Dutch Parents Accused of Child Abuse Due to Children with Lyme Disease

September 14, 2017

Approx. 7.5 min

By Huib Kraaijeveld

For English subtitles, chose ‘settings’ (the cog symbol) in the Youtube screen, go to subtitles and select English.

Recently Dutch national television highlighted how at least fifty parents of children with Lyme in the Netherlands were accused of child abuse by the Child Protection Services during the last two years.

While the medical and political discussion about Lyme diagnosis and treatment remains a battlefield, as it has been for the last forty years, at least the people around these fifty families can see through the ‘if there is smoke, there must be a fire’ prejudice. If they don’t automatically believe the accusers, it makes all the difference in the world for the ones being accused. The broadcast did this beautifully by focusing on a few people, while no medical experts were included.

The mother in the broadcast, Erica Vrijmoet, wrote the Dutch book Chronically Happy as a ‘friction’ book about the adventures of her family with what she calls the ‘medical mafia’. In 2006 her husband and all of their three children were infected with Lyme by bugs in an Italian swimming pool and she spend all her time, energy and money on taking care of them and finding the possible treatments. After six years of trying to find help in Dutch hospitals, they find medical help abroad.

Her daughter Freek tells the viewers how both she and her sister were traumatised by the raid of ‘Safe Home’. “They tried to tell us that our parents were some sort of criminals. That they inflicted our illness upon us. To me, that was completely ridiculous. My parents were the only ones who fought for us. And then somebody just barges in, basically throws it all out of the window and claim my parents made me ill.”

Her mother Erica reads the ‘allegation’ against them out loud: “The parents were very tender and loving towards each other and their children in our presence. Also the nurses involved found this behaviour to appear unreal sometimes.” Based on accusations like these, they were accused of child abuse and making their children ill.

Category:

Activism, Uncategorized

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IV Ketamine in PTLS

https://www.dovepress.com/effects-of-intravenous-ketamine-in-a-patient-with-post-treatment-lyme–peer-reviewed-article-IMCRJ

Effects of intravenous ketamine in a patient with post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome

Authors Hanna AF, Abraham B, Hanna A, Smith AJ

Published 18 August 2017 Volume 2017:10 Pages 305—308

Video abstract presented by Ashraf F Hanna.

Department of Pain Management, Florida Spine Institute, Clearwater, FL, USA

Abstract: Post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS) is a pain disorder for which there remains no gold standard treatment option. Here, we report a case of PTLDS in a female patient whose pain was refractory to treatment options such as radiofrequency ablation, vitamin infusion therapy, opioid analgesics, and other pharmacotherapies. The patient commenced an experimental intravenous ketamine infusion therapy at the Florida Spine Institute (Clearwater, FL, USA) and achieved relief from her chronic pain, an improved quality of life, reduced depression and suicidal ideation, and reduced opioid consumption.

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**Comment**

While I am always on board for relief of patient’s symptoms, PTLS is defined as symptoms remaining after Lyme treatment. Knowing that this treatment by the mainstream medical establishment is seriously lacking due to the ignorance of borrelia itself (the fact it shape-shifts and persists) as well as the ignorance of coinfection involvement (which necessitates numerous drugs, not just doxycycline) , I question the entire premise of PTLS. Ketamine may very well be a bandaid covering serious infections that need to be dealt with.

Also, it’s important to note what Ketamine is: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/302663.php

The drug has hallucinogenic, tranquilizing and dissociative effects, and is one of the recreational drugs used illegally in the club drug scene.

Here are some key points about ketamine:

Ketamine was first synthesized in 1962 by Parke-Davis and classified as a controlled substance in the US in 1999.

The US military used ketamine as a field anesthetic during the Vietnam War.

Ketamine blocks the neurotransmitter glutamate at the receptor, causing a trance-like state and disconnection from one’s environment.

Ketamine is the most widely used anesthetic in veterinary medicine.

Ketamine is often used as an anesthetic in parts of the world that have limited availability of resuscitation equipment.

Because it is odorless, colorless and can render the user unable to move, ketamine has been used as a date rape drug.

Ketamine abuse is associated with the use of other “club drugs” including ecstasy.

Ketamine is structurally similar to phencyclidine (PCP).

Most of the ketamine illegally distributed in the US is diverted or stolen from legitimate sources – particularly veterinary clinics.

The complicated, multistep process involved in synthesizing ketamine prevents illicit production of the drug.

A question that begs to be asked is how will Ketamine affect Lyme and other coinfections such as Bartonella which commonly give patients psychiatric symptoms including: hallucinations, anxiety, panic attacks, confusion, memory loss, suicidal ideations, depersonalization, and other cognitive issues similar to side-effects of the drug itself?

Before we simply raise our hands in surrender and take a drug that can put us in a stuporous trance I think we need to continue to do important research as to why patients continue to have debilitating symptoms.

Category:

Lyme, research, Treatment

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LDA/Columbia 18th Annual Lyme CME Conference: Lyme & Tick-Borne Diseases: What Clinicians Need to Know about an Expanding Epidemic Sept 23-24, 2017

LDA/Columbia 18th Annual Lyme CME Conference
Lyme & Tick-Borne Diseases: What Clinicians Need to Know about an Expanding Epidemic

Sept 23-24, 2017
Hilton Penns Landing, Phila., PA. Hotel info

Looking for the real facts on Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases− what’s happening with coinfections such as Powassan, B. miyamotoi and with Bartonella? What’s new with rickettsial diseases and with tick bite causing meat allergy? Why do Lyme patients often have low blood pressure–how does Lyme affect the heart, breathing, and digestive process when the autonomic nervous system is disrupted? Can Lyme cause optic neuritis? How does inflammation from Lyme affect the brain and how can it be treated? Biofilms and persisters, what are they and are they causing chronic Lyme disease? What are some prevention strategies and have we learned new information from big data?

Pre-Conference Video, Approx. 3.5 Min

The conference is designed for doctors, nurses and researchers. Those who register for CMEs and CNE’s may receive credit, and the public is also invited to register. An included reception will enable conference attendees to network with the conference faculty.

Thanks to support from the Steven & Alexandra Foundation and IGeneX Labs for this conference.

Click here for Registration and Conference Information: https://lymediseaseassociation.org/information

Category:

Activism, Lyme, research, Ticks, Treatment

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Bm in Manitoba 2011-2014

https://doi.org/10.9778/cmajo.20170070

Human seroprevalence of Borrelia miyamotoi in Manitoba, Canada, in 2011-2014: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Hard tick-borne relapsing fever caused by Borrelia miyamotoi has been reported in Russia, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan and the northeastern and upper midwestern United States. We sought to investigate the presence of B. miyamotoi infection in humans in Manitoba, Canada.

Methods: Two hundred fifty sera collected from residents of Manitoba with suspected Lyme disease between 2011 and 2014 were tested for Borrelia burgdorferi antibody using a C6 peptide enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) followed by Western blot. Residual sera were then anonymized, stored at -80°C and subsequently thawed and tested for B. miyamotoi antibody using a 2-step glycerosphosphodiester phosphodiesterase-based ELISA and Western blot assay.

Results: Twenty-four of the 250 (9.6%) sera tested positive for B. miyamotoi immunoglobulin G. Participants who were B. miyamotoi seropositive were predominantly male (54%) and younger on average than those who were seronegative (32 and 44 yr of age, respectively). Participants who were seropositive for B. burgdorferiwere significantly more likely to be B. miyamotoi seropositive than those who were B. burgdorferi seronegative (20.3% v. 6.6%, respectively, odds ratio 3.6, 95% confidence interval 1.5-8.5).

Interpretation: This initial report of human B. miyamotoi infection in Canada should raise awareness of hard tick-borne relapsing fever among clinicians and residents of areas in Canada and western North America where Lyme disease is endemic.

Category:

Borrelia Miyamotoi (Relapsing Fever Group), research, Ticks

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