Product Description
The Lyme Disease Survival Guide, written by health care journalist Connie Strasheim, offers not only a new perspective on Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment, but also much-needed wisdom for dealing with Lyme disease on an emotional, physical, and lifestyle level. Author Connie Strasheim combines sharp knowledge of the nuts and bolts of a Lyme disease treatment campaign with a witty style and piercing insight into the real life struggles Lyme sufferers encounter daily. Do not miss this one-of-a-kind book! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

awesome healing resource
This book helped me understand what a truly comprehensive lyme's treatment protocol looks like. I have had Chronic Lyme's Disease for many years, and this book helped direct me towards the changes in my treatment protocol necessary to take my healing to the next level. The author also has a great sense of humor, I believe that all the laughs I got out of the book were therapeutic.

Excellent Book
She's done her research!! Excellent book! I have had lyme disease unknowningly for about 45 years & this book really helped me - Thank you

A book that all people with Lyme should avoid

It's written solely for marketing purposes. The author has been discredited for her views about Lyme disease by Lyme patients and support groups all over the U.S.--- those that have been 'in the trenches' for years.

There is nothing in this book for the person who is serious about reading about this devastating disease. At best it's a piece of 'fluff'. At it's worst---- too many things to mention.

A far FAR superior book is Cure Unknown by Pam Weintraub, also sold at Amazon.

Practical and inspiring
I bought this book for my girlfriend who is in her mid-thirties and has been fighting lyme for a couple years now. She tried all oral antibiotics and was advised by her doctor to turn to IV treatment. I felt that she didn't know/read much about her disease and blindly trusted doctors, that is why I decided to get her this book.
Cons:
Of course, author is not a certified doctor and she doesn't give a technical overview of all possible treatments out there. The disease is very complex but I feel that, in order to win the fight, it is very important to know everything about your enemy.

Pros:
I found this book useful because it didn't tell boring stories of people being miserable and very sick because they were diagnosed late. I feel that these stories don't really help people WITH chronic lyme disease but rather take away the hope and self-confidence - two crucial components of healing. This book gives simple but very practical advice, general and day-to-day, on how to accept changes in your life due to the disease and how to tolerate it and be optimistic. Another HUGE advantage is that the book is written by lyme-survivor which is inspiring for people struggling with lyme.

You shouldn't look for a comprehensive treatment strategy in the book, but rather numerous friendly and practical advice that do help to ease the pain while fighting the disease.

2 1/2 Stars
This book is like talking with a friend who, like you, has been through the mill with Lyme Disease, and knows what you're going through. This friend, however, is kind of eccentric, tells you about alternative therapies you may be skeptical about, frequently brings religion into the conversation, and adds good-natured attempts at humor (with mixed success). Several chapters are either whimsical or "spiritual" advice. There is good information about detoxing and various other subjects, but the author's statements are not backed up by references, and beg for verification, for example, claiming that Lyme bacteria tend to bind with heavy metals. Please show me the study...not here....Others are pure opinion ie you should get your metal fillings removed.
I would not recommend this as your first book on Lyme ("The Lyme Disease Solution" is a more informative all around resource), but it does provide some food for thought, and some useful information, and if you feel the need for a little heart-to-heart counseling, check it out. ... Read more

Product Description
Are you discouraged by antibiotics' results, have tried naturopathy with limited success, and are losing confidence in your doctors? If knowing everything there is to know about Lyme isn't getting you anywhere, "Outsmart Lyme" will show you how to expedite a therapeutic program that has been tried and true by the author's family members, friends, and clients. This compact and resourceful book puts you in the driver's seat of the patient's healing process. The material and research is purposely written in an easy-to-read and simplified style that equips you with the information needed to navigate a course of action effectively. To learn more, go to LymeCounseling.com.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Old information
For those of us unlucky enough to be stricken with this awful disease, this book does not contain any information that we didn't already know...does not go into detail (each topic is about a short page long, so you still need to research more about the topics)..and the info is easily obtained online by googling lyme disease..You don't need this book to add to your knowledge or to other, better lyme disease books. Save your money unless you are clueless about the disease and want quick info.

Straight Forward Info re: Therapies for Lyme Patients
This is an excellent beginner book for people who want to know about Lyme disease and some therapies used to treat it. Gigi Guthrie M.S.W., writes in a straight-forward manner which makes it easy for patients to understand.This is a comprehensive compilation that serves to educate and therefore will help patients to make decisions about their treatment. I liked this book and believe it can be very helpful. Guthrie provides an overview of each therapy and includes the pros and cons.While each therapy may have risks, this book may help patients with the burden of weighing the risks of having a serious infection with the risk of using these strategies.For someone who needs extra help in addition to taking antibiotics or for a patient who has sensitivities to antibiotics, this book can lead a person to investigate other treatments with the hope of finding relief.This is a very good reference that can be easily used while working with a doctor.Further research into these therapies and protocols for treating Lyme disease is facilitated by the substantial reference to websites, resources, and support.

Good idea. Poor in reality
I give this two stars rather than one because it is a good and reasonably thorough list of all possible lyme disease treatments. But in the end it is just a shopping list that anyone witha laptop and free weekend could have written.

Long lists of all possible Lyme treatments are available on the internet - and hardly useful. By contrast, books which really tell you WHAT to do in detail, WHAT really works, and the EXPERIENCE of the author from many hundreds of cases - THEY ARE BOOKS WORTH HAVING.

This book is not worth having and the author has short changed the buyer. Instead, five star books on Lyme - hugely more valuable and born of medical experience (with detailed protocol explanations) are:
The Lyme Disease Solution by Kenneth B. Singleton -would earn 6 stars if that were possible.
The Lyme Disease Survival Guide: Physical, Lifestyle, and Emotional Strategies for Healing by Connie Strasheim. Also excellent. If you are short of money and can only buy one- it is t he Singleton book above.

Good luck. And quicklyclick away from this page.

If you have Lyme disease, get this book!
Chronic Lyme Disease, Ways to Outsmart a Smart Disease will save you time and agony finding strategic solutions even your doctor doesn't know about.

I have family members who were severely debilitated by Lyme (ongoing headaches, nausea, body pain, fatigue, cognitive impairment, depression). Many times they were home bound and bedridden, unable to work, go to school, or simply go for a walk. They experimented with antibiotic and non-antibiotic therapies covered in this book including pulse antibiotic therapy, naturopathic medicine, microcurrent therapy, colostrum, and psychotherapy. Through trial and error they discovered the treatments that worked for them and helped them to overcome Lyme. They have now returned to the quality of life they once enjoyed.

Author, Gigi Guthrie M.S.W., has written an easy-to-understand, comprehensive compilation of strategies that would take forever to research on the internet. For each treatment she provides a valuable assessment of the theory, pros and cons, and application so that sufferers can make informed choices while working with their doctor. Reference to websites, resources, and support are invaluable as well.

Because there is no `magic bullet' for Lyme disease, a sufferer has to be their own best advocate. This book empowers you to do just that! Save yourself time and money - find a Lyme disease specialist and buy this book. It offers the hope and the `smarts' sufferers desperately need to overcome Lyme. -B. Kegg, NY

More An Outline Than A Book
I found this book to be almost useless. It consists of brief descriptions of possible Lyme treatments, and is devoid of specifics for the most part. The description of "pulse antibiotic therapy", for instance, is 5 sentences, followed by the possible pros and cons. No examples are given of what the treatment might actually consist of. I also question the accuracy of some of the statements.
The "product description" says it is 131 pages; it's really 109, one fourth of which is the appendix.
If you've read any other books about Lyme, you already know twice as much as you'll get from this book. I suppose if you knew nothing about Lyme, and did not want to get into the details too much, this book would provide a superficial primer. Otherwise, it's a waste of money. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (72)

Read it for yourself or your loved ones
No one needs to suffer needlessly, for years, due to bad doctors, bad insurance companies, and bad government agencies. Sorry, but "bad" is the most appropriate word.

Great information. As hard to follow as the series "LOST" on ABC but a must read for those affected by Lyme disease. I'm little over half way through the book and plan to reread the entire book. This time I'll be taking notes and making family trees to keep track of everything / everyone that the author talks about.

I have a personal interest in this book because I've been fighting Lyme Disease, and its effects, for 9 years now. You never know if you've really gotten rid of Lyme Disease. I'm doing quite a bit better than most people. I can bike ride, at a medium level, being careful not to overdo it. And I get to keep going to work (oh boy).

In reading this book you have to get through a lot of sad stories. But you need to know about these sad stories to appreciate the needless suffering that people have gone, and will go, through due to misdiagnosis and under treatment.I have personally gone through quite a few of the things in this book which, for me, makes it credible.I even had Amazon deliver a copy to a good friend of mine that has been sick for 10 years. She's been diagnosed with many different illnesses including Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue. I hope and pray that she gets tested positive for Lyme Disease. Better to have a known disease and begin the treatment. And hopefully no more endless suffering.

That's it. I hope that this helps someone. Spread the word.

Paid $10.87 with free shipping. Purchased on 08-31-2010 directly from Amazon.
Paid $10.87 with free shipping. Purchased on 09-03-2010 directly from Amazon.

Good book
It's a good book but was hard for me to follow sometimes.There is a lot of medical jargon and words that my Lyme brain can't comprehend.I skipped over some pages and some chapters just because I couldn't follow it.I may re-read it again once my brain fog starts to wear off. She does have some really great information in it and she talks about all the controversy and everything.Good book for Lyme patients to read.

Hugely credible
Weintraub has impeccable journalistic credentials, shares her research and sources, and adds the passion and credibility that can only come from an intense personal experience.Whether you think you know a lot about Lyme disease, or feel like you should know more, this will be an important book for you.Very well-organized and easy to read, alternating between the journalistic reporting and the autobiographical.

An important subject for everyone
A very knowledgeable history of an epidemic disease caused by a very small tick which many doctors do not recognize.The author describes real cases where Lyme's Disease went undiagnosed and caused much pain and stress to the victims.

scleroderma and lyme
I was diagnosed with scleroderma a year ago, and began treatment with antibiotics nine months ago.I am well on my way to returning to health.The nagging question has been, where did the bacterial infection come from that initiated the scleroderma?

After reading Pamela Weintraub's book, it is completely obvious that a tick bite on one of our more than 60 family camping trips with our boys in the Sierra is the culprit.I never had a rash, but I do remember showing my husband two small black dots half the size of a poppy seed just above my ankle.They were quite likely two tick nymphs, though I didn't know it at the time.It happened within a few weeks of my first raynaud's.I know I've had the symptoms and made notes of them on my 3X5 cards for years.I kept them even though my doctor told me about each symptom,'there is nothing to worry about'.Last year, a positive ANA scl-70 forced us to look for a better doctor and appropriate treatment.

I've had the symptoms, I've been getting a partial treatment from my scleroderma doctor, but I realize I need the coinfections identified and treated.If Pamela Weintraub hadn't written this book, I would have no idea what happened to me, and that the treatment may be incomplete.

There's more to this story, Pamela.You've only scratched the surface.My educated hunch is that so-called auto-immune disease begins with a tick bite.This is the next big connection to tick-borne disease. ... Read more

Product Description
REVIEWS: Dr. McFadzeans book is refreshing and unique. It provides sound, thoroughly researched information presented in a clean and cogent format. The Lyme Diet will become an essential tool for Lyme practitioners and patients alike. --Steven Harris, MD ........... I have been treating people with Lyme and coinfections since 1997. People who have suffered for many years recover best when they utilize a comprehensive approach, especially one that includes optimal nutrition. This book is a must-read for anyone who is serious about recovering from chronic illness. The reader will surely benefit from Dr. McFadzeans comprehensive collation of wisdom in a user-friendly format. --Therese Yang, M.D. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Navigating the most appropriate diet for a Lyme disease patient can be difficult, but good nutrition is such a crucial part of any treatment regimen that it is well worth addressing. Food sustains us, nourishes us, and can heal us. Food is medicine. It is one of the most important factors in your treatment program. The Lyme Diet contains a wealth of information about why dietary choices are critical for minimizing inflammation, optimizing immune function, promoting healthy digestion and gut flora, balancing hormones, and detoxifying the body. Dr. Nicola s book is a must-have manual for anyone suffering from such Lyme disease symptoms as fatigue, chronic pain, cognitive deficits, and candidiasis. It also has applications for other chronic illnesses such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, MS, ALS as well as anyone desiring to advance their health goals through nutrition. This ground-breaking publication outlines many practical examples and strategies for implementing nutritional change on a daily basis. It also serves to decode otherwise complex information on nutritional supplements, helpful lab testing, and inexpensive home treatments. Dr. Nicola McFadzean takes a comprehensive approach to treating Lyme disease with patients all over the world. With this invaluable book, she shares the wisdom, insight and solutions that have been, until now, exclusive to her private patients. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Must-have book if you are battling Lyme Disease
The Lyme Diet was written by Dr. Nicola McFadzean, a Naturopath who has significant experience treating patients for Lyme Disease and related co-infections.While the book is focused specifically on nutrition as it applies to treatment for Lyme Disease, it is easily the most approachable and usable book on nutrition in general that I have ever read.I consider myself "remedial" when it comes to nutrition, cooking, diet, etc., but after reading this book, I feel that I have a firm grasp on the basics, and have successfully used the information provided to stick to a highly "clean" organic and nutritious diet as an integral part of my treatment.I would heartily recommend this book to anyone who is interested in understanding and implementing good nutrition as part of their Lyme treatment.

Dr. McFadzean's "real-life" experience with, and compassion for, the challenges facing Lyme patients is obvious in her writing.In the first chapter she addresses the problem of "Lyme brain" and acknowledges the difficulty of navigating significant changes to diet for patients already overwhelmed by the chronic pain, fatigue and brain fog that are common with the disease.She stresses the importance of nutrition in the Lyme treatment regimen, asserting that it is one of the most important factors in any Lyme treatment regimen, but approaches the subject with the assumption that it may be a difficult and gradual change for most people, and that learning to follow the diet will be a process, probably not perfectly executed.Using this approach, Dr. McFadzean has succeeded masterfully in writing a book that makes understanding and implementing the necessary changes as simple and approachable as possible.

In easy-to-understand layman's terms, the author first explains the specific roles that good nutrition plays in Lyme treatment (anti-inflammatory, supportive of immune and digestive functions, etc.).Categories of both beneficial foods and potentially problematic foods, such as dairy, fats and oils, sugars and carbs, gluten and yeast are each covered with easily-digestible (no pun intended) lists of beneficial/detrimental qualities.

In addition to nutritional information, the book also contains sections outlining various treatment options, medication/nutrient interactions, home treatments and recommended lab work.

The wealth of information provided is nicely tied together with additional ideas, suggestions and resources (including some meal plans and recipes, and tips for "budget" eating and eating out at restaurants). ... Read more

Product Description
The importance of this work, first published in German in 2005, cannot be overstated. In addition to the clarity of the author's presentation on the usefulness of Homeopathy in the treatment of Lyme disease, we are also gifted with his insight into the nature of epidemic disease in general, our positive interrelationship with bacteria and the trouble that may result whenever we disregard nature's laws. Written for the homeopath as well as the lay person interested in getting to the cause of illness, this book contains a wealth of philosophical information and cogent practical advice on the treatment and prevention of Lyme disease using homeopathy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The Homeopathic Treatment of Lyme Disease
It was full of repeating info but if the info is right then it was worth it.I will start these remedies this month. I bought one book for me and one for my acupuncturist who has been treating me so we can try this together.

Well worth reading
Very interesting book.Easy enough for a layperson to understand.I shared this book with my homeopathic practitioner and she was very excited about getting it.Even though there is not tons and tons of information, what is provided is sufficient and looks very promising.There IS a cure for Lyme Disease people, and, you do not have to add more toxins to your body by taking antibiotics.The book has the answers.

Brilliant book
This book is not just about lyme disease, but also about biology, bugs and life itself. Peter Alex understands lyme from a biological perspective--as a spirochete not unlike syphilis; from a homeopathic perspective--as a possible new miasm; from a cultural perspective--an epidemic resulting from the way we've upset the ecological balance in our culture--and finally, from a specific perspective, where he suggests one remedy that may be the right treatment for it and explains why. He also offers interesting case histories. I really enjoyed the book and hope as he treats more lyme patients he updates it and adds new case histories. ... Read more

Product Description
Lyme disease has become the fastest-growing infectious disease transmitted by ticks (or other vectors) in the United States, but still remains a condition that is frequently misunderstood, overlooked, and misdiagnosed. Written by a leading practitioner of Lyme-aware medicine, this comprehensive guide will reveal to you the facts about this very serious disease - symptoms of which can mimic cardiac, neurological, and rheumatoid conditions - and will tell you what you need to know about the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Lyme disease. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

the first book you need
I am an acupuncturist who works a lot with lyme disease. About once a week I run into someone who just found out they have lyme disease or suspects they have it. The first thing I tell people to do is to check out this book because it outlines the issues with traditional testing and treatment while providing a clear description of co-infetions. Simply put, this is the must have introduction to chronic lymes.

Read the book yourself before you or a love one is a victim of a tick bite!
My wife was diagnosed with Lyme three years ago by her ear specialist when she lost 30% of her hearing and other aliments. After 10+ years of being misdiagnose by multiple doctors, Dr. Singleton was able to diagnose multiple co-infections along with Lyme and treat them appropriately. If my wife's doctors would have read this book, my wife may not have been misdiagnosed and suffered for three long years of treatment. Today, Dr. Singleton has started to reduce the treatment and my wife is a few months from completely recovering this ordeal. I cannot thank Dr. Singleton enough for reducing her pain and suffering, caring for his patient's welfare, and writing this book to educate the patients, doctors, and the public on all tick related bacteria. Read the book yourself before you or a love one is a victim of a tick bite!

Don't rely on it too much
While Singleton does an excellent job of describing the clinical symptoms and tests for Bb (the Lyme pathogen), as well as similar conditions due to common co-infections by Bartonella spp. and Babesia spp., he does a poor job of separating the wheat from the chaff when it comes to treatments, diet, and other adjuncts.

As an example, he recommends such things as homeopathy and acupuncture for pain treatment, which have amply been proven to be no more effective than placebo for *any* of the numerous ailments or illnesses which have been studied.(See, e.g., Edzard Ernst's writings, who himself was trained in acupuncture and a practitioner of it.)Mostly these sections of the book are just an exasperating ramble and list-compilation of things that might've helped someone, somewhere, or at least given the appearance of doing so (which is exactly why we need randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies with large numbers of people, and published in journals for other scientists to examine as to the strength or weakness of the evidence at hand). Lyme disease and related co-infections are an extremely serious matter, and the victims shouldn't be wasting precious energy (and money) on 'treatments' that are no more than elaborate placebos.

Singleton is similarly quite enthusiastic about dispensing advice and commentary on all sorts of things that have been debunked by serious scientists, or would give a skeptical editor pause.And Singleton rarely provides any warnings or caveats on these things, and he reaches conclusions that would baffle anyone because they conflict with what he wrote, sometimes in the same sentence!

I realize that in advancing medicine (or any field), sometimes you must proceed on less-than-ideal evidence.But we're talking about people's lives here: A rather poor time to go willy-nilly at anything that 'might' work.The history of medicine (and vitamins, and supplements, and alternatives) is strewn with huge numbers of examples of galloping off the cliff at some fanciful idea, until some rational minds put it to sufficiently rigorous tests and uncover the harm.

Finally, the book is only half as long as the page number suggests, since it is double-spaced.And with plenty of typos (including misspellings of drug names: "trazedone" instead of trazodone, "patients" where he meant 'patterns' [p.328] etc.).And while it contains a bibliography, there aren't any notations in the main text for references on any of the statements made, even for the more outlandish ones.(I realize there's plenty of precedent for this in other popular books, and Singleton is no doubt a busy guy, but couldn't he afford a good editor?)

There is some good information here, but I'm afraid that most readers will be badly led astray in many sections of the book.However, for diagnosis, co-infections, and laboratory testing, the book does have at least something to offer.And he clearly sets forth that (multiple) antibiotics are almost always crucial to effective treatment, and describes them, which should help patients (and MDs).

If you are looking for high-quality, scientifically rigorous info on the subject, I would instead highly recommend searching the Internet for Joe Burrascano's Lyme Treatment Guidelines 2008, his *16th* edition of the guidelines.Burrascano is one of the world's most respected MDs when it comes to treatment of late-stage (disseminated, chronic, refractory) Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses.Singleton actually thanks Burrascano in his book for teaching him so much, so you might as well skip the acupuncture, homeopathy, and religious zealotry that Singleton adds, and go straight to the source of the truly useful info: Burrascano himself.

Also, Pamela Weintraub's 2008 book 'Cure Unknown' is excellent.Well-written, and exhaustive in her search for the Truth.It will be referenced by patients and MDs for years to come.It is a gripping read, not only for the case studies of patients and their outcomes, but also for the description of the scientific discoveries along the way -- it is truly amazing how creative the experiments of some scientists can be, and how they have begun to unravel the mysteries of Borrelia burgdorferi.Not to mention the intense political/medical/scientific debate as to whether chronic Lyme even exists, and whether it is appropriate to use antibiotics long-term (6 - 18 months or more) to help the patient recover, partly or fully.

The best for patient or doctor
This is the most comprehensive book out there for Lyme patients and their medical teams. I plan to give a copy to all of mine. I hope the rest of the medical community picks up on this important and comprehensive wealth of information. I especially appreciate a doctor who does not limit him/herself to the prescription pad. Although abx are essential to treating LD, they are not the whole answer, as any chronic Lymie such as myself can tell you. If you are dealing with the complications of this disease, either as a patient or as a medical professional, do arm yourself with this book.

Don't See Your Doctor Without It
Very helpful, must-read for a Lyme sufferer. If you have it, or think you do, read this.Most doctors do not know the score on this widespread and dangerous disease. Some common misconceptions, shared by most doctors:

* You can show negative on the standard tests, and still be infected with the Lyme spirochete.

* Only about half of those infected ever show a red, bullseye rash.

Even if your doctor decides you have it, he will probably prescribe too short a course of antibiotics to be effective, and fail to take other measures. Go to a Lyme-aware specialist, even if he/she is off your insurance, or you don't have insurance. You're worth it. Untreated, this disease can kill or disable you, and cause irreparable damage to your mind.

Also worth noting, many people previously diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, fibromyalgia, and arthritis actually have Lyme. There have even been misdiagnoses of MS, lupus, and some others.

The book also covers all the major tick-borne co-infections--bartonella, ehrlichiosis, babesia, etc.--which commonly occur with Lyme, and sometimes in place of it. His anti-inflammation diet also proved very good for me. Cured my "irritable bowel syndrome" as a side benefit, and I'm losing some weight.

Dr. Singleton avoids the politics and horror stories, and just gets to the things that will help and inform you. If you want the science, politics, and history, which is a horror story, read Pam Weintraub's "Cure Unknown." Also highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
Lyme disease-the unknown epidemic. Learn why billions of dollars are spent each year on an illness that is called easy to treat. Third book in the It's All In Your Head series on Lyme disease, learn who and what may be behind the denial of a global epidemic. A compelling expose of the politics and controversy behind a medical paradigm that reveals the research, the players,and the billions of dollars that keep medical product pipelines flowing in the infectious disease and vaccine markets. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Top-notch, comprehensive scientific journalism - should be required reading
IMHO, should be rated 10 stars (respective to amazon's top rating of 5).

Comprehensive scientific journalism - the author has laboriously and meticulously put together all the relevant references to tell the story and shed light on what is currently known on the disease both clinically and in research, and what is currently suspected or questioned, and why. Yes, including authoritative research sources. Examines both sides of the controversy and what their arguments are based on, in depth. This is not light layperson reading - reads more like a reference text in laying out the whole lyme context and controversy in the U.S. Lays out precisely why theargument (IDSA standpoint) against the existence of long-standing lyme organisms infection is junk science, and the still-overlooked professional conflicts of interest among the dozen influencers of that standpoint which have been brought to light.

If there's anyone you care about who has been diagnosed with lyme, this is the reference you should reach for first for this scientific, informed, intelligent, thorough and rational collection of information.

Should be required reading for all existing doctors and at all med schools - which is unlikely, since which interests fund the med schools' research? And which interests are highly lucrative for medical research professionals outside of universities? The root of the problem is that thebusiness paradigms which underlie the medical practice and research professions are brought into question within the lyme controversy, because of the illogic of the IDSA standpoint... which in turn explains in whole or in part why the controversy is continuing in spite of an increasingly huge body of both research and clinical evidence to the contrary on the existence, diagnosis and treatment of "chronic" lyme. Both thebusiness and scientific issues and evidence is included in this book, withreferences.

Is this author a Ph.D. and has she spent a lifetime in professional medical scientific research? Not as far as I can ascertain online, but it does appear that she's done various medical journalism and the related research work, written textbooks and coauthored papers with medical Ph.D's. In this book especially, she demonstrates fine intelligence in understanding the literature, navigating among a plethora of material, and putting the entire picture together. Dr. Burrascano and Dr. Bransfield have lauded her work - and regardless of whether one agrees with their work or not on lyme - they are two very sharp cookies.

Here are all the references for the IDSA versus ILADS positions, in one place, with all the various issues and their evidence, logically grouped together. (You can go to ILADS for more, or if you have the access, look up the papers listed in this book - that'll keep you busy for a long time!...)

In detailing the scientific facts and references, this book respectfully and thoroughly explains to a large degree how this whole mess may have came about; what we know and what we don't know; what evidence, omissions, distortions, reversals, and outright incorrect statements make up the official stance against chronic or entrenched lyme; and existing evidence supportive of the chronic lyme argument. It's well worth the money, used or new.

By the way, isn't it interesting how many knee-jerk, emotional and/or irrational responses occur from many medical practitioners, researchers and among families in denying lyme as something to consider among all the various potential underlying causes of certain serious ailments, compared to other diseases?

If chronic lyme was hogwash, as Steere & Wormser's (ethically-contradicted) side of the IDSA would have us believe, then the whole thing would have washed out long ago (`chicken little'). But instead, the controversy keeps heating up... the evidence keeps mounting (globally)... Departments have been formed to study and handle it (e.g., Columbia University, NY), and hearings for proposed state legislation to prevent unjust harassment of physicians who treat it get packed standing-room-only attendance. And the numbers of people who are diagnosed (after lengthy evaluation) with it keeps climbing rapidly (even doubling annually in some areas). And that increase in cases is not because diagnosis has become some trendy pigeonhole. (Far from it - diagnosis typically occurs only after a long line of doctors, tests, and years of suffering illness.) Actually, most frontline doctors are still either misinformed about it, or avoid diagnosis like the plague out of fear for their career. It's safer for physicians to blindly follow the dogmatic line and scoff at the idea of entrenched lyme/coinfection, and to denounce the few lyme-treating physicians vultures (as though the scoffers themselves do not get paid for office visits!).

To vastly understate the situation: for most front line doctors, handling entrenched lyme is politically incorrect; it's safer in terms of career and potential liability to keep head in sand and thus avoid it by whatever means possible. There's plenty more patients so they can keep their business running quite well by only accepting those patients who question nothing or have things we know how to treat and are non-controversal and not disproved by the insurance industry (and therefore, federal guidelines).

Besides, modern medicine is not really trained to look for root causes - usually western physicians are taught to slap a latin name on it which describes the condition or its symptoms, and then treat the symptoms. If technical engineering worked like that we'd still be in the stone age.

Complicating factor is that the better tests for lyme require a greater consistency of quality control and meticulous procedures (i.e., higher labor costs for higher accuracy) than fits into the average business strategy for most labs... so they support a witchhunt against their competitors, the few labs who are rigorous in their test procedures and handling.

This is all both sad and ridiculous, because when diagnosed and treated properly, lyme can be controlled or driven down to inactivity, and people can get their productive lives back. Yet thousands continue to suffer, become disabled, lose their homes and livelihoods, and eventually die, and thousands of new people become infected yearly, everywhere. This can be prevented better and controlled better, but right now the business politics still seem to be stacked against good scientific medical practices.

As usual, medicine is limited by bottom-line business and related political drivers. Nothing is solved in such a situation until the root issues are widely identified, so that newapproaches to deal with the underlying roadblocks can be developed (preferably in some win-win manner for greater sustainability).

There's a new book out as of Feb 2010 which may prove interesting on these root human issues, by economist Dr. Helene Jorgensen (Ph.D. American University, Economics; M.S., George Mason University, Environmental Science and Policy). Book title: "Sick and Tired: How the U.S. Health Care System Fails Its Patients," (Polipoint Press, February 2010). Amazon already stocks this; editorial review says "...examines institutional failures at every stage of the U.S. health care system, including diagnosis, treatment, insurance, and prescriptions. Having surveyed those failures, she offers practical guidelines for their correction."

The Truth in One Book
PJ Langhoff has spent four years researching and writing The Book everyone needs to read. "The Baker's Dozen and the Lunatic Fringe" tells the truth about why Lyme patients are not receiving the attention and care they deserve. The answers are complex, just as Lyme is a complex illness. Langhoff brings light to many of the questions surrounding this Epidemic.It's Not All in Your Head!Read "The Baker's Dozen and the Lunatice Fringe"!

THEE MODERN HISTORIC LYME RECORD? REQUIRED FOR THOSE SEEKING TO UNDERSTAND THE NARROW FOUNDATION OF "STANDARD" LYME MEDICINE.
If a medical or legal EXPERT is HONESTLY seeking to understand the most influential forces behind those who control Lyme treatment for 800,000 physicians, this raises concerns any medical board, legislator and physician cannot ignore.

I was concerned that the few physicians who offer services as malpractice experts on tick infection treatment, particularly Lyme disease, have biases and behavior than was quite concerning. After reading, I was surprised they would be used by any credible medical board or in any legal setting.

For years, major journals have discussed forces that undermine the credibility of research, papers, medical education, conferences, guidelines, etc.. Indeed, the forces that are involved with "lyme guidelines" seem far worse than in other areas of medicine according to this author's detailed presentation.

PATIENTS who are confused thier experience with thier unique health outcomes does not fit a particular approach, specifically a simple quick treatment style, will find ample information as to why the nation needs to start from scratch on the treatment approachs to tick-borne diseases.

As someone trying to listen and respect various infection physicians offering guidelines, this was a sobering wake up, and added to my belief I have to do my own homework and serious reading. If I were to depend on a limited few to define care, I would only be offering lazy and flawed medicine. While I understand physicians are time abused, and reading a mere 100 articles on anything is almost never done, than this should be understood. Specifically,patients, medical boards, courts and insurance company reviewers, should know that thier physician or expert has not had time to research this infection. Since being used as an "expert" is ABOVE routine care, reading 1,000 articles on Lyme disease and other tick infections should be required for each. And the articles should not be filtered for one style of care or ideology. In politics or the media, we expect at least two positions to be represented for "fair" coverage. I am concerned with any board reviewer, expert, lawyer, media sopurce, or passionate clinician who only reads one perspective.

This text also made me realize why so many patients do not trust the status quo. This author offers many reasons for serious concern that the corrent routine approach to Lyme disease is fully off the tracks. She makes her case with very serious research and logic. I do not care if you agree with her, I just do not see how her research can be ignored.

THE TRUTH WE ALL NEED IT
THE BAKER'S DOZEN & THE LUNATIC FRINGE IS A POWERFULL MESSAGE ABOUT THE TRUTH. IT IS A BOOK THAT SHOULD BE SENT TO EVERY PUBLIC OFFICIAL THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH LYME,TO EVERY DOCTORS OFFICE,CDC AND IDSA. YOU CANT PUT A PRICE TAG ON TRUTH. EVER SINCE THE DAY I WAS DIAGNOST WITH LYME ALL I HAVE ENCOUNTERED IS INSANITY , THIS BOOK GIVES ME A GREAT UNDERSTANDING
OF THE WHAT AND WHY'S, IF YOU HAVE LYME THIS IS A MUST READ. IF YOUR FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER HAS LYME THIS IS A MUST READ.IT WILL HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND, AND FINIALY GIVE YOU THE TRUTH, THE AUTHUR HAS GONE WHERE ONLY A FEW DARE TO GO, DEEP INTO THE LYME CONTROVERSIES. The Baker's Dozen & the Lunatic Fringe: Has Junk Science Shifted the Lyme Disease Paradigm?

The absolute Lyme book to get!!!
The Bakers Dozen and the Lunatic Fringe is worth EVERY penny and more!!!!! This is the book every Lyme patient or friend of Lyme patients have been waiting for. The information and research in this book is astounding!!! So much more than what you find in other books. Look at the pictures on page 52 and tell me that mosquitoes can't transmit this. Read through chapter 9 to see WHY 1,000's of 1,000's of people are been misdiagnosed with current blood tests. Every chapter has golden nuggets.

This is THE Lyme book to get to understand this horrible illness. One that myself and my family have been fighting for years. And yes, we also have a library of Lyme books in our house. Thank you SO much PJ Langoff for writing this incredibly comprehensive book. I am recommending it to everyone!!!

... Read more

Product Description
A comprehensive guide to "The Great Imitator", Lyme Disease and it's impact on the whole body.

Includes a 55 symtom tracking guide, leading new research, a review of alternative techniques,and a protocol of natural products, and what type of doctor to find. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Easy to Read
Dr Jernigan has written this book so that it is understandable to the layperson. It should be read by all those doctors that are in a silent waragainst long term treatment of chronic Lyme disease (CLD). Anyone who hasquestions about alternative treatment for CLD will find many answers inthis book. I have been studying Lyme disease for more than 5 years.I wish Ihad this book back.

Thank you Dr. Jernigan for the time and effort youhave put into writing this book.

A companion to your alternative medicine treatment...
If you use alternative means of health practices, this book will assist you and your practitioner in guiding your care.This book discusses electro-dermal screening and various vitamins/minerals/homeopathic-types tocoinside with recovering from Lyme Disease.Written in a very positivemanner, not depressing, like other Lyme Disease books.

Hope at last!The positive outlook I needed!
I just got a pre-release copy of his second edition of the book and it really gave me hope.I had read the shorter version he had written last year and this is way better. I wish that my doctor would read it since ittalks in detail of the illness on a level that I can understand.It wasnice to see that he recommends HBOT and discusses it a bit. I'm glad tosee that my MD is listed in his directory in the back of the book too -that was really encouraging!It's about time to have a book on naturalthings that will help us.

Way Overpriced
This pamphlet states the obvious about health.It doesn't have much useful and is basically just to promote the products created by this doctor.To sum up the booklet, it says to see a kinesiologist and then usethe author's products if you have Lyme.It also says avoid nutrasweet,msg, soda, smoking, alcohol, junk food.Drink water and deap breathe. That's about it.I just saved you 10 bucks. ... Read more

Product Description
In many parts of the country, spring into fall is the "hot season" for Lyme disease.Upwards of 70% of Lyme disease victims are infected in their own yards, and the number of Lyme disease cases has been climbing in recent years.Fortunately, the arsenal of tick-control measures has also recently expanded, and these tick-thwarting strategies are detailed in the new book "Ticks Off! Controlling Ticks That Transmit Lyme Disease on Your Property".

The tick control measures described in the book focus on two main themes; landscape alterations and host control.These strategies, applied in tandem, are likely to be more effective in substantially reducing tick populations compared to using any single method of tick control.

As Lyme disease has become more common in many parts of the United States, more and more property owners are seriously exploring tick control measures.Ticks Off! is designed as a concise, up-to-date resource for controlling Lyme disease-transmitting ticks.Written by an experienced tick biologist, this book will give you the tools to make your yard inviting for humans, but not for ticks.Heavily referenced so you can do further research yourself on ticks and tick control.Softcover, eighty pages, 13 illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Extraordinarily accessible and practical quick-read resource
Ticks Off! Controlling Ticks That Transmit Lyme Disease On Your Property is a practical guide for homeowners and others seeking to control Lyme disease transmitting ticks. Covering personal protection against tick bites, identifying whether blacklegged ticks (deer ticks) exist on one's property, strategies for keeping down infection rates by monitoring and influencing the animals that serve as tick hosts, and more fill this brief yet extraordinarily accessible and practical quick-read resource.

... Read more

Product Description
Lyme Disease, the first book in the Key Disease series, provides a practical approach to this often misdiagnosed or under-recognized illness.

The many topics covered include epidemiology, the natural history of Lyme disease, management of tick bites, Lyme carditis, neurologic manifestations, musculoskeletal features, Lyme disease in children, long-term consequences, vaccination, use of the laboratory, and disease management.

Concise descriptions of the clinical evidence of Lyme disease appear throughout the text. Brief case studies highlight the chapters. An entire section of Clinical Vignettes tests the reader's knowledge and shows how experts approach commonly encountered clinical dilemmas. An FDA Public Health Advisory on the potential for misdiagnosis of Lyme disease is provided as an appendix.

Written by a team of specialists and generalists, Lyme Disease presents the accurate and timely clinical information essential for the primary care provider. ... Read more

Product Description
Bartonella is one of the most serious infections in the world. Due to profoundly outmoded testing, this universal world infection has been able to hide in untold tens of millions of individuals.Even with virtually no research, it has gone from 2 species to 32 discovered species in a short time. Treatment studies are all of questionable value. Bartonella harms every organ in at least 15-20 ways. This fact is based on a review of about 2,000 published papers and is functionally unknown to 99.9% of the world’s clinical and academic health care workers.This book is meant to powerfully and clearly reveal this profoundly dangerous stealth infection, before it harms millions of people. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Compassionate expert - admired physician
In my pursuit of Lyme disease research which has become a full time role, Dr. James Schaller has been the single most compassionate and helpful healthcare professional. He gives freely of his time and offers untethered advice and guidance, and I consider him a leading, respected expert in the field of Lyme disease and co-infections.

It has always amazed me how Dr. Schaller can remain on the cutting edge of medical research. As a physician who is still in the clinical setting, this dedicated doctor takes the time and energy necessary not only to deal compassionately with patients, but also to burry himself in research and remain on the frontier of Lyme disease information.

His Bartonella textbook is no different. Written for both patients and physicians, this book belongs in the library of both. Highly recommended.

Bryan Rosner
Author, "The Top 10 Lyme Disease Treatments"
and "Lyme Disease & Rife Machines"

Disappointing
I am very disappointed in this book.The photos were of poor quality and the drawings/sketches looked as if drawn by a child.The book appeared very unprofessional and was unnecessarily lengthy.This information could have been put in a pamphlet.Don't waste your money.

Excellent Book - A MUST read
I think it was genius to make both a black & white & color editions of this book. If the color edition is out of your price range then the black & white edition is excellent, too. Picture aren't as defined but for the money, it's Excellent. Pictures like these can not be found anywhere else. I have searched everywhere. Besides the pictures, it gave me a better understanding of just how critical Bartonella is. Who would of thought moles,that were really Bartonella papules, could be a disease that kills.(try and search that on the internet, you'll find nothing, but i have them and you can see examples in these books) Bottom line, Dr. Schaller has done it again another excellent book - You should read his mold illness & his children's books -They are also VERY good.

One of a kind EXCELLENT book
Pictures like these can not be found anywhere else. I have searched everywhere. Besides the pictures, it gave me a better understanding of just how critical Bartonella is. Who would of thought moles (that were really Bartonella papules) could be a disease that kills. Bottom line, Dr. Schaller has done it again another excellent book - You should read his mold illness & his children's books -They are also VERY good.The black & white edition is good but the color is absolutely the BEST!!!! It is written in laymans terms so it can be read & understood easily. In my opinion, everyone, especially people in the medical professional, should read this book & hopefully someday soon the disease will be better diagnosed and less people will perish from this disease and other tick borne illnesses. Thank you Dr.Schaller for all your time & research in making this book - I can not find words to say just how much his books have helped me.

Awesome and Unique Compilation of Relevant and Useful Information
This book is an awesome compilation of relevant and useful information, both visual and written on the under- and mis- understood topic of Bartonella infections. I am not aware of any other modern source for this kind of data,summary of treatment outcomes, and generous album of photographic records of the cutaneous manifestation of Bartonella infections. It will prove beneficial to caregivers, and sufferers of this stubborn and stealthy disease. This book will hopefully raise everyone's awareness of not only this disease's existence, but its abundant presence. How anyone can actually read through it and not be amazed, frightened, and thankful, is difficult to understand, given its clear, non-"medical" writing style. A must read for anyone in medicine, or anyone touched by hard-to-diagnose or hard-to-treat physical or psychological struggles. ... Read more

Product Description
This work began as a history of Lyme disease. Looking in the historical records for places where thisdisease might have occurred in the past, the author kept finding descriptions ofwitchcraft afflictions. Was there a connection between Lyme disease and the European concept of the witch? Lookingback, into a past that isabound with oak trees, acorns, deer, pigs, andother animals, humans can be foundcreating and participating in cultural practicesthat had environmental ramifications. Drawingupon the latest in scientific and historicalresearch, this work will become essential readingfor those interested in Lyme disease, including the modern controversies surrounding it as a disease in disguise. It also explores the environmentalcontext for the European witch and tells a compelling tale about the timelessimportance of the interaction between humanity and the invisible world of bacteria. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

3 stars for content, 1 star for execution
The idea of this book is intriguing. I do believe that some, if not all, of the people who were accused of witchcraft in the early years of this country did, in fact, have Lyme disease. The author clearly did a lot of research and I don't think the connections she's making are far-fetched at all. That said, the book is in major need of a good editor. It's disorganized, the writing style varies from chapter to chapter, and it's poorly proofread. I had to stop myself from pulling out a red pen and circling all of the awkward bits as I was reading. It's too bad because I think there's a good book in there somewhere. If you can get past all of that (and the cover art), then go ahead and read it, as the author does propose some fascinating things.

Disguised As The Devil:How Lyme Disease Created Witches and Changed History
Very interesting book, about a extremely controversial topic:Chronic Lyme Disease.I subscribe to the authors interpretation of history.

A Work of Scholarship!
Three members of my family in Northern Virginia have been afflicted by Lyme disease.Like so many other sufferers, we have had to educate ourselves to make up for the general lack of knowledge and understanding about Lyme on the part of the medical community.This search for knowledge led me to "Disguised As The Devil:How Lyme Disease Created Witches And Changed History".

Although initially skeptical about Mary Drymon's hypothesis, I finished the book absolutely convinced that she has unearthed a previously unknown connection between Lyme disease and the social and religious phenomena that culminated in the witch trials of the 1600s.In fact, she makes her case so convincingly that it leaves you wondering how this evidence could have been overlooked for nearly 400 years.

If you search online you will find some people who have attacked Ms. Drymon and her book in the general context of "here come the Lyme crazies again".You should ignore these rantings and ravings.This is not how one refutes a work of scholarship.Accepted means of rebuttal include questioning the researcher's methodology and thoroughness, citing contradictory information which may have been overlooked or omitted, even accepting the same sources but interpreting them differently.Resorting to ridicule and name-calling reveals a serious disrespect for the way in which new ideas are proposed, discussed and debated in the world of scholars.

This book is not an easy read.There are entire chapters devoted to the colonists' diet, acorns, pigs, land-use patterns, etc.And you may wonder where all this is leading.Be patient.Ms. Drymon is methodically and systematically creating a preponderance of evidence that make her conclusions all but self-evident.

Whether you ultimately agree or disagree with Ms. Drymon's hypothesis about Lyme disease and witches, you will be astonished at the breadth and depth of her research.Truly a tour-de-force of research and scholarship.

Reads like a Doctoral Dissertation
This book is clearly well researched.But frankly, it reads like a Doctoral Dissertation (that is, boring) written by someone with an axe to grind.There are many examples of the author's bias against the medical establishment, the FDA, and the pharmaceutical industry.While some of these examples may be valid, they detract from the subject at hand.If you are interested in reading an unobjective, boring Doctoral Dissertation about a topic that could be expounded on in a beautiful, relevant, and enlightening way, read this book.If no, wait for someone else to write that good book I was hoping to read.

Salem witches and Lyme's disease...Who would have thought??
Salem witches and Lyme's disease...Who would have made this connection???This book is a paradigm shifting work. I can see why it has been controversial. It contains innovative, outside the box thinking. Lyme disease carried back to Europe from North America after 1492 is as good an explanation for the appearance of the Devil's Mark there during the 1500's as any I have read. Meticulously researched, this book adds to the environmental explanations for the persecution of witches, helping to make some of the saddest times in human history more understandable. It shows the events in Salem in 1692 in a new way that compliments pre-existing social theories. It also shows that witch-hunts are not historic relicts pushed into some dusty forgotten corner but still exist as part of the mentality and actions of some members of modern day American society. All in all a scholarly work as well as a good and entertaining read.
... Read more

Product Description
Discusses what Lyme disease is, how one gets it, and what to do about it. ... Read more

Product Description
Explores the history of Lyme disease and discusses its symptoms, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. ... Read more

Product Description
Here is a complete handbook for the prevention andtreatment of Lyme disease and other ailments caused by ticks,scorpions, spiders, and mites.

Ticks are the most feared of all eight-legged pests because they carrythe debilitating Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Bothdiseases can cause permanent damage to the infected, and earlydetection is difficult. OUTWITTING TICKS will, among other things,help you:

* Identify the species of poisonous ticks, spiders, and mites in your area

* Recognize and treat Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Fever

* Prevent contact with disease bearing ticks

* Protect and treat children and pets

* Sort through the myths about ticks and poisonous spiders

No suburban or rural dweller, gardener, hiker, or anyone who enjoysthe outdoors should be without a copy. ... Read more

Product Description
Navigating the most appropriate diet for a Lyme disease patient can be difficult, but good nutrition is such a crucial part of any treatment regimen that it is well worth addressing. Food sustains us, nourishes us, and can heal us. Food is medicine. It is one of the most important factors in your treatment program. The Lyme Diet contains a wealth of information about why dietary choices are critical for minimizing inflammation, optimizing immune function, promoting healthy digestion and gut flora, balancing hormones, and detoxifying the body. Dr. Nicola s book is a must-have manual for anyone suffering from such Lyme disease symptoms as fatigue, chronic pain, cognitive deficits, and candidiasis. It also has applications for other chronic illnesses such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, MS, ALS as well as anyone desiring to advance their health goals through nutrition. This ground-breaking publication outlines many practical examples and strategies for implementing nutritional change on a daily basis. It also serves to decode otherwise complex information on nutritional supplements, helpful lab testing, and inexpensive home treatments. Dr. Nicola McFadzean takes a comprehensive approach to treating Lyme disease with patients all over the world. With this invaluable book, she shares the wisdom, insight and solutions that have been, until now, exclusive to her private patients. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Lyme Diet/Dr.Nicola MaFadzean
Lyme Disease is fast becoming the' New Epidemic' in America. Information is power. When you have the availability to excess the number one books and videos and other media out there all on one website such as Amazon you can begin a journey of that empowerment. Thank you Amazon for being there in so many ways for all who choose to have knowledge. Go to [...] for more suggestions. ... Read more

Product Description
Does your child have Lyme disease? Does he or she feel alone and not know what to expect from family and friends? Written with developmentally appropriate language and tone, this book can help kids with Lyme Disease learn about their illness. Unlike other books about the disease, it isn't just about the facts: Lyme Disease Is No Fun concentrates on helping kids cope with the unique experience of living with Lyme Disease and everything that goes along with it. Children will feel more empowered, informed and prepared to after reading Lyme Disease Is No Fun. ... Read more

Product Description