Intro

[Guest guest]

Hi all

I am new to the group. Have a boyfriend who was diagnosed with ME/CFS

for 4 yrs, but now has a positive and WB for borrelia

infection. We think that he might have had this for many years - was

ill in 1994, but then in remission until 2002.

We live in the UK and have lots of trouble getting our National

Health Service to recognise that there is such a thing as a chronic

borreliosis infection. They use a laboratory in Southampton....and

for some strange reason the people who get positive results elsewhere

always seem to test negative from there.

We are hoping to get some treatment for him soon. Have been offered

two weeks IV plus oral antibiotics for 3 months. This costs a lot of

money though, as we do not use an insurance system in the UK, and it

is not available from our health service. We only have a few LLMD's

and they are all private docs. The other option is much cheaper and

that is to use oral anti-biotics. We have to make a decision which

way to go.

So I spent the last few years learning all about ME (Myalgic

Encephalomyelitis) or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and became very

familiar with the research and politics on that side. Now I have to

learn all about borreliosis/Lyme. Back to the drawing board!

But we have some info in the UK that lots and lots of people

diagnosed with ME/CFS actually have borreliosis/Lyme. The LLMD's have

waiting lists of several months now - all the publicity about this

lately has sent CFS sufferers to their doorsteps to check their

diagnoses.

I was reading up on a doctor in Sunderland, UK - and a woman had been

suffering from Lyme disease for 11 years and couldn't get treatment

went on hunger strike - he was the only one to help her - and sent

her home to her family after treatment. Was a good ending to the

story!

Well, sorry I have gone on so long.

Hope to get to know every one and share some experiences and advice.

BW

Lara