Re: [at-l] Lyme disease diagnosis vs mis-diagnosis?????

[W F Thorneloe <thornel@attglobal.net>]

Well, it is hard to diagnose, and the tests are not usually that useful. 
Not knowing the situation better, I'd suggest that Lyme may not be the only 
problem she has. A positive Lyme test only indicates exposure to the 
buggie. You don't know how recent she was exposed, whether she is getting 
sick or recovering, or what the cause of the mandibular mass was (my bet is 
a swollen or abscessed lymph node). But all of that is purely conjecture.

Lyme disease is usually a mild and subclinical infection. Yet saying that 
is a lot like advising you to have minor surgery: on you - it is minor; on 
_me_ - it is very major and serious. Most symptoms are non-specific, and 
usually more generalized than a specific lesion like this.

This sounds like an unusual presentation, with an excellent dentist 
recognizing it was not his bailiwick, and the MD (internist, FP, 
psychiatrist?) suggesting watchful waiting to make the diagnosis. I fully 
understand the frustration and alarm in the report and your questions. 
Frankly, I'd prefer these interventions to someone impulsively cutting, 
prescribing or punting to yet another consultant. That would only make 
diagnosis and treatment more complicated.

OrangeBug

At 04:58 PM 8/17/2000, FannyPack - David Atkinson wrote:
>My question is:
>is Lyme disease that hard to diagnose??? or is it simply a matter of 
>testing for it?
>
> From the acct above it seems that this family was very frustrated with a 
> medical problem that doctors didn't seem to take very seriously..  Also 
> from posts to this list about Lyme disease & articles in the news about 
> Lyme disease, it seems to be potentially a quite serious situation, tru 
> or false???

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