Lyme Disease Resources
We’ve heard hundreds of stories about individual short- and long-term battles with Lyme disease. We’ve compiled these Lyme disease resources in the hopes that they may help.
The men and women who share these stories know what it’s like to experience suffering and fatigue. They know what it’s like to go from one expensive doctor’s appointment to the next in search of help. They know how hard it is to explain Lyme to their friends and family. With the best of intentions, many family and friends tell Lyme sufferers to try harder to “get over it” or question whether Lyme is real.
What Is Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection primarily transmitted to humans through the bite of infected black-legged ticks.
Lyme disease can lead to such symptoms as fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated (or if it’s resistant to treatment), it can spread to the joints, heart, and nervous system.
Recent estimates suggest that roughly 476,000 Americans are diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease each year. Even if you’ve never personally suffered from Lyme, you probably know someone who has. It’s a devastating disease that can involve lots of doctor’s visits and expensive therapies and treatments. It takes a toll on many people’s physical, emotional, and mental health.
It’s a Disease That’s Hard to Diagnose …
It’s important to become familiar with key Lyme disease resources, as diagnosis can be challenging for several reasons:
- Non-Specific Symptoms: The symptoms of Lyme disease, such as fatigue, fever, headache, and muscle aches, are common to many other illnesses. This can make it difficult for doctors to differentiate Lyme disease from other conditions.
- Variable Presentation: Lyme disease can present differently in different individuals. Some may develop the characteristic bull’s-eye rash (erythema migrans), while others may not. This variability in presentation complicates diagnosis.
- Delayed Onset of Symptoms: Symptoms of Lyme disease may not appear until weeks or even months after a person has been bitten by an infected tick. This delay in symptom onset can make it challenging for individuals and healthcare providers to link their symptoms to a tick bite.
- Lack of Awareness: In regions where Lyme disease is less common, healthcare providers may not initially consider it as a possible diagnosis. This can lead to delays in testing and treatment.
- False Negative Test Results: The current tests for Lyme disease, such as the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot, can produce false-negative results, especially in the early stages of the disease.
- Coinfections: Tick bites can transmit other pathogens along with the bacterium that causes Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi). Coinfections with other tick-borne pathogens can complicate the clinical picture and make diagnosis more challenging.
- Diagnostic Criteria: The diagnostic criteria for Lyme disease can be controversial and vary among healthcare providers and institutions. Some experts believe that the current criteria may miss cases of Lyme disease, particularly in the early stages.
Due to these factors, diagnosing Lyme disease often requires careful consideration of the patient’s medical history, symptoms, geographic location, and possibly specialized laboratory testing.
Not surprisingly, many people don’t know they have Lyme disease until days, weeks, months, or even years after they contract the disease. They feel tired and suffer from brain fog and have painful joints and other symptoms, but they don’t know why. Doctors test for the wrong things or offer incorrect diagnoses.
Michael Van der Linden, owner of Linden Botanicals, had a different experience. He found the tick the day he was bit. He researched available Lyme disease resources, recognized the danger, and started 21 days of antibiotics immediately.
It’s Also a Disease That’s Hard to Treat
Antibiotics are the primary treatment for Lyme disease. Lyme disease resources should direct people to antibiotic treatment as a first step in most cases, as antibiotics are effective for most people when administered appropriately.
However, there are several reasons why antibiotics may not always work in treating Lyme disease:
- Delayed Diagnosis: If Lyme disease is not diagnosed promptly and treatment is delayed, the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi can spread throughout the body, making it more difficult to eradicate with antibiotics.
- Persistent Infection: In some cases, despite antibiotic treatment, Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria can persist in the body. This may be due to various factors, including the ability of the bacteria to form antibiotic-resistant persister cells or to evade the immune system.
- Coinfections: Lyme disease is often transmitted by the same ticks that carry other pathogens, such as Babesia, Anaplasma, and Bartonella. If a person with Lyme disease also has a coinfection, the presence of multiple pathogens may complicate treatment and lead to persistent symptoms.
- Antibiotic Resistance: While antibiotic resistance is not typically a significant concern with Lyme disease, there have been reports of Borrelia burgdorferi strains with reduced susceptibility to certain antibiotics. This could potentially affect treatment outcomes in some cases.
- Immune System Factors: Individual differences in immune system function can affect how effectively the body responds to antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease. Some people may have underlying immune system deficiencies or other factors that impair their ability to clear the infection.
- Chronic Lyme Disease: Chronic Lyme disease occurs when the symptoms persist despite antibiotic treatment. Some people, like Michael Van der Linden, suffer from Lyme for a long period of time.
Overall, while antibiotics are usually effective for treating Lyme disease, various factors can influence treatment outcomes, and individual responses may vary. It’s essential for patients with Lyme disease to receive prompt and appropriate medical care, including accurate diagnosis and tailored treatment plans.
Unfortunately, the prescribed course of treatment, 21 days of antibiotics, didn’t rid Michael’s body of Lyme disease, and his symptoms didn’t go away. Within two months, he found a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor (LLMD) and started an aggressive course of rotating antibiotics. He sought advice from medical practitioners, alternative medicine practitioners, and others suffering from chronic Lyme disease.
For almost four years, Michael took every antibiotic available, including a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line and intramuscular penicillin.
Michael no longer has Lyme disease. In fact, his personal journey inspired him to start Linden Botanicals.
Additional Lyme Disease Resources
Our team has put together a number of science-based Lyme disease resources. These resources are valuable for those looking to share information during Lyme Disease Awareness Month (May) or anytime of of year. Regardless whether you’re suffering from Lyme disease or you have friends and family who are suffering, we hope you find them helpful.
Lyme Signs, Symptoms, and Next Steps
Lyme Disease Resources: What You Need to Know
Warm Weather Means More Tick Bites
Borrelia burgdorferi and Lyme Disease
All-Natural Tick Repellant: Cistus incanus
Michael Van der Linden’s Lyme Disease Success Story
Herbal Teas and Extracts for Lyme Support
Persister Desister Lyme Disease Support Kits: Proprietary Persister Desister Lyme Support Kits from Linden Botanicals that include three all-natural, powerhouse herbs: Cryptolepis, Cistus incanus, and Phyllanthus niruri.
Cryptolepis sanguinolenta: All-natural Cryptolepis herbal extract from Linden Botanicals provides all-natural support for people suffering from Lyme disease. Cryptolepis is the only herbal with reported activity against all forms of B. burgdorferi, the bacteria responsible for causing Lyme.
Phyllanthus niruri: All-natural Phyllanthus niruri herbal extract from Linden Botanicals has 100+ bioactive compounds. We believe that no other plant in the world offers as many health benefits. It’s our flagship product. Members of our team drink it daily.
Cistus incanus: All-natural Cistus incanus herbal extract from Linden Botanicals offers well-studied antibacterial, antiviral, and biofilm-breaking properties. It also supports healthy mitochondrial function. As a bonus, it’s an all-natural mosquito and tick repellant.
Andrographis paniculata: All-natural Andrographis herbal extract from Linden Botanicals is the “King of Bitters.” The book Healing Lyme suggests Andrographis may inhibit the growth and spread of Lyme bacteria in the body in the early, blood-borne, planktonic stage of Lyme. It may also reduce joint and lymph node inflammation.
Lyme Disease Resources: Free E-Book
Our Lessons from the Darkness e-book shares Michael Van der Linden’s journey through Lyme disease and the steps he took to actively address the chronic illness that plagued him for almost four years. The e-book shares strategies for optimal health — and it’s free.
