Lyme Disease
Check out these links below
to find out more about
Lyme disease.
Infectious Disease Society of America: IDSA
IDSA Treatment Guidelines for Lyme Disease
Most doctors follow the treatment guidelines of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).
These doctors rely primarily on the narrow CDC surveillance case criteria for diagnosis even though the CDC itself cautions against this approach. They may also require the presence of a typical bull's eye rash and/or a lengthy tick bite. These doctors may fail to diagnose many patients who actually have Lyme disease resulting in no or delayed treatment which may in turn cause considerable morbidity and mortality.
Also, these doctors believe that treatment should be short term only. They view any long term effects of Lyme disease as due to an autoimmune process or permanent damage that would be unaffected by antibiotics. These doctors may fail to adequately treat many patients who actually have active chronic Lyme disease infection resulting in further complications up to and including death.
International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society: ILADS
Some doctors follow the guidleines of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS).
These doctors use broader clinical criteria as recommended by the CDC based on potential exposure to ticks, signs and symptoms, and clinical course. Also, they may use antibiotic responsiveness to assist in their diagnosis. In addition, they may use laboratory testing in a supportive role.
These doctors may over diagnose Lyme disease. Because they believe that it is better not to miss a case of Lyme disease, these doctors may expose some patients to the risk of treatment when they actually do not have Lyme disease.
Furthermore, these doctors believe that Lyme disease may be a chronic and persistent infection which is difficult to eradicate and which requires long term treatment.
Most of these doctors use prescription antibiotics often in high and/or combination doses and with off-label indications. The risk of side effects from antibiotics increases with their prolonged usage. Although many patients improve with antibiotics, others do not tolerate antbiotics or they discontinue antibiotics prematurely. Risks of prolonged antibiotic treatment include, but are not limited to, pain, discomfort, anaphylaxis, yeast and/or bacterial overgrowth, internal organ damage, and death.
Jarish-Herxheimer ("herx")
reactions may result from killing Lyme bacteria resulting in any variety of symptoms due to the microbial die
off.
A few of these doctors advocate for a holistic health approach to chronic infections without the use of antibiotics. They may use natural antimicrobials and supplements to re-establish balance in the body and to enhance the healing process by improving detoxification, by reducing inflammation, and by minimizing herxing.
Centers for Disease Control: CDC
The Lyme Cryme by Beaux Reliosis: Lyme Cryme
LymeDisease.Org: Lyme Disease Dot Org
American Lyme Disease Foundation: ALDF
Lyme Disease Association: LDA
Let food
be thy medicine,
and medicine
be thy food.
~Hippocrates
DANDELION
Your word
is a lamp
to my feet
and a light
to my path.
~Psalm 119:105
ECHINACEA
The secret of health
for both mind and body
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worry about the future,
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but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.
~Buddha (paraphrased)
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