More coming soon. For now...
There is no short answer. This is why it is so important for doctors to get educated. There is no one answer. The course of treatment must be customized for the individual and depends on how well, how quickly they respond to treatment and what other considerations there are. For instance, sometimes there are other illnesses or advanced age or young age to consider.
The important thing is to get proper blood tests and that must be done through IGeneX lab. This is not cheap. However, the standard, cheaper tests are no good. They are wrong 70@ of the time. Is that a gamble you want to take?
The other important thing is that Lyme disease is diagnosed clinically, not merely through a blood test. That means you need a doctor who has the ability to understand the Lyme symptoms. If I can understand, and I'm no doctor, they certainly can learn to, should they choose to do so.
There is a check-list of symptoms. If you have a collection of those symptoms Lyme disease may be the reason. An informed, Lyme literate doctor needs to evaluate you.
Treatment must occur with intelligence and precision. If an infection is caught early, it may be fairly "easy" to treat with antibiotics for 6 weeks--or more. The reasoning for the time: the Lyme bug lives in cycles: think of the "Very Hungry Caterpillar" Like him, the Lyme bug starts as an egg, becomes a "worm" and moves through stages. It takes several weeks for that to happen. You need to take antibiotics long enough to kill the bug in all stages, and not leave "eggs" behind, who will hatch in a few weeks and make you sick again. This is why short treatments lead to "chronic Lyme disease."
If you suffer from Chronic Lyme disease, you really need a Lyme literate doctor who can help you unravel the complex symptoms from which you are suffering and understands which elements to treat, in what order, and what the best method is for your body.
The authority on the subject is Dr. Joseph J. Burrascano. His articles can be found all over the internet.
Prevention:
Wear long pants and sleeves when out in long grass, etc, blah blah. Also watch out for flea and ticks from pets or even rodent infestations...they carry disease and this is one of the diseases they carry.
I have heard that Laurel essence will deter tick bites. Get some and put it on wrists and ankles, behind the ears...when outdoors. Plant some Laurel in your yard...
Pay attention to tick bites and any kind of rash associated with a bite. It doesn't have to be a "bulls-eye" shape. Remove the tick, save it and get it tested ASAP. This will help you get fast treatment...
