Archive for February, 2009

Success Story

All too often we hear of people not getting well from Lyme. Here is a success story I just read:

Continued

Mouth Care for those with Lyme Disease

With the recent release of Dr. Nordquist’s book, The Stealth Killer: Is Oral Spirochetosis the Missing Link in the Dental and Heart Disease Labyrinth?, taking care of the mouth is a focus of discussion lately. Many Lyme sufferers have dental issues. Normal mouth care usually isn’t enough. I’m trying to compile a list of other approaches. Leave a comment on this post if you have any tips. I believe that brushing with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda (and maybe salt) is a good idea. Here are some other ideas I just got from an email:

“All health begins in the mouth, keeping down the CRP is important.
JAQ uses GSE (grapefruit seed extract) liquid under her toothpaste along
with peppermint oil (clenzology) and a homeopathic toothpaste (unicity)
for an amazingly clean mouth, no gum disease, and braces off last year,
cavity free at 14.”

Very important topic indeed

Lyme Disease Association of Australia

Lyme Disease Association of Australia Inc.
An official Lyme Disease Association of Australia has been launched.  Our mission:
1.    To raise awareness of Lyme disease and other tick-borne Illness in Australia. 
2.    Facilitate better testing and treatment.
3.    Educate doctors and other health professionals about Lyme in Australia.
4.    Use the media to alert the public about Lyme in Australia.
5.    Collate personal stories which will bring pressure to bear on the Health Department who currently claim there is no Lyme in Australia.
6.    Highlight the probability that Lyme may be the actual cause of many serious health problems including, Parkinson ’s disease, ALS, (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), Motor Neurone Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia and M.E./Chronic fatigue Syndrome. 
7.    Invite professional people to support us and join this association. 
Our founder, Mualla Akinci is extremely capable and has the following qualifications:
A PhD in neuro-pharmacology, Masters in hematology and honors in Immunology and has a pharmacy practice in Redfern.  She was a post doctoral fellow at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and worked in collaboration with scientists at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne, and at the Peter McCallum Cancer institute.  Prior to her husband contracting Lyme in 2007, he worked in the film industry and has many contacts in film and television.
We will enhance the work already done by T.A.G.S. and others.  We believe that if we all pull together we can bring huge improvements to the current Lyme situation in Australia.
We invite all Australian Lyme patients, friends and family of Lyme patients, doctors and health professionals to join this wonderful group and add your voice to publicizing the reality of Lyme in Australia.
As a registered charity, there will be a small fee of perhaps $5 for pensioners and $10-15 per annum for those on regular incomes to cover our costs.   We will also accept donations which will be tax deductable.
What we need.
1.    Someone who can set up a webpage for the association.
2.    A President.
3.    Vice President.
4.    Secretary.
5.    Treasurer.
We welcome all suggestions and look forward to your comments.  Please forward this email to other Lyme patients and Lyme groups.
Rosemary Trudeau.
www.au.groups.yahoo.com/group/LymeOz

ACE Dentists meeting in November

Lymebook.com’s newest author, Bill Nordquist, will be speaking Thursday November 12, 2009, at the ACE meeting in November. Below is more information about this event. You can learn more about Dr. Nordquists new book here. Continued

CALDA Patient conference in 2009

I received this today from Dorothy Leland. If you live in California you might want to check out Calif. Lyme Disease Assocn. (CALDA) 2009 patient conference. I may attend if possible. Here’s the info. Get more information at http://www.lymedisease.org, 530.750.1832.

The California Lyme Disease Association presents “Lyme Patient Community Conference: GETTING HEALTHY AGAIN,” Saturday, April 18, 2009, 1-4:30 p.m. San Ramon Community Center, 12501 Alcosta Blvd, San Ramon, CA. Requested Donation: $40 for adults, $20 for teenagers. MAIN SESSION: Hear from some of California’s leading Lyme-literate doctors, including Dr. Ray Stricker, MD; Dr. Steven Harris, MD; Dr. Deborah Metzger, MD; and Dr. Tod Thoring, ND. SPECIAL TEEN SESSION: There will be a concurrent workshop for teenagers facilitated by Valerie Frankel, MFT. This will be a chance for teens to meet other teens dealing with Lyme, and to explore strategies for coping with the challenges that are unique to teenagers with chronic illness. Ages 13-19 only. Teen event will be limited to 20 participants. Sign-ups for both sessions will open March 2, 2009. Registration details will be announced closer to that time.

Julie Anderson newsletter

julie anderson arnpJulie Anderson is a Nurse Practitioner who helped me a ton during my Lyme recovery. I mention her in both my Lyme disease books, The Top 10 Lyme Disease Treatments and Lyme Disease and Rife Machines. She is located in Seattle. Below is her most recent newsletter. Here’s her contact info:

4757 36th Ave. S.
Seattle, WA 98118

http://www.npjulie.com

206-760-9266 Continued

Don’t miss Dr. Nordquist’s blog

Dr. Nordquist, an implant dentist practicing in So. California, recently published the book The Stealth Killer: Is Oral Spirochetosis the Missing Link in the Dental and Heart Disease Labyrinth”. Now you can read about all of Dr. Nordquist’s latest discoveries, including watching his latest videos, on Dr. Nordquist’s Reserach Blog. Continued

JAMA commentary is completely off-base

In February, 2009, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a commentary by John D. Kraemer and Lawrence Gostin which I feel is off base. The main attribute that is incorrect is their assumption that ILADS political challenge to IDSA was based on political manuevering. There is a huge spectrum of science that proves the existence of chronic Lyme disease. The reason the IDSA guidelines are being challenged is that they are innaccurate, not that there is a political conflict of interest. You must pay to access the JAMA article however I did find a version (not sure if it is legal?) that someone posted on their website. http://www.mimosabridalaz.com/Science%20Politics%20and%20Values.pdf

When will this end.

Bryan

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Abstract:

Science, Politics, and Values
The Politicization of Professional Practice Guidelines

John D. Kraemer, JD, MPH; Lawrence O. Gostin, JD

JAMA. 2009;301(6):665-667.

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) issued updated clinical practice guidelines in 2006 for the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease.1 Within days, the Connecticut attorney general launched an investigation, alleging IDSA had violated state antitrust law by recommending against the use of long-term antibiotics to treat “chronic Lyme disease (CLD),” a label applied by advocates to a variety of nonspecific symptoms for which frequently no evidence suggests the etiologic agent of Lyme disease is responsible. The IDSA was forced to settle the claim to avoid exorbitant litigation costs, even though the society’s guidelines were based on sound science. The case exemplifies the politicization of health policy, with elected officials advocating for health policies against the weight of scientific evidence.

The Antitrust Investigation of IDSA

Although untreated or inadequately treated Lyme disease can progress to cause neurological complications and arthritis, there is no evidence the…  full text: http://www.mimosabridalaz.com/Science%20Politics%20and%20Values.pdf

Author Affiliations: O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, Georgetown University, Washington, DC.

News from Bryan Rosner

SPECIAL NEWS REPORT BY BRYAN ROSNER: For those readers who do not know, there is currently a controversy raging about whether or not chronic Lyme disease is a real medical condition. There is no question that acute Lyme disease is real. But heated debate enshrouds the endpoint of a Lyme disease infection. The question hinges on whether or not a standard, 10 day course of antibiotics can cure each and every case of the disease. Do lingering symptoms after treatment count as an ongoing infection, or something else – some remnant of the disease? Thousands of patients still experience symptoms after treatment. Thousands of sick people and their doctors believe in chronic Lyme disease; they have seen it, felt it, lived it. Researchers have observed it under the microscope. Hundreds of scientific studies prove the existence of chronic Lyme disease. But establishment medicine continues to deny this reality. Currently, the legal environment for Lyme-treating physicians is hostile, and physicians who prescribe long-term antibiotics for their sick patients face reprimand or even loss of their medical license. Continued

National Capital Lyme Disease Group to host one-day legislative seminar

Some encouraging news: There is currently a one-day Lyme Legislative Seminar on the calendar, which will take place on March 28, 2009, at George Mason University, hosted by the National Capital Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Association. You can view the agenda for the seminar here. Thankfully, there will be several people involved in the seminar who wield enough power to change the course of history, one of whom is Congressman Frank Wolf, (R-VA 10th District). Continued

New Connecticut bill No. 5625 to allow long term antibiotic treatment

This is a major step in the right direction. A new bill would allow long term antibiotic treatment for chronic Lyme disease. I’m not sure when or how it is being voted on but just to have a bill like this in existence…what a victory…read more… Continued

Another Lyme doctor under fire – HELP!

I met this doctor at 2008 ILADS conference and he is top notch. His blog is one of the very best sources of information I’ve ever seen in the Lyme community. Apparently he is teetering on the edge of the ILADS vs. IDSA debate and it has become a legal issue for him – he is being investigated by his state medical board.

I urge ALL OF YOU to support this doctor in whatever way you can, be it financially, politically, writing letters, or contacting relevant organizations and/or spreading the word.

We are living in dark, dark times. It almost feels like a bad dream – a nightmare. I hope very much that I live to see the day when Lyme doctors are vindicated.

Here’s the link:

http://tinyurl.com/help-llmd

It is with a sad heart that I go to sleep now.

Bryan Rosner

IDSA vs ILADS – Honesty or Trickery?

We all know that the IDSA has an irrational bent against the ILADS Lyme disease treatment guidelines. So, after the Connecticut Attorney General suied IDSA and required them to review their guidelines (which state that chronic Lyme disease is not a real medical condition), we’ve all been left wondering… will IDSA really give the guidelines an honest look, or will they just jump through the hoops to get millions of sick people off their back? You decide… Continued

LIA Lyme-Autism Conference June 25-28, Scottsdale, AZ

The Lyme-induced autism foundation is having their 2009 conference in Scottsdale, AZ this year. Of particular note is that Dr. Joe Mercola will be speaking. Here are the details… Continued