April 15, 2012

DEAR DR PHIL

i am also posting a clip from 'after the show' segment where dr phil acknowledges that time constraints impacted the show's ability to address all relevant issues that surround the lyme controversy. based on what he says in this clip, it is clear to me that he gets it. one can only hope and pray that he sees the need to do address these issues in another show.


speaking of another show, i am asking everyone that finds their way to this post, to please send a comment to dr phil - thank him for doing a show on lyme and ask him to do another! and to everyone and anyone who has ever said, 
"I don't know how to help your family." 
this is a very easy way for you to help. all that is needed is a simple, 


"I know someone with Chronic Lyme Disease. It is real. It exists. Thank you for bringing light to this debilitating disease."


if you are on FB, than you can post your comments on dr phil's FB wall or for those not on FB or for those who'd rather send something privately, that can be done thru his website - click here to go there.


here's the after show clip and below that is the letter that i wrote to the show. 






Dear Dr Phil

I wanted to thank you for airing the show on chronic lyme disease. Our family has been deeply affected and profoundly changed by this disease. Both myself and my 2 sons have chronic lyme.

Our youngest son fell ill at the age of 9. He went from perfect health to wheelchair in 8 weeks. Over the next several months, he developed severe bone pain, fatigue, air hunger, body disregulation, neuro-psychiatric symptoms, twitches and full body tremors that would last 4-6 hours at a time. Within 4 months of becoming ill, and at his worst, he was unable to walk, feed himself or articulate his feelings. Despite numerous hospitilizations, countless tests and seeing a mulitude of specialists, doctors could not figure out what was wrong with our son....but they were adamant that he could NOT have lyme.

We live in Canada and the Canadian medical community violently protests the existance of chronic lyme disease (indeed some insist that it is impossible to even contract the disease in this country). It took another 2 months of further deterioration, before our son was finally diagnosed with chronic lyme. The diagnosis came from a highly esteemed Lyme Literate American doctor. Under his care, our son has made great  strides in his recovery and many of his most debilitating symptoms were resolving with long term IV antibiotic treatment.

Despite the obvious improvement, Canadian doctors refused to partner with our USA LLMD. In fact, not only did Canadian doctors fail to care for our son, they recently made the unprecedented (and unethical) move and interfered with our son's American treatment (that we pay for). They have blocked his access to his medically necessary IV treatment.

We are currently having to fight a medical system that is bound and determine to hold on to their archaic mindset about the diagnosis and treatment of lyme. Their ignorance is causing untold suffering in our son. We are passionate and determined in our fight for his right to recieve this vital medical treatment because myself and our eldest son have experienced first hand that long term antibiotic treatment IS successful.

After 18 months of aggressive long term therapy, our eldest son (19) beat the disease. He has now been well and symptom free for 1 year. My own battle with the disease is not over but after 4 years of IV treatment, I consider myself in the "recovery phase" now.  

Read more about our son's fight here: genesis 50:20 and living in a sick world

Dr Phil, I am imploring you to do a follow up show. There is so much more that needs to be told. There is so much relevant scientific evidence that continues to be suppressed by the IDSA. It needs to be brought out into the public arena.

Dr Auwaerter (& the IDSA in general) continue to back up their denial of chronic lyme disease based on their "double blind trial" they used for determining the diagnostic & treatment guidelines for lyme. What they fail to reveal is that their trials, at best, were based on weak evidence and reached weak conclusions that have been scientifically disproven since.

Furthermore, if you look at the research and peer reviewed literature authored by academic ILADS physicians and researchers, their reviews of this IDSA trial reached very different conclusions. In fact, a careful exam of the results of the IDSA "trial" reveal that short term antibiotic treatment is ineffective. Based on the same evidence, ILADS concluded the IDSA trials show that lyme can be difficult to diagnose, can be severe, can be difficult to treat and can persist for years. As a result, ILADS physicians and researches responded with guidelines that address the issue of both early lyme and the persistent infection that leads to chronic lyme disease.

ILADS used a "grade" system to write their guidelines. The grade system is a formal, organized way to review data. With the grade system there is a lot more evidence, high quality evidence, reviewed than is presented in the 'trials' run by the IDSA.

(for more information please go to ILADS.ORG)

Dr Phil, the lyme community needs a hero! My son needs a hero! All it takes is one highly esteemed person with an international platform to bring the TRUTH about the debacle of lyme to the forefront! Dr Phil, you fit the bill!
Will you be our hero?

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