Don’t wait for a positive Lyme disease test

My patient took a “bury-your-head-in-the-sand” approach towards Lyme disease, which did not help him.

He had been ill for more than 2 years, suffering from severe fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep, headaches, poor concentration, irritability, neck pain, chest pain, palpitations, stomach pains, and joint pain.

He remained ill despite having been evaluated by several specialists to rule out other illnesses.

He was reluctant to consider Lyme disease or tick-borne infection without a positive test.

His condition significantly affected his quality of life, and he experienced increasing frustration as each specialist he consulted was unable to identify the cause of his symptoms. Despite his worsening condition, he was hesitant to pursue a diagnosis of Lyme disease due to a lack of definitive test results and a belief that Lyme disease was an unlikely diagnosis since he did not have a positive test or a known tick bite.

His family, concerned about his deteriorating health, encouraged him to reconsider his reluctance and seek treatment for Lyme disease. After much persuasion, he agreed to undergo treatment.

He was successfully treated with doxycycline followed by a combination of Zithromax and Malarone for Lyme disease with Babesia coinfection.

The improvement in his symptoms was remarkable; his fatigue, brain fog, and other symptoms began to resolve.

He is now kicking himself for taking that “bury-your-head-in-the-sand” viewpoint and not considering Lyme disease earlier.

His experience underscores the importance of considering Lyme disease as a potential diagnosis in patients with persistent, unexplained symptoms, even in the absence of a positive test or known tick bite. Early intervention and treatment can prevent prolonged suffering and lead to significant improvements in health.