Common Lyme Misdiagnosis
Individuals with Lyme have been incorrectly diagnosed with: multiple sclerosis (MS), fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmunity including lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disorders, psychiatric disorders, and excused as a common sports injury.
Lyme misdiagnosis is a serious problem in the medical community today. Borrelia burgdorferi is an evasive organism with the ability to penetrate virtually any organ or system including the brain and central nervous system, joints, muscles and heart. It is hard to detect with current lab tests due to poor sensitivity, limited diagnostic criteria, lack of presence in the bloodstream (found sparsely in the blood), interpretation of blood results and more.
Chronic Lyme disease has symptoms that mimics several other chronic illnesses, such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis, fibromyalgia, and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Physicians who aren’t Lyme aware won’t know what to look for and will lump these random symptoms into one of these boxes. These “mystery illnesses” come complete with a round of Rx meds (many of which suppress the imm-you-ne system further) leading to a downwards spiral of more symptoms and more meds. The truth is that there are root causes to each one of these and Lyme is often behind them. Yet even with Lyme …there are deeper root cause issues going on. This is why it’s important to look below the surface! Go deeper!
It is most easily recognized and addressed when an individual presents with an EM rash, if left untreated it can spread to many parts of the body, and become challenging to diagnose and treat. What isn’t discussed much is that most already have exposure to Borrelia and that when conditions are less than ideal in the body it will surface and create a whole host of problems and symptoms. This is where individuals get confused. They don’t remember a tick bite or a rash. (Remember…there are other ways to get Lyme though!)
It’s essential to evaluate root causes to all these blanket diagnoses. A fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue diagnosis are simply umbrella terms for a bunch of symptoms. There is a need to address the body as a whole starting with foundational health then digging deeper and going through a proper order of operations to address other factors at play such as mold, parasites, heavy metals, and more. There is healing and improvement that is possible with everyone of these diagnosis listed above.
What many don't realize is that you don't have to accept what your doctor wrote down on paper as a life sentence and be doomed to take a laundry list of supplements the rest of your life. Healing is possible! When we take away what is weighing down the body and give back to it what is desperately needs healing can begin. It requires a whole body approach and a proper order in which to address each thing.
Don’t accept blanket diagnoses. Dig deeper. Your health depends on it.
Stefanie is a Bioenergetic Practitioner, Holistic Nutritionist, & Functional Medicine Health Coach who specializes in whole body detoxification, addressing Lyme + Co, improving digestion, fatigue, autoimmunity, overcoming chronic illness, functional nutrition, mold illness and more.
She is available for one-on-one appointments to support you throughout your entire healing journey.
If you are interested in working with Stefanie reach out to learn more about how partnering with me can help you along your healing journey.
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Together we thrive!