Disbelief

I got a call from a friend of a friend today. This person has a 26 year old girlfriend who has recently become sick. The couple was on a vacation in Tuscany when the gal got sick. Her chief complaint is migrating multiple joint pain and stiffness. She also has fatigue in the early part of the day, and light sensitivity. She has had two unspecified Lyme tests, one positive, one negative. Based on this, a doctor at a clinic started the patient on an antibiotic. Another doctor diagnosed Lupus and took the patient off the antibiotic, as antibiotics are counter-indicated in Lupus. The fellow was looking for some advice. All this was strange and mystifying to him and he did not know what to do. His friend Danny arranged for him to talk to me.

I remember when I too was in disbelief, but I dropped it pretty fast and decided to learn what I could about Lyme disease, CFS, ME and other strange diseases. I recommended to this fellow that he start reading about Lyme disease and find a good LLMD. None of these diseases are benign phenomenas -but Lyme is in a special category. You have a window of time in which to get a good clinical diagnoses and get treatment. Lyme disease can be treated by a good physician. It is necessary to go to a good physician who knows something about the disease. I suggested Dr. Daniel Cameron in Mt. Kisco, NY. There are many other in the surrounding states.

My job, under these circumstances, is to deliver a message. I realize that I cut right down to the fundamental issue and what I say comes across as pretty strong and perhaps harsh. I worry about this, about appearing "insane", but what I worry about more is the disbelief factor, which only guarantees years of deep and unabiding misery.

I had another friend this summer who got Lyme disease. His doctor put him in the hospital thinking that he had a blood clot. Hearing his symptoms, I told my friend that he had Lyme disease and to find a good doctor. A few months later he now is in contact with a good doctor, but it took time, as no one in modern life can believe the circumstances surrounding this disease and its treatment and complications.