LYME DISEASE QUICK FACTS
FASTEST GROWING
ACCORDING TO THE CDC, LYME DISEASE IS THE FASTEST GROWING
VECTOR-BORNE, INFECTIOUS DISEASE IN THE UNITED STATES.
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25x
THE NUMBER OF CASES REPORTED ANNUALLY HAS INCREASED
NEARLY 25-FOLD SINCE NATIONAL SURVEILLANCE BEGAN IN 1982.
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300
THERE ARE 5 SUBSPECIES OF BORRELIA BURGDORFERI, OVER 100 STRAINS IN THE US,
AND 300 STRAINS WORLDWIDE
This diversity is thought to contribute to its ability to evade the immune system and
antibiotic therapy, leading to chronic infection.
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470,000
CDC reports: Lyme disease infects 470,000 people a year.
10 times more Americans than previously reported.
This new preliminary estimate confirms that Lyme disease is
a tremendous public health problem in the United States.
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NEW LYME DISEASE CASES IN US
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CASES PER MONTH
39,000
CDC ESTIMATE
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CASES PER WEEK
9,791
CDC ESTIMATE
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CASES PER DAY
1,398
CDC ESTIMATE
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CASES PER HOUR
58
CDC ESTIMATE
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NO ACCURATE TESTS
THERE ARE NO TESTS AVAILABLE TO PROVE THAT THE ORGANISM IS ERADICATED OR THAT THE PATIENT IS CURED.
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50%
FEWER THAN 50% OF PATIENTS WITH LYME DISEASE RECALL A TICK BITE.
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50%
FEWER THAN 50% OF PATIENTS WITH LYME DISEASE RECALL ANY RASH.
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35%
THE ELISA SCREENING TEST IS UNRELIABLE.
The common Elisa test you receive at your doctor's office misses 35% of culture proven Lyme disease.
Some studies indicate up to 50% of the patients tested for Lyme disease receive false negative results.
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50%
UP TO FIFTY PERCENT OF TICKS IN LYME-ENDEMIC AREAS ARE INFECTED.
The onset of Lyme disease symptoms can be easily mistaken for other illnesses. Once symptoms are more evident the disease may have already entered the central nervous system, and could be hard to cure.
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40%
40% OF LYME PATIENTS END UP WITH LONG TERM HEALTH PROBLEMS.
The average patient sees 5 doctors over nearly 2 years before being diagnosed.
40%
SHORT TREATMENT COURSES HAVE RESULTED IN UPWARDS OF A 40% RELAPSE RATE, ESPECIALLY IF TREATMENT IS DELAYED.
There has never been a study demonstrating that 30 days of antibiotic treatment cures chronic Lyme disease. However there is much documentation demonstrating that short courses of antibiotic treatment fail to eradicate the Lyme spirochete.
LIFT 4 LYME
Lift for Lyme is a global crowdfunding campaign dedicated to helping end Lyme disease through better testing, awareness, prevention and physician training. It is unclear how many cases of tick-borne diseases are properly diagnosed or reported each year. Estimates indicate that only one out of every ten cases of Lyme disease is reported and that many people are misdiagnosed and undertreated. Join the fight to help. With your help, we can end this epidemic and change the lives of people suffering needlessly.
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I have been in treatment for misdiagnosed Late Stage Disseminated Lyme Neuroborreliosis and Coinfections since 2012. Through my own experience with this debilitating disease, and being the former owner / chief fitness officer / founder of CrossFit 580 in Livermore, CA, I created Lift for Lyme / L4L to help bring as much awareness as possible to this misdiagnosed global epidemic. With your help, I strongly believe we can help end Lyme disease suffering through better testing, awareness, prevention and physician training. I believe through the combined power of Crowdfunding and the professional fitness networking community working together, we can have fun and achieve this goal!
Too many people are becoming debilitated from Lyme disease, some are dying and many are being financially devastated. Training Physicians in the appropriate diagnosis and treatment is the key to ending the Lyme disease epidemic. No organization can make this happen alone, which is why we are asking you to join the Lift for Lyme crowdfunding campaign, and ask your friends and family to donate. With you we can end this epidemic and change the lives of people suffering needlessly.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
It is unclear how many cases of tick-borne diseases are properly diagnosed or reported each year. Estimates indicate that only one out of every ten cases of Lyme disease is reported and that many people are misdiagnosed and undertreated. The CDC states the following: "Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics." This is the information that is being disseminated to physicians worldwide and it strongly influences physician treatment decisions. This misinformation is putting people at risk of developing chronic Lyme disease, creating untold suffering and making it much more difficult to cure or achieve remission. Education and awareness among doctors and patients, coupled with heightened attention to the appropriate diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne diseases is absolutely essential.Lift for Lyme is a crowdsourcing fundraiser and has selected the International Lyme and Associated Disease Society (ILADS) to receive all the proceeds of our campaign efforts directly. Your online donations to ILADS will go directly to their non-profit foundation, International Lyme and Associated Diseases Educational Fund (ILADEF). ILADEF is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your contribution is tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. ILADS is recognized as the worldwide leader in Lyme education and training for medical professionals. ILADS promotes understanding of Lyme and associated diseases through research, education and policy. It strongly supports physicians, scientists, researchers and other healthcare professionals dedicated to advancing the standard of care for Lyme and associated diseases.
TAKE ACTION NOW!
THE HARD TRUTH
Know that Lyme disease is a nationwide problem
Contrary to popular belief, Lyme disease is not just an "East Coast" problem. In fact, in the last ten years, ticks known to carry Lyme disease have been identified in all 50 states and worldwide. Although the black legged tick is considered the traditional source of Lyme disease, new tick species such as the Lonestar tick and a pacific coast tick, have been found to carry Borrelia burgdorferi, the corkscrew-shaped bacterium that causes Lyme disease.
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Check your tick facts
Ticks can vary in size from a poppy-seed size nymphal tick to a sesame-seed size adult tick. The ticks can carry other infectious agents besides the spirochete that causes Lyme disease, including Ehrlichia, Anaplamosis, Babesia, and Bartonella. Lyme disease can sometimes be hard to cure if these other infections are not treated at the same time.
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Show your doctor every rash
The bull's eye rash is the most famous, but there are many other types of rashes associated with Lyme disease. In fact, Lyme disease rashes can be mistaken for spider bites or skin infections. Take photos and make sure a medical professional sees the rash before it fades.
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Don't assume that you can't have Lyme disease if you don't have a rash
Lyme disease is difficult to diagnose without a rash, Bell's palsy, arthritis, or meningitis, but you can still have Lyme and not have any of those signs or symptoms. Many people react differently to the infection and experience fatigue, headaches, irritability, anxiety, crying, sleep disturbance, poor memory and concentration, chest pain, palpitations, lightheadedness, joint pain, numbness and tingling.
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Do not rely on test results
Currently there is no reliable test to determine if someone has contracted Lyme disease or is cured of it. False positives and false negatives often occur, though false negatives are far more common. In fact, some studies indicate up to 50% of the patients tested for Lyme disease receive false negative results. As a result, the CDC relies on physicians to make a clinical diagnosis based on a patient's symptoms, health history, and exposure risks. Doctors who are experienced in recognizing Lyme disease will treat when symptoms typical of the illness are present, even without a positive test, in an effort to prevent the development of chronic Lyme disease.
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Be aware of similar conditions
Chronic Lyme disease is called the "great imitator" because it is often misdiagnosed as another condition such as Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, or anxiety. Misdiagnosis is a common experience for patients with chronic Lyme disease. Treatments that work for these other illnesses are not appropriate for treating Lyme disease. Currently, the only effective treatment for Lyme disease is antibiotics. Ask your doctor to carefully evaluate you for Lyme disease even if your tests are negative.
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"Wait and See" approach to treatment may be risky
Up to fifty percent of ticks in Lyme-endemic areas are infected with Lyme or other tick-borne diseases. With odds like that, if you have proof or a high suspicion that you've been bitten by a tick, taking a "wait and see" approach to deciding whether to treat the disease has risks. The onset of Lyme disease symptoms can be easily overlooked or mistaken for other illnesses. Once symptoms are more evident the disease may have already entered the central nervous system, and could be hard to cure. This is one case in which an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure.
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Don't be afraid to get a second opinion
Recognize that opinions on how to diagnose and treat Lyme disease vary widely among physicians. It is worth getting a second or even a third opinion, especially if you are symptomatic and your doctor advises not to treat, or symptoms recur or persist after treatment. Keep in mind that your physician may focus too narrowly on diagnosing and treating a single symptom. For example, a physician may diagnose a pain in your knee as "arthritis", and not see this as just one part of a larger set of symptoms that adds up to a diagnosis of Lyme disease, which requires different treatment.
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Know your treatment options
Work with your doctor to identify the appropriate treatment option if your symptoms persist. There is more than one type of antibiotic available. Longer treatment is also an option. You should also work with your doctor to make sure you don't have another condition.
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Expect success
You should expect to get better. You should not accept "watchful waiting" - the practice of stopping antibiotic treatment before you are well and then waiting for symptoms to clear on their own. Some doctors advocate stopping Lyme treatment while the patient is still symptomatic and then hoping that he or she will eventually recover without further treatment. Government trials have identified a number of individuals whose symptoms did not clear when treatment was cut off prematurely. There are doctors who feel your symptoms will clear with further antibiotic treatment.
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