Q and A from Dr. Garth regarding Lyme

cindy903 asks “What will it take for Lyme Disease to be taken seriously among
physicians practicing conventional medicine?”

PROF. NICOLSON's RESPONSE:  I think that the medical profession has to get away from the politics of Lyme Disease before any real progress can be made.  There has been a concerted effort in mainstream medicine to down-play the seriousness of Lyme Disease, especially chronic Lyme Disease.  One of the oldest professional societies, the Infectious Disease Society, has done a major disservice to patients with LD by down-playing chronic LD.  Basically the traditional ID societies although excellent with acute infections have traditionally left chronic infections to other specialists, such as rheumatologists.  This is finally being rectified, but it took a major lawsuit to force the society to recognize some of the approaches used by Lyme physicians and the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS).  

My PCP barely prescribed any antibiotics for me when I presented with a classic EM rash. A month later he turned me away when I experienced symptoms of early disseminated Lyme. I now have an unclear prognosis after I switched doctors and my
blood test revealed I have now have acute Lyme disease.

The people who lose the most while the debate is under way are the patients themselves. Turning folks away who still experience symptoms is a direct violation of the sacred Hippocratic oath. ”Do you believe that complications can persist even after the standard 10 days of antibiotics?”

Prof. Nicolson’s Response:  I do not believe that 10 days of antibiotic will be sufficient to treat Lyme Disease, even in the initial stages.  When it reaches the chronic stages, LD is much more difficult to treat.  It is thought by many that this may be due to the many co-infections that exist in LD, the disseminated nature of the disease and the cyclic nature of the Borrelia burgdorferi and its several co-infections (Mycoplasma, Babesia, Borrelia, Ehrlichia, etc.).

[PlateletGal]

Here's the link to the entire Q & A Session with Dr. Nicolson:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/648144