Title: A Comprehensive Clinical, Microbiological and Immunological Assessment of Patients with Suspected Chronic Lyme Infection and Selected Control Populations Number: 96-I-0052 Summary: This study will determine whether patients who have been infected with the Lyme bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, and treated with antibiotics still have the bacteria alive inside them and whether it is causing their symptoms. The information from this study may serve as a basis for developing stringent diagnostic criteria for Lyme disease and the establishment of future treatment trials.
Individuals in the following categories may be eligible for this study: chronic Lyme disease; chronic Lyme arthritis; seropositive control (are infected with the bacteria that causes Lyme disease but do not have disease symptoms); recovered control (have been sick with Lyme disease but were treated successfully and are currently well); control with multiple sclerosis (patients with multiple sclerosis); and healthy volunteers. Patients in the chronic Lyme disease category must be between 13 and 65 years of age; all others must be between 18 and 65 years of age. Candidates will be screened with blood and urine tests.
Participants will have a physical examination and the following tests:
Blood tests - Includes HLA-typing, a genetic test of immune system markers;
Leukapheresis - Collection of large numbers of white blood cells Whole blood is collected through a needle in an arm vein. The blood circulates through a machine that separates it into its components. The white cells are removed and the rest of the blood is returned to the body, either through the same needle used to draw the blood or through another needle in the other arm. (Alternatively, patients will 100 cc (about 7 tablespoons) of blood drawn.);
Lumbar puncture (spinal tap) - Collection of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF, fluid that bathes the brain and spinal cord). A local anesthetic is administered and a needle is inserted in the space between the bones in the lower back where the cerebrospinal fluid circulates below the spinal cord. A small amount of fluid is collected through the needle;
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain - Imaging of the brain using a strong magnetic field and radio waves instead of X-rays. During the scan, the patient lies on a table in a narrow cylinder containing a magnetic field. He or she can speak with a staff member via an intercom at all times during the procedure;
Neuropsychologic testing;
Some participants may also have a hearing test and urine collection.
Participants whose test results are positive for Borrelia burgdorferi will be followed at NIH at intervals of 3 to 6 months until it is determined whether there is infection. Those who are infected will be offered treatment with the antibiotic ceftriaxone. Following treatment, patients will return to the NIH Clinical Center for follow-up visits 1 week after treatment and again at 3, 6 and 12 months. The lumbar puncture, hearing examination, blood and urine tests will be repeated at these visits to evaluate the response to treatment, and the leukapheresis will be repeated for research purposes. Patients whose MRI was abnormal during therapy will have a repeat MRI at the 3-month, 6-month and 1-year visits.
All participants with chronic Lyme disease, chronic Lyme arthritis, seropositive controls and recovered controls may be reevaluated at intervals of 6 to 12 months.
Sponsoring Institute: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Recruitment Detail Type: Active Accrual Of New Subjects Gender: Male & Female Referral Letter Required: No Population Exclusion(s): None
Eligibility Criteria: INCLUSION CRITERIA:
Screening:
Age greater than or equal to 13 years old.
Suspect of suffering from Lyme disease.
Chronic/Post Lyme Disease (CLD): For the purposes of this study, CLD is defined as occurring in male or female patients age 13 and above who have been diagnosed with Lyme disease, have received recommended antibiotic therapy and have persistent symptoms and/or signs for at least six months after therapy. They also should have no other documented explanation for their signs and symptoms and have positive serum antibodies to B.burgdorferi confirmed by Western blot according to the CDC criteria (IgG immunoblot is considered positive if five of the following 10 bands are present: 18 kDa, 21 kDa (OspC), 28 kDa, 30 kDa, 39 kDa, 41 kDa (Fla), 45 kDa, 58 kDa (not GroEL), 66 kDa, and 93 kDa).
Lyme arthritis controls: For the purposes of this study, Lyme arthritis is defined as occurring in an otherwise healthy male or female aged 18 and above who had initial or intermittent episodes of arthritis involving one or few joints and have continuous joint swelling for more than three months, without any other cause being documented, and have positive serum antibodies to B.burgdorferi confirmed by Western blot according to the CDC criteria.
Recovered Controls: For the purposes of this study, a recovered control is defined as an otherwise healthy male or female aged 18 and above who has had Lyme disease, fulfilling the CDC Lyme Disease National Surveillance Case Definition and who had received accepted antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease (at least 3 months since the end of antibiotic therapy before protocol evaluation) and who are currently asymptomatic.
Seropositive Controls: For the purposes of this study, a serpositive control is defined as an otherwise healthy male or female aged 18 and above who has positive serum IgG antibody to B.burgdorferi by Western blot according to the CDC criteria and are asymptomatic and who recall no episodes of disease compatible with Lyme infection, and have not received antibiotic therapy for Lyme disease.
OspA vaccinated control: For the purposes of this study, a OspA vaccinated control is defined as an otherwise healthy male or female aged 18 and above who has received at least two doses of the OspA vaccine for Lyme disease (Lymerix). These controls may have a positive ELISA for B.burgdorferi but a negative (or unreadable) IgG western blot.
Multiple sclerosis controls: For the purposes of this study, a multiple sclerosis control is defined as an otherwise healthy male or female aged 18 and above with relapsing-remitting or progressive multiple sclerosis as defined by the Clinical Trial Committee of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and no evidence of prior exposure to B.burgdorferi as indicate by negative history for Lyme disease and negative Western blot for B.burgdorferi in the serum by the CDC criteria. Patients should have a Kurtzke or Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) between 1 to 5.
Healthy Volunteers: For the purpose of this study, a healthy volunteer is defined as healthy male or female, age 18 and above, with no history compatible with acute or chronic Lyme disease and negative western blot to B.burgdorferi in the serum by the CDC criteria.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
General exclusion criteria:
Age less than 18 (less than 13 for patients with chronic Lyme disease).
Weight less than 70 Lb (35 kg).
Pregnancy or lactation.
Women with childbearing potential who are sexually active and unwilling to use effective contraception.
Clinically significant laboratory abnormalities including positive test for syphilis (RPR), HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV.
Chronic medication use will be evaluated in a case-by-case basis.
Not able to understand all of the requirements of the study or unable to give informed consent and/or comply with all aspects of the evaluation.
Exclusion Criteria for Chronic Lyme Disease Patients And Lyme Arthritis Controls:
In addition to the general exclusion criteria, these individuals will be excluded for:
Use of immunosuppressive drugs such as systemic (but not topical or inhalant) steroids and cytotoxic agents.
History of any recognized autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, systemic erythematous lupus, etc.
Serious pre-existing or concurrent chronic medical or psychiatric illnesses other than Lyme disease.
Past history of significant head trauma, alcohol or substance abuse in the past 5 years or other medical illness that might produce neurologic deficit (such as cerebrovascular disease).
Use of systemic antibiotics in the previous month.
Use of immunomodulators such as interferons.
Chronic medication use will be evaluated in a case-by-case basis.
Patients will be excluded from this protocol if they are judged by the principal investigator as having a significant impairment in their capacity for judgement and reasoning that compromise their ability to make decisions in their best interest.
Exclusion criteria for Recovered, Seropositive , OspA Vaccinated and Healthy Volunteers controls:
In addition to the above applicable exclusion criteria (general criteria and exclusion criteria for chronic Lyme disease patients and Lyme arthritis controls), these individuals will be excluded for:
Pre-existing or concurrent serious chronic medical or psychiatric illness.
Exclusion criteria for Multiple Sclerosis controls:
In addition to the above general exclusion criteria, these individuals will be excluded for:
Pre-existing or concurrent serious psychiatric or chronic medical illness besides Multiple Sclerosis.
Past history of significant head trauma, alcohol or substance abuse in the past 5 years or other medical illness, besides Multiple Sclerosis, that might produce neurologic deficit (such as cerebrovascular disease).
Previously received total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) or cladribine.
Has used of immunoactive medications (excluding beta-interferon) in the three months preceding the study.
In the three months prior to the study initiation, was given such investigational treatments as plasmapheresis, hyperbaric oxygen, gangliosides, Copolymer 1, etc.
Special Instructions: After an initial evaluation, patients will be followed either as an outpatient or be hospitalized in the Clinical Center. During the evaluation, a series of tests will be done. We would appreciate the patients to undergo as many of the tests as possible. We expect that the whole test battery can be completed in three to five days. These tests include a full clinical examination by a physician, leukapheresis (or a large blood draw of 100 cc), a spinal tap (lumbar puncture), blood drawing, skin test, magnetic resonance imaging of the brain (MRI), neuropsychologic testing and hearing examination. Healthy volunteers, Lyme arthritis, OspA vaccinated, recovered and seropositive controls will be paid the established NIH daily rates for participation in particular aspects of the protocol. Patients with chronic Lyme disease will not receive payment for their participation in this study.
Keywords: Central Nervous System Lyme Disease Borrelia Burgdorferi Neuroborreliosis Chronic Infection Recruitment Keyword(s): Lyme Disease Condition(s): Chronic Disease Healthy Lyme Arthritis Lyme Disease Multiple Sclerosis Investigational Drug(s): None Investigational Device(s): None Intervention(s): None Supporting Site: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Contact(s): Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office Building 61 10 Cloister Court Bethesda, Maryland 20892-4754 Toll Free: 1-800-411-1222 TTY: 301-594-9774 (local),1-866-411-1010 (toll free) Fax: 301-480-9793
Citation(s): Identification of candidate T-cell epitopes and molecular mimics in chronic Lyme disease
Sensitive and specific serodiagnosis of Lyme disease by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with a peptide based on an immunodominant conserved region of Borrelia burgdorferi vlsE
Erythema chronicum migrans and Lyme arthritis
If you have:
Questions about participating in a study, please contact the Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office, CC. Technical questions regarding the Clinical Center web site, please contact the Department of Networks and Applications, CC.
Search The Studies | Help | Questions | Clinical Center Home | NIH Home
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center Bethesda, Maryland 20892. Last update: 07/05/2006
Posts: 559 | From Cary, NC | Registered: May 2006
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posted
I have no confidence in the NIH to find a whale in a bathtub, when it comes to Lyme disease. So, are they just going to say, well we didn't find any borrelia so they aren't there. The usual baloney? Seeing as how they don't recognize alternate bacterial forms either, it seems unlikely to be useful to patients (as opposed to being job security for researchers).
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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posted
As far as trust, it depends on the lead investigator. Someone who is favorable to performing an exhaustive scientific inquiry I would have no problem supporting, given the understanding that the individual would use the scientific method in terms of letting the evidence lead them, as opposed to others such as the steerites who let theory, as opposed to science guide the studies they perform.
But, I'm with Lou, unless I know the investigators, it prolly makes sence to stay away from a study from the NIH as they have shown incompitence regularly as it applies to Lyme research. Remember, this is the same government agency that hired McQuack.
Posts: 559 | From Cary, NC | Registered: May 2006
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posted
Well, all I want is the truth. I dont care what it is I have that has made me ill for three years I just want to know what it is so I can beat it. I wish I were as convinced as you all are.
I really do not think it is right that a group of docs can guess what is going on with lyme without any proff and treat people on that guess. If the test for lyme were accurate we probally would not even have the llmd. But the test suck so it created a loophole.
I would trust the NIH on this matter before I would a group of llmds. I guess the reason for my behavior is a complete lack of trust in people. I know how much people love money and the dishonest ways they go about getting it!
Posts: 208 | From Greenville SC USA | Registered: May 2005
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SForsgren
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7686
posted
We can hope that the study actually provides some useful information. It seems to be good that they are also looking at HLA but whether or not they have biased motives is unclear.
-------------------- Be well, Scott Posts: 4617 | From San Jose, CA | Registered: Jul 2005
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I am a longtime lymie and lurker -- years and years and years -- who chose this thread to join. Finally.
I called the number listed and they told me the the woman running the study was Dr. Adriana Marques, from the Alergies and Infection Institute, whatever that may be. I may not have the correct spelling of her first name, but I did remember to have the phone guy spell out her last name for me.
So maybe someone more adept than I could look and see what, if anything, she has written/published, as maybe that would tell us what her intentions were/are.
Also, the guy told me she is recruiting for this Lyme study as well as another.
Posts: 845 | From Eastern USA | Registered: Jul 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Bothrops: Well, all I want is the truth. I dont care what it is I have that has made me ill for three years I just want to know what it is so I can beat it. I wish I were as convinced as you all are.
I really do not think it is right that a group of docs can guess what is going on with lyme without any proff and treat people on that guess. If the test for lyme were accurate we probally would not even have the llmd. But the test suck so it created a loophole.
I would trust the NIH on this matter before I would a group of llmds. I guess the reason for my behavior is a complete lack of trust in people. I know how much people love money and the dishonest ways they go about getting it!
I'm sorry you feel so disheartened:( I can't blame you however, as I lost trust in people as well durring my struggles to find the source of my illness. Here is the reason why I am so convinced of the veracity(meaning truth) of a chronic infectious nature in at least some people who have chronic Lyme Disease, I believe in cause and effect.
There are few things in science that are so simple, yet, at the same time, so profound. Truth knows no master. The truth can't be changed by the NIH, the truth can't be changed by LLMD's.
Now, I can't state for the exact mechanisms of this cause and effect relationship as if I were God, no one can, not even the NIH, but I can tell you that I feel cause and effect when I take antibiotics. I had tried everything else, including physchotropic drugs.
Now, I'm not saying that everyone with Chronic Lyme has a chronic infection, but I know that I do because the law of cause and effect is much greater than any edict proclaimed from the NIH(who by the way are on Cloister drive, really they are, I guess its some kind a joke to them).
I respond to several different classes of antibiotics, some dirived from bacteria, some that are artificially made, so, using occam's razor, I must believe that the effects I feel are of a microbial nature, as opposed to some other kind of effect that all of these different kinds of antibioitcs have on my body.
The simplest explanation is always the best. So, If I respond to all these different kinds of antibiotics, the best explanation for their bennifit is antimicrobial in nature, as opposed to some incredibly complex multi dementional immune modulatory effect that each of these drugs combine to form a kind of mosaic that form a symbiotic relationship with my "Lyme autoimmunity"
Howver, I'm with you, I don't care why I feel bad. I feel bad. I just want to feel better.
We need research badly, and I can understand your frustration, but we need research that addresses the model of Lyme Disease as it is found in the real world, and up until now, the NIH and CDC have refused to do just that.
Like many, I don't really understand why they have adopted this position, or why it has become in vouge among physicans to poke fun at Borreliosis, but all one has to do is take a trip to the local medical library, pick up some articles, and then read the commentaries at the end.
As an example for you, Shapiro recently entitled a response "A rose called by any other name would smell just as sweet" in reference to a International Journal of Epidemology report that examined the disability faced by PLS patients.
Shapiro was making the point, of OK, fine I'll conseed that its not Fibromyaglia or CFS, but what does it matter, they are similar, and this area should not be the focus of much research because these people can't be helped anyways, so why not focus on more important areas of research, hence his allusion to the Shakespere in the title of this article.
The reason I share this with you is to illustrate the importance of this debate. The NIH and CDC take their cues from people like Shapiro.
He outrightly admits that he cares very little about your PLS, as he really could care less what it is even called. He openly mocks the suffering we face, and so do many of his associates, please spend your time at the Library and see for yourself. I didn't truly believe it until I read myself.
Let us help you if we can. Do you have an LLMD, have you been on antibioitcs? Did you have the bullyseye rash? Are you VERY sure that you do have Lyme Disease, as opposed to somthing else, could this be why you are not responding?
If you have something else, WHAT? If you are not responding, what have you tried?
To help you, we need info. We need to help determine cause and effect. I did, and it has changed my life.
Posts: 559 | From Cary, NC | Registered: May 2006
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Let us help you if we can. Do you have an LLMD, have you been on antibioitcs? Did you have the bullyseye rash? Are you VERY sure that you do have Lyme Disease, as opposed to somthing else, could this be why you are not responding?
If you have something else, WHAT? If you are not responding, what have you tried?
To help you, we need info. We need to help determine cause and effect. I did, and it has changed my life. [/QB]
I had an llmd but lost my medicaid benifits. I have been on abx for a year, 6 months oral, 6 months iv. I have taken mepron, minocycline, doxy, zith, flagyl, augmentin, biaxin and a couple other i forgot. I have not had any positive response yet.
I think I had a bullseye rash? I remember having a ringworm looking rash on leg and a tick that caused my dad and I to research tick diseases, and after reading that lyme was only in NE wrote it off. Cant remember if tick and ringworm were together, however I do remember that both occured at the same address and we only lived there a year, in 1990 I also spent a week on the Edisto River in SC canoeing, camping and photographing herps at same time.
If I was sure I had lyme I would agree with everyone here on all these issues. However, I dont believe this is a conspiracy and will never agree with that.
I was cliniclly diagnosed and tested positive to babesia, though I am not sure how accurate the test is? I was dx'ed with CFS/FM but dont really fit in with them because my number one symptom is dizziness/fog and not fatigue. I am fatigued but I still walk two miles easy. I also have bad burning in upper body, cold sweats and body buzzing that dont seem to follow the cfs crowd, I guess? Does not really fit the lyme crowd either. I think a lot of people with FM have dizziness/fog but it is like 90% female and I dont have a feminine bone in me.
See my confusion?
My response was not based on that but more the way so many feel this is some sort of conspiracy. I honestly think it is not, I think they just dont care. If this were a killer like aids things would be differant. You cant expect Shapiro or anyone else to care about how you feel, they feel fine. I think if the llmd truly wanted change they could easily work with the CDC and NIH to get better results or do things there way. That would never happen though. People only put an effort into what best benifits them. Also the CDC and NIH are run from Washington, what they do is based on the public interest and amount of money the country gives them. It blows my mind that republicans at war would give a dime to some lyme study.
I guess we should be happy.
Posts: 208 | From Greenville SC USA | Registered: May 2005
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Foggy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1584
posted
Must be CDC +, typical...
Chronic/Post Lyme Disease (CLD): For the purposes of this study, CLD is defined as occurring in male or female patients age 13 and above who have been diagnosed with Lyme disease, have received recommended antibiotic therapy and have persistent symptoms and/or signs for at least six months after therapy. They also should have no other documented explanation for their signs and symptoms and have positive serum antibodies to B.burgdorferi confirmed by Western blot according to the CDC criteria (IgG immunoblot is considered positive if five of the following 10 bands are present: 18 kDa, 21 kDa (OspC), 28 kDa, 30 kDa, 39 kDa, 41 kDa (Fla), 45 kDa, 58 kDa (not GroEL), 66 kDa, and 93 kDa).
[ 05. July 2006, 10:13 PM: Message edited by: Foggy ]
Posts: 2451 | From Lyme Central | Registered: Aug 2001
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Ann-OH
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2020
posted
Yup, she is one of the usual suspects. She ran an NIH study on chronic Lyme disease a few years ago. I never heard the results of that one. People said she was very nice....
Heaven forbid any new minds with bright, interesting,ideas ever applied for a grant dealing with Lyme disease from the NIH. They would be ruled out immediately. Not one of the "good old boys" who have lined their pockets with NIH grants for years and years.
Maybe if one bright one got through and actually got NIH funding and ran a study, he would have a heck of a fight getting it published.
Let us help you if we can. Do you have an LLMD, have you been on antibioitcs? Did you have the bullyseye rash? Are you VERY sure that you do have Lyme Disease, as opposed to somthing else, could this be why you are not responding?
If you have something else, WHAT? If you are not responding, what have you tried?
To help you, we need info. We need to help determine cause and effect. I did, and it has changed my life.
I had an llmd but lost my medicaid benifits. I have been on abx for a year, 6 months oral, 6 months iv. I have taken mepron, minocycline, doxy, zith, flagyl, augmentin, biaxin and a couple other i forgot. I have not had any positive response yet.
I think I had a bullseye rash? I remember having a ringworm looking rash on leg and a tick that caused my dad and I to research tick diseases, and after reading that lyme was only in NE wrote it off. Cant remember if tick and ringworm were together, however I do remember that both occured at the same address and we only lived there a year, in 1990 I also spent a week on the Edisto River in SC canoeing, camping and photographing herps at same time.
If I was sure I had lyme I would agree with everyone here on all these issues. However, I dont believe this is a conspiracy and will never agree with that.
I was cliniclly diagnosed and tested positive to babesia, though I am not sure how accurate the test is? I was dx'ed with CFS/FM but dont really fit in with them because my number one symptom is dizziness/fog and not fatigue. I am fatigued but I still walk two miles easy. I also have bad burning in upper body, cold sweats and body buzzing that dont seem to follow the cfs crowd, I guess? Does not really fit the lyme crowd either. I think a lot of people with FM have dizziness/fog but it is like 90% female and I dont have a feminine bone in me.
See my confusion?
My response was not based on that but more the way so many feel this is some sort of conspiracy. I honestly think it is not, I think they just dont care. If this were a killer like aids things would be differant. You cant expect Shapiro or anyone else to care about how you feel, they feel fine. I think if the llmd truly wanted change they could easily work with the CDC and NIH to get better results or do things there way. That would never happen though. People only put an effort into what best benifits them. Also the CDC and NIH are run from Washington, what they do is based on the public interest and amount of money the country gives them. It blows my mind that republicans at war would give a dime to some lyme study.
I guess we should be happy. [/QB]
Whoa! You're walking 2 miles a day, and this makes you unhappy about your illness???
Until quite recently, that would have been one hell of a day for me. Wow man, seriously, be happy, like your last quote said (not in a rude way, I'm totally serious, when this disease presents in severe forms, many of us, if not all of us wouldn't be able to walk 2 miles easy or hard).
You are totally ahead of the game.
Now, here is the important thing. Not everything that presents like Lyme IS Lyme. This is why it is so very important to keep an accurate diary durring treatment. A person who has Lyme Disease, even if they have co-infections, should see some cause and effect from treatment. This doesn't mean that you will nessisarily be cured with one pill, but there should be something, anything you notice, if only for one week at a time when you took augementon, and then trasitorily noticed an increase in your mental funtion or lessening of symptoms, which then lead to their return. But the important question is, did you see an intial reduction of symptoms??
Also, as Lyme is perhaps the most complicated usually non fatal illness in the world, there are so many variables that even if you still answered No to many of these questions, there are still several things I'd like to see you try before you rule out Lyme Disease. NOw, if you had a Bullseye rash which preseded all this illness, then you can go ahead and assume it wasn't ringworm (now it could very well have been ringworm, but the odds are unlikely considering you develop a systemic illness consistant with Lyme Disease after this rash, of course the most logical conclustion is that the rash was an EM).
Do you have a picture of this rash? Do you remember being bitten by a tick?
Did you ever have objective joint swelling, even if not diagnosed by a doctor, presumadly because you didn't go, but the point is, at any time, could you look at some joint, say your knee, elbow, wrist, ect and it was hot, red and visibly swollen?
Posts: 559 | From Cary, NC | Registered: May 2006
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In my opinion if you tested positive for Babesia you can believe the test. Think false negatives are much more common than false positives. In fact, I think your symptoms of dizziness and cold sweats sound more like Babesia than Lyme.
How long did you treat the Babesia with Mepron? May not have been long enough -- Dr B says 4 months minimum.
I agree with you that I don't really believe in most of the conspiracy theories. However, what you need to remember is that the IDSA (Infectious Disease Society of America)has around 7,000 members compared to ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society) with around 200 members I think.
Numbers speak louder than words -- we are outnumbered and they are the ones who have the clout with the CDC and NIH.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
I dont walk two miles a day, but I could. I use to walk 10 miles without problem. I frequantly force myself to do things.
I have never had visible joint swelling but had a disability doc say I did and called it osteoarthritus. My leg pain is confined to muscles, even though ankles and knees hurt it is not a bone grinding feeling but more muscle and tendon pain and it hurts worse laying than does walking.
I have pulled hundreds of ticks off me from the SE states.
I also have had a problem with depression since I was 12 years old due to frequant moving and social anxiety. At the moment I am taking what is left of mepron, like seibertneurolyme said it could be babesia. Problem is I only have a months worth but that would put me at 3 months total use of mepron over last year, if that counts as taking it for 3 months straight.
I can tell you I am not happy with my illness, I have not worked in three years because of it. In three years I have not had one minute where I did not feel stoned with this spaced out dizziness and burning/cold pain. Not to mention everything else and the totally exsusted feeling.
I never saw a reduction in symptons while on abx.
I never took a pic of rash that occured in 1990. However, also in 1990 I had clerly palpable and painful nodes in groin. A biopsy revealed reactive hyper plesure, whatever that means. That was first time I ever saw a doc.
My next step will be to fix depression.
Posts: 208 | From Greenville SC USA | Registered: May 2005
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