......

Here we are a year later, and I have to say the word "lymes" still irks me

But I like being a Lymie