I have a very good friend -- one of the sweetest, nicest women one could ever know -- who has been diagnosed with Lyme disease, which has also caused Bell's palsy.
Does anyone here have any doctor recommendations? Apparently, doctors who can treat this are known as "Lyme-literate MDs" (LLMD).
My friend's husband has discovered that Lyme is a political football in the medical world - acc to him, "there are doctors who are losing their licenses for just trying to help patients with aggressive antibiotics and/or alternatives. The antibiotics regimen is the key here. That is what really works. Many doctors will not prescribe them. Many doctors will not publicize that they treat Lyme. There are a couple of nationwide referral networks, but those local doctors are booked solid."
He's asked our network of friends to spread the word to see if anyone has - or knows someone who has -- received successful, agressive Lyme treatment in Northern VA or MD. If we can get him the doctor's name, they'll take it from there. And if the patient is willing to be contacted, too, they'd love that -- looking for any real-life guidance they can get as they navigate her recovery.
and if you've got some spare T&P to send her way (her initials are PJ), that would also be great. In addition to the above current issues, she was already suffering from a debilitating back issue. She can't have that surgery until the Lyme disease is under control.
Re: Lyme Disease Doctor recommendations?
Huh. I've known two people that have been diagnosed with Lyme disease and I could swear both were treated by their general practitioner and back on their feet in a few weeks. I didn't realize it was hard to get treatment. I'll ask them and see.
I do not know his name but I know there is a physician up at Johns Hopkins who specializes in this. I had two former coworkers end up with Lyme's years ago. The one was a physician himself. I know he went there and then recommended the nurse who ended up with it to him as well. Unfortunately I do not keep in touch with either. I also know that last year the nurse ended up with carbon monoxide posioning and had hyperbaric treatment because of it and while it brought back some of her lymes symptoms initially, the docs in PA, who were using the hyperbaric therapy said that it would help with those as well. It's an awful thing to end up with, mainly because you typically don't know you have it until you're really sick and then it can take forever to get over it.
this is, I think, the issue -- the back pain was masking so many other issues that the Lyme disease is fully baked. Kinda like when my FIL got shingles a few years ago - you wait long enough, you're pretty much screwed on "cure." I will share the hyperbaric chamber thing with them and also recommend Hopkins -- thanks for the tips!
"What is a week-end?"
Not 100% sure, but my rheumotologist deals with Lyme...he thought I had it at one point, tested me, gave me a lot of info, etc.
His name is Dr. Lang and located in Ellicott City, MD off Dorsey Road.