Many people wonder, How can someone be so sick from a Tick Bite?

Understanding Lyme and Chronic Illness is a complex and often misunderstood topic. Many people are unaware of the severity and impact of a single tick bite and the many Co infections it can transmit. Lyme Disease, along with the many tick-borne co-infections ticks carry, can wreak havoc on the body and lead to lifelong chronic illness if not tested for properly and treated immediately.

The bacterium that causes Lyme Disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, is just one of many pathogens that ticks can transmit. In addition to Lyme Disease, ticks can also carry bacteria such as Babesia, Anaplasma, Bartonella, and Ehrlichia, as well as viruses and parasites. This means that a single tick bite can lead to multiple infections, each with its own set of symptoms and complications.

One of the challenges of diagnosing Lyme and co-infections is the wide range of symptoms they can cause. Symptoms of Lyme Disease can include fatigue, joint pain, neurological issues, and cognitive dysfunction, among others. Co-infections can add to the complexity of symptoms, making diagnosis and treatment even more challenging.

Another complicating factor is the ability of these pathogens to hide in the body and evade detection. The bacteria that cause Lyme Disease, for example, can form protective structures called biofilms, making it difficult for antibiotics to reach and kill them. This can lead to chronic infection and ongoing symptoms.

In addition to the direct effects of the infections themselves, the immune response to these pathogens can also contribute to chronic illness. In some cases, the immune system becomes overactive, leading to inflammation and autoimmune reactions. This can further exacerbate symptoms and complicate treatment.

When dealing with any chronic illness the immune system is generally compromised, especially due to medication, so it’s important to work with a doctor who will ‘fight and fill’ at the same time. With so many opportunistic infections and viruses coming to the surface we need to fight the bad but also replenish the body with the vital nutrients it needs so it can more readily heal. But the most important aspect of illness is finding the root cause.

Seeking An Educated Doctor Is Key;

Some doctors recommend their patients wait 30 days and only come back if there are symptoms after that time, but 30 days can be too long and by that time the patient can already be very sick. Also, in some patients symptoms show up way past the 30 day mark making it much harder to diagnose and to treat. Other doctors give a one-off dose of antibiotics and then take the wait and see approach, but that’s even worse. The antibiotics suppress symptoms making the patient feel better, but very often patients get unexplained symptoms a while later and they never make the connection as they assume they got rid of the infection already. It’s not uncommon for those bitten by ticks to complain of joint pain, digestive issues, headache etc. but once the infection was suppressed it often returns with a vengeance and is much harder to treat.

Most doctors were never taught about Tick borne infections and don’t have time to research it properly. If it wasn’t taught in medical school it must be made up, right? Today Lyme is like AIDS was 15 years ago. Although doctors acknowledge that Lyme exists they don’t believe it can be so extensive and damaging. Lyme isn’t called The Great Imitator for nothing, it is able to imitate virtually any other disease and that’s what makes it so much harder to detect.

Sadly, there are many people diagnosed with supposedly non-curable diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis. But with a lack of 100% accurate testing it is mostly a clinical diagnosis where medication is given just to suppress symptoms, but the root cause is never addressed and thereby a cure is never possible.

Lyme disease mimics many diseases with its multiple symptoms making a clinical diagnosis very inaccurate. Of course some are genuinely ill with specific horrible diseases, but all testing should be done to rule other things like Lyme or its co-infections out. In many cases Lyme spirochetes were found and this has been confirmed over the years via autopsies of many deceased patients. Understandably, every person’s body reacts differently depending on the co-infections that were transmitted and their own immune system.

A Simple Example;

A woman contacted Life for Lyme after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Half of her body was paralyzed and an MRI showed lesions on her brain. After she was in the hospital on steroids for two weeks with no improvement, the doctors told her she would never recover and would be in a wheelchair for life.

Parenthetically, they also mentioned that she was Lyme positive and advised her to look into it once she got the MS under control. As it turns out, the Lyme wasn’t a “by the way” thing at all. She immediately started on antibiotics and after just 24 hours (!) literally ‘defrosted’ and was walking on her own two feet! She was fortunate to have had no co-infections so her recovery was quick, and Boruch Hashem, complete.

There are children and adults with debilitating pain, headache, seizures etc. who are sent for psychiatric help as their doctor assumes that if they can’t find a reason it must be psychiatric in nature. How long would somebody enjoy being pampered, a week, a month? How can you make this up? Pretend seizures, anyone? It would be laughable if it weren’t so sad, but every illness has a cause and we must do everything in our power to find it.

Doctors and Science are not infallible and we must keep an open mind for the truth. Sometimes it means opening our eyes to a different healing approach, but keep looking we must.

This is especially important when it comes to children as they may be unable to express what feels wrong. Life for Lyme has seen so many kids who complained of frequent headaches or kept missing school, another child had horrible night sweats and felt as though her skin was crawling. It gets very tricky as there can be so many reasons why children might be struggling. Of course, the most obvious causes need to be checked out first, but Lyme should never be ruled out if things don’t add up.

Another Example;

A mother contacted Life For Lyme about her 13 year old son. He was a highly successful student who suddenly lost interest in learning, stopped going to shul, stopped wearing his yarmulkah and just seemed to be slipping in his yiddishkeit all around. They took him to therapists, mechanchim, doctors, anyone who could possibly shed light on the situation and help them get their son back. But nothing was helping and they couldn’t understand what was going on. Life for Lyme as highly skeptical and asked if they considered all other options, and since they had, We encouraged a Lyme test just to rule things out.

Lo and behold, he was positive! They were incredibly lucky to get a clear positive result as they would never have considered treatment without a clear cut diagnosis. It seems he had brain fog and therefore found learning difficult, fatigue made it difficult for him to get up for minyan, and sensory issues made his yarmulkah uncomfortable. But he hadn’t expressed any of that and they were completely in the dark! It’s a couple of years later now and Boruch Hashem the boy is back in yeshiva and flourishing. It’s amazing, but it’s also humbling to think what could have happened if it remained undetected…

Bitten By A Tick;

We always recommend that patients undergo extensive testing so that a complete picture of the issues of concern can be formed. Every case is so very individual and no two treatment plans are the same but it’s really important to get the tests done at a reputable lab. We now recommend different labs for different tests based on extensive research and experience. Once the results come in we refer them to a doctor who can make a diagnosis and recommend a treatment plan if applicable.

Another, often overlooked, part of the healing journey is post-infection. The person may now be declared Lyme-free,however, there may still be a host of viruses and parasites present that need to be dealt with, so there is still a lot of workto be done before the person recovers up to par. Also some symptoms linger do the autoimmune issues caused by the pathogens attack.

NJ past Health Commissioner Shereef whom is Today the United States Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health stated :

“The Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce Health and Medical LIFE FOR LYME Org and its team are staunch advocates for Lyme awareness. LIFE FOR LYME continues extending its outreach efforts into the community, including our schools. They have collaborated with the Department of Education for Lyme outreach and education to New Jersey’s youth, and we thank the Chamber for their advocacy and leadership.”

Bottom Line;

venishmartem es nafshoseichem; we cannot be complacent. If you or your loved one has been ill for a while you need to turn over stone after stone until a root cause is found.

Unfortunately it’s not uncommon for doctors to claim that people’s symptoms are in their head or they’re doing it to gain attention.

We always recommend that patients undergo extensive testing so that a complete picture of the issues of concern can be formed. Every case is so very individual and no two treatment plans are the same but it’s really important to get the tests done at a reputable lab. We now recommend different labs for different tests based on extensive research and experience. Once the results come in we refer them to a doctor who can make a diagnosis and recommend a treatment plan if applicable.

At Life for Lyme we strive to provide vital resources and support for those affected by this complex and often misunderstood disease. Through awareness campaigns, educational events, and legislative initiatives, we seek to increase understanding and recognition of Lyme disease within the medical community and beyond. By connecting individuals with knowledgeable healthcare providers, offering support networks and resources, and advocating for improved treatment options, we aim to empower those living with Lyme disease to better navigate their journey towards healing and wellness.

Additionally, our efforts extend to preventative measures, such as the distribution of tick packs and educational materials, in order to educate the public about the risks of tick-borne illnesses and how to protect themselves from potential exposure.

For more information visit

Www.Lifeforlyme.org

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[Press Release]