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BCA Clinic in Germany VS US Doctorss
Hi all,
I’ve been reading this forum for the last few years and It’s been a fantastic source of info as well as support on coping with this disease and it’s many complexities.
I’m been suffering from Lyme’s for the last 10 years or so and have tried a variety of antibiotics and herbal remedies.
I’m currently living in London, UK and currently exploring ILADS, LLMDs abroad. I’m currently with the a Hospital with the UK but am looking for expert treatment elsewhere.
I’m read about the BAC (Borreliose Centrum Augsburg) clinic in Germany and they present themselves well and appear to have an excellent expertise in treating Lyme and attend / host ILADS conferences. I’m almost certain I’ll take steps to make an appointment with them but was looking to see if I can find feedback from actual patients as it’s quite an investment to go with them in terms of both time and money.
I was curious to know how people felt about them and what people’s experiences are (couldn’t find anything recently on the forum).
I’m also looking at doctors in the US and curious to know if people have chosen between or two or have had experiences with both to compare.
Many thanks and I look forward to hearing from you.
Ade
I’ve been reading this forum for the last few years and It’s been a fantastic source of info as well as support on coping with this disease and it’s many complexities.
I’m been suffering from Lyme’s for the last 10 years or so and have tried a variety of antibiotics and herbal remedies.
I’m currently living in London, UK and currently exploring ILADS, LLMDs abroad. I’m currently with the a Hospital with the UK but am looking for expert treatment elsewhere.
I’m read about the BAC (Borreliose Centrum Augsburg) clinic in Germany and they present themselves well and appear to have an excellent expertise in treating Lyme and attend / host ILADS conferences. I’m almost certain I’ll take steps to make an appointment with them but was looking to see if I can find feedback from actual patients as it’s quite an investment to go with them in terms of both time and money.
I was curious to know how people felt about them and what people’s experiences are (couldn’t find anything recently on the forum).
I’m also looking at doctors in the US and curious to know if people have chosen between or two or have had experiences with both to compare.
Many thanks and I look forward to hearing from you.
Ade
Willkommen, Kameraden!
I am sorry to hear you are ill, but am glad that you have a diagnosis. Now to move on to treatment!
I do not know of anyone here who has been treated at Augsburg, and if you live in the US, it is not necessary to travel so far away to receive treatment. There is a disagreement among the physicians in the US about how to diagnose and treat Lyme disease (and other infections the same ticks often carry in addition to Lyme). I just searched online for
-- columbia sc lyme --
and there were interesting links that may lead you to a good MD not far from you. I would suggest that you try a physician closer to your home in the US rather than try to be treated in Augsburg, unless you are willing to move to Germany (or travel there regularly) for up to a year or more for treatment. If you are more comfortable being treated in Germany, then that is a good reason, if family and financial concerns are not a problem. Augsburg certainly has a good reputation. You can email Augsburg and ask if they take your (US) insurance.
Another aspect to be aware of is that there are different strains (or variant types) of Lyme, and a European MD may or may not be familiar with the type of Lyme and any co-infections you may have gotten in South Carolina.
You say above: "I found that Lyme Literate Dr.'s do not accept insurance." Some may accept insurance, but generally speaking, many LLMDs will bill you, you pay them, and then you send your receipt to your insurance company for reimbursement. That is what my LLMD did, and others here have had the same experience. It seems to work well and saves the LLMD from hiring many billing clerks to deal with the insurance companies.
You say, "First it takes over ten years to get diagnosed then it is chronic and the medical establishment insists there is no chronic Lyme."
Many of us have been long-infected before beginning treatment, but Lyme and its co-infections are still treatable.
There are Lyme specialists in many places, but the LLMDs sometimes do not advertise, because other MDs and medical societies and boards may try to cause trouble for the LLMDs. It is different from state to state, depending on each state's medical hierarchy and structure.
About payment: I do not know what insurance may pay for you if you are treated in Germany; you may wish to explore that aspect before deciding where to be treated. In the US, there are some charities that can assist those in need who cannot afford Lyme treatment. I just searched online for
-- lyme charity --
and there are at least two organizations in the UK, the "Lyme Trust" and "Lyme Disease Action", both of which are registered charities.
In the US, "LymeLight Foundation" and "Lyme Disease Association.org" can assist those in financial need for diagnosis and treatment.
Take heart! There are many sources of support, both financial and social, for those dealing with Lyme. Let us know how we can help. We have all been through what you are dealing with.
I am sorry to hear you are ill, but am glad that you have a diagnosis. Now to move on to treatment!
I do not know of anyone here who has been treated at Augsburg, and if you live in the US, it is not necessary to travel so far away to receive treatment. There is a disagreement among the physicians in the US about how to diagnose and treat Lyme disease (and other infections the same ticks often carry in addition to Lyme). I just searched online for
-- columbia sc lyme --
and there were interesting links that may lead you to a good MD not far from you. I would suggest that you try a physician closer to your home in the US rather than try to be treated in Augsburg, unless you are willing to move to Germany (or travel there regularly) for up to a year or more for treatment. If you are more comfortable being treated in Germany, then that is a good reason, if family and financial concerns are not a problem. Augsburg certainly has a good reputation. You can email Augsburg and ask if they take your (US) insurance.
Another aspect to be aware of is that there are different strains (or variant types) of Lyme, and a European MD may or may not be familiar with the type of Lyme and any co-infections you may have gotten in South Carolina.
You say above: "I found that Lyme Literate Dr.'s do not accept insurance." Some may accept insurance, but generally speaking, many LLMDs will bill you, you pay them, and then you send your receipt to your insurance company for reimbursement. That is what my LLMD did, and others here have had the same experience. It seems to work well and saves the LLMD from hiring many billing clerks to deal with the insurance companies.
You say, "First it takes over ten years to get diagnosed then it is chronic and the medical establishment insists there is no chronic Lyme."
Many of us have been long-infected before beginning treatment, but Lyme and its co-infections are still treatable.
There are Lyme specialists in many places, but the LLMDs sometimes do not advertise, because other MDs and medical societies and boards may try to cause trouble for the LLMDs. It is different from state to state, depending on each state's medical hierarchy and structure.
About payment: I do not know what insurance may pay for you if you are treated in Germany; you may wish to explore that aspect before deciding where to be treated. In the US, there are some charities that can assist those in need who cannot afford Lyme treatment. I just searched online for
-- lyme charity --
and there are at least two organizations in the UK, the "Lyme Trust" and "Lyme Disease Action", both of which are registered charities.
In the US, "LymeLight Foundation" and "Lyme Disease Association.org" can assist those in financial need for diagnosis and treatment.
Take heart! There are many sources of support, both financial and social, for those dealing with Lyme. Let us know how we can help. We have all been through what you are dealing with.
A blood test came back positive for lyme, I know marker 39 is only by borreolose bacterium. But also came back as having a autoimmune disease as we'll.
I have Diabetes type 2 and had thyroid cancer with half my thyroid removed. Have not seen an infectious disease Dr. yet.
Last few years have been agony CFS, IBS, brain fog, memory loss and 500 other symptoms. All I got was RX's for depression, wow something that makes you more into a zombie than you already are.
Dr's only see middle aged overweight person and send her to a shrink because it is all in her head.
So what now?
I am from Germany but have not lived there for over 26 years. How much does it cost to go to the clinic in Augsburg? Do they take American Health insurance?
I found that Lyme Literate Dr.'s do not accept insurance. So that makes it impossible to get the treatment you need if you have no money. My husband has left me after 26 years with nothing.
First it takes over ten years to get diagnosed then it is chronic and the medical establishment insists there is no chronic Lyme.
I was informed that in South Carolina there is no got Lyme Doctor. I am great full for any information at all.
Thanks
I have Diabetes type 2 and had thyroid cancer with half my thyroid removed. Have not seen an infectious disease Dr. yet.
Last few years have been agony CFS, IBS, brain fog, memory loss and 500 other symptoms. All I got was RX's for depression, wow something that makes you more into a zombie than you already are.
Dr's only see middle aged overweight person and send her to a shrink because it is all in her head.
So what now?
I am from Germany but have not lived there for over 26 years. How much does it cost to go to the clinic in Augsburg? Do they take American Health insurance?
I found that Lyme Literate Dr.'s do not accept insurance. So that makes it impossible to get the treatment you need if you have no money. My husband has left me after 26 years with nothing.
First it takes over ten years to get diagnosed then it is chronic and the medical establishment insists there is no chronic Lyme.
I was informed that in South Carolina there is no got Lyme Doctor. I am great full for any information at all.
Thanks
Okay, you should have a message forwarded via MedHelp now sitting in your personal email inbox. I do not have your email address, nor do you have mine, and we can communicate privately through this MedHelp website. Works fine, just takes a little getting used to.
Post here if you are having trouble figuring it out, and we'll work at it together. No worries.
Post here if you are having trouble figuring it out, and we'll work at it together. No worries.
I will send you a private message with the name of my Lyme doc in Northern California. The message will be sent through this Medhelp system, but will pop up in your private email, so that we are communicating directly but via a forwarded message. Sounds confusing, but it works fine.
We do NOT post the names of Lyme docs here in public, to avoid getting them in trouble with state/local medical boards who limit treatment to a few weeks of doxycycline and nothing more.
We do NOT post the names of Lyme docs here in public, to avoid getting them in trouble with state/local medical boards who limit treatment to a few weeks of doxycycline and nothing more.
Who is your friend seeing in California? My husband has lymes and we can not find a doctor and we live in Northern California.
There have been a few comments on this forum about disappointment with the Breakspear clinic. Perhaps that has changed recently... It seems that physicians willing to treat Lyme outside the official guidelines in the U.K. are few and far between. If the Breakspear clinic is helpful, it would certainly be more cost effective than travelling. But if they're not helpful, then they're a waste of precious resources.
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