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Listen to our extended interview with Dr. Edward Breitschwerdt. Dr. Breitschwerdt, one of the country's experts on tick-borne diseases, appeared on our 9 May 2009 program, 722 Tick-Borne Diseases.
I was bitten by a wood tick hear Hamilton Montana in late May 2006. Shortly afterwards I developed an EM rash, which I mistook for a spider bite, and then became extremely sick with flu like symptoms. The doctors here dismissed the tick bite saying there is no lyme disease here or any other tick born illness other than Rocky Mt. Spotted Fever. Finally in Feb 2008 I was diagnosed with lyme disease and then in Feb 2009, bartonella.
Ironically, the lab investigating these new strains of borellia and bartonella is right here in Hamilton, yet the local doctors knew nothing of it! We need more information spread to the medical community about the prevalence of tick born diseases. My condition seems to be chronic. I have had 10 months of abx but continue to relapse every time treatment is discontinued. From bartonella I have memory loss and cognitive impairment (my IQ dropped 20 points), emotional swings, lack of motivation, muscle spasms and cramps, dry sensitive eyes, hot flashes, headache, hurting shins, lumps on my shin bones, swollen lymph nodes that hurt when pressed and skin abnormalities.
I will probably never be the person I used to be before the tick bite. I believe there are many people that have been misdiagnosed with other conditions and diseases that are actually infected with tick pathogens. I believe it is an epidemic that will disable and possibly kill many people.