Lyme Disease Misdiagnosed as Multiple Sclerosis

Jenn100

Hi Ticked-Off,
Your post was very interesting to me. I am one of those patients who is going through the process of being treated for both Lyme, babesiosis and also being dxd with MS. I was diagnosed with MS this past May based on an MRI I had due to blurred vision and pins and needles. Less than a month later my Lyme tests came back positive for several bands and babesia. I started on oral meds by the middle of June. My vision cleared up. I've had another MRI which has improved. Lesions are no longer enhancing and another is much smaller. The first Neuro. I saw said I had MS and should start treatment. Not mentioning how we were going to treat both diseases. I then located a LLMD who is also a Neuro. in CT and he too feels I should start on Copaxone based on my MRI. I just find it rather odd that I was dxd with two neuro. diseases within a 5 week period. This is so unbelievable! I've never had any symptoms of MS prior to the onset of Lyme. But the MRI is what the doctor is basing his dx on. I will research Art Doherty on the web further. Thank you for the info.

ticker

From what I understand, MS is one of the diseases often misdiagnosed when someone has Lyme. Lyme disease can cause lesions on the brain.

Jenn, is the neuro you are seeing the one treating you for Lyme? Since you are having such improvement on the Lyme meds, you may want to consider postponing the other treatment to see if Lyme is the cause of all your symptoms.

The information you are looking for can be found under "Lots of Links on Lyme Disease."

Jenn100

Hi Ticker,
No, the last neuro. I saw is not the LLMD that is treating me. But, he is a LLMD who is also a Neuro. in CT. I'm not sure if I can post his name but he's been featured in Newsweek Magazine recently. He's an excellent doctor who was referred by my LLMD since I had the MS dx from two other neuros. I saw before my lyme dx. My LLMD is also an excellent dr. I know I'm in the best of hands. It's costing me a small fortune since these doctors do not accept insurance and I have an HMO. I will be seeing my treating LLMD tomorrow and Dr. **** next week. At that time I'll decide which doctor should treat me for lyme and babesiosis. I'm thinking maybe the doctor that is both a neuro. and a LLMD might be the best one to treat me, since I can't afford to continue seeing both! He did say we need to continue treatment and that we would discuss a more aggressive form of treatment, IV I guess, when I see him next. Dr. **** did send me for lots of blood work to rule out other things. I'll get those results next week. I'll post the outcome of my visits. Thanks. Jenn

italys_finest18

Jenn100,

I noticed that you said your Lyme doctor was good and hes in CT. I live in CT and I was going to a Lyme Dr. but I don't like him and he seams to be out there all the time. I am haveing soo much trobal finding a good doctor that my insurance will take. Actually I am having trobal finding a doctor that will accept and treat Lyme. May I please have his name and what town hes located in?

Thank you

telvock43

If you do a search for Dr. Sriram of Vanderbilt University he has discovered that ms is caused by a mycoplasma infection and is having very good results treating ms with antibiotics.

Jenn100

Hi Italys Finest18,
The LLMD that is treating me is Dr. Bernard Raxlen in Stamford. He's been an excellent dr. and his staff is very knowledgeable too. After suffering with many symptoms for nearly 2 years and having numerous lyme tests come back negative, I am so grateful to have found Dr. Raxlen. He sent all of my tests to Igenex in CA and it came back positive for several bands of lyme and babesiosis. The name of the other doctor I've seen is Dr. Amiram Katz in Orange. He too treats lyme and is also a neuro. I was referred to him by Dr. Raxlen since I had the MS dx and he thought it would be good for me to see a dr. that understands and treats both diseases. Both of these drs. are excellent and come highly recommended. Like most LLMD they do not accept insurance, so you will have to pay out-of-pocket. I have an HMO so since they are out of network doctors I have to absorb the entire cost for the visits. My meds. and tests, thank God, are paid for by my insurance. The doctors will provide you with an itemized bill that you can submit to your insurance. I hope you get help soon. Best of luck to you!

Jenn100

Hi Telvock43,

Thank you so much for your post about Dr. Sriram. This sounds very interesting and I will research him immediately. These boards and the people on them have been truly a blessing! Thanks again. Jenn

TICKED-OFF

I will also check Dr. Sriram and his research out.