Do You Have Neurological Lyme Disease?

If you have had Lyme for more than a few months it is very likely that you do. There is a gaping hole in scientific reporting about the dangers, symptoms and treatment for neurological Lyme which is why it is so refreshing to see the year end with a hard-hitting honest report on neurological Lyme disease.

Part I of “Neurological Lyme Disease Can Be The Shadowland of the Mind” published yesterday by Psychology Today and written by Pamela Weintraub covers some history, some real-life stories and a very helpful update on research regarding the crazy things it can do to our bodies, and the diseases it can mimic.

One item Ms. Weintraub mentions that we must be very vigilant about. She writes:

The German neurologist Rudolph Ackermann found that the sickest of these neuroborreliosis patients suffered an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord called encephalomyelitis, also seen in syphilis.

When the condition involved the spine it resembled multiple sclerosis and when it involved the brain, particularly the cerebral cortex, it could produce psychoses or seizures.

The condition was progressive and degenerative without treatment, but even after antibiotic therapy, most of the patients retained the symptoms, though to a lesser degree.”

How often do we meet people who have been told they have MS but the way they describe their symptoms you just KNOW in your gut it is Lyme? But how do we lovingly tell someone that it could be a much more henious disease, also with no cure.

Why aren’t the doctors testing for this?

Read all of Part One here.

We shall all look forward to Part Two…

Thank-you Ms. Weintraub!

Similar Posts:

Click on the icon below to share and enjoy:

Sphere: Related Content

Thanks for visiting again - Please comment on the posts you read - everyone is interested in what you have to say.

Posted on December 31st, 2008 under Chronic Lyme Disease, Great Imitator, Neurological Lyme disease, Personal stories • Tags: Chronic Lyme disease, Great Imitator, Neurological Lyme disease. • Email This Post • RSS 2.0 feed • Leave a response, or trackback

Monkey Girl

(12 comments):
January 2nd, 2009 at 1:29 am

I think I’ve lucked out in the neurological department. I’ve seen much worse cases than me at our monthly support group. My fatigue, enormous amounts of limb (arms, hands, fingers in particular) pain is unbearable, and lately my inability to get any DEEP sleep, I simply dream all night long, is exhausting. I’m constantly working with my many lyme doctors to find dosages and mixtures that help me cope, but it’s a constant juggling act. My memory, inability to concentrate for longer than 20 minutes, loss of hearing and worsening eye sight has been a challenge as well. I’m still mobile, and I’m thankful for that. I’ve got to be thankful for every little thing I still can do.

Catherine S. Clark

(2 comments):
June 20th, 2009 at 11:46 pm

Oh Yeah….I think I am the Poster Child here in Southeastern PA for Neurological Lyme Disease. It was my Hemotologist who made me find a LLMD after she diagnosed me with Pernicious Anemia. I knew something was seriously wrong with me. I had an excruciating eye/headache for well over a year. I also had lost the ability to concentrate and do basic math and reading. But it took awhile for all of that to dawn on me. Then one day, I realized that I just couldn’t remember where the certain keys were on my computer. Ok, something was wrong. Not to mention, horrendous body pains, but I was used to that. I was also used to getting blown off for 20 years while I tried to get a diagnosis of Lyme, because I HAD the bite, I HAD the Bells Palsy, I HAD costochondritis, I HAD Lyme arthritis, I HAD every textbook symptom. What I didn’t have was a positive blood test. BUT, what I did have was a photograph of the bite on my chest. You know, that still wasn’t good enough for the doctors.

But when it finally got deeply imbedded in my brain, the change in me seemed to happen overnight. I developed a very pronounced tremor in my right hand. I started stuttering and stammering. I lost so many mental abilities that people take for granted. I lost much of my vision and I had a two year eye/headache that felt like a searing hot poker going through my right eye. I thought I’d never get rid of that pain. It took a couple of doctors but I finally got it diagnosed and treated with Topamax. Wow, what a miracle to be able to hold my head up again. I swear I had my right eye packed in ice for two years. Both my eyes bulge from Graves Disease, my right eye bulges more. Because of the bulging I have extremely dry eyes. I have to place 5 drops or ointments in my eyes daily. That also adds to my blurriness, but it’s necessary to do so.

Someday’s I miss my old brain. When I remember how smart I was and all I could do. Now I can’t even complete a simple task. I am just a shell of the woman I used to be. What a waste. I wonder what my life would have been like if I was treated sooner. Would I still be reading for pleasure? I can’t even read children’s books. This is a pretty sad existance. Now….for this blog, I will read, and re-read this about l0 times, checking and re-checking my spelling and punctuation before I send it. In the past, I’d just let it go and trust my flying fingers and wit. Not anymore. I am just pretty much and idiot. An idiot who is in chronic and deep pain 24/7. It sucks.

Jenna Smith

(99 comments):
July 8th, 2009 at 10:38 am

Catherine -

I empathize more than you know – it takes me hours to research and write these articles, but I maintain a hope that some of my words will encourage someone – or enlighten…it is critical to have others to talk to who understand the diabolical nature of this disease. At least with cancer people rally in support – with Lyme there is so much mis-information, and conventional doctors are downright hostile!

You will get your mental agility back, but it will be slow. Keep the faith.

Blessings,

Jenna

Jenna’s Lyme Blog