Looking for Lyme Dr. in Charles County.

[countrybelle200]

Hi all,
I have been feeling awful since the middle of October and I tested positive on November 12 for Lyme. My PCP has been treating me with 500 MG Amoxicillin 3 times a day for 3 weeks. Thursday is the end of my medicine and I still don't feel any better. Spent yesterday in bed again. Would like to know of a Doctor/Specialist in Charles county to go to for Lyme instead of my PCP. Thanks for any help.
Penny

[sockgirl77]

There sure are alot of people with Lyme this year. Wow.

[Jameo (Premo)]

Originally Posted by countrybelle200

Hi all,
I have been feeling awful since the middle of October and I tested positive on November 12 for Lyme. My PCP has been treating me with 500 MG Amoxicillin 3 times a day for 3 weeks. Thursday is the end of my medicine and I still don't feel any better. Spent yesterday in bed again. Would like to know of a Doctor/Specialist in Charles county to go to for Lyme instead of my PCP. Thanks for any help.
Penny

Don't know about Charles, but Nasr is in Lusby and Cafferty is in St. Marys (I think he is in St. Marys anyways.) I see Nasr for my Lyme and love him! Several others on here see Cafferty.

Best of luck to you.

[hotcoffee]

Originally Posted by sockgirl77

There sure are alot of people with Lyme this year. Wow.

Most of us have had Lyme for years and didn't know it. It's a very very nasty disease that does everything from cause you to feel like you have the flu to damage your brain.... I read that 8 out of 10 patients with Alzheimers test positive for Lyme [loss of short term memory is one of symptoms].... I read that a lot of people diagnosed with MS or even fibromyalgia may be suffering from lyme.... joints ache... nerves twitch... can't remember things... can't sleep.... legs cramp... hands spasm.... vertigo is a biggie.... it can harm the heart... it can do all kinds of things if not properly diagnosed and treated....

It attacks children too.... it can even attack them in the womb if the mom has Lyme....

[lisa8439]

countrybelle, where in Charles are you?

I have lyme too (this is my second time with it) and the first time I had it, I had to have IV antibiotics. This was almost 10 years ago and at least they know a bit more about it now...

Amoxicillian really isn't the one you should be on. If you have trouble finding a doctor in your area, ask your PCP to do some research and at least put you on doxycycline. I think that's the antibiotic that is the 'go to' medicine for lyme.

How far are you willing to travel? You want a doc around Waldorf - or are you willing to go to Northern VA or St. Mary's or what? I go to Cafferty in St. Mary's and I really like him - but I know there are other doctors around here who know a bit about lyme, they just don't advertise that because the CDC says that lyme should be cured after a round of antibiotics. heh.

[countrybelle200]

I live in Indian Head but am willing to do some traveling if I have to in order to get the relief I need. Good Lord this stuff is awful. I think I would rather go through childbirth again then have this stuff. I have heard Dr. Cafferty's name mentioned more than once and it is always in a very positive note. I have heard of a Dr. Leon in the Waldorf area too. I am definately going to have my PCP do something about this medicine because the more I read from actual people that have Lyme the more I see the medicine I am on really isn't going to do anything and I sure believe it by the way I feel. Thank you for the response and the information.
Penny

[countrybelle200]

I have been reading the same stuff. Maybe Lyme is why I have CRS (Can't Remember Sh**) disease and here I thought it was just plain getting old. Sorry, been trying to find ways to keep myself amused and positive with this diagnoisis. I don't wish this stuff on my worst enemy and I sure feel sorry for my dog, poor thing has had Lyme for about 7 years now. :-(

[countrybelle200]

Thanks for the response. I am hearing Dr. Cafferty's name more and more, even on other websites regarding Lyme. I understand it takes a while to get an appointment with him. I may just have to check him out.

[lisa8439]

Originally Posted by countrybelle200

Thanks for the response. I am hearing Dr. Cafferty's name more and more, even on other websites regarding Lyme. I understand it takes a while to get an appointment with him. I may just have to check him out.

Countrybelle, lyme does suck. And it messes with your memory, cognitive ability, everything. It just attacks your central nervous system and wipes out everything in its path.

I'm with you - I've had kids and would happily go through childbirth again. At least that has a finite end and a positive outcome... those are hard to find in lyme cases. Chances are you are battling some part of it for a long, long time. I still have residual effects from the FIRST case of lyme I had, now I am battling new infections.

Doc Cafferty is great - and he leaves no stone unturned, which is important in lyme cases... sometimes the littlest problem can just snowball out of control, and lyme can set off other things and cause new problems (other autoimmune diseases, etc.). I have heard good things about Dr. Leon as well though if you want to stay closer to home. There is someone here on the board who used Dr. Leon for a lyme case and has nothing but great things to say about him... if you want more info on him, PM me and I'll give you her username so you can ask her (or she might see this and post - it was her daughter that had lyme I believe). At the very least, you want a doctor who has the courage to fight the CDC and the insurance companies that will tell you that you are *cured* after one round of antibiotics.

I do know people who have had lyme and were just fine after the 3 week doxycycline treatment... my father being one of those people. But just finding a doctor that takes you seriously when you say you still feel like crap is priceless when it comes to lyme - they are few and far between. But Dr. Leon might be a good fit for you if you don't want to travel and wait for Dr. Cafferty (and you WILL wait a while to see him - sometimes I've waited 2 hours after my appt. time before I actually saw him. That's fine with me though - he is the only one that is willing to do what it takes to get me well).
Good luck with your journey - I could write a book about how lyme has affected my life and my family for the past 10 years, the disease is just that crippling at times. But stay positive - find a doc who believes that you will get better, and just tell yourself that you WILL get well.

[countrybelle200]

Lisa,
Thanks. Your words are very encouraging. I am trying to stay as positive as possible. I found out yesterday that Dr. Cafferty is not taking new patients at this time, :-(. I have been hearing alot about Insurance not covering the treatment for Lyme and that concerns me as well. Does anyone know about this information or has anyone had experience with this? Sorry it just seems like I have so many questions and even to me some of them sound goofy. Thanks for any input.
Penny