More high profile Lyme disease

[Hopeny]

If I just heard this right, Andy Cohen from Watch What Happens Lyme has/had Lyme, and was misdiagnosed. It is great that this is coming into the public eye, will help put pressure on doctors to become more familar with symptoms, and change treatment guidelines, reimbursement etc. I still can't believe my pediatrician missed DD's blatently apparent case - we could have avoided so much pain, suffering and heartache. I wish I had been more educated too.

[tpotter]

If I just heard this right, Andy Cohen from Watch What Happens Lyme has/had Lyme, and was misdiagnosed. It is great that this is coming into the public eye, will help put pressure on doctors to become more familar with symptoms, and change treatment guidelines, reimbursement etc. I still can't believe my pediatrician missed DD's blatently apparent case - we could have avoided so much pain, suffering and heartache. I wish I had been more educated too.

 

 

Actually, I think you've hit the nail on the head. I don't think it's as much as the doctors missing the dx (including with strep and other infections,) but rather either: 1) being afraid of being strung up by insurance and other docs or 2) not knowing how to treat if they do dx. Our pediatrician told us 2 years ago that he could not and would not make diagnoses that he knew he was not comfortable treating. I can see his point, BUT, that means the disorder goes undiagnosed, and honestly, it's the primary care doctor's responsibility to do what is necessary to get the person diagnosed and treated, even if it's helping that family/person figure out where to go to get it. To not even mention the possibility, I find is negligence at the best, and malpractice at the worst. At the very least, it's ethically wrong, but it happens all the time This is why we are all stuck trying to figure it all out ourselves with help from a very small number of extremely brave and courageous physicians.

[philamom]

If I just heard this right, Andy Cohen from Watch What Happens Lyme has/had Lyme, and was misdiagnosed. It is great that this is coming into the public eye, will help put pressure on doctors to become more familar with symptoms, and change treatment guidelines, reimbursement etc. I still can't believe my pediatrician missed DD's blatently apparent case - we could have avoided so much pain, suffering and heartache. I wish I had been more educated too.

 

 

Actually, I think you've hit the nail on the head. I don't think it's as much as the doctors missing the dx (including with strep and other infections,) but rather either: 1) being afraid of being strung up by insurance and other docs or 2) not knowing how to treat if they do dx. Our pediatrician told us 2 years ago that he could not and would not make diagnoses that he knew he was not comfortable treating. I can see his point, BUT, that means the disorder goes undiagnosed, and honestly, it's the primary care doctor's responsibility to do what is necessary to get the person diagnosed and treated, even if it's helping that family/person figure out where to go to get it. To not even mention the possibility, I find is negligence at the best, and malpractice at the worst. At the very least, it's ethically wrong, but it happens all the time This is why we are all stuck trying to figure it all out ourselves with help from a very small number of extremely brave and courageous physicians.

tpotter- I tried to send you a pm but your inbox is full.