Lyme Disease

[eastont]

My ex-brother-in-law, who is a dear friend is fighting Lyme disease. This has been going on for over 10 years now and he's losing the battle. He is in what is called third stage.
He lives in BC and the government is not helping him at all, in fact they dispute the fact that he has this disease....
I am wondering if any one on this forum has any experience or understanding of his situation.

All responses are appreciated

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Lyme Disease

Whats his symptoms? I have had Lyme for many years now and might be able to help, even here in the US, it is quite often sluffed off and stated that it is nothing, but it does affect a whole bunch of people..

The biggest problem is there is really no strong definitive test for this particular illness, it is taken like fibro, which some Doctors say is in your mind.

 

[woosterken]

Re: Lyme Disease

wow,sorry to hear that
here a while back there was a show on tv called royal pains ,with some thing like that ,the person thought they had MS, upon further test it was discovered he really had lime disease.

woosterken

 

[Cofe]

Re: Lyme Disease

Lyme Disease if diagnosed early enough is easily cured with antibiotics. It sounds like the disease has progressed in your friend, and recovery will be difficult. Ticks can also carry a new disease called anaplasmosis.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Lyme Disease

Also Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Been through the Lyme thing, and have a friend that durned near went crazy (literally) before she got treatment. Don't mess with it, travel if you have to.

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: Lyme Disease

Lyme disease can be very debilitating, there are a dozen diseases that you can get from the Lyme tick. there are two test that you can take, demand from your doctor that you want the more expensive test, if he/she will not, find another doctor.

 

[eastont]

Re: Lyme Disease

Whats his symptoms? I have had Lyme for many years now and might be able to help, even here in the US, it is quite often sluffed off and stated that it is nothing, but it does affect a whole bunch of people..

The biggest problem is there is really no strong definitive test for this particular illness, it is taken like fibro, which some Doctors say is in your mind.

I'm not 100% sure of all his symptoms, but he's very weak/tired, very forgetful and is having difficulty with his vision. There are others but I can't remember exactly. He was having some good progress when he was taking a "cocktail" anti-biotics, with doxycycline as the base and found that just taking doxycycline was making him feel better, now he can't find a doctor to prescribe it for him.
He was going to Seattle to see a doctor who agreed with his prognosis and would prescribe the medications, but suddenly the doctor wanted $300 for each visit and $50 for each prescription, and he can't afford to pay that considering he hasn't worked in years.
His main source of support is income from a tool rental store he started and is run by his son. He can't find another doctor in the US that will agreed to reat him.
He is quite depressed these days because he can't get a doctor in BC to agree he has Lyme and therefore no treatment.

In talking to him about this he is so knowledgeable about the disease one would thing he's a research expert. He went to The National Capital Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Association in Washington, DC and gave a presentation about what Lyme can do and what it has done to him. They were blown away with the amount of information he had accumulated and deciphered over the last 10+ years, and said they would help him in some way. That was 6 months ago and he has heard zilch...they don't return his e-mails, and when he reaches them by phone, they keep saying they're "working on it", he says.....yea and by the time they're finished I'll be dead.

Sorry for the long blab, but it really peeves me off, and I can't do anything to helpshort of $$$$ or send him medications.

 

[angus63]

Re: Lyme Disease

I was diagnosed with Lymes in 1986 before it was a very common name. Had reps from the state visit me for details. Raised lesion with red ring. No trace of the tick. 12 week anti biotic regimen (entire summer without beer was the worst symptom I experienced!). Advised not to donate blood and fine ever since. Went for blood test for gov't employment and abracadabra, no detectable trace of Lymes disease. Previous doctor who mis-diagnosed and first treated me long gone. Hope your ex BIL case is diagnosed well and he finds a remedy.

 

[Cofe]

Re: Lyme Disease

My wife is a RN, and after she read this she thinks that your friend needs to go to the doctor and get blood work done. The symptoms that you are describing can be several different ailments, even diabetes.

 

[eastont]

Re: Lyme Disease

My wife is a RN, and after she read this she thinks that your friend needs to go to the doctor and get blood work done. The symptoms that you are describing can be several different ailments, even diabetes.

He's done that numerous times and it keeps coming back the same way.....Lyme. He lives in BC and has had blood tests done in Seattle, Lethbdridge Alberta and Ontario. He has hoped for a different outcome, but no.

 

[IES99]

Re: Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is curable with antibiotics. Did he get treatment at the time of the first symptoms? There is no such thing as chronic Lyme disease.

 

[rbh]

Re: Lyme Disease

Were is the ex bro inlaw, Thompson/Okanogan or west Kootenays?

Lots of ticks around those parts.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Lyme Disease

One thing he might be able to do, it get a hold of a university that has a research dept. I know of two guys here where I live that has a similar situation arise and they got in touch with the research dept, they were actually treated as part of a research program grant that was going on.

 

[eastont]

Re: Lyme Disease

He lives in Duncan, on Vancouver Island. As far as I understand from the situation is that the BC College of Physicians doesn't recognize Lyme as a debilitating disease, so therefore the doctors won't prescribe Doxycylinine to treat it. I wish I was more knowledgeable about this, his wife is a wreck trying to deal with it. She can't seem to get anyone to listen to him and he is about to camp out on Parliament Hill to force his point.
What I don't quite understand, is why they are so reluctant to prescribe an anti-biotic.......it's not like it's a narcotic.

 

[eastont]

Re: Lyme Disease

Were is the ex bro inlaw, Thompson/Okanogan or west Kootenays?

Lots of ticks around those parts.

He's on the island in Duncan. He actually got the tick bite here in Ontario, but at that time, 1997, nobody thought anything about it.

Are there walk-in clinics on Vancouver Island?

 

[rbh]

Re: Lyme Disease

He's on the island in Duncan. He actually got the tick bite here in Ontario, but at that time, 1997, nobody thought anything about it.

Are there walk-in clinics on Vancouver Island?

Duncans a fairly good sized town/city, should be quit a few, and Victoria is only half an hour away.

 

[fireman57]

Re: Lyme Disease

This going to sound crazy but it is absolutely true. I have a friend, Mark, who had lyme's disease and the doctors didn't kow how to treat it. Keep in mind this was 29 years ago. He is a tall powerfully built man who had run a printing press. He was only 21 years old. He had only been on this job for 3 years when he got the disease. Long story short someone told him to go see this Amish doctor and as a last resort he did. A couple of us packed him and his wheelchair (yes he was that far along) up and drove 2 hours to see Reuben Schwartz, the Amish md. He had him drink hydrogen peroxide but not the kind you buy in the store. It has to be (I believe) 4% and made to take internally. There is a dosing schedule that you can find online. I think it starts with 1tsp a day and you end up taking 15 or so by the end of it. He was up and walking, unsteadily, in two and a half months. four months later he had gained his weight back and has been back at work ever since. It might be worth a try. The reason the doctor gave for it is that our bodies are not oxygenated like they should be and diseases like lymes, cancer, and even the flu must have low oxygen to survive. You might get online and check it out. It definitely can't hurt and it sure as heck isn't 300.00.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Lyme Disease

This going to sound crazy but it is absolutely true. I have a friend, Mark, who had lyme's disease and the doctors didn't kow how to treat it. Keep in mind this was 29 years ago. He is a tall powerfully built man who had run a printing press. He was only 21 years old. He had only been on this job for 3 years when he got the disease. Long story short someone told him to go see this Amish doctor and as a last resort he did. A couple of us packed him and his wheelchair (yes he was that far along) up and drove 2 hours to see Reuben Schwartz, the Amish md. He had him drink hydrogen peroxide but not the kind you buy in the store. It has to be (I believe) 4% and made to take internally. There is a dosing schedule that you can find online. I think it starts with 1tsp a day and you end up taking 15 or so by the end of it. He was up and walking, unsteadily, in two and a half months. four months later he had gained his weight back and has been back at work ever since. It might be worth a try. The reason the doctor gave for it is that our bodies are not oxygenated like they should be and diseases like lymes, cancer, and even the flu must have low oxygen to survive. You might get online and check it out. It definitely can't hurt and it sure as heck isn't 300.00.

Been there, done that.
You buy 35% food grade H2O2, and start with 1 or 2 drops in a glass of water 3 times a day, increasing it by one drop per dose each day till something happens.

With me, what happened is suddenly I was covered with zits and boils, to the point I had to shower several times a day to keep the stink down. The doctor was going to treat me for depression when I had a systematic staff infection for months. After the healing crisis, I was fine.

Ever wonder why cheese doesn't mold till about 2 days after you open it? The packaging is misted with the food grade H2O2.

 

[fireman57]

Re: Lyme Disease

Thanks for the backup j. I hope eastont's ex bil sees this. It is worth a try. It sure won't hurt you like some of the treatments ccan.

 

[eastont]

Re: Lyme Disease

Thanks for the backup j. I hope eastont's ex bil sees this. It is worth a try. It sure won't hurt you like some of the treatments ccan.

I sent it to him minutes ago....I'll see what his response is.