Bex,
Lyme can be transmitted via ticks, via mosquitos, via horseflies, via other biting flies, via biting mites, etc. And people with Lyme don't necessarily even remember a bad insect bite or reaction to a bit with a rash of any kind (bulls-eye or otherwise). I certainly don't remember ever seeing a tic on my body nor having a rash. Yet, I'd been sick for many, many years and I think I've had Lyme symptoms for about 9 years. The symptoms have gotten progressively worse. And again, from what I've read and have been told by my Lyme Docs, candida, mercury toxicity and Lyme problems are seen together alot.
New Zealand does have Lyme. I tried to do a search to found out what sort of reporting had been done. I know the first reported case of Lyme was in 1982. But I got tired looking for further info. SOrry.
I have read information that states that Lyme is epidemic in some countries. A good place to start reading might be the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society. They have a really good downloadable brochure that explains the difficulty in testing and also explaining what tests to ask for.
http://www.ilads.org/brochures.htmlI find it very interesting that you describe some of your symptoms as having a meningitis-type feeling. That's significant. I think if a Lyme Literate Doctor heard you say that, he'd wanna test you right away to rule out Lyme Disease. Lyme can present with meningitis-type symptoms!
ANyway, I hope people don't think that I'm all about Lyme, All the time, 24/7 and just because I"ve been diagnosed with it that I automatically think everyone must have it as well.
I just want to convey to people that this disease is being treated very much like the mercury problems. The medical profession is trying to ignore it and pretend it isn't there. There is a tremendous amount of internal conflict and downright vengefull fighting going on amongst doctors on the issue of diagnosing and treatment Lyme. ANd the patients are the ones suffering.
There is alot more Lyme out there than people realize. I mean heck, President Bush has been treated for Lyme last year and we Americans weren't even told about it.
For people with chronic illnesses, I think they all should be evaluated for Lyme in an effort to either confirm or exclude.
Huggles,
Sharon
Let me know if you'd like more info. There are some good support forums online who will help in locating docs who will do the proper test.
There is also information on the various types of Lyme therapies that people are doing -- both traditional and herbal protocols.
P.S.S. Here is a good primer for info on Lyme as well. It's a tv news series that was done by a reporter in the U.S. in Virginia. She has Lyme and is trying to raise awareness. I wish she'd gone into more detail on all of the symptoms. But she does help explain the difficulties in testing (the good tests vs the bad tests) as well as the difficulties in the two disparate Treatment Guidelines between the Infectious Disease Doctors and the International Lyme and Associated Disease Society.
After the research I did, I made sure that I found myself an ILADS doc.
Here it is, and the video reports are in 3 parts, starting with Lyme Controversy, 1:
http://www.wset.com/external.hrb?p=lyme
