A Presentation by Michele Moynihan It was 8

A Presentation by Michele Moynihan

It was 8 months before I was properly diagnosed with Lyme disease and treated with antibiotics. By different doctors, I was told I had Chronic Mononucleosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and a possible tumor on my optic nerve. Since I went so long without treatment, I am still on strong antibiotics. It has now been a year and a half since I first started on medication. I know I am not a doctor.

• • • Yourselves Your Family Members Your Pets Your Friends and Neighbors Your Colleagues • Your STUDENTS

Why and How Lyme Disease Can Be Misdiagnosed The Symptoms of Lyme Disease How to Protect Yourself from Ticks How to Remove Ticks

Over 50% of Lyme victims DO NOT remember being bitten by a tick. WHY? ? ? A tick bite DOES NOT HURT due to the anesthetic it injects upon puncturing the skin. PLUS. . . Lang, 16

Ticks are TINY and hard to detect on the body. Some nymphs are the size of a small mole or a period at the end of a sentence.

The time lapse between a tick bite and the emergence of symptoms can be weeks or even months! Type of symptoms and severity of symptoms can vary in everyone. 100 Strains 300 Strains

The blood tests are NOT RELIABLE! “Generally accepted testing procedures have had a 30 -40% reliability rate, at best” (Lang, 16). This means. . . There is a 60 -70% chance you could have a “false negative” result.

If a person is currently on or has recently taken antibiotics, it can reduce the body’s production of Lyme antibodies. The Lyme bacteria, called the “spirochete” can hide in the body by shifting and changing to avoid detection by the immune system.

The Controversy ELISA Western Blot CDC says you must have 5 bands!!! But I only have 2! And I feel lousy! “Several studies have shown that sensitivity and specificity for the…Western Blot ranges from 92% to 96% when only two specific bands are positive” (National Guideline Clearinghouse: Summary of ILADS Guidelines for Lyme Disease, 3).

Western Blot Panel Ig. G- 10 bandsolder infection Ig. M- 3 bandsrecent infection

“Called the ‘Great Imitator, ’ Lyme disease, because of its myriad of symptoms, can mimic two hundred other illnesses” (Lang, 33). What are the symptoms of Lyme disease? Because of this, Lyme is frequently misdiagnosed as… • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome • Fibromyalgia • Rheumatoid Arthritis • Lupus • Thyroid Disease • Depression • Chronic Mononucleosis • Multiple Sclerosis • Alzheimer’s Disease • Lou Gehrig’s Disease • And more…

One of the first symptoms of Lyme Disease can be what is called a “Bull’s Eye” rash.

There are 10 documented variations of rashes associated with Lyme disease, and not all of them look like a “Bull’s Eye. ” Many rashes may resemble a spider bite, ringworm, blisters, hives, or even cellulitis or shingles. Lyme Rash

Shingles Lyme Shingles Ringwor m Lyme

Even though the rash is a tell-tale sign of Lyme disease. . . Over 50% of victims DO NOT exhibit any rash at all!!! (ILADS, 2)

RASH (but over 50% don’t get one) Joint and/or Muscle Pain Vo mit ( with or without swelling) ing hills C e h c a Head a e Naus Neck So Th re roa t Back Elbows Feet Ankles Knees Flu-like symptoms Wrists Hands (with or without fever) Unusual Fatigue

• • • • • Frequent Headaches Dizziness or Vertigo Lightheadedness Frequent Nausea Gastrointestinal Problems Ringing or Pounding in Ears Blurred Vision Burning Eyes Numbness, Tingling, or Burning Heart Palpitations Chest Pain Excessive Sleeping or Insomnia Extreme Fatigue Poor Memory & Concentration Brain Fog Irritability Anxiety Sadness, Crying “Lyme disease is a CLINICAL diagnosis and test results should be used to support rather than supercede the physician’s judgment” (National Guideline Clearinghouse: Summary of ILADS Guidelines for Lyme Disease, 1). *Clinical Diagnosis = Diagnosis based on symptoms, not just blood tests that can often yield a “false negative” result.

How can you protect yourself from ticks? Male Female Lonestar Tick Male Female Dog Tick Female Male Dog Tick Blacklegged Deer Tick

Thumb Tack to Pin Head Cm Cm

Tick Larvae • • • On Pets On Birds, Squirrels, Chipmunks, etc. . In Wooded Areas Overgrown Areas Shrubs/Flower Beds Grass (tall or short) Ticks climb to the tips of grasses and weeds and lay in wait for their next host to brush against them. Ticks are most active between May and November, but studies have proven that ticks can be found “questing” all year round at temperatures as low as 38 degrees F.

Nothing’s a 100%!

is a THOROUGH physical inspection

Tick Fangs Engorged Tick

• DO NOT touch the tick with bare hands. • DO NOT twist or jerk the tick. • DO NOT squeeze, crush, or puncture the body of the tick. • DO NOT put alcohol, nail polish, or Vaseline on the tick, and DO NOT burn the tick. • Infective agents may enter through mucous membranes or breaks in the skin. • Mouthparts of the tick may become imbedded, increasing the risk of infection. • The tick’s saliva and gut contents may be released, increasing the risk of infection. • This may cause the tick to regurgitate its stomach contents, increasing the risk of infection.

The most important aspect of tick removal is to make sure the mouthparts do not remain in the skin. If the tick is a nymph, it may be harder to tell if the mouthparts have been removed. • • • Use a tick removal device such as Ticked-Off, Tick Nipper, Pro-Tick Remedy, or De-Ticker. You can Google search these and find them on-line. If no other tool is available, use a fine-point tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, and gently pull straight upward; do not twist or jerk. Put the tick in a plastic bag with the date, and then put it in the freezer for later identification. Wash the area with a disinfectant. Seek immediate medical attention. An infected tick can transmit Lyme bacteria after being attached for only 4 -24 hours (Lang, 12).

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Why and How Lyme Disease Can Be Misdiagnosed The Symptoms of Lyme Disease How to Protect Yourself from Ticks How to Remove Ticks

Bock, Steven J. “The Integrative Treatment of Lyme Disease. ” The International Journal of Integrative Medicine. 1/11/07 <http: //www. avonhistory. org/bug/l 14. htm>. Cameron, Daniel. “Evidence-Based Guidelines for the Management of Lyme Disease. ” 5/19/07 <www. lymeproject. com>. Cameron, Daniel. “Lyme Disease: What You Need to Know. ” New York: National Guideline Clearinghouse, 2007. “Facts About Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases. ” 5/19/07 <http: //www. badauk. org/facts. html>. “Home of the De-ticker. ” 5/19/07 <http: //www. deticker. com>. International Lyme and Associated Disease Society (ILADS). “Basic Information about Lyme Disease. ” 5/19/07 <http: //ilads. org>. Lang, Denise. Coping with Lyme Disease: A Practical Guide to Dealing with Diagnosis and Treatment. New York: Owl Books, 2004. “National Guideline Clearinghouse: Summary of ILADS Guidelines for Lyme Disease. ” 5/30/07 http: //ilads. org/guidelines_ilads. html. “Ticks and Lyme Disease. ” 5/19/07 <http: //www. arun. gov. uk>. “Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases in Texas. ” 5/22/07 <http: //ticktexas. org>.