I'm new to these boards, and located this LLMD referral system through a search engine. I haven't seen this site mentioned, so if this is a repost or common knowledge on these boards please disregard.
I like the rest of you am suffering from many Lyme-like symptoms and have an appointment w/ a LLDM next week. I used the website below to find one in my area that actually takes my insurance.
How long have you been sick? Which doctor will you be seeing? I know of a few excellent ones in the MD/DC area.
It is very important to see a knowledgeable doctor. Many doctors do not understand Lyme and treat with outdated protocols. No test is completely reliable, and results can vary by lab. Besides Lyme, ticks can transmit several co-infections including Babesiosis, two types of Ehrlichiosis (HME & HGE), Bartonella, and Mycoplasma. It is estimated that 60% of people who have Lyme are co-infected. It may affect treatment choice and progress. It is important to be tested for these by a Lyme reputable lab such as IgeneX in Palo Alto, CA.
It is also important to learn as much as possible. If you have not done so, I recommend reading Dr. Joseph Burrascano's 2005 Diagnostic Hints and Treatment Guidelines For Lyme and Other Tick Borne Illnesses. He is one of the top Lyme doctors in the country, and many Lyme doctors follow his protocols. I also recommend the book "Everything You Need To Know About Lyme Disease (2nd edition)" by Karen Vanderhoof-Forschner.
Good luck at your appointment! Let us know how it goes okay?
What you posted is good information and may be helpful in some areas, but just as a note of caution in my area the names that I got turned out NOT to be LLMD's but I suspect Dr's who had attended some kind of a sponsored talk after which the information went in one ear and out the other.
I saw 2 of the Dr's that I was given names for through that particular organization and they both told me I didn't have lyme even though I tested positive for 2 very lyme specific bands, live in a highly endemic area, have tick exposure through our family acitivies, had a rash, etc. They both refused to even offer me low dose antibiotics.
Please make sure that the Dr. you are going to see is truly and LLMD. It took me another 3 months to finally find and get in to see an LLMD and by the time I got there I had declined dramatically.
Good luck and let us know how your appointment goes.
