Roger A. Doyle
Fairfield County, Connecticut

Total cost: $100,000
Number of family members with LD: 2
Lost work/school: 6 months
Number of years sick: 8

My Lyme story begins like most chronic Lyme patients. Doctor after doctor did not know what was wrong with me. All told me that even though I had many Lyme symptoms, since my test was negative, I didn't have Lyme disease and would not treat me.

Thinking UConn (University of Connecticut) Medical would be my savior, I went there. Another blood test was given and even though Dr. ***** didn't see me, he called and told me the test was negative so I didn't have Lyme.

By the time I was so ill I had to stop working. I finally found two local doctors to treat me by my symptoms. I immediately had a herxheimer reaction which is caused by the Lyme bacteria being killed off.

After calling the Lyme Disease group, I learned that many have gone through what I had and also were left untreated by UConn and other doctors who base their diagnosis on unreliable blood tests. Many of us then went on to late stage Lyme disease due to not being treated sooner.

I firmly believe that if I hadn't found Dr. ***** in Bristol, CT and Dr. ***** in East Hampton, NY, I would be crippled today. I responded to long term antibiotic treatment and have returned to work full-time. Everyone responds differently to treatment. Many of us need long term treatment because Lyme is a slow growing bacteria that is only killed when active.

We need politicians to help pass two bills-- one that would allow doctors to treat their patients anyway they see fit. Now even though long term antibiotic treatment is working for many of us, our doctors are being criticized. Secondly, politicians must also pass a bill that would force insurance companies to pay for all treatment prescribed by a doctor for as long as it is needed. Now insurance companies have doctors on retainers mandating treatment to stop after four weeks. insurance companies are interested in saving money and not looking at the fact that we are getting better with long term treatment.