The Lyme Controversy - Part 1|ABC 13

text size: A | A | A

The Lyme Controversy - Part 1

posted 11:51 pm Tue November 06, 2007 - Lynchburg, VA

tags: lyme • disease • illness

Right now, there are thousands with the same symptoms -- unexplained aches and pains, low grade fever, fatigue, who don't know what's wrong with them. Their doctors don't know either. It may be one of the most misdiagnosed medical problems today and if left untreated, it can attack your joints, heart, nervous system. Yet what we’re talking about is not some mystery illness. Would you be surprised to know it's Lyme Disease?

Please Upgrade To Flash!

related stories:

ABC 13 News Anchor Noreen Turyn knows. She’s done the research, because she is living through it. She begins an in-depth look into The Lyme Controversy.

From Under Our Skin, Courtesy of: Open Eye Pictures- "I've been misdiagnosed as having chronic fatigue syndrome, Lupus... -- MS, fibromyalgia, Lupus… -- Fibromyalgia, MS... -- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Fibromyalgia."

These are real people featured in an upcoming documentary by Open Eye Pictures. They're a few of the countless true stories of suffering, misdiagnosis and a seemingly futile search for answers.

Michele Spruce, Lyme Sufferer - "I had a doctor at UVA tell me it was all in my head, and that I probably needed to see a psychiatrist."

Michele Spruce is among them.

Spruce - "We were camping and hiking in the Smokey Mountains."

About 12 years ago, she got a bite. She had the classic bull's eye pattern, and still no one thought of Lyme Disease.

Spruce - "Went to the doctor, and she said I got bit by a spider. Even though I had the rings I had the fever I had the flu.

Honestly, Michele didn't think of it either. But she began getting extreme pain, swollen limbs, disrupted sleep, constant fatigue. Doctors put her on a variety of medications, but keeping up her job at the Lynchburg Community Market became increasingly difficult.

Spruce - "I went to urologists, neurologists, everything, and could not, no one did a Lyme disease blood workup."

About two years in, a doctor her mother worked with in West Virginia recognized the symptoms, saw Michele, took her off all the other drugs and put her on antibiotics.

Spruce - "And within 6 months I was back to work full time and back to being Michele."

But after having waited two years for proper treatment, Michele, like countless others, has had many setbacks, and is now out of work on disability.

Dr. Norton Fishman, Lyme Disease Specialist - "I've been in business 42 years doing this, this is easily the toughest disease I've ever seen to diagnose or treat."

Dr. Norton Fishman practices in Rockville Maryland. He became what's known as a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor, after learning some patients he’d misdiagnosed, had gone to a doctor in New York, were treated for Lyme, and were getting better.

Dr. Fishman - "And I started looking into it, doing testing and started following up with treatment, and what other doctors were doing and I found out that 80% of my people I was calling chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, was induced by Lyme Disease."

Dr. Robert Brennan, Infectious Diseases Specialist - "They used to say syphilis was the great masquerader because it would present in so many different ways, seizures, dementia, heart disease and it was all Syphilis, and this is the same way."

That's why Lyme Disease is so hard to diagnose. That and the fact that you don't always get the warning signs.

Dr. Brennan - "You don't have to have a tick bite, you don't have to have a rash, everyone agrees with that."

The current tests are also unreliable. That's why the CDC says doctors shouldn't base a diagnosis on them-- instead, do some detective work. But Dr. Fishman says not enough doctors are listening.

Noreen - "So you think there are many patients with Chronic Lyme that they aren't aware of it?"

Dr. Fishman - "Absolutely, and..."

Noreen - "Thousands?"

Dr. Fishman - "Well let's try millions."

So now some of you may be wondering what do I do? We've set up a special section on our website for this report, including a checklist to take to your doctor to help with a diagnosis. Click here to go to it.

As you've just heard, it can be a long road to discovery. Wednesday, how my sister's story kept me from traveling down it too far.

Latest Comment on The Lyme Controversy - Part 1

Tincup

3:03 pm on 02/13/08

The reported cases of Lyme disease in Virginia more than doubled last year. The CDC states for every case of Lyme disease counted at least 10 are being missed.

I hope the 30,000 plus people who were missed in Virginia will see your excellent news report and question their diagnosis of ADD, dementia, Altzheimers, Parkinsons, Lupus, MS, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, "growing pains", Lou Gehrigs, etc... and get to someone who can help them. (Hint- Avoid the Universities as I believe the city lights or something in the water has affected their abilty to see and hear patients.)

Please note- Lyme disease can affect any and all organs, migrates from place to place and can cause mild to severe disability or worse.

Thank you to ABC News and Noreen Turyn for this excellent program and my best wishes and hope for a brighter future for all who suffer.

» report abuse

read all comments

You need to be a registered member of
ABC 13 to leave comments on news stories.

Not a member yet? Click Here to sign up.

Please leave your comments below:

Messages that harass, abuse or threaten other members; have obscene or otherwise objectionable content; have spam, commercial or advertising content or inappropriate links may be removed and may result in the loss of your posting privileges. Please do not post any private information unless you want it to be available publicly. Never assume that you are completely anonymous and cannot be identified by your posts.

The 'RUNNING MAN' icon is a registered trademark of America Online, Inc.