Misdiagnosed with MS in 1995

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I was misdiagnosed with MS in 1995, but sick prior to that.  I have always been sickly with one thing or another.  It started with Mono with scarlet fever when I was around 13 and then I had to have a kidney removed (cause unknown).  Then came a cancer diagnoses and a painful skin condition at around 16.  That led up to the misdiagnoses of MS in 1995.  That led to many diagnoses of unknown origin like Fibro, Chronic fatigue, Adrenal and Thyroid problems, panic attacks and agoraphobia.  I finally put it all together when I developed a rash.  It was not a bulls eye, but a papular type lesions on my face, neck, and arms.  That led me to the diagnoses of Bartonella which not knowing any better I thought I had Bartonella and MS!

I was tested numerous times with the Canadian Elisa.  All negative, but I did have an equivical Bartonella that was laughed off as being just my immune system doing its thing.  I found a doctor who was treating Lyme patients, and was very fortunate to have had 13 months of IV plus orals, before he stopped treating Lyme patients.  He sent my blood to Igenex in California and it came back with many posiive bands.  It was not until my 6th month on IV that I noticed a difference.  At about the 1 year mark I was back driving.  That was like heaven for me.  To go from not being able to read, floss my teeth, turn on the TV or write, overall not being able to look after myself to being independant again.

Sadly I have relapsed and am back in treatment with a doctor in the US.  I pay out of pocket but am more fortunate than many.  I have been laughed at, made fun of, told its not here, so I am advocating so others do not have to go through the same thing.  If you are suffering from multiple systemic symptoms get tested by a good lab like Igenex.  Igenex can come back negative which is why Lyme is suppose to be a clinical diagnoses.  Unfortunately there are no doctors left treating in Canada!  This has to change!  I'm tired of reading of so many being diagnosed with diseases of unknown origin and blindly trust their doctors who only took a few months on Lyme in school.  Its not all about the Bulls eye, but that is a definitive test, but it only happens in under 20% of the cases.  Or a positive test that happens in under 10% and thats being generous.  Be your oen advocate.