Lyme Disease?

[LadyFisher]

I seem to recall someone from the east coast I think who contracted this disease a couple of years ago....
anyone remember that? I'm wondering how it worked out, what the treatment was? We have a friend here is has it - yes blood tests are back and he does have it.

[Thunderthumbs]

Dee,

Lyme Disease is caused by a spirochete that is transmitted from the tick to the host. It's a little spiral looking bugger that seems to like residing in the joints of our bodies. Most likely, if it hasn't established itself really well, they will give him a dose of some really potent antibiotics (if my memory serves me correctly) to kill it, and that should be that. If it is established then they will most likely still give him the antibiotics, but he will have "relapses" for the rest of his life. They may be far and few between though.

TT

[popperfly]

I had Lyme disease back in the late 90's when I lived in Michigan and didn?t even know it for over a month. The symptoms I started having was loss of appetite, weight lose of 28 lbs to be exact, hot and cold spells and the worst part of it was the aching of the joints in my legs & ankles, it attacks your nervous system. The doctor believes I contracted it from cleaning the deer I shot during bow season. Doc started me on antibiotics and I started to feel better within a couple of weeks. I gained my appetite back again, hot and cold spells went away; aching of my joints started to subside but never really went away for several months. Doc told me there was no medication to treat Lyme disease only antibiotics; also it could come back since it was a blood virus. I believe antibiotics are still the only way currently they treat you for Lyme disease.

[LadyFisher]

Thanks so much, that is exactly what I was looking for - this one is a bit tougher, while in the process of the testing they found out our friend has heavy metal problems as well. Seems he worked for the railroad in the radiator shop where a lot of heavy metals were used...he is on keylational (sp) therapy as they have to do that first. What a mess!

[nighthawk]

Thanks so much, that is exactly what I was looking for - this one is a bit tougher, while in the process of the testing they found out our friend has heavy metal problems as well. Seems he worked for the railroad in the radiator shop where a lot of heavy metals were used...he is on keylational (sp) therapy as they have to do that first. What a mess!

Prayers to your friend and his family. Lyme disease is bad enough wtihout the issues caused by poisoning from heavy metals.

[garthman]

if the heavy metals "poisoning" was from his job, he might want to investigate a workman's comp claim to help with the medical expenses. i realize your question was about lyme disease and not about the metals posioning.

I live in CT, the capital of lyme disease. Your friend wants to get on the antibiotics as quickly as possible before the little bugs get into his nervous system. he may find that the delay will push him towards treatment with intravenous antibiotics.

[dudley]

Lots of people here in CT have contracted Lyme. My wife was treated for it.
So far this year I've had 2 attached ticks, the latest yesterday, and they won't be the last of the season.