Be patient if you have Lyme Disease

To the Editor:
I have been meaning to write this article for months as tick season is here. I am not writing this so much to share my story, which will tie in, but this is more of an informative article to help any who may be suffering from various symptoms.
First off, Lyme Disease is not just a one size fits all. It is has over 300 symptoms. It mimics over 300 other diseases, including MS, chronic fatigue, Alzheimer's, ALS, etc. (See http://www.lyme-symptoms.com/LymeMimics.html for a list.)
According to Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt, Lyme specialist, all of those diseases have Lyme as the underlying cause! Shocking? Yes! So how is it missed? It is missed in huge part by horribly inaccurate blood testing. Most of the natural practitioners do not even go by blood tests any more.
I was originally blood tested shortly after showing symptoms. By putting the pieces together, we believe I was probably infected three years prior to that first of many inaccurate blood tests. I was tested by a wise internist, Dr. Zina Kroner, in New York City, who knew I lived in Orange County where deer are everywhere. My test showed then what it shows now, not enough to be considered positive. Enough to make me homebound and so ill, but not positive enough? Ridiculous! I’ll return to good blood testing later.
When treated, you aren’t just treated for Lyme disease; it has numerous co-infections that are causing the symptoms. Also, parasites are a huge part of it, that according to some Lyme specialists if you don’t get them under control, you can never really get the Lyme under control. There are also more and more co-infections being learned about all the time. The bacteria can morph shape, so killing it has been noted as harder to treat than cancer by some doctors.
Some are blessed to find it quickly enough or have a strong enough immune system to make the typical “bulls eye rash”, but not most people though. Those people can walk around fine, and say they’ve “had Lyme one, or two times” etc. However, for those who had no idea they were infected, and just started getting sick, or were misdiagnosed for years, it is a chronic, life-changing, debilitating, nasty disease.
If I sound passionate, I am.
If I don’t sound like I’m having fun, I’m not. This is why I am writing this article — because I know there are others out there suffering with symptoms that they aren’t sure if it’s Lyme. I know because people keep approaching me. I won’t say everything is Lyme, or everyone has Lyme, but half of the people do. A recent study stated 38 new cases every hour. It is an epidemic. It is necessary to get a good blood test if you are not well, and by not well I mean anything from chronic headaches to auto-immune disease to encephalitis to neurological changes — this is broad spectrum.
Please consider Igenex testing (no I don’t get kickbacks, referrals or anything from them). I just want to help people who may have Lyme as the underlying cause of their health deteriorating, that there is a lab in California called Igenex. They gave me my positive blood test, my answer to what had been going on for years. It used to be too expensive for most people, as it included co-infections testing, but now for $210 you can get a trustworthy answer (I’m not going to guarantee a company’s results, and also some people are “subclinical” as well, so they will never show on blood tests. If you show negative, and are still sick, consider getting treated for Lyme, and if your symptoms go away, there was your answer.)
Not all people are fans of kinesiology, but I couldn’t write this without saying that Dr. Joe Lombino in Monroe was the first to say I had Lyme without a bloodtest. Also, Fran Sussman in Chester can test for Lyme and co-infections without bloodtests, as well as treat. They have been part of my journey, as I am treating my Lyme naturally as to not have side effects of antibiotics. If I must someday, I must. However, there are CDC studies saying it does not really help in chronic cases. Sidenote: I do check in with Dr. Lisa Valow–Picarello, Lyme specialist for bloodwork, guidance etc., so I have a little “team” I see, but the natural Lyme treatment I use is available online to anyone without a doctor. It was created by Dr. Lee Cowden and has been beneficial to many.
It is a LONG complicated healing journey, and I’m not done yet by any means. As a religious person, I certainly thank the Lord for all I have and pray I will have my life back some day, but for now I am thankful to know what I am battling, rather than being called “the mystery patient” by way too many doctors and specialists. I am thankful I knew my body and did not just accept the Celiac Disease diagnosis I was given as the root of my problems — Lyme triggered Celiac — but I knew something else was wrong. I was blessed to be led to diets that helped, but I needed the root to be dealt with, and sadly too often times, the root is Lyme Disease.
It is worth every dime to know if Lyme is at the root of your symptoms. If it isn’t, at least you know you investigated that cause. If it is, sadly it is part of your body for life. It’s just a matter of getting it under control, so you can get back in control of your life. It is a roller coaster ride for sure — constant ups and downs, and worse as you battle, but hang on tight, keep the faith, and if you need to talk, have questions, or need a prayer, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
I have been hearing story after story and just want to educate on the reality of Lyme. The reality is ... it stinks! We may “look good” to others but feel horrible with no rhyme or reason as to why or when.
Be patient if a loved one is suffering; we have no control over it. We must take it seriously and do everything we can to get well, which includes diet and lifestyle changes, and detoxes, which are all very time and money consuming.
I hope New York health insurance follows Massachusetts and starts covering chronic Lyme disease, though if you choose to fight naturally, you will pay a lot just to try to be healed. Health has no price.
I pray for any of you who are suffering that you get relief as fast as possible, but know that it takes years to get something out of you that has attacked every cell in your body, depending how long it has been there. So, be patient.

Eileen Collopy