antibiotics Archives

Guest Post: My Lyme – My Voice, By Lisa Hilton

May 28, 2016 By BDAdmin Leave a Comment

My Lyme – My Voice
By Lisa Hilton

Before I got sick I was happily married with three wonderful kids. I was very active in the kids’ schools and was a Brownie leader. I loved my job but I also loved the outdoors. We lived in Illinois. My family had a cabin in Northern Wisconsin, and we spent many weekends up there. Sometime in the early 1990’s something started to change.

The first time I remember something being wrong was when I went to a mall with my friend. My heart started pounding. I got really dizzy. My stomach started hurting and I felt like I had the flu. My friend took me to an emergency room and they told me it was a panic attack. That was the beginning of a long list of different diagnoses for me. I felt so sick I was scared to go anywhere. I constantly felt “faint” and I had anxiety all the time. Eventually, I wouldn’t leave the house for months. I became agoraphobic. I stopped volunteering in my daughter’s class. I quit my Brownie troop.

Trying to take care of my kids was hard. I had one daughter in school and two at home. I was so scared of my kids and husband thinking I was crazy. After all, all the tests said there was nothing wrong. Luckily, my husband was patient. I just wanted it all to end.

Early on two of my kids started getting sick also. The symptoms ranged from a swollen ankle to swollen glands to fevers and seizures. Again, random diagnoses and no real answers – just assurances that they would likely grow out of it all.

This was so strange. Why were we all so sick all of a sudden?

I felt like I was going crazy. I just never felt right. The diagnoses continued. I was diagnosed with ‘possible’ heart issues, put on various medications for panic disorder. Nothing helped and most anti-anxiety drugs made me even feel worse. I had so many bad reactions to meds that I have developed a big fear of starting new meds.

When my son was four, he had open heart surgery for a hole in his heart he was born with. The benefit of this surgery was he was on IV antibiotics for three weeks. These antibiotics potentially stopped the Lyme disease from progressing.

In the early 1990s we moved to Arizona. Again I started seeing all the different doctors there. Although we had medical insurance and they were ordering tests none of them could figure out what was wrong with me. The diagnoses ranged from panic disorder to heartburn to Desert Valley Fever. My marriage fell apart and I moved to Wisconsin to be with my sister who was also going through a divorce.

This move wasn’t the best. My heath continued to deteriorate – doctors trying various things but nothing working. The symptoms varied and at times were bizarre, there never seemed to be any improvement.

I started to see a general practitioner in 2005 and she was the first one to suggest that I had Lyme disease. Although treatment was offered, the treatment seemed worse than the symptoms. So, I completely gave up on treatment – interestingly I was feeling better on no treatments at all.

The ONE thing I have found that helps me is juicing. It does not cure me, it does not get rid of all my symptoms, but what it does do is replace all the vitamins and minerals that being chronically ill must suck up. I have to learn to live with what I have the best way that I can.

I thought I had run the course in treating “Lyme disease” in any traditional sense. I have done the long-term antibiotics, the rife machines, the herbal protocols. I have done many things I don’t even want to admit trying to find the path to wellness again. I have found a couple of things that at least help me stay “functional” enough to make it worth being alive. Things like juicing, which provides me with energy, acupuncture which can sway the pain in my back, if even for a couple of hours and some other alternative techniques that I am trying. But these things are expensive, and I can’t afford to stay consistent with any of it.

I have been sick since 1991. It took over 15 years and over a hundred doctors in three different states to finally diagnosis me with Lyme Disease. It took going through the common diagnoses that doctors who don’t care or are unwilling to listen such as Panic Disorder, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, and possible MS and Lupus.

When I was finally diagnosed with Lyme disease, I thought I was finally on my way to getting well. I had no idea the second part of the battle had begun. Trying to get doctors to take me seriously or getting any treatment at all became a nightmare I was too sick to deal with.

Once I was able to get online and started researching more about Lyme disease, I began to realize there was more to Lyme than just bacteria. The co-infections, the controversy surrounding Lyme disease, the lack of medical knowledge in the mainstream medical community, all led to misinformation and patient suffering and fueled a fire inside of me.

I wanted to turn my anger at the situation into something purposeful. I can’t believe how many people are suffering the same way I was, even children! So one online Lyme support group turned into a letter writing campaign, turned into a Lyme walk, and into another and into protests and rallies. And the battle continues on until a cure is found.

Lisa can be found on Facebook | Twitter and the following websites:

Founders of Global Lyme & Invisible Illness.Org

http://whatislyme.com/lisa-hilton/

http://wtflyme.blogspot.com/

Not All Labs Are Alike – Getting Your Tick Checked For Lyme

July 20, 2015 By LA Edwards 1 Comment

Once you have your tick removed you will want to have it analyzed to find out if the tick carries Lyme disease. It is very important to understand every lab maintains their own protocols for analyzing samples. Very few labs in the US will test for Lyme Disease. With this in mind, you might want to review the three suggestions I have provided for having your Tick analyzed for Lyme Disease. It is important you either contact the lab personally or look at their website as how they want to receive your tick specimens. Labs are very particular. Some labs may accept live ticks in a small bottle others may require you freeze the sample overnight before sending it to them for analysis. It is recommended to check with the lab of your choice and remember there are only a couple of labs to choose from. Frozen samples must not preserved in Alcohol. Most labs will refuse Formalin it was once used to preserve samples it is a known carcinogenic chemical that should be handled only in supervised lab conditions.

One of the latest methods and easiest is to simply buy tick kits, they run about $20 dollars for the kit and $40 – $60 to have many of the important tests such as Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, Babesia, Bartonella, Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma

a TIC-kit is an easiest way to have your tick tested you merely follow the instructions inside the package and they include everything you will need from a small pair of tweezers (larger ones might be a better option as they tend to capture the entire organism. These kits are inexpensive and test for the most common pathogens a tick may carry. You freeze your sample in the container as per instructions and send to the lab on the package. While I have not had the need for one of these lately, my Lyme Literate doctor carries them with here when she knows she is going to be in a tick zone. So I feel confident plugging these. The lab charges you one fee for the kit which is around $20 dollars and between $40 and $60 to test for Lyme spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, Babesia, Bartonella, Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma. Here is he link: TIC-Kit

As for the other labs. I have heard Igenix is a great lab and does a good work. It is your choice. They are expensive. And charge for each pathogen separately to test for all. But they can check for other organisms you may be looking for which the Tic-Kit does not cover. All ticks must be saved and sent to a qualified lab, use TIC-Kit, and the results given to your LLND or DMV with results. If you use a tick kit you can save a lot of money because Igenic charges $58 per pathogen. Other labs may be higher. Insurance will not typically pay for this service.

Make sure to ask how a lab charges per specimen tested and how to package receive their specimen if you decide to go this route. It is very important to find out what you are paying for. Also it is important that you send the lab what they are expecting to receive. Call and speak to someone in the lab. Some labs prefer life samples this a can be done easily if the tick is still alive. Place tick in a small plastic vial or zip closure bag with several blades of fresh grass to support humidity, and then ship immediately. Place ticks from different hosts/collection sites into separate vials or bags, marking each with proper identifying information so that each can be matched to its corresponding tick submission form. For example, you may wish to number the vials, and then include the vial number on each submission form. Finally, place each vial or bag inside another zip closure bag (e.g., double bag). Also, some labs work with only frozen samples from a plastic container while others prefer tiny glass tubes.

Your doctor should have you on antibiotics ASAP after any tick bite regardless of whether you know you are infected. This will benefit you while you wait to get your results back. This will also help get a head start on treatment if the tick tests is positive and for the co-infectors.

Don’t handle ticks without protective gloves. It is possible for infectious microbes to enter through mucous membranes or breaks in the skin. This precaution is particularly directed to individuals who remove ticks from pets e.g., cats and dogs, and farmers who remove ticks from their animals with unprotected fingers. Children, the elderly, and immuno-compromised persons may be at greater risk of infection and should avoid this procedure.

While it might be tempting to some, do not squeeze, crush, or puncture the body of the tick because its fluids (e.g., saliva, hemolymph is composed of a fluid plasma in which hemolymph cells called hemocytes are suspended and can contain pathogens, gut contents which may contain infectious organisms). If when removing the tick you didn’t remove all the feeding components you will need to see a doctor so they can remove them.

Ticks can be kept alive by using needle nose tweezers and place the tick, along with several blades of grass, into a small container (e.g. a clean screw-cap pill bottle or a zip-lock Freezer bag). Be sure you include all reference material as indicated below.

The following is means of preserving the species which is suitable practices for most labs. DO NOT use formalin as it is a harmful chemicals that can interfere with laboratory testing.

If the tick is engorged, carefully place the dead tick and/or engorged tick inside a small container using the above method. If the tick is alive place into a container with a few blades of grass and follow the instructions for sending off to a lab for analysis. It is imperative you follow the labs techniques for sending in samples as techniques have changed. Again, some labs want alcohol some don’t. So know in advance where you are sending your tick before you kill your live sample in alcohol. Depending on the lab use the containers they suggest. While some labs still use plastic, plastics have been known to alter results pertaining to DNA. Many labs now use glass.

The following information isrequiredprior to processing your tick sample:
- Date of collection
- County
- State
- Geographic coordinates – these are found on any mobile phone device or car GPS unit.
- where the tick was found (E.g., on the ground, a person, where on person, or if adhered/embedded,
- description if the tickwas damaged; and
  - Include your name
  - Phone number
  - email address
  - Name of physician or veterinarian if more information is required or to give test results. It is always best to include as much information as possible for the researchers.
  - Indicate that one set of the results will be sent to your doctor and one set to you.

Check with your State Department of Health if needed.

You must find a reliable labs to give your samples to. This cannot be stressed enough.Igenex in California has a great reputation and sampleshave been submitted to them from all over the world. If they wont take your samples ask where they recommend to send it. SameforUmass.
- www.igenex.com West Coast
- https://ag.umass.edu/services/tick-borne-disease-diagnostics East Coast

Good luck!

Ticks! Easy Tick Removal

July 20, 2015 By LA Edwards Leave a Comment

Ticks! Easy Tick Removal

If you find a tick adhered to your skin don’t panic. You likely won’t know how long it has been there. If you do. Great news. This will give your doctor and scientist important information on how best to treat you and if you know where in the woods or outdoor location you were when you discovered the tick bite that will also be helpful especially if the tick bite comes back from the laboratory testing positive for Lyme disease or one of the many co-infections of Lyme disease. This will provide invaluable information for researchers.

Do not remove the tick yet. You must be careful the tick is removed correctly or your new unwanted friend will leave you a wee gift — barbs or harpoons or further infection — and you don’t want to have either. If broken harpoon mouth pieces fester with an infection the potential for Lyme disease or other disease is great. I speak from experience, at least on more than one occasion. Wait to remove the tick until you can do so properly. While your instinct is to immediately brush off the pesky little beast. Wait.

First, do not touch the tick or brush it off with your hands. That tick it is a vile creature but the worst thing you could do is flick it off or use your hands to grab hold and rip it from your body. Doing so, places you at further risk of infection or the spread of toxins and other potential pathogens to others. If you weren’t the one with the original tick bite, you risk infecting others including yourself. You need or should have the proper tools with you including a pair of Nitrile gloves, (these are the very same used by your doctor or hospital staff and are latex free and can be purchased at any pharmacy along with alcohol swabs).

Supplies one should always have on hand if living in an areas prone to ticks

TIC-Kit (This is a great kit on the market that anyone who loves the outdoors should carry with them) I also have more information on the tick kit my doctor uses and recommends in a post following this one. And a bit more info about the organisms the kit tests for.
Needle Nose Tweezers
*Nitrile gloves (Always wear gloves when removing ticks keep with TIC-Kit)
Alcohol Rubs or swabs
Small Glass or plastic Vial or Similar small container
Ziploc Freezer Bags

tick burrowing01 — Tick embedded or Adhered to the Skin

How to Remove a tick

Put on your pair of Nitrile gloves, or use plastic bags if you have no gloves. Insert your hands into the bags. The reason for the bags on your hands is to reduce the risk of spreading endotoxins (these are toxins released when a bacterium ruptures or disintegrates. It can be extremely toxic), or other pathogens. The bags can also be used if you don’t have a tiny vial to store the tick inside.

Step One: Use needle nose tweezers, tweezers in TIC-kit, or fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. See below Step One.

tick_removal2 — Photos: Courtesy Healthwise Incorporated

Step One Step Two

Step Two: Pull upward with steady, even pressure as shown in Step Two above. Don’t twist, jerk, or squeeze the tick. The mouth-parts could break off or worse remain under the skin. Squeezing may cause the tick to explode or leak infectious blood on your skin or cause the barbs on the mouth-parts to remain in the skin and spread toxins. If this happens, you will need medical attention to make sure all the mouth-parts are removed. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, you will need to see a doctor. The ER or Urgent care is probably your best option, as they should know what to do when you get a tick bite. If they don’t. It is up to you to explain it to them. And make sure the doctor or nurse does not destroy the tick. You will need it to send to the lab for analysis.

After the tick has been is removed, make sure it is well cared for prior to packing it for analysis. If you have a TIC-Kit place it in plastic bag provided until you return home follow any the instructions inside the TIC-Kit. If you don’t have a kit either place the tick into a small plastic bag vial or set it on a covered surface with a few paper towels in case the tick explodes. Wash the bite area thoroughly with soap and water then apply rubbing alcohol.

NEVER place tick in a sealed bag or container and flush the tick down the toilet! This is careless and furthermore if it doesn’t clog your toilet it will eventually end up in a stream or stormwater basin to and could potentially spread further disease. I have seen instructions to this very task on a several blog pages and I cringe. Never crush a tick with your fingers, burn with a match, place oil, or place petroleum oil on the tick. It will only cause the tick to burrow into your skin further. You risk being infected with whatever pathogen the tick may carry. Tick bites are serious and should be taken seriously.

Once you have the tick out you will need to do two things the first is to analyzed the tick for disease. I have discussed this in separate post.
Secondly, you will want to see a doctor as soon as possible to get at least one dose or more of Doxycycline to ward off potential infection. If you are at the ER or Urgent care the Doctor should give you a shot of Doxycycline to ward off any infections that tick may carry and a prescription for at least two weeks. This is by no means enough antibiotics to rid your body of Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) if the test come back positive. However, you will at least have a jump-start to your treatment. If the tick tests positive for any other diseases including Lyme disease it is imperative you seek treatment as soon as possible. Lyme disease is a serious medical condition and if not treated properly can have harmful effects to your body and health. Therefore, you must find a Lyme Literate Doctor as soon as possible to discuss treatment options. There is no cure for Lyme Disease. However, if treated early, the chances of the disease going into remission are very good. And you will likely lead a normal life.

Thanks and good luck.

My Lyme – My Voice By Lisa Hilton

Ticks! Easy Tick Removal

Supplies one should always have on hand if living in an areas prone to ticks

How to Remove a tick

My Lyme – My Voice
By Lisa Hilton