BBC HIV Programme Review. Connection With Lyme.
- Sophie Ward
- May 27, 2017
- 5 min read
The BBC broadcast their 'The Truth About HIV' programme on Thursday night at 9pm.
It was very eye opening. You may ask, this has nothing to do with Lyme disease, it is totally different. Well actually HIV and Lyme are quite similar. Hopefully one day we can raise enough awareness about Lyme to gain further research as HIV did.
How are they similar?
-HIV was and is classed as an epidemic. Lymes is also becoming an epidemic.
-Neither have a cure once Lyme is left untreated and becomes chronic and AIDS is left untreated and becomes HIV.
-Treatments suppress symptoms and allows you to live.
-People avoid being tested for both diseases! HIV has a stereotype badge and Lyme- well it's just a silly bite.
-Treatments are expensive for both diseases.
-Both attack major organs and confuse your immune system.
-Lack of knowledge and research have left thousands being misdiagnosed, mistreated, dying and dismissed.
-The health industry didn't understand how to treat these diseases.
-It took and is taking thousands of deaths before the Government funds research.
-Both diseases are spread through animals which means the infected are also infected with a number of other co-infections.
We all know how scary and deadly HIV is. There are 6,000 new cases a year in the U.K .
Sounds a lot doesn't it.
Well this may shock you.
Not many people know about Lyme or what is all about. I was one of these indivuals just a few months ago.
But what if I was to tell you that, in England and Wales there is approximately 45,000 cases of Lyme each year! 45,000 fills the London Olympic Stadium! Shocked?
The NHS play these figures down by stating that the actual number is 2,000-3,000 . Adding that most of these cases are patients who have travelled abroad!
The NHS distancing themselves from the disease. Probably realising that in the future this disease will be a major strain on our health industry. Due to lack of education, awareness, tests, treatments and research.
As I stated the other day, the NHS often refuse to treat Lyme, test for Lyme, misdiagnosis Lyme with something they can treat so you feel like you are being treated, ignore Lyme tests done aboard.
Their ignorance is not acceptable and making Lyme a lot more of a deeper, darker issue. Allowing patients to go through further suffering and not being treated efficiently.
The total is 300,000 people who become infected with Lyme every year.
So it is a massive issue. Though the numbers aren't the most worrying problem that comes along with this disease.
It is the fact there is lack of testing, treatments and research that many slip under the radar- go untreated and therefore their infection becomes chronic setting the patient up for a lifetime of treatment, chronic illness and chronic pain.
It is so important to get treatment as soon as possible. With Lyme the first month is critical. If you receive treatment within the first month then you will most likely make a full recovery. Beyond a month it because a chronic illness.
This window isn't a large window hence the urgency for more research, testing and treatments to become more known and mainstream.
HIV I understand at first was a death sentence and many didn't see out longer than 2 years after being diagnosed.
I know that Lyme is not catergorised as a killer and maybe this is why Governments don't offer funding to help this disease. Lyme is a killer though! We have the issue of all the coinfections, infections causing other damage and being misdiagnosed as another illness.
So many paitents for example may suffer with Parkinson's or heart disease etc due to their Lyme infections but although Lyme ultimately caused these horrible diseases it won't be named as the cause of death on the death certificate - the Parkinson's etc will take president. This means that for the stats that the health industry and Governements in their arguements - Lyme looks like it's purely just an infection that infects us but isn't the main killer and disease so therefore isn't a concern.
HIV began getting more research, funding, testing and treatment due to the high death rate because of it. It is upsetting that so many have to lose their fights to get noticed and action to begin, however we don't have this evidence to back our arguement and fight for more to be done for us.
We simply can't just lie down and be ignorant too.
The suffering is unbearable and we deserve treatment and the funding!
People who have had cancer then being infected with Lyme have said that having Lyme has being a bigger challenge and more painful.
How long can we let this go on?
How far does this have to go?
We need to keep raising awareness.
Keep our voices loud so they can't silence us.
Here are some Lyme facts on the pictures for you to take a look at.
I think it's great that the BBC are raising awareness on health issues that really do affect our everyday lives in such horrible ways but it would be amazing if they could help us in the fight against Lyme and help us raise awareness too.
I watched a documentary on Lyme in Australia this morning. Despite the increasing rate of paitents being infected with Lyme the medical professionals were so ignorant towards the disease it was sickening. Saying it didn't exist in Australia 🇦🇺 and that Lyme wasn't responsible for their symtoms and pain. Paitents were having to travel to America for tests and Germany for treatments. One woman spent £30,000 on a 3 week stretch of treatment in Germany. This is how crazy it is!
Luckily the U.K aren't that backward about Lyme but we are behind!! We need and require funding, testings, treatment and more education.
Do you think you may have Lyme or know someone suffering with 'Lyme' like symtoms?
Remember a bulletpoint rash?
PLEASE
Please get tested! I can't stress it enough!!!
I wouldn't wish this horrible disease on my worst enemy.
Let's fight and get our voices heard!
Thank you for reading. I hope these comparisons, facts and stats help you realise and appreciate a little more what we are working / fighting against and with here.
It isn't a simple quick fix infection. Insurance companies across the world refuse to pay out for Lyme if you not treated after 2 weeks. They will only fund the 2 weeks of antibiotics!!
Yet they don't believe chronic Lyme exists?
Personally they are getting out of paying a little to quickly to not believe chronic Lyme does indeed exist and proves that they know there isn't a cure and that on-going treatment if required meaning a huge bill for them that they don't want!
This is why insurance companies take any doctor or health professional who speaks out about chronic Lyme to court. Often resulting in the health professional losing their license, being sued or struck off. How is this right and allowed to happen?
Let's end all this and educate ourselves - focusing on finding a cure not being ignorant to this damaging disease!
Any questions - please reach out.
Thank you for you time.
Love and peace
S
Xoxo
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