Lyme disease often goes unnoticed

Too many Lyme disease patients are not receiving timely and affordable treatment due to the Infectious Diseases Society of America’s strict guidelines. ”Everybody should have the right to be a healthy person, but I don’t get that right,” University of Oregon junior Sofia Webster said.

Sofia was 14 when she was bitten by a tick while camping with her Girl Scout troop in California. After it was removed, however, she forgot about it. Months later, she was experiencing chronic fatigue and pain in her feet, muscles, head and joints. She began using a wheelchair.

Four years, twelve doctors and several different misdiagnoses later, no one had any idea what was wrong.

Through an online search, Sofia’s mother discovered Lyme disease, a tick-born illness explaining Sofia’s symptoms almost perfectly. Remembering the tick bite, she made another appointment to get tested. But her doctor refused and said Lyme doesn’t exist in California.

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Source: Daily Emerald