Welcome to Tick Soup, a blog for information about tick borne diseases. These include (but are not limited to) Lyme, Babesia, Chlamydia pneumonia, Mycoplasmas, Anaplasmosis, Rickettsia, Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Tularemia.
The picture at the top of this blog is of a nymph tick in the palm of someones hand. Tiny isn't it. Most infections come from ticks this size, and most of the time the person doesn't even know they were bit. At least 40% of the time there is no rash.
First off, I am not an MD. The information I will present here (some of it cutting edge and clinically outside the general standards of treatment for these diseases) is presented so that we can become knowledgeable patients. We cannot rely just on the Doctors who care for us.
To get treatment for tick related illnesses you need to find doctors who will listen, be open to learning from you, and who cooperate in designing a treatment program tailored to your needs and circumstances.
I know, right now many of you are saying, "Good luck." Luckily the patient-driven Lyme Community has done some footwork for you. But realize two things:
On the one hand: Time is of an essence in getting treatment. The difference of a few months may mean significant suffering and greatly increased cost of treatment.
On the other hand: Doctors are scared. The current general standards of diagnosis are very restrictive and can miss up to 40% of Lyme infected patients, not to mention the many of us infected with other organisms from tick bites. Doctors who are advocates for a more liberal diagnostic categories and treatment protocols have had their licenses threatened, lost insurance reimbursement privileges, and fear reprisals from the medical community. I know this sounds paranoid, but once you start reading the history of treating Lyme disease in this country you will see the extent of this problem.
Therefore: It is up to you to find Doctors and other medical professionals who will actually treat you, instead of trying to get rid of you.
To do this; Google lime support groups in your local area. Ask for referrals. Don't expect to read their online material to find good doctors. It is a bit dangerous to publicly post information about Lyme literate doctors, since doing so may jeopardize their practice. Most Lyme groups will email you back right away with good recommendations. Be prepared to travel some distance to get to a good doctor. It is well worth your time to do this. Lyme treatment delayed, misdiagnosed, or inadequately treated can end up costing you $50,000 or more, and create unimaginable suffering in your life and in the life of your loved ones.
I hope you find the material I will post informative. It is an act of service I provide freely, since so many have given generously to help me with my treatment.
