This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Lyme disease sufferer spent years being misdiagnosed

Published on Febuary 15th, 2008
Published on December 30th, 2009
Cait MacIntyre Brenda Sterling-Goodwin believes she contracted Lyme disease about 10 years ago. Back then, she was a cat groomer and a veterinary technician.
Doctors in Nova Scotia doubted her condition. One neurologist told her she had multiple sclerosis. It's common, she says, for people with Lyme disease to be misdiagnosed as having multiple sclerosis, lupus, arthritis, or other illnesses with similar symptoms.
Topics : California , Nova Scotia , New Glasgow Brenda Sterling-Goodwin believes she contracted Lyme disease about 10 years ago. Back then, she was a cat groomer and a veterinary technician.
Doctors in Nova Scotia doubted her condition. One neurologist told her she had multiple sclerosis. It's common, she says, for people with Lyme disease to be misdiagnosed as having multiple sclerosis, lupus, arthritis, or other illnesses with similar symptoms.
It wasn't until she saw the test results from California that she finally had confirmation she was suffering with the disease.
"(Lyme disease) affects everybody differently," says Sterling-Goodwin, a New Glasgow resident.
In her case, the disease has affected her mobility, especially. While she does prefer to walk, she sometimes uses a wheelchair. She's often in pain over the stiffness in her legs, and her feet are swollen to twice their normal size.
Lyme disease is transmitted by a blacklegged tick, after it has attached itself to the skin for 24 hours. Caused by a form of spirochete bacteria, it can be treated with antibiotics if caught early.
There have been eight confirmed cases of Lyme disease in the province since 2002.
"But the only confirmed cases are the ones that meet Canadian standards, which are not the best," Sterling-Goodwin says.
Every three months, Sterling-Goodwin travels to Maine to see her doctor, but she sends him monthly faxes to update him on her condition while between visits. "There are not a lot of Lyme-literate doctors in Canada, unfortunately."
She says "early diagnosis and education" is key. She hopes the news of a Pictou County tick being discovered carrying the disease will heighten awareness.
She adds those removing ticks should exercise caution. Ticks should never be twisted, burned or squeezed. When removing ticks, always use tweezers and pull upwards, she says.
For more information on Lyme disease, visit http://www.lymeinns.bravehost.com/ or http://www.canlyme.com/.

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I do my own research, and find my own answers Its good to talk

Fee, Thanks for this reminder.

FYI My first ELISA came back negative.

I forced my pcp to give me a Western-Blot which I was told over the phone came back negative.

After getting my results in hand, I saw my antibody IgM band 23 came back "present"!

From what I have been able to research, (when detecting Lyme) this band alone is the equivalent of seeing a baby's foot during an ultrasound and determining someone is pregnant although the whole baby wasn't seen! (Not my analogy, folks!)

CDC guidelines say that at least 3 bands must be present for a positive Lyme diagnosis. There is also the question as to whether chronic-Lyme actually exists.

So do I have Lyme? I know I have the antibody for Bb., the thing that causes Lyme. I was an in-the-field landscaper for over a decade and it is poosible I was bitten by an infected tick.

I have an appt. with a LLMD (Lyme-Literate Doc) in 2 weeks. I'll report back then!

In the meanwhile, I suggest those of you seeking more info and have access to Netflix (streaming or disc) watch "Under Our Skin". Some good info about Lyme and the critter that causes it. I will admit, it is a pro-Chronic Lyme piece so keep that in mind when viewing.

Like CCSVI, Chronic-Lyme is controversial...

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If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough. - Al Einstein

selected Lyme topics 2005 to present

2005
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-1729-lyme.html
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-1672-lyme.html
2006
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2308-lyme.html
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2359-lyme.html
2007
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-4126.html
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-4372.html
2008
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-5159-lyme.html
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-5895-lyme.html
2009 (start of Lyme/CCSVI connections)
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-6673-lyme.html
2010
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-13038-lyme.html
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-12502-lyme.html
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-14593-lyme.html
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-14814-lyme.html
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-14841-lyme.html
2011
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-15874-lyme.html
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-16918-lyme.html
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-16916-lyme.html

another option, use forum search for author lymenurse, filtered to posts only, to read ccsvi/lyme experience

also, because there are not really any recent posts here: http://twitter.com/#%21/LymeNurse

who knew

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my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com