Treatment and Testing
How does my child or I get diagnosed?
A Lyme literate practitioner makes all the difference in how quickly one recovers. When choosing the right team of practitioners, you want to ask if the MD or NP has received the additional and specialized training from www.ILADS.org? They offer AMA approved CME hours in tick-borne diseases necessary to help your family get on the right track as quickly as possible. You will likely want a team of practitioners helping you heal, no one person has all the answers and knowledge of all the therapies that can assist you along your journey. There are good ones out there, don't be afraid to move on if you are not getting better after a reasonable amount of time and diligent level of compliance. Expert neurologist, Dr. Armon Katz told my son when treating bortonella (or Lyme), "you have to be meticulous".
On your initial visit, your Lyme specialist will spend 1-2 hours with you and your child to take a full medical history. The full medical history includes your child’s health, yours and your spouse's health, as well as your other children. It is not uncommon for siblings to have symptoms, sometimes mild and seemingly unrelated. Your symptoms are important as well to help your doctor understand how the disease could be impacting your family.
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Your doctor may recommend testing with specialty labs which provide more accurate test results than the traditional testing a non Lyme specialist might order. Although the specialty lab tests are more accurate, the test may still show a false negative or unequivocal test result. The specialist may then make a clinical diagnosis based on the patient's symptoms and history.
What treatments are available for Lyme complex?
Once your doctor has provided a diagnosis, he or she will work with you and your child to identify the most impactful symptoms and provide an antibiotic or alternative treatment to treat the infections. The infections can take weeks to years to clear and typically require changes in protocol to clear them effectively.
Oftentimes, treating the infection can cause a Herxheimer reaction or 'herx'. A herx happens when the pathogen is killed and the dead matter causes symptoms to worsen for a period of time. To reduce a herx reaction, you/your child may need to 'detox' by doing detox baths, saunas, and or taking a supplement that helps your body clear and support the body. Work with your doctor to identify the best option for you/your child. You may need to try a few different options to find what works best.
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Schedule Kristina if you would like coached, she has over a decade experience, administered health groups of thousands of Lyme patients, and managed to reach remission with all 5 of her family members. All requiring different treatments to address the different pathogen load, even though all the kids got it from her at birth. It is normal for each person to express different symptoms at different times, but all her kids flared during puberty.
How much do doctor visits cost?
Many Lyme specialists do not accept insurance, but most will provide a superbill with ICD and CPT codes for you to file for reimbursement yourself after paying the doctor directly. Calling or visiting your insurance website can help you understand if the doctor is in network or out to establish how much you may be reimbursed. Don't forget to factor in coinsurance when you ask about your coverage rights for out of network claims.
Expect to pay for a good specialist but has mostly proven to be a game changer in your care:
First visit: range $700-$2,500 (typically 1-2 hours)
Follow ups: $250-$1,000 (typically 1 hour)
How much does testing cost?
Costs for testing can be around 700.00 and up to include coinfections, and usually reimbursable with most insurance plans. Call your insurance ahead to find out what is or isn't. Work with your doctor to determine the best option based on symptoms and budget.
Integrative medicine has utilized an FDA ``investigative” tool known as Electro-dermal screening (EDS) to identify all the red flags of a patient's imbalances. This has been a game changer for Kristina and her four kids, and allowed them all to reach remission. If the diagnostic tests are looking for a pathogen in the blood where they avoid oxygen and do not live, it makes sense to utilize a different tool. Not medical advice but am speaking from my own experience. Some doctors use this tool alongside traditional labs for a more thorough picture.
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Send the tick in TX if attached to a human for testing: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/animal-safety-zoonosis/animal-bites/tick-submission-testing
​How much does treatment cost?
Many antibiotics are available at your local pharmacy through your insurance, or sometimes reimbursable if needing to be prescribed from a compounding pharmacy. Your doctor may also recommend vitamin and detox supplements which usually can be purchased on Amazon or an online store. Vitamin IV's can also be ordered to help lessen the burden on the body.
After using electro-dermal screening, Kristina paid $20-30.00 a bottle for the targeted homeopathy, herbals, and supplements that were identified to clear and correct what showed up in the investigation. These last months, making this method an affordable option for patients. Not medical advice.
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How can I submit bills to my insurance?
Some patients have enjoyed using: https://www.medicalbillgurus.com who provide a free estimate of their services and charges a small percentage of what is reimbursed. Check how far back you can file; some are 12 -18 months. Even if a claim is denied, check the fine print for why, get any additional requested documentation from the doctor, and appeal, appeal, appeal. Keep a spreadsheet to help you keep track once claims are reimbursed. Some patients having cognitive difficulties might consider letting a professional filer help them.