Lyme disease researcher looks to support groups for information

SACKVILLE, N.B. – A Mount Allison University professor says Lyme disease support groups could hold important information about improving treatment in Canada.

Dr. Vett Lloyd has been tracking ticks infected with the disease for years and says many people who are infected are forced to seek help in the United States.

That means little is known about how they are responding to treatment.

But she says people infected with the disease who attend support groups open up about their progress and that information is useful.

“Most of the people in New Brunswick who are being treated for Lyme disease are being treated outside of Canada,” she said. “Which means that information on how well they’re responding is lost in Canadian medicine.”

Lloyd says her work suggests tick numbers are growing in the province along with warmer temperatures.

And the fall can be especially risky for getting bitten.

“In the fall they come out of hibernation and they’re hungry and they want their last blood meal before winter,” she said.

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Unfortunately diagnosing the disease is difficult.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says diagnosing symptoms vary from person to person and can be similar to other illnesses.

Heather Wilkins said speaking with others helped her cope with the frustration of getting her own diagnosis.

“It was very frustrating to the point where I would come home and cry,” she said.

Group member Cathie Smith says people in the groups understand each other’s pain.

“I have terrible pain that moves around in and it’s in my muscles and it’s in my  joints and right now it’s terrible in my hips,” she said. “It’s important because we are at a loss. There’s nobody to talk to, nobody understands because we look well.”

Groups are located in Moncton, Riverview and Saint John.