Donna
Smith
It was July 2003 when my wife
came into the house with a tick engorged on the backside of her
knee.... I knew nothing about tick illnesses, but I did hit the
Internet to see if there was a proper way to remove
it.
In the mean time, Donna removed
the tick using her long fingernails. That was it. we
thought.
A few days later, someone at work
said she should see a doctor, just in case the tick was a Lyme
carrier. I asked her, what it Lyme, does this mean you would
have the flu for a few weeks or something? She had no
clue.
She did see the doctor, he
ordered a Western Blot and prescribed Doxcycline 200 mg daily
for two weeks. Two days later, a rash showed up. We didn't know
what it was, but researched and found it to be the classic
bullseye rash.... Unfortunately, we did not take a picture of
it, something that should be done as proof.
Two weeks after seeing the
doctor, she saw him again and he declared her Lyme
free!
I said, not so fast, she still
has all of her symptoms! I provided him with a copy of
Dr. Burrascano's 2005 Lyme Treatment Protocol, and said
she needs further treatment until all symptoms are gone.
He referred her to an infectious disease doctor (ID). It
took a month to get in to see the ID doctor, but I convinced
her PCP to prescribe enough Doxcy until then.
I convinced the ID doctor to
prescribe Doxcycline 400 mg daily as per Dr. B's protocol and
she did and ordered another Western Blot.. A few weeks later,
the ID doctor said good news! The test was negative and you
don't have Lyme! We both spoke up saying Donna's symptoms
were worse and she does have Lyme. This ID doctor said she
didn't know how to treat this any further and we were referred
to the only LLMD here...
This LLMD refused to see Donna,
saying she had a negative test. Her PCP intervened and told the
LLMD she did have a tick bite and bullsye rash and he diagnosed
(dx) her with Lyme... She got the appointment, but two months
away.
Thank goodness the ID doctor
prescribed 4 month of Doxcy 400 mg, enough to keep her until
the LLMD appointment.
At the appointment with the LLMD,
Donna had clearly declined quite noticeably, he could see she
was now in the chronic phase of the disease and he prescribed
IV Rocephin and oral Flagyl for three weeks... I knew this was
too short of a time period, but he said this is all that was
needed now. He also ordered another Western Blot. At the
end of 3 weeks, he pulled the PICC line and took a wait and
see.
Three months later she was still
worsening and he prescribed Amoxicillin because her test came
back negative, he didn't want to chance another round of IV
Rocephin and oral Flagyl. He was clearly covering his
hiney here.
A month later she was still
worsening, the LLMD could see this and he agreed to another
round of IV Rocephin and oral Flagyl, but now was treating her
for STARI (Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness), not Lyme.
This is a disease one get's from a lonestar tick, it mirrors
Lyme symptoms and treatments, but there is NO test for STARI, a
dx is made via symptoms, so again he was coving his hiney. This
time he prescribed for six weeks.
At the end of the six weeks,
Donna was feeling much better, the PICC line was pulled and she
was given an appointment in four months. She returned in four
months with continued improvement and the LLMD released her
saying she was cured, but would still notice some joint issues
for about a year. Just as the year was ending, all issues
associated with Lyme were gone!
During this time, Donna continued
working, but was clearly very ill, very fatigued and brain fog.
She had no choice but to keep working as I have been
disabled with an undiagnosed illness since 1991 and we needed
to maintain our health insurance. Thank goodness this
ended well for Donna, it is almost four years since she was
released and still is symptom free....
Written by husband Jim
Smith
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