1) You are over 10 times more likely to get Lyme disease than West Nile Virus. You are most likely to be bitten in your own yard or home. Exposure is not limited to endemic geographical areas.
2) Lyme disease has surpassed HIV as the #1 infectious disease in the U.S. Lyme spirochetes (bacteria) have been found in blood, tears, saliva, urine, breast milk, and semen. It is proven to be passed in Utero and believed to be sexually transmitted (similar to syphilis).
3) Ticks are not the only way Lyme disease is transmitted. An increasing number of insects and arthropod vectors are known to be carriers including mosquitoes, biting flies, fleas, mites and lice. In addition to deer: birds, mammals, and rodents of all sizes can also be carriers of Lyme. The white-footed mouse is the most common carrier.
4) 50% to 75% of those with Lyme disease NEVER get a rash or see a tick. Only 10% of children diagnosed with Lyme disease have a history of the classic bulls-eye rash.
5) All testing for Lyme disease is UNRELIABLE. It is recommended that you have your blood tested through a tick borne specialty lab such as IGeneX, Inc. although results may not be 100% accurate. Even if your blood test comes back negative, it does NOT mean you do not have Lyme disease.
6) Lyme disease can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated properly! It can become chronic with multiple systemic (body wide) symptoms if not caught early and can negatively affect your central nervous system, brain, heart, kidneys, other organs, bones and cartilage, skin, teeth, eyes, and every collagenous tissue.
7) Lyme disease is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed diseases. Lyme is “The Great Imitator.” It mimics many common diseases and symptoms such as Fibromyalgia, Chronic fatigue syndrome, Migraine headaches, Insomnia, Anxiety, Depression, Dementia, Autism, ADHD, Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and hundreds more.
8) There are over 150 symptoms of Lyme disease. Symptoms can be devastating and severely disabling or minor and go unnoticed. Every person has different symptoms and severities depending on the strain of Lyme, their genetic make-up, strength of their immune system, and the number and type of co-infections they may have.
9) People infected with the Lyme bacteria often have tick-borne co-infections such as Babesia, Bartonella, Erlichiosis, Rocky Mtn. Spotted Fever, and many more. If the co-infections are not also treated, symptoms may persist, causing permanent damage or death.
10) The #1 cause of treatment failure and relapse is due to doctors and specialists remaining misinformed about Lyme disease. Even though doctors may be aware of the IDSA guidelines for diagnosis and treatment, only a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor (LLMD) can diagnose and treat Lyme properly. This information is not available through sources such as phone books or Insurance referral programs. Contact the Lyme Disease Association for more information on Lyme doctor referrals. www.LymeDiseaseAssociation.org
11) Treatment for Lyme disease cannot be constrained to one generic approach as the IDSA guidelines currently suggest (21-28 days of antibiotics). A minimum of 8-12 weeks of antibiotics are needed, even in early stages, due to the lifecycle of the Lyme spirochete. Months or years of treatment may be needed; in some cases, it is not curable at all. Customized treatment is necessary for success.
12) The #1 cause of death from Lyme disease is suicide. It is responsible for many psychiatric illnesses due to the Lyme spirochete’s affinity with colonizing in the brain.
Special thanks to Jaime Mason for her contribution to this.
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Truth is by nature self-evident.
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