What is Lyme disease?
May is Lyme disease awareness month. Lyme disease is a vector borne illness that is transmitted by ticks, spiders, fleas, and mosquitos. Left untreated, Lyme disease becomes chronic and leads to debilitating symptoms. Furthermore, Dr. Klinghardt from the Sophia Health Institute reports that no patient entering his clinic with ALS, MS, Parkinson’s, or Alzheimer’s has not tested positive for Lyme disease. Thus meaning Lyme disease in a chronic state mimics other autoimmune diseases. If we don’t know the root cause how can we treat the right disease?
There are over 450,000 new cases of Lyme disease reported each each. This number has gone up by 150,000 in the last few years and continues to rise. Don’t be fooled that Lyme disease isn’t in your area, it is world wide. Treating Lyme disease is complex in nature due to the multiple co-infections that accompanying the disease. In addition to the complexity, each patient is unique and there is no cookie cutter, one size fits all treatment.
Symptoms of Lyme Disease
The list of symptoms patients experience with Lyme disease is extensive. Acute onset will result in flu like symptoms and less than 20% of patients experience the bulls eye rash around the bite. If you or a loved one knowingly get a tick bite please seek medical care immediately. My highest recommendation goes to the Sophia Health Institute, my personal doctor Dr. Jennifer Grushon, or any practitioner that practices A.R.T. With A.R.T. the practitioner will be able to decipher if treatment is needed. Also, saving the tick that bit you is a great idea. There are testing centers that will test the tick for free. The Bay Area Lyme Foundation is one that will test the tick for free, click here to find out more. Here is a short list of common symptoms chronic Lyme patients experience.
- fatigue
- bone pain
- muscle pain, neck stiffness, muscle wasting
- joint pain
- malaise
- neuropathy
- paralysis
- difficulty concentrating, thinking, finding words
- memory loss
- allergies to almost anything
- chemical sensitivities
- muscle twitching, ticks, spasms
- dizziness, vertigo, balance issues, feeling motion sick
- blurry vision, floaters
- insomnia
- migrating pain
- heart palpitations, cardiac issues
- headaches
- psychiatric issues, depression, anxiety
- digestive issues, IBS, nausea
- intolerance to cold or heat
Lyme Warriors Program & 5K
I have been in consistent treatment for two years. The most recent of those years I have made lots of progress due to my doctor. Treating Lyme disease as mentioned above is complex and insurance companies do not cover chronic Lyme treatments. Sure, antibiotics are covered to some degree, but treatments that I have found beneficial and doctors that know how to treat Lyme disease are not covered my insurance. Clinics focusing on treating Lyme disease often do not even accept insurance because their methods of treatment aren’t covered. Thankfully there are programs out there that are non-profit helping patients get the help they need.
The Lyme Warrior Program funds research, helping patients receive the care they need, and sending kid smile boxes out to children battling Lyme disease. They have a fundraiser 5K going on right now virtually through May 15th. You can register using this link to join team LYME REVIVAL. In addition if you feel led to help a patient receive the treatment they need please consider donating here. I have been incredibly lucky to have family and friends help fund my early treatments. However, not everyone is fortunate to have that kind of help. Find Lyme Warriors on Instagram here. Make sure to tag @lyme_revival on your posts in Instagram to spread the love and awareness.
Lyme Disease In Me – Why I Want To Help
Picture a single mom, working a high stress sales job, trying to balance three kids and life. I had years of being sick before knowing that Lyme disease was actually what I had. First, it was adrenal fatigue, then Epstein-barr virus, finally in 2018 getting the diagnosis of Lyme disease. Lyme disease is a progressive disease, it will not get better left untreated. There were days I couldn’t get off the couch to make my kids dinner, or I had to take a nap after work and before making dinner, just to be able to function. It is lonely and isolating to be in this place. This is exactly why I wanted to highlight Lyme Warriors. A place that offers assistance and hope to those is these situations. Find the rest of my story here.
Prevention and Support For Lyme Disease
If you are someone who likes to be outdoors you can use permethrin to treat your clothes in advance. Be sure to check your body for ticks once being outside in brush or grassy areas. In addition check your pets for ticks frequently. The CDC has additional guidelines on how to prevent tick bites.
When it comes to supporting loved ones who are battling Lyme disease needs can vary based on the the individual. If I could give any advice on the matter I would say make sure to check in regularly. Ask questions that you really care about, don’t ask how someone is doing if you are just being polite. Offer support by arranging meal trains or helping with household chores. Support can even look like driving to doctors appointments or running errands. Also being aware that when battling Lyme disease symptoms can vary day to day. Lyme patients are not hypochondriacs, they are dismissed routinely in the mainstream medical community, they don’t need it from family and friends.
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