Global TV – Lyme disease expanding in Canada
Lyme disease is rapidly expanding according to Dr. Robbin Lindsay of the Canadian National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg.
Most victims of Lyme disease and other experts suggest the only thing that is expanding is the pressure by victims upon government to stop underplaying this long prevalent disease in Canada. It has been shown for many years that migratory birds spread the ticks that transmit this disease to humans anywhere in Canada, and people everywhere are at risk (if you see robins arriving in the spring, and sparrows, etc. you are at risk).
Over 250 cases annually is such a wild underestimate that it deserves aggressive investigation, say Lyme victims who having been asking for years for an independent investigation into the state of Lyme in Canada, including into the medical institutions and quasi-governmental small groups who effectively took ownership of all aspects of the disease including diagnosis and treatment. As a result, thousands have been affected; with many losing their homes, their quality of life, while others have died.
Lyme disease victim Lois MacLean of Ontario outlines very well her struggle including how she was treated by Canadian doctors.
I never thought it would feel so good to say I TOLD YOU SO! Now if they only knew the magnitude of the problem. Sure global warming doesn’t help, but would you please stop using that as an excuse for incompetence. Had we had better testing, and proper education for doctors this may have been avoided. At least the suffering of chronic Lyme. Opps theres no such thing right?
Just very fed up of being sick and tired with no help and understanding from the medical community!
Leslie
I am in BC and had a phone call about this news segment. I am glad that events, reports and stories are happening in just about every province in Canada. I wonder if the Physicians and Surgeons association in each province and the doctors, have heard any of this during this month of May.
Its a sad state of affairs. Until a few high ranking government officials or someone in their immediate families are infected; we won’t see the changes that are desperately needed.
I had an eight inch “bulls eye ” rash that a local dermatologist refused to diagnose as Lyme because it was not in my blood so I suffered for 9 long years before I got treated for Lyme…..even then I had to go to New York for treatment!
The lady is right. You want complete disrespect from the medical profession? Just get several positive results for Lyme! You will still be declared negative no matter how many symptoms and how high the likelihood of having contracted it.
Couldn’t they at least tell doctors how to spell this four letter word? Is physician education that difficult? One out of every two still spells it LIME versus LYME and likely only one out of 100,000 likley could name even three Lyme symptoms (especially the more dangerous), or a single Lyme coinfection, many of which are deadly, let alone have a clue about even one of the symptoms and diseases they may cause.
I also detest the fact that a target-like rash is promoted on nearly every TV announcement. Those most likely to get Lyme will often not get such a rash at all due to immune buildup from many bites from pets as well as the tendency to disregard large welts. The target-like-rash promotion only encourages both doctors and patients to ensure that those MOST LIKELY to get Lyme will be LEAST LIKELY to be diagnosed. Let’s forget about the words TARGET-LIKE OK?
Almost every Lyme patient I met (that is, several) has spoken also of attempts to make these patients appear crazy to any other doctor who would see them. Seriously damaging and unresearched information was often put in their electronic medical records which would follow them for life and cause other doctors to not only disrespect them also, but also refuse to take them seriously and/or treat them for anything else.
The worst part was that most of it was wrong, with doctors wildly guessing patient answers and never even bothering to research the patients’ pasts. Doctors also failed to read carefully the Lyme questionnaire patients filled out and therefore didn’t notice all of the patients’ symptoms. If the patient was sitting there and they were didn’t know what they were writing about, why didn’t they at least ask before putting such wrong and damaging statements in their reports?
Patients should be able to sue doctors for this type of damage which will follow and harm them for life, especially when it appears that the doctor is deliberately trying to make them appear crazy!
would the above folks, please copy and paste your comment on the global news site so they know how each of you feels…thank you!
I have experienced all of the above, esp. doctors’ saying things like ‘how do you know you have lyme when all the tests come back negative?’ I was sick for 9 months, and I did have the so called ‘bullseye’mark on my arm, when finally in Mexico I received the antibiotic treatment I needed, and due to occasional shots and meds. I can keep my Lyme under control. However, it has changed my life from being a very active person, into one who has to plan things ahead as I don’t know if I could even get out of bed that day. I am 72 years young, and have never been ill in my life before Lyme. Ignorance starts with the teaching in medical schools and then retraining older doctors – esp. GPs. Why do they keep putting their heads in the sand – unfortunately for us, we cannot do this, and as many comments show, it is easier for them to say it is all in your head – but mine was so visible in the change in my personality, and strength, that I broke down here in front on our doctor – he knew that was not me and in front of me got on the computer, and prescribed some antibiotics, but as we know it is never enough, and then my life changed for the better when we went for our winter in Mexico and our doctor -who is a pain specialist – recognized and listened and has helped me immensely. We especially need our doctors to LISTEN to us, and not just send you for tests and prescribe pain pills – most pain pills cannot touch the arthritic joint pain. When I returned to Canada for the summer, my doctor had the nerve to say to me ‘well, we never really know if you have or have had Lyme, do we???’ That attitude does not help in the least, and I have totally lost faith in our doctor. Keep up the good work, and I am involved as much as I can in promoting and learning more and more about Lyme through our Richmond Hill Assn. as well as CanLyme, etc. Also thank God for the Internet.
I have experienced all of the above, esp. doctors’ saying things like ‘how do you know you have lyme when all the tests come back negative?’ I was sick for 9 months, and I did have the so called ‘bullseye’mark on my arm, when finally in Mexico I received the antibiotic treatment I needed, and due to occasional shots and meds. I can keep my Lyme under control. However, it has changed my life from being a very active person, into one who has to plan things ahead as I don’t know if I could even get out of bed that day. I am 72 years young, and have never been ill in my life before Lyme. Ignorance starts with the teaching in medical schools and then retraining older doctors – esp. GPs. Why do they keep putting their heads in the sand – unfortunately for us, we cannot do this, and as many comments show, it is easier for them to say it is all in your head – but mine was so visible in the change in my personality, and strength, that I broke down here in front on our doctor – he knew that was not me and in front of me got on the computer, and prescribed some antibiotics, but as we know it is never enough, and then my life changed for the better when we went for our winter in Mexico and our doctor -who is a pain specialist – recognized and listened and has helped me immensely. We especially need our doctors to LISTEN to us, and not just send you for tests and prescribe pain pills – most pain pills cannot touch the arthritic joint pain. When I returned to Canada for the summer, my doctor had the nerve to say to me ‘well, we never really know if you have or have had Lyme, do we???’ That attitude does not help in the least, and I have totally lost faith in our doctor. Keep up the good work, and I am involved as much as I can in promoting and learning more and more about Lyme through our Richmond Hill Assn. as well as CanLyme, etc. Also thank God for the Internet.
I have been suffering from lyme for past 2 years and every visit to emergency or specialist have been indicating something but they would not spell the lyme. I donot think mainstream doctors do not know about it. I believe they know about it but are forced to ignore it by fear of losing their license. It is criminal on their part. I researched on my own and diagnosed myself followed by IGENEX test which doctors in Canada donot accept.
This disease has been there for more than 35 years and yet they donot want to diagnose/treat it. I wish mainstream doctors become victims of lyme and then feel the betrayal they are showing to patients.