Topic: Shocking information from AR about why Lyme is not reported.
Tricky Tickey
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 26546
posted
This is a response I had on one of my articles from another kindrid spirit who's been riddled with Lyme. I am shocked, angry, appalled, and ready to march on Little Rock over this. Please read the message here:
"Lyme is very alive in AR so don't let them tell you differently. When my dad called the state health dept to report my case they told him they would rather not because AR is the natural state and it's economy based on people coming to hike, float the Buffalo, and other outdoor activities so they don't like to report such things.
Yeah.....I was shocked as well. So much so that I called the head of the dept myself who oddly was a vet (human state health dept and head a vet???) Anyway he repeated the same words to me. Yes I am on the list just so you know.
There's nothing right about hiding and misleading people. We are in a very sad situation in AR as it's one of just five hot spots in the nation for Lyme but diagnosed as some type of autoimmune disease. Scary."
So.... That explains why AR had no reported cases last year, or the year before! I was just talking to my friend today. She was saying that 'they', whoever they are, say there's "no Lyme in Arkansas", yet she has it and knows someone out of every family in the Ozarks that has it! She even said..."I dont' understand why they won't report it.."
Now we know why. This is ghastly! It's time to stir up a hornet's nest in AR!!!! Lyme disease is endemic in Arkansas!
-------------------- Early Disseminated LD- 2010. Currently doing acupuncture and yoga. Negative Igenex (IND & Pos Bands) ISSUES AFTER: Tendonitis, letter reversal, Low immune system. PREVENTION:SaltC,Iodine,Humaworm, Chiropractic. Posts: 1013 | From In a van down by the river. | Registered: Jun 2010
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posted
Arkie has brought up a major PR problem issue - how do we work effectively with places which are concerned about economic losses were they to discuss the tick problem? I see this here too.
And the silliness of the issue - almost everyone has the tick problem. Everyone hiding the common problem as if it was just theirs.
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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onbam
Unregistered
posted
THat's one reason. At one point, WI was on the right track and did active reporting of Lyme (health dept. would actually contact doctors and check to see how many cases were being diagnosed), and tourism fell 10% (also, MN which did not do active reporting, published an article advertising the state as having "less lyme" than WI.)
They never did that kind of surveillance again.
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posted
Arkie...I spoke to someone at great length about the reporting system in Okla. She told me the same thing. That a lot of our dollars come from tourism (though I can't imagine why, lol) and that's why we went 4 years with no reporting. The head of our health dept. refused to acknowledge the existance of Lyme. Took advocates 4 years to get him out, but they finally did.
It's still grossly underreported, and doctors..if they believe in Lyme at all...believe it is rare. My own Dr. tried to tell me this, until I told her about the people my DH works with being positive, and all the people I've talked to since testing positive myself knowing someone else who has it. She truly was shocked. But she didn't report me as positive, since she doesn't believe I'm chronic. I HAD it, but not anymore. I just am left with the "fallout" from it.
To her credit, she did put me on Doxy. It was only going to be for 30 days though. It made me REALLY sick, so I couldn't take it.
So we're in the same sitch over here that y'all are in, basically. I still think the underreporting has to do with those tourist $$$. It's a disgrace. Worse.
Posts: 624 | From Oklahoma | Registered: Jun 2010
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posted
I've heard the same thing from Florida. You wouldn't think that medical people would have any connection with the tourism industry. Wish we could get this kind of statement in writing, but of course, they would never do it.
Do they also refuse to report other diseases for this reason, or just the ones you might get in the out of doors?
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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Tricky Tickey
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 26546
posted
I suspected it was the same story for Oklahoma. There is absolutley NO reason why there have been no reported cases. None. It's greed and ignorance. Of course, since the testing is so flawed anyway and comes up with negatives all the time, that's probablly part of it.
But deliberately holding back information from the general public in the interest of tourism dollars is an outrage!
-------------------- Early Disseminated LD- 2010. Currently doing acupuncture and yoga. Negative Igenex (IND & Pos Bands) ISSUES AFTER: Tendonitis, letter reversal, Low immune system. PREVENTION:SaltC,Iodine,Humaworm, Chiropractic. Posts: 1013 | From In a van down by the river. | Registered: Jun 2010
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posted
I'll admit at first when she told me that, my knee-jerk reaction was that couldn't be possible. I since found out that it is. And you're right..it is an outrage! I can't imagine why anyone would want to come here anyway(can you tell I don't like Okla, lol??) but I can see between Lake Texoma, Lake Eufaula, the state parks, I'm guessing tourism is big business.
I don't know what other reportable diseases they might not report, but knowing how things work around here...if it's something that's going to affect someone else's pocketbook, or the income that comes into the state, if reporting is going to affect that...they wouldn't report it. I could go on a long rant here about things but I'm going to keep my big fat mouth shut. For once.
Posts: 624 | From Oklahoma | Registered: Jun 2010
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posted
I've heard it with someone with NY property, I've heard it from someone in Asturias, Spain, re the touristed coastline that needs the income,
I've seen it here - who would want to advertise that Golden Gate Park has a tick bite case with Lyme and three co-infections?
Seems to me that if everyone did the right thing by this situation, probably tourist dollars would drop some everywhere, as people make the choice not to go out into nature as much.
However, if this poor public could be helped to understand they can still appreciate nature, but in a more protected way, then they could still go and spend their money and be there.
Thinking further on this, I think the public is not going to stop going out into nature, like they really come to visit Yosemite, and we're hearing about Lyme infections there, including in the rangers.
The real issue is to take the bull by the horns and just educate everyone how to live safer in nature everywhere - all that protective behavior entails. We really have no other choice at this point.
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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quote:Originally posted by lou: I've heard the same thing from Florida. You wouldn't think that medical people would have any connection with the tourism industry.
Lou, it's my guess the connection would be through the public health depts, which are part of city/county/state govt.
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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posted
OH sure. That is true for most states. Nearly every state has tourism that would be adversely affected were it kwown that they have Lyme disease there.
Lots of tourism in my part of the Ozarks too!!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
money talks....
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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METALLlC BLUE
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6628
posted
Well North Dakota can't be a little ***** anymore.
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