Tag: Kris Newby

An Overlooked Health Epidemic: My Op Ed Piece on AOL News

“We’re in the midst of a terrifying epidemic, although you wouldn’t know it to talk to most doctors and health specialists.”
That’s what I wrote in my opinion piece, that was posted on AOL News on Friday.
Just in case you were on vacation, I wanted to make sure you see this.
“The disease is growing at a rate faster than AIDS,” I continued.
“From 2006 to 2008 alone, the number of cases jumped a whopping 77 percent. In 2008 alone, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed 28,921 “confirmed” and 6,277 “probable” cases of the disease, but there could be as many as 420,000 because of underreporting.”
“Prominent victims include Parker Posey, Richard Gere, President George W. Bush, Alice Walker and Christie Brinkley,” my op ed piece on AOL News points out.
Lyme map “If any other disease had stricken so many people, the medical community would be scurrying for knowledge, scrambling for cures or rushing to warn patients (think swine flu).
“But that’s not the case with Lyme disease — a disease carried by ticks.
“Instead, ill-informed doctors are often flummoxed when patients complain of fatigue, headaches, fever or chills, muscle or joint pain, mental confusion, swollen lymph nodes and neurological symptoms. It’s an appalling display of indifference.”
Anyhow, at last, two years after my own terrifying health experiences, my op ed piece is on AOL News.
Learn more about this terrifying epidemic on Wednesday, June 2 at 2 pm EST on my Gab with the Gurus Radio Show when I interview several Lyme disease experts.
And please share your or your friends’ experiences and insights here and on AOL about your or their terrifying, often-misunderstood disease.
Many thanks to my smart health friend JJ Virgin, to whom I’m greatly indebted for helping me to quickly find out why I was so sick two years ago.
In addition, my gratitude goes to the following for their support and invaluable help:
* Knowledgeable Lyme disease expert Kris Newby, senior producer and researcher for the eye-opening documentary, “Under Our Skin.”
* Talented editor/writer Abby Ellin
* Katie Orenstein and Danielle Grace Warren of the fabulous Op Ed Project (which you can learn more about soon on an upcoming radio show)
* Talented editors/writers Susan Shapiro and Gerry Jonas
Please read my important op ed now on AOL News now.
And please join us Wednesday, June 2 for my Gab with the Gurus Radio Show about Lyme disease.

An Often-Overlooked Health Epidemic: My Opinion Piece on AOL News

Lyme-disease “We’re in the midst of a terrifying epidemic, although you wouldn’t know it to talk to most doctors and health specialists.”
That’s what I wrote, in my opinion piece, that is posted on AOL News today.
I continued, “The disease is growing at a rate faster than AIDS. From 2006 to 2008 alone, the number of cases jumped a whopping 77 percent. In 2008 alone, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed 28,921 “confirmed” and 6,277 “probable” cases of the disease, but there could be as many as 420,000 because of underreporting.”
“Prominent victims include Parker Posey, Richard Gere, President George W. Bush, Alice Walker and Christie Brinkley,” my op ed piece on AOL News points out.
Lyme map “If any other disease had stricken so many people, the medical community would be scurrying for knowledge, scrambling for cures or rushing to warn patients (think swine flu).
“But that’s not the case with Lyme disease — a disease carried by ticks.
“Instead, ill-informed doctors are often flummoxed when patients complain of fatigue, headaches, fever or chills, muscle or joint pain, mental confusion, swollen lymph nodes and neurological symptoms. It’s an appalling display of indifference.”
Anyhow, at last, two years after my own terrifying health experiences, my op ed piece is running on AOL News today.
Learn more about this terrifying epidemic on Wednesday, June 2 at 2 pm EST on my Gab with the Gurus Radio Show when I interview several Lyme disease experts.
And please share your or your friends’ experiences here and on AOL about your or their terrifying, often-misunderstood disease.
Many thanks to my smart health friend JJ Virgin, to whom I’m greatly indebted for helping me to quickly find out why I was so sick two years ago.
In addition, my gratitude goes to the following for their support and invaluable help:
* Knowledgeable Lyme disease expert Kris Newby, senior producer and researcher for the eye-opening documentary, “Under Our Skin.” (See the fascinating blog, too.)
* Talented editor/writer Abby Ellin
* Katie Orenstein and Danielle Smith Warren of the fabulous Op Ed Project (which you can learn more about soon on an upcoming radio show)
* Talented editors/writers Susan Shapiro and Gerry Jonas
* The astute, insightful, personable John Merline of AOL News
Please read my important op ed now on AOL News now.
And please join us Wednesday, June 2 for my Gab with the Gurus Radio Show about Lyme disease

Lyme Disease: You Can Get Bitten in the City & Country: Learn About this Controversial Infectious Disease With “Under Our Skin” Creators

I’m concerned. People quickly reading this New York Daily News article may falsely conclude that you can only get Lyme disease in wooded or rural areas in Connecticut, New Jersey, Long Island and Westchster County.
That’s not true. You can get “Bitten in the City,” which is what happened to me last year at this time. (You can learn about Lyme disease and my horrible experiences in last year’s radio show.)
In my opinion, a lot more than 538 New Yorkers got Lyme disease last year. You see, many people have this disease but don’t know it, because doctor’s often misdiagnose Lyme disease as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, arthritis, etc.)
Anyhow, of course, there’s truth to the statement that “city dwellers have less exposure to ticks,” as Dr. David David P. Calfee of Mount Sinai tells reporter Katie Charles, but it’s false that “Rocky Mountain fever is the only disease known to be transmitted in all five boroughs.”
Incidentally, because of my experiences with Lyme disease, I’m now inspired to write a book about it. “Bitten in the City: Facts & Fallacies about Lyme Disease” is the working title for this book.
Tune in July 14 to my Gab With the Gurus Radio Show for a special show about Lyme disease in which I talk with Andy Abrahams Wilson, director/producer of the poignant documentary, “Under Our Skin.”