Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
Lyme Success Stories!
Discouraged? People DO get better
Bob
Bob
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Bob Cowart
Email: bob@cowart.com
Phone: 510-540-6667
Psychotherapy: www.newtherapy.vpweb.com
Facebook: bcowart1
Twitter: @bobcowart
Sunday, November 18, 2012
NY Newspaper and Videos about Lyme controversy
I picked this up off of the California Lyme listserv today. Apparently, a reporter for a newspaper in Poughkeepsie, NY (a major endemic Lyme area) has been working on a series of articles about the Lyme controversy. The whole panoply of issues around Lyme is being examined, e.g. underreporting, problems with patient care, co-infections (babesia and the national blood supply), and so on. The reporter's name is Mary Beth Pfeiffer. The newspaper is the Poughkeepsie Journal. Also, look out for part two of our special report on Lyme disease will continue in Sunday's Journal. (Sunday Aug 19, 2012)
-Bob
Have you ever been diagnosed with Lyme disease? If so, how long did it take before you felt better? What treatment(s) was/were used? Let us know about your case.
The author interviews Pat Smith, Drs. Fallon, Horowitz, Liegner, Pam Weintraub, Congressman Gibson, Assemblyman Miller and many others including Drs. Baker and Wormser.
1. Video Interview of chronic Lyme patients
http://www.poughkee
2. Exposé about the seriousness and underreporting in NYS as started in
CT and spread to WI - Where next?
http://www.poughkee
3. About the seriousness of Babesia
http://www.poughkee
http://www.poughkee
Get online to tell her your story: what is going on in the south, CT, CA,
the IDSA.
There are only a few comments, and hardly any tweets or FB entries, as of this posting. Let's encourage this courageous reporter.
Letters to the Editor should be addressed to letters@poughkeepsi
Letters to the author should go to: mbpfeiff@poughkee.gannett.com
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Poughkeepsie-Journal/68903794473
-Bob
SPECIAL REPORT:
In 2010, 94% of Lyme disease cases were reported from 12 states: New York being one of them with nearly 2,385 diagnosed cases. The Journal conducted an in-depth analysis of treatment options, # of cases and severity of Chronic Lyme disease in our region. Look up Friday's Journal to see what we found out about cases in the Mid-Hudson Valley – in particular Dutchess, Ulster, Columbia and Greene counties. You might be surprised. http://pojonews.co/R4ScczHave you ever been diagnosed with Lyme disease? If so, how long did it take before you felt better? What treatment(s) was/were used? Let us know about your case.
ABOUT THE SERIES
With this article, the Poughkeepsie Journal begins an intensive look at Lyme disease and its repercussions in the Hudson Valley, a region with the nation’s highest rates.
The author interviews Pat Smith, Drs. Fallon, Horowitz, Liegner, Pam Weintraub, Congressman Gibson, Assemblyman Miller and many others including Drs. Baker and Wormser.
1. Video Interview of chronic Lyme patients
http://www.poughkee
2. Exposé about the seriousness and underreporting in NYS as started in
CT and spread to WI - Where next?
http://www.poughkee
3. About the seriousness of Babesia
http://www.poughkee
http://www.poughkee
Get online to tell her your story: what is going on in the south, CT, CA,
the IDSA.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
There are only a few comments, and hardly any tweets or FB entries, as of this posting. Let's encourage this courageous reporter.
Letters to the Editor should be addressed to letters@poughkeepsi
Letters to the author should go to: mbpfeiff@poughkee.gannett.com
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Poughkeepsie-Journal/68903794473
New Lyme test available in Europe
 |
| Borrelia spirochetes |
11/17/12 10:54 Filed in: Lyme Disease Tests
A new test that detects the Borrelia infection is now available in Europe. I hope to find out whether this novel test will become available in the US anytime soon.SpiroFind was developed in Mellrichstadt, Germany by the European subsidiary of BoulderDiagnostics, a privately owned company in Colorado that focuses on diagnosing diseases that are not reliably diagnosed.
The SpiroFind test detects Borreliosis through each stage, from early to late or chronic manifestation. It works by measuring the immune response to the Borrelia bacteria. Europeans may now contact the clinical laboratory, which is accepting blood samples for testing.
The effectiveness of the SpiroFind test was confirmed in a clinical study at the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre in the Netherlands. Conclusions of the study have been submitted for peer-reviewed publication and presentation at a conference in Berlin, Germany in April 2013.DNA Test in US Available
Another new Lyme disease test, which tests DNA, became available in the US in 2010. I talked to Dr. Sin Hang Lee about this test, which is available in Milford, Connecticut. Patients and physicians interested in information on this DNA test may call George Poole, manager of Milford Medical Laboratory, at 203-876-4496.
New diagnostic tools give us hope for earlier and more effective treatment.
The SpiroFind test detects Borreliosis through each stage, from early to late or chronic manifestation. It works by measuring the immune response to the Borrelia bacteria. Europeans may now contact the clinical laboratory, which is accepting blood samples for testing.
The effectiveness of the SpiroFind test was confirmed in a clinical study at the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre in the Netherlands. Conclusions of the study have been submitted for peer-reviewed publication and presentation at a conference in Berlin, Germany in April 2013.DNA Test in US Available
Another new Lyme disease test, which tests DNA, became available in the US in 2010. I talked to Dr. Sin Hang Lee about this test, which is available in Milford, Connecticut. Patients and physicians interested in information on this DNA test may call George Poole, manager of Milford Medical Laboratory, at 203-876-4496.
New diagnostic tools give us hope for earlier and more effective treatment.
The web site for
http://boulderdiagnostics.com/wp/our-spirofind-lyme-disease-diagnostic-test-is-now-available-in-europe/
This article posted with permission form Lyme Disease Research Database at:
http://www.lyme-disease-research-database.com/lyme_disease_blog.html
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Some Books about Lyme
Here are some more books about Lyme disease and treatment:
- The Lyme Disease Survival Guide: Physical, Lifestyle, and Emotional Strategies for Healing - Connie Strasheim
- Coping with Lyme Disease: A Practical Guide to Dealing with Diagnosis and Treatment - Denise Lang
- Beating Lyme: Understanding and Treating This Complex and Often Misdiagnosed Disease - Constance A. Bean
- The Lyme Diet: Nutritional Strategies for Healing from Lyme Disease - Nicola McFadzean ND
- Insights Into Lyme Disease Treatment: 13 Lyme-Literate Health Care Practitioners Share Their Healing Strategies - Connie Strasheim
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Lyme test bands - Western Blot
Here's a little info about Lyme disease testing. This appeared on the CA Lyme Disease listserv, Nov 13, 2012.
The Western Blot documents immune response to a specific bacteria. In this
case, it is the response to Borrelia, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
Some bands will react with more than one bacteria, such as Band 41. It will
react to any bacteria that has a flagella. Band 31 is specific to Borrelia.
If you immune system is reacting to an antigen specific to Borrelia, that
indicates exposure to Borrelia. An immune system has to be pretty healthy
to respond with 5 bands; so if your immune system is stressed or the
bacteria is in hiding, there may not be a strong enough response to show an
official positive result. If you react on any one band that is specific to
Borrelia and you have symptoms consistent with Lyme disease, a knowledgeable
doc will diagnose you with Lyme disease. A less knowledgeable doc or one
who has his head somewhere besides medicine will say you don't have Lyme
disease because you don't have enough bands.
That is why a culture is very good at showing the less knowledgeable docs
direct evidence of infection. If you can culture the bacteria directly, you
have proof of infection; whereas a Western Blot is indicating a response to
an infection that may or may not be present. Somebody could theoretically
get bitten by a tick and have a strong immune response and clear the
infection; yet test positive on a Western Blot because the immune response
was strong enough. Such an individual would probably not have any symptoms
of illness.
If you want more evidence, get a culture done by Advanced Lab in New Jersey.
Anne Mears, RN, MSN/IH
The Western Blot documents immune response to a specific bacteria. In this
case, it is the response to Borrelia, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
Some bands will react with more than one bacteria, such as Band 41. It will
react to any bacteria that has a flagella. Band 31 is specific to Borrelia.
If you immune system is reacting to an antigen specific to Borrelia, that
indicates exposure to Borrelia. An immune system has to be pretty healthy
to respond with 5 bands; so if your immune system is stressed or the
bacteria is in hiding, there may not be a strong enough response to show an
official positive result. If you react on any one band that is specific to
Borrelia and you have symptoms consistent with Lyme disease, a knowledgeable
doc will diagnose you with Lyme disease. A less knowledgeable doc or one
who has his head somewhere besides medicine will say you don't have Lyme
disease because you don't have enough bands.
That is why a culture is very good at showing the less knowledgeable docs
direct evidence of infection. If you can culture the bacteria directly, you
have proof of infection; whereas a Western Blot is indicating a response to
an infection that may or may not be present. Somebody could theoretically
get bitten by a tick and have a strong immune response and clear the
infection; yet test positive on a Western Blot because the immune response
was strong enough. Such an individual would probably not have any symptoms
of illness.
If you want more evidence, get a culture done by Advanced Lab in New Jersey.
Anne Mears, RN, MSN/IH