Monday, June 14, 2010

CBC Radio -- The Current

Good morning Canada! -- and beyond.

CBC Radio listeners were treated to an interesting conversation about Lyme disease this morning. Anna Maria Tremonti, host of the The Current, interviewed two doctors; Dr. Maureen McShane, a physician practising in New York State, and Dr. Nicholas Ogden, with the Public Health Agency of Canada.

So let's compare these two fine people. Dr. McShane is a practising physician. Dr. Ogden researches ticks. Dr. McShane treats Lyme patients. Dr. Ogden researches ticks. Dr. McShane is a recovered Lyme patient herself, and has experienced the whole gamut of the Lyme adventure with which so many of us are intimately familiar. Dr. Ogden.... researches ticks.

I'm sure you're getting the point. Dr. McShane has a wealth of real life experience, both personally and through her practise. And while Dr. Ogden cautions about over-reacting to the Lyme crisis, Dr. McShane knows first hand that Canada's current testing protocols are a colossal waste of time, and that the result of a delayed diagnosis is devastating for Lyme patients -- resulting in long-term chronic health issues and sometimes even death.

And Dr. Ogden's suggestion that we will get a much clearer picture about the magnitude of the disease in our country now that it is nationally reportable... well, that's the kind of material that might well benefit your vegetable garden. The truth is that national reporting of Lyme disease will continue to be a fruitless (and highly misleading!) endeavour, as long as it is based on Canada's seriously flawed testing protocol, with its high incidence of false negative results.

The vast majority of Lyme patients in our country were diagnosed with the help of a good quality test from a fully certified and accredited tick-borne illness laboratory in the United States, while their Canadian lab tests were negative. All of us in that category are not included in those wonderful national statistics about Lyme disease.

Two thumbs up to Dr. McShane for boldly speaking out on this important subject.

If you missed this morning's radio show, you can access it on the CBC website (see Pt2: Lyme disease). Please provide some feedback to The Current -- let them know what you think and encourage them to do more coverage about Lyme.

Wishing you all good health!

8 comments:

  1. Dr McShane has given a very brave and correct assessment of our situation in regards to Lyme disease detection and treatment in Canada!We need to have more medical profession step up and speak their minds on this topic.

    We all know what we deal with on a day to day basis with our own Lyme disease issues. We also know how very ignorant Dr Ogden comments were in this interview. It seems that he needs to get out of the way and make room for someone who can actually tell the truth for a change. These are the people who are in control of our health care system and it stinks. Dr Ogden is purposely misleading Canadians of which I am sure one day he will have to answer for.

    I applaud the media and Anna Maria Tremonte for this set of interviews and the loads of legwork to bring this topic to light. I agree with everything that was said except the statement of Dr Ogden being a Lyme disease expert. That is a load of trash.

    Keith Poullos

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  2. I have been diagnosed with TMJ, plantar faciitis, fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. I take more than $300/month in meds (that's only the 20% co-pay) and can barely function. My rheumatologist just keeps saying how great I look since I've lost 56 KILOS since september. She has no idea what to do but prescribe more drugs.I suspected Lyme as I got bit by a whole bunch of ticks in Atikokan a couple of years ago but my rheumatologist refused to do a blood test until I insisted. The blood test came back and she told me I was crazy when it came back negative. I've had all the symptoms I heard Dr. McShane describe on the CBC program this morning and immediately called my rheumatologist and family doctors offices. They flat out refused to do another blood test and told me I would have to wait another 6 months for a referral to an infectious disease specialist. I need to contact Dr. McShane ASAP. I will pay any amount out of pocket for a consultation with her. My two year old needs her mom to be able to do more than just lay on the couch. I am trying to keep my job that I went to university for 10 years to learn to do, but some days I think this disease is going to kill me. Please help me contact Dr. McShane or put my note to her. My info is all below. Thank you. Please don't spam me. DQ in Kingston. Email me at (but take out spaces and replace at with symbol) d l i v i c k e r AT hotmail.com

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  3. I would really appreciate it if you would have Dr. Maureen McSween on the magazine on CBC -TV. Dr.Mc Sween was straight and very easy to understand. Myself I think she should be a spokesperson for Lyme Disease. I am so glad I heard this program . This is a must even for a repeat. Please have this as an up coming program. This story is a MUST !!!!

    Cheryl Brewer

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  4. Who, in B.C. is the best person to speak with re: a potential tick bite and Lyme Disease? I walk my dogs in semi-wooded areas in the lower mainland and I've received what I thought was a thorn from a blackberry branch - but I just don't know what's installed below my skin.

    Thanks...
    ...michael

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  5. My husband is recovering from this underdiagnosed brutal desease,which could be easily treatable when proper testing and proper antibiotic treatment(usually long term) is given.
    We have gone through hell and back trying to get Doctors in Toronto to even think that it might be lyme desease.They are in total denial.Probably because they do not want any issues with the higher authorities. We had to find our own diagnostic testing at our personal expense and finally were able to find one Doctor who had any knowledge of treatment.Guess what? He is now being investigated for treating such patients. THIS IS A CRIME. SHAME ON CANADA.

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    Replies
    1. can you email me re:lyme disease tryonjen@gmail.com

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  6. Perhaps at another time this would not be remarkable, but to see that these papers are being published can give us all hope that eventually research will over-run prejudice and give the doctors who are caught in the crossfire, wanting to treat their patients who are suffering so severely with chronic Lyme - but feel their hands are tied by the harsh and restrictive language of the IDSA. I believe most of our doctors do care and truly want to help but feel they are backed up against the wall given the hostility of the existing argument. So we will keep a watch out for the next press release from Milford Hospital.

    ultrameal 360

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  7. I have been diagnose with MS since 2005 and a friend told me about you that maybe..Just maybe its Lyme and not MS

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