Where To Find A Good Lyme Disease Doctor

A List of Websites and Suggestions for Finding a Physician

Aug 11, 2008 Albert Burchsted

Many people are improperly treated for Lyme disease and need to find a knowledgeable doctor. This is the place to start.

Most organizations and physicians provide excellent care when a patient presents typical Lyme disease symptoms. But when patients are diagnosed late and continue to present symptoms after standard treatments of two or four weeks of antibiotics, many doctors refuse to consider the patient might continue to have active Lyme disease and terminate treatment.

Signals of Poor Long Term Lyme Disease Treatment

Physicians and medical centers that follow the Infectious Diseases Society of America's (IDSA) 2006 guidelines for Lyme disease treatment often do not provide correct diagnosis of non-typical cases of Lyme disease, or effective treatment of chronic Lyme disease (called by them: “post Lyme syndrome”). These doctors provide 14 to 28 days of treatment and may repeat antibiotic treatment once. This is often not enough medication to eliminate chronic Lyme disease.

How to Find a Lyme Literate Doctor (LLMD)

Following are sources, descriptions of the agencies, and the affiliations of physicians. Each link contains an Internet address. Most sites providing physician information require the searcher to register to obtain referrals. This is noted in the source information.

The process is often convoluted, and may be slower than you wish. The rationale for this is that many doctors providing this mode of treatments are being harassed by insurance company influenced governmental agencies and the information sources are trying to reduce the number of disruptive and frivolous lawsuits brought against these doctors.

Sites That Refer Physicians

Lyme Disease Association

One of the largest Lyme disease patient advocacy groups in the U.S. They maintain an active, informative website and require registration to search for ILADS physicians in your local area. Click on the referral button, register, and fill in the information requested. You receive immediate information.

California Lyme Disease Association

On this website, you can obtain physicians' contact information by clicking on the “Resources” button, then “Doctor Referrals”. On this page, you can register and obtain a private email listing doctors in your area.

Lyme Disease Network (www.lymenet.org)

This New York based network covers all of North America. Finding a doctor requires you to click on the “Flash Discussion” button, and “Seeking a Doctor”. You register and post a question on the site. Then receive private email messages concerning physicians in your area.

Lyme Disease Foundation (www.lymenet.org)

This foundation requires you to download a form to request physician information. You then have to send the form via US mail to the Foundation, including $5.00 US and a self addressed, stamped envelope. They then send you the information via US mail.

Lyme Disease Support Links

Canadian Lyme Disease Association (www.canlyme.com)

An active website that provides current information on Lyme disease in Canada and many other countries including the US. Although there are no direct links to physicians' contacts, clicking on the Area Support button brings up a list of support people across Canada (and links to other countries). These contacts will email you back and provide information you may request.

International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (www.ilads.org)

While the ILADS' website does not provide referrals to physicians, clicking on the button “Treatment Guidelines” provides access to current guidelines for physicians to diagnose and treat patients with Lyme disease. Comparing these guidelines with those of IDSA demonstrates the completely opposite conceptions about treatments between these two groups.

Infectious Diseases Society of America (www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/508667)

This society states that it provides Lyme disease information and at first glance looks extremely friendly to the patient. Be aware that this is the US society responsible for establishing restrictive guidelines for diagnosis and treatments that favor insurance companies. IDSA denies that chronic Lyme disease exists, contending that the symptoms are autoimmune, hypochondriac, and

Site Update

In keeping with the wishes of ILADS and other Lyme disease advocates, there is no physician contact information on this list. URLs to websites are current as of August 2008. The links will be updated approximately twice a year to make sure only active URLs are listed.

If you wish to read my other articles on Lyme disease, click here.

Disclaimer

The information in this article is believed to be accurate and is presented for the sole purpose of informing community members of information pertaining to Lyme Borreliosis. Any and all liability for the content or any omissions, inaccuracies, errors, or misstatements in such information is expressly disclaimed. Because the symptoms of Lyme disease may vary from person to person, if Lyme Disease is suspected, consult a qualified, Lyme disease literate doctor to discuss your symptoms and for medical advice. The author and Suite101.com are not liable for any direct or indirect damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of function, use, data, or profits arising from or in connection with the application of information presented in this article.

The copyright of the article Where To Find A Good Lyme Disease Doctor in General Medicine is owned by Albert Burchsted. Permission to republish Where To Find A Good Lyme Disease Doctor in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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