Lyme Disease's Symptoms Mimic Many Illnesses, Leaving Patients in Doubt

Linda Bryant has trouble reading the newspaper because she has lost her ability to concentrate. She has chronic pain in her muscles and joints, even though she takes 22 kinds of medications daily.

Bryant, 57 of Chester, is a victim of Lyme disease, one of the most commonly misdiagnosed diseases in the South.

She started having back pain in 1997. She went to a chiropractor three times a week, hoping it would ease the pressure building in her back. She thought she had fibromyalgia, but nothing worked to stop the pain.

So she sought help from other specialists. She visited an orthopedic doctor. He didn't have the answer. She saw a neurologist, rheumatologist, cardiologist, pulmonologist and a spine specialist, all within three years.

"No one knew what it was. They blamed my lungs," said the one- time smoker.

She received physical therapy treatments for her pain, but she still wanted an answer.

In 2000, she turned to the Huntersville, N.C.-based Jemsek Clinic, and almost immediately Bryant learned she had Lyme disease. She'd probably had it for about seven years, she said.

Lyme disease mimics many other diseases, including Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and more - leaving many doctors scratching their heads with its diagnosis.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, symptoms of Lyme disease - fever, malaise, fatigue, headache, muscle aches and joint aches - are the same as many common illnesses.

The disease is not as common in the South as in northeastern states. In New York, 4,300 cases were reported in 2000, compared to 25 in South Carolina and 47 in North Carolina, according to the most recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control.

Doctors in the Carolinas tend to overlook or even deny the existence of Lyme disease because of its rarity, according to Dr. Joseph Jemsek, who wrote an essay about Lyme disease published on his Web site, www.jemsekclinic.com.

The disease comes from bacteria transmitted to humans from the bite of an infected deer tick. Ticks are infected by feeding on small rodents.

Most of the time, Lyme disease patients don't see a tick.

"A tick is as tiny as the head of a strait pin," Bryant said. "That's tiny. It's almost impossible to see it. And all it takes is one bite."

Jemsek writes that in most cases, the bite of an infected tick results in a distinctive bulls-eye-type rash on the skin. Symptoms usually follow and include fever, malaise, fatigue, headache, muscle aches and joint aches. If caught in the early stages, Lyme disease can be treated and rarely causes severe problems.

But if it's left untreated, as in Bryant's case, it causes more serious complications.

Bryant never saw the rash, but she experienced all the symptoms.

"It starts in my fingers; the pain wakes me up at night," she said. "Then it goes in my muscles through my arms into my back and down my legs. It's just God-awful pain."

Patients who are diagnosed with Lyme disease usually get some type of antibiotic treatment, though that varies depending on the severity of the disease. There is no vaccination against the disease.

After her diagnosis came back positive for Lyme disease, Jemsek put Bryant on intravenous therapy and two high-potent antibiotics for two years. Because of the extensive treatments, she was forced to quit her job as a processing agent for a chemical company she'd been with 25 years. She used up her short-term and long-term disability benefits, hoping that she'd eventually be able to return.

Bryant got better, but not much. She'll be on various types of medication for the rest of her life, and she can't ever return to work.

Although Lyme disease isn't fatal, it is life-altering in Bryant's case.

"It was just too late by the time they caught it," Bryant said.

Bryant said she will never be her old self again.

"I stay exhausted all the time," she said. "I can't do too much around the house without giving out. I can't plan anything. I just have to live one day at a time."

In addition to the pain, the disease has plagued her with short- term memory loss.

"I can't read a book," she said. "I have to read one paragraph four times before I can comprehend it. My brain just won't function."

The memory loss is scary. She leaves post-it notes around her house to remind her of appointments.

She relies heavily on the support of her husband, James. He has picked up the brunt of the housework and grocery shopping and does his best to help her out. He says he tries to get her out of the house as often as possible, for a nice dinner out or to visit relatives in North Carolina.

"But you never know how she's going to feel, so you can't plan from one day to the next," he said.

It hurts James to watch his wife's struggle.

"The hardest thing is not seeing her get any better," he said. "It's terrible watching someone you love go through this."

Bryant said she wouldn't wish Lyme disease on her worst enemy.

"Other than when I lost my daughter four years ago to an accident, this disease has become my worst nightmare," she said. "I was hoping to be cured, but there's no such thing."

Bryant hopes by sharing her story, others who may experience similar symptoms will press doctors further. "Hopefully other people can catch it before it's too late," she said.

Shannon Greene 329-4076

[email protected]

Lyme disease is the leading cause of vector-born infectious illness in the United States. About 23,000 cases were reported in 2002, the most recent count available. But the disease is often misdiagnosed and under reported. A few facts about Lyme disease:

Source: Lyme disease is caused by bacteria that is transmitted to humans from the bite of an infected deer tick. The ticks are infected by feeding on small rodents.

Symptoms: Infected people usually develop a bulls-eye rash accompanied by fever, malaise, fatigue, headache and muscle and joint aches.

If untreated: Infection could result in disease of the nervous system, musculoskeletal system or heart. Lyme disease can cause intermittent swelling and pain in the joints, cognitive disorders, sleep disturbance and personality changes.

Diagnosis: Diagnosis is based on a series of tests.

Treatment: Antibiotic treatment for three to four weeks with doxycycline or amoxicillin is usually effective in early stages. Intravenous treatment may be required for later stages.

Prevention: Simple precautions include tick checks when coming in from the outdoors. Bathing with a washcloth can dislodge a tick before it attaches. Insect repellents offer protection. If a tick is discovered, remove it quickly and properly.

Sources: U.S. Center for Disease Control and Jemsek Clinic

Story from REDNOVA NEWS: http://www.rednova.com/news/display/?id=121519

Published: 2005/01/24 12:00:17 CST

I'm shocked that this article has such a glaring mistake in spelling. Usually it's simply a typo....but....

QUOTE:

"A tick is as tiny as the head of a strait pin," Bryant said. "That's tiny. It's almost impossible to see it. And all it takes is one bite."

END QUOTE

Strait pin as in George Strait?? I went to the RedNova site [whatever that is] and they have an ad for Sylvan Learning Center!

Thanks for the article, Amanda!

I don't believe I read this in the daily digest I receive of 1-4 articles daily posted. Thanks.