Seeking LLMD in Northern Virginia

[Wurymum]

Am seeking LLMD in Northern Virginia to help my daughter - she was diagnosed with Lyme ~ 2 years ago and was treated with Doxy for several months because she was preparing for her wedding and did not want IV treatment.  She improved but is having problems again, and now seems unable to tolerate Doxy (she had no issues with it in her prior treatment).  She is concerned about having kids since she would like to get pregnant one day but has read much about it transferring via utero/breast milk.  Also is allergic to penicillin.

[Wurymum]

Thank you so much for your resources and recommendations!  I am following up on both.

[ewford]

Dr Norton Fishman is a renowned LLMD in Md.  Yes you might have to pay for a diag and all the Igenex tests, but he is a very, very smart cookie and will not stop until you are well.  He gives presentations at ILADS conventions and is usually a speaker.  Better to see the best, than trust the rest of your life to a half a$$ed doc

[JackieCalifornia]

abx=antibiotics

Many LLMDs don't accept insurance, because in some states at least the LLMDs get hassled for their more progressive approach to diagnosing and treating Lyme, and also because taking insurance means the doc has to hire a fleet of clerks to process the paperwork, thus running up the doc's cost of doing business and therefore having to raise costs.

My LLMD doesn't take insurance either, but I pay the LLMD, get a receipt, and then file with my insurance company and get some reimbursement.  Yes, getting treatment for Lyme can be expensive.  But in my view, the only thing more expensive than treating Lyme is not treating Lyme.  Money vs health.  I'd rather be broke and healthy than have Lyme forever.  Personal choice thing.  Everybody's different that way.

Best wishes --

[Wurymum]

Thanks so much for all your help and referrals!  I have done a general google search and found 3 LLMDs in our area - sadly, one doesn't accept any insurance, one moved, and the other doesn't accept my daughter's insurance.  Frustrating, but we will keep looking.  Good to know there are alternatives to IV....since I'm new to this, what does"abx" stand for?

[JackieCalifornia]

Here are some websites that may have referral functions to help find an LLMD in NVa:

ilads [dot] org
lymediseaseassociation [dot] org
truthaboutlymedisease [dot] com
lymenet [dot] org
chroniclymedisease [dot] com
lymedisease [dot] org (California Lyme Disease Assn -- CALDA)

Also, just search/google "Virginia LLMD" or Maryland or whatever geographic descriptor makes sense ... and try city names too, like 'Alexandria LLMD' etc.  A half hour on google etc. should turn up quite a few names and locations.

Someone posted here recently from that area, I think, so you might search through this website and see what you find.

Some (many?) LLMDs treat with only oral antibiotics -- not with IV, but in some stubborn cases, perhaps so.  We are on the frontiers of medicine, so there are many approaches.  My LLMD used only oral abx, and not doxy.  And he's quite well known in the field, so I don't think he's an outlier in that regard.

Your daughter is being wise and thoughtful to get ahead of the Lyme before arriving at motherhood -- babies!  How wonderful!  Best wishes to you all --