posted
My children were diagnosed and were being treated for lyme and missed alot of school. My ex took the opportunity to work behind my back to get dcf and the school to believe they were not sick. They did get better and were doing well when they took the case to court accused me of munchausens by proxy and gave custody to my abusive ex. I am not allowed to even talk to the kids except 1 1/2 hr a week supervised visit. My children miss their home they are girls and need their mom the court got their own dr very well known anti chronic lyme guy. Pray for me. I have had lyme for 25 years myself. I am in despair. its all because of peoples ignorance of this illness. Anyone have a similar thing? apparently munchausens is being used by fathers to get custody in lyme cases.
Posts: 61 | From wilton | Registered: Mar 2010
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posted
How horrible! I can't imagine being sick and having my sick (or healthy) kids taken from me. I am so sorry for you all and I will keep you in my thoughts. Try and be strong in this time...
-------------------- Down on her knees, she wept on the floor. This hopeless life, she wanted no more. Dead in the mind and cold to the bone, She opened her eyes and saw she was alone. ~Seether Posts: 427 | From Rhode Island | Registered: May 2011
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linky123
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19974
posted
I am so sorry to hear about this. It's just not right for someone to take advantage like this.
You will be in our thoughts and prayers.
Take care and God bless.
-------------------- 'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.' Matthew 11:28 Posts: 2607 | From Hooterville | Registered: Apr 2009
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Very sorry to hear about this.
Sadly, yes, a charge of Munchausens by Proxy is not all that infrequent for either parent of kids with lyme.
Sometimes, both parents are accused. It can be triggered by the school system, a pharmacist, a doctor's office, insurance companies, etc.
A spousal "war" is not the only cause but that has happened a few times, too. (The documentary "Under Our Skin" discusses one such case which has taken a stellar LLMD to court for years, still.)
Some states seem to have more cases than others. Yes, several other cases of a state taking away children with lyme. So ignorant and sad.
You might try to find out who has won such cases - I hope you find a good attorney as you need the best possible support and intelligence on your team.
I hope this turns around very quickly.
The very best of luck and courage to you at this time.
I see that this is a similar post to one eleven months ago. So, I assume you have no attorney now or anyone on a team to help you correct this injustice?
Have you contacted your local lyme support group, AND the state group? A legal clinic at an area law school? Your state Bar Association?
I hope other posters will have more suggestions for some direct contact for you. I think you should be able to contest the court's assessment of this.
---
Did your attorneys cite ILADS' research at your hearings? Were / are your attorneys ILADS educated? Have they handled similar cases before? -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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MADDOG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 18
posted
Hi It seems I have seen this sort of thing on the lymenet before.
Someone should be able to do a search and help you figure out what to do.
MADDOG
Posts: 3996 | From Ohio | Registered: Oct 2000
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karenl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17753
posted
Can you google for any groups - sure you are not the only mom with this problem. A letter of an LLMD ( maybe there is one who has own kids)?
Posts: 1834 | From US | Registered: Oct 2008
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- I would have thought the attorney would have searched all articles. If not, a basic search at Google brings up many solid links, just copy and paste:
Call them the Munchausen mothers. A growing number of women stand accused of deliberately sickening their children for attention from doctors.
In an era of patient advocacy and hard-charging moms, there's no end in sight to this hotly contested diagnosis. . . .
- full article at link above.
---------------
The same author has also written many other articles and a book about problems patients have with proper diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne infections,
posted
In my opinion, you have been wronged and so have your kids. I would suggest finding out if it's possible to legally fight it.
This is a real disease, causing real symptoms. I'd go after it on the basis of reality. Time to fight back.
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
can someone help get her in touch with tincup?
i think she might know how to handle it-yes it has happened before...
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
Wow I am so so sorry. I never head of such a thing in all my life. You need a lawyer to help you regain the children. I went through legal shield for only 23 a month and they helped me out immensely. Look them up online and at least speak to them..
-------------------- Diagnosed with chronic neuro lyme 12/10 after 30 years of vertigo.2 tick bites in 3 yrs from upstate NY. Was on omincef for nine mths..zith and rifampin stopped.Remission~ All the pain and symptoms are back and I am not treating now with biaxin. Posts: 788 | From New york..queens | Registered: Nov 2010
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Marz
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3446
posted
What a terrible thing for you and your girls to be going through!
You must be worried about their health too since this stress could bring a return lyme symtoms.
If that did happen though, your ex couldn't ignore that and wouldn't their need for some kind of medical treatment change this legally?
Posts: 1297 | From USA | Registered: Dec 2002
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
Oh, this is heart breaking. I'm so sorry.
I don't know the ages of your children or even if this is available in your situation or state, but please look into getting them a "child advocate".
A child advocate basically speaks for the child during legal cases. Often children feel pressured by the more powerful parent to go along with their wishes.
So they my want to live with you but are being pressured/forced to live with their father...
The child advocate is an unbiased person, they only speak for the child, not the parents involved. See if you can find one in your area. It may help in your situation.
Get the help of a good lawyer.
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- I finally read this article that I posted above yesterday. It is very important for everyone who has a child
- and even those who don't because it shows you which states are making a full out effort to paint patients who are assertive as crazy.
Take note of the "experts" who travel all over the U.S. to help support cases against those charged with MBP.
Please, make a point to copy, paste and print out if you have to but, please, do read this. It's an amazing job of reporting: ------------------------------
posted
Munchausens means a fictional complaint. However, there is a new test now for Lyme, done through Advanced Laboratory Services, that can detect the DNA of the bacteria. It is supposed to be an accurate test. If that test could be done to prove Lyme disease, you'd have some proof.
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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MADDOG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 18
posted
Thank you to everyone for your support and help. I have a new lawyer so hopefully things will get some better.I think the court knows exactly what expert to call and you all probably know who I'm talking about.Also the psychologist was biased. I wonder if they are paid a good sum for their biased opinions. Is that America??Where is due process? Not in juvenile court especially concerning lyme. If the school principal saw her playing on the playground she is a faker. Nice .
Posts: 61 | From wilton | Registered: Mar 2010
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merrygirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12041
posted
good luck. what a terrible situation
Posts: 3905 | From USA | Registered: May 2007
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
pam has written some really impt things for us
given us credibility
i skimmed artical but wonder if someone could list problem states and best states to be in when fighting lyme---too hard for me to do that today
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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Tracy9
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7521
posted
I was reported for Munchausen's by proxy exactly one year ago. My son was in the hospital with an unrelated serious issue, and it happened to be a hospital where a well known IDSA pediatrician who is featured in Under Our Skin works. He was called in to consult as a standard procedure based on my son's Lyme diagnosis, though it really had nothing to do with why he was there. However he was mysteriously hemorraghing badly from both kidneys and they didn't know why so they were covering all the bases and calling in the specialists.
I had gotten the notes from his pediatric LLD because they contained a couple years worth of labs that might be helpful. Well this IDSA doc had a field day with that. He had testified against this LLD in medical board hearings.
A week after my son's discharge, child protective services was knocking on my door and questioning why we were treating my son with long term antibiotics for a disease that he didn't have.
Long story short, at the time he wasn't even on the antibiotics, so we just shook our heads, said he'd been off treatment for a while, we had no idea what they were talking about, and explained the Lyme controversy. The worker was excellent and appalled that the doctor (who filed anonymously, so we couldn't take any action) had the nerve to file such an outrageous complaint.
I'm so sorry this has gone so badly for you. I will pray it turns around.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
I am so sorry this has happened. I hope your new attorney is a powerful one and gets your children back. Why can't these people take the word of the children that are sick and not faking it? It is completely crazy.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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