I am often asked why traditional doctors have such a hard time recognizing and treating Lyme disease. Below is a link to an article about a Swedish doctor who has been suspended for doing just that. 

The CDC recommends no more than 28 days of antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease. However studies have proven that many patients relapse or never improve with short term treatment. I personally have been on antibiotic treatment for almost 3 years, 2 of which have been in the form of IV through a PICC line. I have improved, but I am not yet well. When I stop the antibiotic treatment for even a short while, I quickly relapse to an extremely ill state. For me, 28 days would have been a death sentence.

There are about 8 states in the US that have laws protecting doctors who treat Lyme disease outside of the CDC recommended guidelines. Doctors who do treat with long term antibiotics are known as Lyme Literate Medical Doctors (LLMDs). These doctors are not very highly regarded in the medical community (however their patients love them). 

Lyme disease and the co-infectiona infections and co-conditions that accompany it need to be treated early in order to avoid long term complications. But in a world where doctors can’t (or won’t) correctly diagnose the illness because of fear of retribution, hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of people live with undiagnosed or misdiagnose and untreated sickness and pain.

 Knowledge is power. Be your own advocate. Keep fighting for your health.

Swedish doctor suspended for using long term antibiotics in treatment of Lyme disease