Multiple Sclerosis/Lyme Disease

Thump · #1 (**permalink**) 06-04-2007, 08:10 PM

I'm posting this as a heads up. I know people are misdiagnosed all of the time but my sister in law who is now 25 was diagnosed with MS approximately 4 years ago. It was a form that was remissive in nature. Her symptoms were dizziness, vision problems, etc. She had lesions on her brain scans, all very indicative of MS.

Well, 4 years later, she can't drive, can't walk without a walker or assistance, can't cut her own food because she shakes so bad and has no balance, to see her you'd think she was a drunk with Parkinson's disease. She also has trouble speaking. These aren't necessarily symptoms of MS. The lesions on her brain scan have increased 5 fold and now are showing up on her spine.

To see her deteriorate just tears your heart out.

My mom who is a nurse happened to read something about Lyme Disease and realized that many of the symptoms exhibited by my sister-in-law seemed to match and she also knew of a co-worker's daughter who was diagnosed with MS that ended up having Lyme disease after visiting Dr. Steven Philips in Wilton, Connecticut, a Lyme Disease specialist.

I found a website from the Canadian Lyme Disease Org. that gave like 70 questions and said if you answer yes to 15-20 questions you should be tested for Lyme, she answered yes to 38 of the questions.

So finally my in-laws, basically out of desperation, contacted Dr. Philips and went to visit him in mid-May and just got her blood test last week and she tested positive for Lyme Disease.

She just started a strong antibiotic yesterday, Dioxycyclene (sp?) or something like that. The good thing is, some of the symptoms are reversible and many of the lesions can disappear but we're just glad right now to have some hope.

So my main reason for this message is that if you know of anyone who may have been diagnosed with MS, make sure they get tested for Lyme Disease as well b/c often times they are misdiagnosed.

-Laurinaitis33- · #2 (**permalink**) 06-04-2007, 08:59 PM

I am sorry to hear that man, these are some great words of wisdom and could possibly help some people out, thanks for all of the information, and I wish the best of luck to you and your family.

jwinslow · #3 (**permalink**) 06-04-2007, 09:06 PM

Sorry to hear that. I know first hand how bad both can be (Mom = MS, Sis-in-Law = Lyme).

Thinking back about the symptoms of both, I can see them making that mistake.

Buckeyeskickbuttocks · #4 (**permalink**) 06-04-2007, 09:28 PM

Sorry for that, Thump. Thanks for the info too. Wish you could have posted this knowledge sooner, for had you be able to do so, your sister would be in a better predicament by now.

Gatorubet · #5 (**permalink**) 06-04-2007, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwinslow

Sorry to hear that. I know first hand how bad both can be (Mom = MS, Sis-in-Law = Lyme).

Thinking back about the symptoms of both, I can see them making that mistake.

Trouble is, once the initial diagnosis is made, it is hard to get docs to look at the patient's condition with "new eyes"...

Shame they couldn't have caught it earlier. I hope she recovers. I'll keep her in tonight's prayers.

Thump · #6 (**permalink**) 06-04-2007, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gatorubet

Trouble is, once the initial diagnosis is made, it is hard to get docs to look at the patient's condition with "new eyes"...

Shame they couldn't have caught it earlier. I hope she recovers. I'll keep her in tonight's prayers.

Dr. Phillips said that doctors diagnose with a very close-mindedness. Two of the drugs they had her on make depression worse and trembling worse. It's amazing that a blood test for Lyme isn't given for anyone with brain lesions or MS/Fibromyalgia symptoms.