Lyme Disease

[Josh]

Lyme disease should be cure within 4 weeks of taking antibiotics. Chronic Lyme disease is considered a fringe conspiracy theory.

Please make sure you’re seeing a medical professional for this and don’t listen to anyone who promotes “chronic Lyme disease” quick theories.

[Ernie]

This is a thread to discuss all things Lyme related including whether or not Lyme can be a chronic illness.

[Josh]

This is a thread to discuss all things Lyme related including whether or not Lyme can be a chronic illness.

Chronic Lyme disease doesn’t exist. If someone thinks they have this, they need to go find out what is actually wrong - it could be something very serious. The actual bacteria is cured with a few weeks of antibiotics.

[Somebody]

Josh, why do you say Chronic Lyme doesn't exist? When someone's Lyme symptoms flare up again, does that mean they were bitten again? and again? and again?

[Josh]

Josh, why do you say Chronic Lyme doesn't exist? When someone's Lyme symptoms flare up again, does that mean they were bitten again? and again? and again?

Chronic Lyme disease is considered pseudoscience.

From Wikipedia:

Chronic Lyme disease (CLD) is the name used by some people with "a broad array of illnesses or symptom complexes for which there is no reproducible or convincing scientific evidence of any relationship to Borrelia burgdorferi infection" to describe their condition and their beliefs about its cause.[1] Both the label and the belief that these people's symptoms are caused by this particular infection are generally rejected by medical professionals, and the promotion of chronic lyme disease is an example of health fraud.[1][2] Chronic Lyme disease in this context should not be confused with genuine Lyme disease, a known medical disorder caused by infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, or with post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, a set of lingering symptoms which may persist after successful treatment of infection with Lyme bacteria.

Despite numerous studies, there is no evidence that symptoms associated with CLD are caused by any persistent infection.[3] The symptoms attributed to chronic Lyme are generic and non-specific symptoms, such as fatigue and muscle pain, and in many cases are likely due to fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome.[4][5] Fibromyalgia can be triggered by an infection, and antibiotics are not a safe or effective treatment for post-infectious fibromyalgia.[6]

A number of alternative health products are promoted for chronic Lyme disease,[7] of which possibly the most controversial and harmful is long-term antibiotic therapy, particularly intravenous antibiotics.[8][9] Recognised authorities advise against long-term antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease, even where some symptoms persist post-treatment.[10][11][12] Following disciplinary proceedings by state medical licensing boards in the United States, a subculture of "Lyme literate" physicians has successfully lobbied for specific legal protections, exempting them from the standard of care and Infectious Diseases Society of America treatment guidelines. This political interference in medical care[13][14] has been criticised as an example of "legislative alchemy", the process whereby pseudomedicine is legislated into practice.[15]

[Josh]

Josh, why do you say Chronic Lyme doesn't exist? When someone's Lyme symptoms flare up again, does that mean they were bitten again? and again? and again?

If they have recurring symptoms, it’s probably something else. Fibromyalgia used to be the thing blamed for everything like this, and chronic fatigue syndrome before that. (A new one appearing is COVID-19 “long haul”, where people think they have covid symptoms for many months after the infection is gone.)

[Ernie]

This is a thread to discuss all things Lyme related including whether or not Lyme can be a chronic illness.

Chronic Lyme disease doesn’t exist.

According to Josh, that is...
This is an example of black and white "authoritative" statements you often make on a wide range of topics on MN. Simply adding a couple words like "I think" ahead of such statements can make for more conciliatory conversation.

If someone thinks they have this, they need to go find out what is actually wrong - it could be something very serious. The actual bacteria is cured with a few weeks of antibiotics.

Lyme disease should be cure within 4 weeks of taking antibiotics. Chronic Lyme disease is considered a fringe conspiracy theory.
Please make sure you’re seeing a medical professional for this and don’t listen to anyone who promotes “chronic Lyme disease” quick theories.

Initially, I took antibiotics for four weeks, and again later for three weeks. The infectious disease specialist I went to at the time assured me that there is no such thing as chronic Lyme. He took an MRI of my brain and found no "bright spots" that often accompany Lyme so he was quite assured that there was no Lyme in my body. He believed that any ongoing symptoms I had were the result of damage done to nerves or tissue and that there was no Lyme in my body. I was quite aware of the alternate universe (who believe that antibiotics don't always kill Lyme) at the time and assumed the infectious disease specialist knew what he was talking about. Five years ago not a lot was known about Lyme.

I'm now getting treatment from a team of medical doctors who believe that Lyme can cause long term nerve/tissue damage even after treatment but they have also discovered that Lyme can exist in joints without showing up positive on blood tests. In my case, I tested positive for Lyme five years ago, and tested positive again recently. Is it a new infection or ongoing? My doctor is not sure.
New studies are giving a lot more knowledge about Lyme.
Recently my doctor and his team have been teaming up with some joint-replacement surgeons to "scrape the joints" after replacing the joint with an artificial one. The scrapings are sent off for testing and live Lyme bacteria is sometimes found in the scrapings, even though the individual has tested negative repeatedly for Lyme. One young lady, twenty-two years old, has had her knees and hips replaced and will soon need her shoulders replaced. She has repeatedly tested negative for Lyme. For some reason, antibiotics are not killing the Lyme in her joints and they have not yet figured out why.

All this to say... this topic is much more complicated than what it may appear to the average onlooker.

[Somebody]

It would probably be a good idea to actually talk with several people who are dealing with "Chronic Lyme Disease" and hear their side of the story. I do agree sometimes there are other underlying issues that can be a factor in a person being unable to recover. Or its something the Lyme or co - infections triggered.

[Joy]

As I recall, friends of mine had no more problem with ticks after they got chickens on their property. That would at least prevent anyone else from being bitten.

[Somebody]

Guineas are also great tick eaters!