PTLDS affects about 10% to 20% of patients who were treated for Lyme disease with the recommended 2 to 4 week course of antibiotics
Baltimore, MD (PRWEB) September 03, 2014
MedicalMalpracticeLawyers.com, the premier free website in the United States that connects medical malpractice victims with medical malpractice lawyers in their state, often receives calls and written inquiries from people who have chronic Lyme disease (properly called post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome) who claim that their healthcare providers failed to timely and properly diagnose their Lyme disease and/or misdiagnosed their Lyme disease as some other condition or disease.
Many of these callers have researched Lyme disease symptoms and treatment options online and some are presently under the care of Lyme-literate physicians. Many of their experiences are compelling and heart-wrenching in that they have lost so much, including their health, their jobs, and some have lost their marriages, their families, and their homes due to their devastating symptoms.
Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome Statistics:
According to the CDC, post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (“PTLDS”) affects about 10% to 20% of patients who were treated for Lyme disease with the recommended 2 to 4 week course of antibiotics. These individuals have lingering symptoms of fatigue, pain, or joint and muscle aches that may last for six months or longer. While the precise cause of PTLDS is unknown, the current theory is that the lingering symptoms are the result of residual damage to tissues and the immune system that occurred during the infection.
Reported studies have not shown that PTLDS patients who received prolonged courses of antibiotics do better in the long run than patients treated with a placebo. And there are risks of serious complications associated with long-term antibiotic use. While most PTLDS patients get better over time, it may take months for such patients to return to their baseline condition before they became infected with Lyme disease.
The CDC recommends that patients with PTLDS check with their doctor to make sure that Lyme disease is not the only thing affecting their health; that they learn how to differentiate inaccurate information regarding PTLDS (especially information available online); that they keep track of their symptoms and what influences their symptoms (such as sleep patterns, diet, and exercise); that they maintain a healthy diet and get sufficient rest; and, that they receive assistance with their feelings from family members, friends, or professional counselors.
Despite the official information posted on the CDC’s website regarding PTLDS, many of the people who contact MedicalMalpracticeLawyers.com regarding potential Lyme disease misdiagnosis claims and/or Lyme disease negligent treatment claims are adamant that their long-term suffering (some have suffered for years) and their ongoing symptoms are Lyme disease-related, and had their Lyme disease been diagnosed and properly treated much sooner, they would have avoided their long-term suffering.
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If you or a loved one have or had Lyme disease and the diagnosis and/or treatment of Lyme disease was untimely, inappropriate, or insufficient, you may have an actionable medical negligence claim against those health care providers who provided you with substandard medical care and treatment. It is important that you promptly seek the legal advice of a medical malpractice attorney (Lyme disease attorney) in your U.S. state who may investigate your Lyme disease claim for you and represent you in a Lyme disease malpractice case, if appropriate.
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