I always have a high index suspicion for Lyme as I see my chronically ill patients. It, like mold toxicity, is often missed because of inadequate testing. Do I think all my patient’s issues directly relate to just Lyme? It is unlikely, as I find that things like mold toxicity, Lyme Disease, and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome get all jumbled up together, and if they are not addressed separately, a patient will not make progress. It is like sitting on three tacks, taking one out, and expecting the person to feel better.
Lyme is the last thing I treat as gut health has to be addressed as a priority because a healthy gut leads to a healthy immune system which will help me rid the body of Lyme. Getting rid of mold, if present, is step 2, as a healthy immune system cannot exist in the presence of mold toxicity. Finally, I look at Lyme if most of the patient’s symptoms have not completely cleared with the above steps. As many people without symptoms have Lyme, I am judicious in looking for it because, as we say in Louisiana, “why kick a skunk?” or, in other words, why look for something when the treatment has its risks?