This little critter, a common brown dog tick, is looking for a snack. Don’t let it be you!

By April HussarSELF.com

Picnics, hikes, afternoons in the garden — all wonderful ways to take advantage of the warmer weather. but keep in mind that along with fresh air and exercise, you’re also potentially exposing yourself to tiny, unwanted visitors – ticks! Luckily, with a few steps, you can minimize your exposure and keep yourself safe.

According to Dr. Richard S. Ostfeld, a disease ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y., this is poised to be an especially bad tick season, because of the way the white-footed mouse population was affected by a great acorn season two years ago, and a bad acorn season this past year.

Since ticks feast on white-footed mice, and white-footed mice are very effective at transmitting Borrelia burgdorferi (the bacterium that causes Lyme disease), the infected tick population grew last year, says Dr. Ostfeld. now, this year, fewer acorns means fewer mice, which in turn, theorizes Dr. Ostfeld, essentially means ticks will need something else to snack on. us!

Gary P. Wormser, M.D., the chief of infectious diseases at Westchester Medical Center and a professor at new York Medical College, is familiar with Dr. Ostfeld’s theory. “That, combined with the nice weather, and people being out and about enjoying the nice weather, might bring people into contact with more ticks,” he says.

Ticks are less active in cold weather, Dr. Wormser explains, but they can still be active even in the winter as long as it’s not freezing. “And this has been such a mild winter and spring, they’re likely to be more active than they would be under colder conditions, and people are more likely to be outside,” he says.

Plus, Dr. Wormser says the even years tend to be a little worse in terms of numbers of cases of Lyme disease. “I’m not sure exactly why that is,” he says, noting that the deer tick has a two-year life cycle, so it’s possible there are more of them around during the even years. “It’s not a very scientific principle,” he says, “but it’s an observation!”

Whether or not there are more ticks this year than usual, it’s important to protect yourself. “Prevention is the key,” says Dr. Wormser, who points out that it’s much easier to take a few precautions in advance than deal with Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses after the fact. Here are his top strategies for preventing tick bites:

1. Stay away from tall grass, bushy shrubs and areas where there’s a lot of leaf litter. “Manicured lawns that are well-mowed are less risky,” he says.

2. Use insect repellant on your exposed skin (other than your hands and face). Dr. Wormser recommends using repellant with DEET, because it’s proven to be effective. “You can easily see a tick that’s on your face or your hands,” he explains.

3. after you’ve been outside and potentially exposed to ticks, take a shower or a bath. “If you can bathe within a couple of hours of exposure, you will reduce your changes of getting a tick bite.”

4. do a tick check! Dr. Wormser says one of the best strategies is to enlist someone’s help and check your body for ticks every 24 hours during the time you are potentially exposed to ticks. “Look at your entire body to see if there are any attached ticks, and remove them,” he says. “If you can remove the tick within 24 hours of it biting you, you usually don’t contract any of the related diseases.” 

Speaking of removing ticks — Dr. Wormer says is a misconception that you have to get every last bit of the tick out. “They do cement themselves in,” he says, “and normally they would stay on your body for 3-7 days if left undisturbed.” So, he says, “when you pull them out, occasionally a little bit of the mouth part will remain in, but that isn’t necessarily a concern because it comes out on its own.” 

Once you pull out the tick with tweezers, Dr. Wormser recommends treating the area with a topical antibacterial (like Bacitracin) and observing the area for at least a month. “Typically a rash would develop 7-14 days after your remove the tick,” he says, so if you have a rash right away, it’s probably a reaction to the bite itself, rather than Lyme disease. in addition to watching out for a rash, you should make an appointment with your doctor if you have symptoms like headaches or fevers that don’t seem to be related to a cold, says Dr. Wormser.

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Friday November 11, 2011

Approximately three years ago I spent a frustrating and intermittently physically debilitated five months before being successfully diagnosed and treated for borreliosis infection, also referred to as Lyme Disease (LD). I recently went through mitral valve repair surgery. the possibility exists that the severe prolapse developed during the infection (if indeed it has been eradicated).

Every organ and organ system can be affected by untreated LD. I was relatively fortunate. some patients are not treated until symptoms have progressed beyond repair. When the disease progresses enough chronic symptoms often persist, even when treating with aggressive antibiotic mixes, numerous complimentary and alternative therapies and a nutritional regimen targeted to repair damage caused by the disease and boost the immune system. Early treatment and diagnosis are critical. it recently took 12 to 14 months before a positive serological (blood) test for LD is now initiating a monitored antibiotic treatment schedule for my mother Karen.

Given my history with LD, various Board of Health membership dinner lectures by state health officials, and personal research I thought that I was a fairly educated nonprofessional resource and advocate for care. Early on and during Karen’s journey toward diagnosis and treatment for fatigue, depressive symptoms, intermittent yet persistent weakness, loss of appetite and a host of other clinical and non-specific symptoms, my requests for monitored LD antibiotic treatment, a very good LD diagnostic indicator, met with the same response — another test was ordered. When it came back negative (there were four or five negative results before a specialized test from Pharmasan Labs confirmed a positive infection for a $600 fee) psychopharmapsyeudicals were experimented with and tested for the “right mix.” Intentions were good, but reliance on blood tests to diagnose LD is unreliable. these tests are often incorrectly negative.

I take responsibility for having known this and not requesting treatment in writing, despite negative results, and then finding a LLMD (Lyme Literate M.D.) who would have expedited and monitored such a request. Absent a bulls-eye EM rash (often accompanied with fever) LD is diagnosed based on clinical symptoms, history and a response to treatment. no test can definitively rule out LD, though accurate and knowledgeable interpretation of lab results is important to this diagnostic and treatment exercise. Over reliance upon a positive lab test result is cause to search out another more literate practitioner.

It is your health care clock, dollar and choice — and it may be ticking toward continued disease if you do not practice the well established consumer rule: caveat emptor (buyer beware).

DEAN FULCO

Richmond

The writer is a member of the town’s board of health.

Knee pain is a common problem, accounting for a significant number of office visits to PCPs each year. While it is common to have an associated injury that triggered the knee pain, in some cases joint pain, specifically knee pain, can present with no obvious cause. There are many possibilities for why a patient might experience knee pain in the absence of trauma and like many situations in medicine, the history provided by the patient often offers the key to diagnosis.

Perhaps the most widely publicized cause of traumatic knee pain is Lyme disease. this tick-borne infection can indeed lead to joint aches, also termed arthralgias. While smoldering knee pain can be associated with lyme, specifically chronic Lyme, it’s not uncommon for the presentation to be more dramatic. Sudden swelling and redness of a knee, often with associated pain and even fevers, may bring the patient to the physician’s office for evaluation.

There are other infections that can strike the knee joint. other tick-transmitted infections may attack the joint, however these are quite rare (but on the rise). Not as rare are bacterial infections of the knee joint or even the bones that constitute the knee’s foundation. Staph infections can enter the joint, typically via a break in the skin, and can be quite painful. Syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease that is NOT extinct, can lead to knee pain in the absence of trauma. in fact, so can untreated gonorrhea, a separate STD.

Mechanical problems within the knee can lead to pain, even if there was no injury that was the clear source of pain. A somewhat disorganized flap of tissue known as a plica can yield pain, as can occult tears of the meniscus. likewise, tears to the knee’s cartridge “caps” are rare in the absence of a mechanism of injury, but can occur.

It is possible to have knee pain due to underlying crystal disease. The most common condition, gout, leads to deposition of microscopic crystals in the knee’s fluid, which generate pain and redness. The knee is an uncommon location for gout attacks, but I’ve seen it. another condition called psudogout acts the same way, but by precipitating a different type of crystal in the knee.

One of the more common causes of knee pain is arthritis. There are many different kinds of arthritis, the most common of which is osteoarthritis, or degeneration of the knee joint’s cartilage which leads to narrowing of the joint space and pain. other forms of arthritis exist, however, and autoimmune arthritis is one of them.

Autoimmune conditions are ones where the body inappropriately produces antibodies (proteins that “attack” tissue) against its own components. in the case of rheumatoid arthritis, for example, these proteins lead to an inflammatory cascade that causes pain and joint damage. many other autoimmune diseases exist.

Diagnosing knee pain without a clear cause often requires testing, sometime extensive testing. If you fall into this category and don’t know why your knee aches, the smartest move is to see your PCP. They can rule out dangerous conditions, treat your symptoms and keep you on your feet.

Dr. Brian Irwin is a family physician at Tamworth Family Medicine, a division of Huggins Hospital.

since you have the use of the internet,
why not get accurate info by googling it ?

you may not get all the info from strangers, right ?

The most common sympton is a giant red circle around the actual bite sometimes in the shape of a bullseye, but that uncommon. mostly its a just a red rash around the bite, it can occur 3-30 days after the bite.

Then what follows are migraines, flu-like symptoms, muscle soreness and fever.

Next time just google Lyme Disease, might easier than just sitting around waiting on someone to answer.

Good sources of info about Lyme disease:
lymedisease.org
ilads.org
canlyme.com
lymenet.org
lymeinfo.net
lymediseaseassociation.org
lymedoctor.com
touchedbylyme.org

Fever, rash, fatigue.

(Swat!) Summer has arrived full force with her (smack!) predators in the air and on the ground. unfortunately, for legions of mosquitoes and ticks, we are the prey. but beyond the annoyance of these pests lurks a medical risk of disease. Insects carry numerous mild to life-threatening infectious agents ranging from Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Ehrlichia to West Nile Virus, viral encephalitis, and Dengue, our newest summer contender. And don’t get me started on the bacteria in the potato salad.

But don’t panic. Awareness of infectious risks and how to minimize them can avoid abdominal cramps without cramping your summer fun.

Tick-borne illness: You can contract Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichia and Lyme disease (which is rare in Georgia) from ticks. Each of these diseases causes headache, back and muscle aches, fevers, and Erlichia also sparks a rash. these symptoms begin within 4 to 21 days after tick exposure. unfortunately infection may occur without you knowing you even had a tick.

Exposure is best prevented by wearing light-colored clothing which makes ticks more visible, along with long pants and long sleeves when walking in tall grass or brush. Tucking your pant legs inside your socks also prevents the tick from accessing your skin and climbing to hidden

areas. Insect repellant with DEET on clothing and Picaridin on the skin is effective if you reapply it every few hours.

Mosquito-borne illness: Several types of viral meningitis are carried by mosquitoes in Georgia. these include West Nile Virus, Saint Louis Encephalitis, fortunately rare Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and a variety of unnamed arboviruses. Their symptoms are headache, stiff neck, fever and slight to severe confusion. Dengue is a new serious viral agent identified last year in Key West with 28 cases as of June, 2010. Previously this virus was only seen in travelers. This illness can vary from mild to severe with rash, fever and headache, up to life threatening hemorrhagic fever.

There are no effective treatments for any of these illnesses. Prevention is your only protection: since mosquitoes avoid direct sunlight, staying in direct sunlight during the day will help. In the shade and as the sun sets, it’s wise to either cover up or apply insect repellants containing Picaridin to the skin, and DEET to collars and cuffs.

Food-borne illness: Summer cookouts are always fun, but foods that are left out of a cooler can quickly become contaminated with Staphylococcus, Campylobacter, E. Coli, all causes of diarrhea, vomiting or both. Beware of food that has been out of the refrigerator for more than two hours. if many hands have already visited the dish during the picnic, be especially cautious. these uncooled foods could make for a very uncool after-party.

Remember that taking a few precautions can reduce your risk for illness so you can enjoy the season.

Male
86

Fever
Cough
Sore Throat
Muscle Aches
Infection in left eye
Shows signs of acute respiratory distress
* Note: Patient has expressed concern over stay in hospital. please contact family and relay concern for exotic poultry on farm.

Could be influenza, not sure. Also, here is a list of the following diseases it could possibly be.
Bronchitis, Encephalitis, Influenza, Mononucleosis, Rocky Mt. Spotted Fever, SARS, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Salmonella, SHingles, Meliodosis, Leprosy, Whooping Couch, Cholera, Lyme Disease, Meningitis, MOnkey Pox, Cold, Polio, Pnewmonia, Hepatitis, German Measles (rubella), Rabies, Leptospirosis, Tuberculosis, Gangrene, Botulism, HIV/AIDS, Dengue, Marbur Hemorrhagic, Brucellosis, Campylobacteriosis, Typhoid Fever, Tetanus, Anthrax, Plague, Mumps, Avian Influenza, Norwalk, Yellow Fever, fifth Disease.
Has to be one of the ^

Stiff neck, fever, headache, sleeping disorders, brain wave commotions, muscle aches from time to time, fatigue and rashes/bruises are the signs of early stage of Lyme disease.

If not treated immediately, it may further lead to symptoms such as; visibly increased fatigue, migraines or severe form of headache, flu-like symptoms, pain in the muscles, fever, vision changes and bull’s eye rashes.

By the way, does this patient have a farm with poultry in it? Because, black-legged tick (that carry bacteria like Borrelia Burgdorferi) lives on small animals and when they bite humans, the bacteria gets transmitted to the body causing Lyme disease.

symptoms of serious illness can suddenly be anywhere from a few days or more than a couple of weeks of Never-ending Lyme disease gradually stored in the internal situation of the affected person.

Acute Lyme disease can be treated simply and effectively and amoxicillin soles or prescription of antibiotics similar to how penicillin, doxycycline.

Symptoms of Lyme disease start with a regular flu-like feelings. symptoms of Lyme disease areHeadache, fever, muscle pain, weakness, and stiff neck. After that, the tick bite after a few days or one month of experience about 60% of patients with light skin had erythema migrans (EM) – a growing irritation. the blacks are livid.

the flu-like symptoms, the symptoms of the disease may in fact until the treatment itself, as it is mental and emotional manifestations like even less of his swing, insomnia and mood concentratedDifficulties.

Analgesics may be used for muscle and joint pain and drugs, hampers the body temperature to be taken. the treatment lasts 1-2 months. Early signs should follow without any hesitation to be taken. the first sign is a common skin rash that is a direct blow flu-like symptoms such as fever, weakness, body, joint and muscle pain and chills. unusual symptoms of acute Lyme disease include palpitations, heart block and neurologic symptoms such as altered mental status andNeuroborreliosis, the central nervous system. there is a potential risk of Lyme disease, with a view of the final phase of its move to go to the start of the acute illness without end. the severity of the symptoms may disappear for weeks, months or even years before the extra hard in recurrent symptoms.

Fractional Lyme disease symptoms:

the doctors are probably too early Lyme borreliosis in the influenza misidentify names, and later, the experience of a couple of non-specific symptoms with a varietydifficulties with the various organs of the body. this is only a partial list of the symptoms of Lyme disease, because it implies an additional three hundred people in Lyme disease medicine glossary. the report referred to above is not a diagnostic tool, but the intent is to present a basis for a dialogue with your doctor about Lyme disease are immense.

non-specific symptoms: sore throat, night sweats, severe fatigue and inflamedGlands

Digestive: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain (especially in children), and diarrhea are the major problems of the digestive symptoms of Lyme disease.

Heart: some of the most important Lyme disease: vasculitis – inflammation of the lining of blood vessels, including veins, arteries and capillaries carditis, Pancardite – inflammation of the heart or its surrounding myocarditis – inflammation of the heart muscle, the muscular part of heart.

Muscles and jointsPain is the most common symptom of Lyme disease: arthritis, which transfers from joint to joint damage in the joints of the body, as a result, the loss of muscle tone, muscle aches. Bell's palsy – paralysis of the facial nerve resulting in inability of the facial muscles on the affected side control

Nervous system: encephalitis – or meningitis (inflammation of the meninges system cell membranes that surround the central nervous system) and inflammation of the brain, aDisease or inflammation of the brain neuro-syphilis – an infection of the brain or spinal cord injury, encephalitis – an acute inflammation of the brain, spinal nerve root pain, tremors and shakes. Results: Deficit reflexes, irregular blood flow in the brain, confusion, mood changes and language difficulties – these are the main difficulties that show severe symptoms of nervous system Lyme disease and conditions, memory loss, sleep disturbances, dementia, neurotic disorders and panic attacks.

Skin:People who catch Lyme disease always get a rash. Usually it is forming a model hit the red and white rings around the tick bite. could then develop symptoms of Lyme disease, such as paresthesia – a sensation on the skin, such as burning, tingling, itching or tingling, with no apparent physical cause. sensory feeling, tingling and numbness.

Reproductive system: people who are sick with Lyme disease may have problems controlling urine. the problem could end the flow ofThe urine from the bladder. Other signs of Lyme disease, fecal incontinence – loss of bowel control, resulting in involuntary passage of feces. Men may have pain in the testicles – feeling pain in the testicular dysfunction. Sexual.

Women may have problems throughout pregnancy – miscarriage, and delayed development of the child. Many of Lyme disease are characteristic of diseases such as:

Multiple sclerosis – the disease that affects the central nervous systemSystem.

Parkinson's disease – central nervous system disorder that motor skills and speech impaired and other tasks.

Alzheimer's a progressive and fatal brain disease, the most common form of dementia. the Alzheimer's destroys brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior.

30-50% of patients with acute Lyme disease go on symptoms of chronic Lyme disease to spread. Also, some older people present, but patients without symptomstheir illness can actively following a series of fears, such as injury, surgery, pregnancy, are co-existing disease, antibiotics or harsh treatment of emotional stress.

Never-ending Lyme disease is particularly dangerous because the symptoms are more severe in addition, there are no hard and medicine for them. it can not be treated effectively with antibiotics, so there are some approaches and personalized patient care in the chronic form. the implications are for the callProlonged use of antibiotics and other treatments.

there is more controversy about the method of drug treatment. the combination of certain medications and chronic use of antibiotics can be overwhelming for the liver, kidneys and blood flow as well.

chronic antibiotic intake may lead to patient's immune system compromise. steroid therapy may be indicated. since the effects and counter-effects of a variety of treatments that have not yethave established a solid treatment can not be completely guaranteed only by the medicine.

the immune response to bacterial invasion is sometimes makes the person likely to influence the acquisition of other diseases.

Further testing is required for the disease constant since its inception, the system is caused by Lyme disease is not fully recognized. In addition, more than a couple of events suggestive of other diseases make it difficult for doctorsdiagnose correctly. the person may have acquired a new disease, yet show similar symptoms of advanced Lyme disease. Currently, physicians and doctors are studying alternative healing to find fresh support plans specifically for Lyme patients.

Lyme disease treatment is pretty standard. As long as you are not too far progressed, Lyme disease treatment is pretty easy. once you’re in the final stages of the disease it is a bit more difficult. Don’t be like that tons of others who think lyme disease has many treatments for the disease itself when in fact there are only a few, but many for the symptoms. no two people will have the same experience with the disease. You need to know these things if you have Lyme Disease. Also, diet is vital if you want to stay healthy — I drink Shakeology each day to supplement my diet. I love it, check out these Shakeology reviews.

Noticing the symptoms of Lyme Disease early will help you deal with the symptoms sooner. You may need to see your doctor any time you are bitten by a tick for antibiotic treatment. Those with heart, lung or kidney problems need to be especially mindful of this.

It doesn’t mean you can’t begin treatment while the doctor is checking out the tick. even if your tick is positive you will already be well on your way to healing and should be perfectly fine. if it isn’t then you have helped to boost your immune system against whatever else the tick might have been carrying. It’s a win win situation.

There are alternative medications out there but you’ll want to consult your doctor first. some alternative medications have been said to be better for you than other prescription medications. The problem is that not all of these alternative treatments are monitored by the FDA or any medical association. Your doctor can give you some great tips on alternatives that really do work. To keep from making your condition worse or exacerbating the symptoms you will want to ask your doctor for advice on what will work for you.

It is especially important to talk with your doctor if you feel you may have Lyme disease and are pregnant. The fetus may contract Lyme disease from the mother while inter. it should still be fairly easy to treat this disease if caught early. Of course, it is never easy to treat a disease when you are pregnant. All Lyme disease treatments have the potential to affect your baby. You can help ensure your baby’s health and safety by working closely with your doctor while being treated for this disease. When it comes to treating Lyme disease, there are not a whole lot of selections. The cure for the disease is only found in medication that you will get from your doctor or at a hospital. although, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have no choice when it comes to making the symptoms of the affliction any easier to put up with. it can take a while to completely recover from the disease. be sure to consult with your physician about options for keeping the symptoms from becoming too much for you to deal with. Lastly, remember to read this post titled “is Shakeology worth it“.

When you’ve ever gotten Lyme disease from an infected tick chunk, then you know how uncomfortable the illness can be. some individuals don’t realize simply how irritating and painful the illness might be for those suffering from it. Joint and muscle ache that lasts for days or perhaps weeks at a time, numerous trips to the physician’s office, misdiagnoses and failed therapies all can make for a particularly aggravating interval of time.

Dealing with Lyme disease could be particularly difficult as a result of oftentimes the illness is misdiagnosed, which ends up in treatment plans that don’t work and ongoing illness and pain from the disease. As a result of there is no conclusive test to determine whether or not a Lyme illness infection is current, misdiagnosis is common. This may be especially frustrating for those who are informed that their symptoms are “all of their head” or that the signs are purely psychiatric and that they need anti-depressants. There are more than 100 completely different symptoms of Lyme illness, which can make it extremely tough for doctors to narrow down the symptoms into one illness. the illness can also be commonly misdiagnosed as another sort of ailment, akin to arthritis, and so the affected person does not obtain correct treatment.

If you’re coping with Lyme disease in your life, following are some ideas that will aid you as you fight the disease:

Understand Lyme illness – Get familiar with the disease. Educate yourself on the fundamentals of Lyme disease, such as its causes, signs, how it is recognized and prognosis. Lyme illness develops from the micro organism Borrelia, which is mostly transmitted by way of the bite of a deer tick. once the micro organism invade your body, you’ll most probably start to expertise signs within a matter of weeks. Signs include a reddish bulls-eye shaped rash, fever, fatigue, and arthritis-like muscle and joint pain. Dealing with Lyme disease and its signs actually just isn’t enjoyable, however by examining your symptoms and medical historical past, your doctor will hopefully be able to make a correct diagnosis. once a diagnosis is made, remedy can begin. This can most frequently embrace either oral or IV antibiotics to rid your physique of the bacteria. Understanding the illness and the way it impacts your physique is a crucial part of dealing with Lyme disease.

Explore your treatment choices – Talk to your doctor about completely different treatment which may be available. Antibiotics are most commonly used to battle the disease. Nevertheless, there are alternative therapies available, though they have not been studied thoroughly during clinical trials and due to this fact might not be as effective.

Be affected person – that is the hardest thing to do if you’re feeling terrible, however it’s essential when dealing with Lyme disease. you want to give your physique time to heal and reply to therapies, and worrying or stressing over how long it’s taking or dwelling on how dangerous you are feeling will NOT assist you to get better any faster. in actual fact, it’s more prone to decelerate your recovery. So just hang in there — you’re going to get higher in time.

If you need additional info about symptoms of Lyme disease, swing by Aaron Hofleenger’s internet site directly.

Share and Enjoy:

I wanted to post an update in regards to Lyme disease treatment. I was having a conversation with a new friend of mine, she was asking what my symptoms are for Lyme disease. I had to think a little bit harder than I have in the past when asked the same question…that was a good sign! when I tell someone what the symptoms are; I share what my symptoms are first…its easier to explain something you are very familiar with like feeling specific pains everyday vs. remembering other symptoms of Lyme that I dont have. It is different for each person and depending on how long you have had it, the severity will be different. Here is a more detailed list, you’ll see why I refer to my own rather than THE list! Lol! Check it out if your interested:lyme-disease-research-database.com/lyme-disease-symptoms.html
As I was telling my friend about my symptoms I was realizing that a few of them are gone and alot of them are lesser in the severity. What encouragement! I’m very thankful for all the medicine I’m on…even though I hate it…its working. Jeff & I have been on a herbal protocol Samento since April 2010 (so a little over a year now) I have been on antibiotic treatment Clarithromycin since July 2010 (about 7 mos.) Bicillin injections since October 2010 (about 5 mos) Ciproflaxin since December 2010 (about 3 mos)
When I asked my Lyme Literate doctor how long we would be on treatment; she said about 2 years. So, I’m encouraged to look at the big picture and see that its coming close to 1 year being treated. hopefully just 1 more year will rid us of these buggers for good! There are always stories of people stopping treatment and then getting sick again~ or roadblocks/complications that come up. For instance Jeff was on Bicillin injections and simply his body could not tolerate it. he had major reactions to the medicine and had to stop. we are waiting until our next follow up appointment (phone consultation) with our doctor to see what alternate treatment he should be on. Our treating LLMD is in California, wich works out for us to have phone meetings only and we will see her this summer when we visit our family in California; but we are searching for a doctor here as well. There is a naturopath doctor I will be checking out as well as we are seeking a primary care physician who will hopefully work in conjunction with out LLMD that way some meds could be covered with insurance. were not sure if it will work- its very difficult getting insurance to cover Lyme treatment; sometimes impossible. but with a cost of around $500 a month in medicine…..we need insurance to cover some of this! So please pray with us in regard to this.So, treatment is going good and we are getting better slowly. There seems to be more good days than bad days lately. Thank you everyone for your prayers, and support. Many of you have helped us finacially through this journey and we are very greatful. this is road that we dont walk alone because of many of you! thanks & God bless~