How to Prevent the Spread of Lyme Disease

From the Show: HER
Summary: Andrea Caesar offers specific and unique advice on Lyme disease as someone who has lived with it for majority of her life.
Air Date: 6/12/14
Duration: 10
Host: Michelle King Robson and Pamela Peeke, MD
Guest Bio: Andrea Caesar, Author
andrea caesarAndrea Caesar is an author, entrepreneur and single mother who suffers from chronic Lyme disease, a controversial life-long illness not recognized by some in the medical community. Despite her health problems, Caesar is the top ranked leader and sales consultant for Ava Anderson Non-Toxic, which specializes in personal care products free from toxic chemicals.

In A Twist of Lyme: Battling a Disease That "Doesn't Exist," Caesar recounts her now 28-year struggle against undiagnosed Lyme disease as well as the harsh physical and emotional toll of her recent treatment.
How to Prevent the Spread of Lyme Disease
Andrea Caesar doesn't even really know what life would be like without Lyme disease.

Andrea was an active, happy, vivacious ten-year-old. A year later, Caesar had trouble catching her breath, debilitating migraines and battled consistent muscle aches. She was left undiagnosed for 26 years, and now has chronic Lyme disease.

Unfortunately, when it comes to treatment of Lyme disease, you have to get worse before you can get better.

It's important to understand the difference between acute Lyme disease and Lyme disease. Acute Lyme disease is when you have just gotten the bite and you either find the tick on you or see the rash.

Most people don't find the tick and don't notice the rash, which is why the disease can go undiagnosed for such an extensive period of time. If you do notice, you are one of the lucky ones.

If you are lucky, you should immediately go to see a "Lyme literate doctor" to treat the infection properly. What Andrea means by that is that the doctor understands how to aggressively treat the infection in its acute stage. You don't want someone who is going to hand you an antibiotic and say, "see ya in a couple weeks."

In this segment, Andrea, author of A Twist of Lyme, entrepreneur and mother, offers specific advice on Lyme disease as someone who has lived with it for majority of her life.

Things that parents should notice in their children if Lyme is suspect:
  • An onset of migraines
  • Missing more school than usual
  • Lethargy or constantly tired

As you get older the symptoms to suspect are:
  • Paranoia
  • Depression
  • Social and other phobias
  • Seizure activity