I want to get tested for Lyme Disease

[Knight~Ryder]

I Live in Edmonton, ALberta, Canada.
Where do I go, who do I see, and what do I ask?

[EvDownJr]

I used to have an old list of Lyme Drs. It has since disappeared. If anyone has access to Bubba's list still, maybe someone can search if there are any listings in Alberta for Drs. and drop him a line

The organization bellow I have spoken to before and they seem legit. They will not give referrals over the phone but you can call first and ask if there listings cover Canada. They will require a request in writing and will charge like a 3 US$ administrative fee.

http://www.lyme.org/

Also there is a Canadian Lyme disease association. Their link is below. May be worth attempting to contact this group to determine if there is a more thorough listing.

http://www.canlyme.com/


Once you are referred to Lyme literate physician, s/he will probably have a special lab run once, Igenex. This is because the tests many mainstream physicians use are believed not to be sensitive enough and give false negatives.

Whether our situation is truly "Lyme" remains to be seen. However, many benefit from physician supervised antibiotic therapy. Myself, I've been compelled to follow suit with some relief.

Good Luck!

E

[Knight~Ryder]

So, I might have to pay to get tested if I don't go through Alberta Health Care....
(I don't like that idea)

[Kritters]

Hey Evan, or anyone who can answer this quickly. Although it's been about a month since pulling a tick out of my back, and the first two weeks are supposedly crucial in treatment, I have a friend who will prescribe an antibiotic for me.

Does anyone know the best, most recent antibiotic which is prescribed? I think I also already have Lyme from another unknown bite, but I'd rather treat right now for possible new bite, then find a good Lyme Doc if I can.

Thanks all!
xoxo
Kritts

[tcmgpt13]

Here's something about lyme treatment on various websites, most conventional:

Lyme Disease - Medications - Yahoo! Health

From WebMD (more is found on some of there other links for lyme at the bottom of this article:

Lyme Disease-Medications

This next page has a detailed discussion of antibiotics and also some natural methods to treat Lyme:

Lyme Disease | CFS | Chronic Fatigue | Dr. Kent Holtorf, M.D. : Holtorf Medical Group

From about.com

Lyme Disease and Related Tick-Borne Infections

Antibiotics for Lyme disease - [Medication]

Hope you feel better soon.

tcmxxx

[Kritters]

Hey TC!!
Thank you SOOO much. As usual, you came through for me with dead on info. She prescribed Doxycycline and I only had a chance to read your first link. I knew there would be more ;-) Problem is, she is a nurse practitioner who knows as much as the average doctor...which is the problem. Basic approach. Well, I guess it's better than nothing and I'll see what happens. It's so sad more health professionals don't continue education.

Anyway, thanks so much. this sinus infection is major. Feel better already!!! LOL

xoxo
Kritts

[Jo]

Hi Kritts, all

I'm on Rifampin for my lyme borrelia. Here's abit about it:

RIFAMPIN – ANTIBIOTIC
Rifampin is a well known antibiotic that has been in use for many decades. Recently, much excitement in Lyme circles has been generated about this medication, because of its many potential uses in those infected with tick-borne illnesses.


Rifampin may be effective in treating Bartonella, Ehrlichia, Mycoplasma, and Borrelia (Lyme). Currently there are no formal clinical studies on the use of this medication for these illnesses.

Regular blood tests are performed to monitor for side effects. Rifampin can discolor urine, tears and sweat (brownish-orange). It may also stain some types of water-permeable contact lenses.
DO NOT TAKE RIFAMPIN IF YOU ARE PREGNANT.

Medication Updates

cheers and good luck with the move

Joey xxx

[jonsi]

Hi kritts,

Homeopathic remedy my chiropractor gave me when I tested + for lymes, liquid balsamea extract. I still take 10 drops daily.

It's worth a try...?

Itwl,
~jonsi

[hilly]

Have a look at this anyone who has lymes... new look website, looks good and very helpful. CALDA - California Lyme Disease Association

[hilly]

PRACTICE PARAMETER: TREATMENT OF NERVOUS SYSTEM LYME DISEASE (AN EVIDENCE-BASED REVIEW): REPORT OF THE QUALITY STANDARDS SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY Neurology 2008;70;1719-1720

To the Editor: We wish to point out a serious ethical problem with the recently adopted Lyme disease treatment guidelines of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN).1 These guidelines have been touted as an "independent corroboration" of the Lyme guidelines published by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) in November 2006.2 Nothing could be further from the truth. The IDSA and AAN guidelines committees were clearly not independent in terms of personnel or philosophy.

The AAN guidelines were put together by a committee of nine members, three of whom also served on the IDSA Lyme guidelines panel, including the chairman of each committee. The overlapping chairs virtually assured that the form and substance of the AAN guidelines would be like-minded—essentially a repackaging of the IDSA guidelines—by controlling the panel selection and scope of the process. AAN published its guidelines after the Attorney General of Connecticut launched an unprecedented investigation into potential anti-trust violations in the IDSA guidelines formulation.

The AAN guidelines were, not surprisingly, quickly endorsed by IDSA and presented to the medical community as "independent corroboration" despite the overlapping panels and questions raised by the Connecticut investigation. Thus the timing of the AAN guidelines and the IDSA endorsement compounded the conflict of interest for both organizations.

Two medical societies, IDSA and the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), have published peer-reviewed, evidence based guidelines listed by the government sponsored National Guidelines Clearinghouse and offering divergent treatment approaches for Lyme disease.(2,3). Under the IDSA guidelines recapitulated by AAN, patients who fail to respond to the IDSA protocols are denied longer antibiotic treatment. In contrast, the ILADS guidelines consider these patients to have chronic Lyme disease and provide the only viable treatment option for them. The conflicting guidelines have established two standards of care for Lyme disease.(4)

Responsible medical societies have an obligation to acknowledge scientific uncertainty and lack of consensus when controversy exists regarding the treatment of medical conditions such as tick-borne diseases.(4) It is unacceptable to repackage the beleaguered guidelines of another medical society and allow overlapping panel members with clear conflicts of interest to control the process. To ignore the conflicts of interest in these circumstances represents a serious ethical breach that discredits AAN and misleads the broader medical community, which relies on the ethical accountability of guidelines panels.(5)

Raphael B. Stricker, Lorraine Johnson, San

Francisco, CA