Finding a doctor in Virginia to help with Lyme Disease

[karenkay19]

My husband has been diagnosed with Lyme disease.  He has major pain all over his body, mostly his hands and wrists.  He has memory problems along with vibrating in his hands, and his insides.  We have had all sorts of test done and we are at the point of complete and total frustration because no one seems to be able to help him.  The amount of pain he is in every day all day long is insane and we can find any one to help him.  He is not able to work a job or do any normal household activities.  Does any one know of a doctor in the Northern Virginia area that specializes in Lyme Disease that might be able to help him?

[DontBelieveIt]

I'm also looking for a LLMD in the state of NC, hopefully western NC as our car is in bad shape and we don't have much money to travel, but if I have to take a bus to get treatment somewhere I will....
  I know that the doctor's are being persecuted by the medical profession, but isn't there a website that lists the doctors who are specializing in Lyme Disease somewhere?
  Or is there a book out there that will tell you instead? It might be more practical for doctors to have their names & addresses published in a book instead of the internet.

I've gotten the same symptoms, but it changes from month to month. First it was the rash, and I didn't think anything of it.. sure didn't think of Lyme Disease as they were always tellig us it doesn't exist here! Wrong! So wrong. Even had a long-standing doctor here in town, tell me that deer ticks don't exist.. rotflol.. oh, really, we found one inside our house, on a pillow. Brought it to a local vet as it was sesame seed shaped and sure enough, it was a deer tick!
  We garden and have pets so it makes sense I got lyme disease now! We also got deer almost weekly running loose in our yard too, as there's woods nearby but no hunters are allowed to shoot here, because it's an urban area!
  Did you ever read about all the problems that the Houston, TX area was having with deers running loose in people's yard karen? I wonder if they're having big problems with Lyme Disease too!
  People are so in love with deer, but they don't realize how dangerous they are to live nearby, for they carry the deer tick, which carries Lyme Disease!
  Deer have also been known to attack people, dogs, and even cats! I just saw a couple of videos on the web that showed someone's pet dog being attacked by a deer in a suburb! Who knew? I never knew.. I never realized that deer even carried the tick that caused Lyme Disease until now!
  Never knew there wasn't a shot anymore for humans against Lyme Disease either until I started to research it.
  IF anyone knows of a doctor who's literate in Lyme Disease in NC that doesn't charge $500 up front then please let me know. We don't have health insurance anymore because it became so costly, it was almost $500 a month for personal health insurance.

[JackieCalifornia]

... and I went to the ILADS website to see where the referral function is, and couldn't find it!  I wonder if they removed it?

The other websites should be useful, tho.

[wonko]

At the top right of your screen you can find a link to your MedHelp inbox.  I sent you a message with information that may be helpful.

[JackieCalifornia]

... and PS:  "LLMD" is not a professional qualification -- it's just shorthand for "Lyme Literate MD", meaning an MD who has a special interest in and knowledge of Lyme.  You'll see LLMD written all over the place, but no MD would be likely to call him/herself an LLMD.

[JackieCalifornia]

I am sorry to hear about your husband's condition, and also sorry he has not found anyone to treat him.  Unfortunately that's not uncommon with Lyme.

You are, in my unmedical opinion, wise to seek help from a Lyme specialist.  The trick, as you already know, is finding one.  In some states, MDs who take a broader view on the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme and associated diseases are harassed and sometimes driven out of practice by local/state medical boards, so we don't post names in the open here.

However .... there is a referral function at various websites:

I would begin with ILADS [dot] org, which is the professional organization for LLMDs.  Their website is an excellent resource for Lyme-related topics, and there is a referral function.  Also you might read Dr Burrascano's treatment guidelines, though at the beginning they can seem overwhelming ... they soon become more intelligible as you proceed toward and into treatment.

Other websites you might try which have referral functions include:

lymediseaseassociation [dot] org
truthaboutlymedisease [dot] com
lymenet [dot] org
chroniclymedisease [dot] com

Also try googling or otherwise searching "LLMD northern Virginia" or a similar geographic description.

You may get lucky and find the right LLMD the first time, but sometimes it takes another try to find someone you can work with ... just like with any MD/patient relationship.  Part of the difficulty is that there are various approaches to treatment:  some LLMDs are hardcore antibiotics fans and don't pay any attention to side effects from the meds; some blend antibiotics with herbs or supplements; and some lean heavily toward herbs/supps.  You will just have to give it a try and see how it goes, but be ready to switch if you're not comfortable there.

Also the LLMD will likely run diagnostic tests for Lyme as well as for so-called co-infections that are diseases carried by the same ticks that brought you Lyme.  Those diseases require different tests and often different treatments/medications.

The lack of interest in Lyme by the medical profession is shameful, and you are wise to press ahead looking for help for your husband.  He is fortunate to have you watching out for him.

You are not alone in this situation, and please feel free to stop by here any time.  

Best wishes --