Rachel's treatment for Lyme Disease
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Severe exhaustion, chronic migraine, flu-like symptoms, joint pain, dizziness and insomnia. That’s how Lyme disease affects Rachel on a daily basis.
Lyme is an infectious disease commonly caused by a tick bite. It affects the heart, brain, immune system, nervous system, and stomach. If left untreated, it can kill.
My name is Lisa Groom and I'm a friend and colleague of Rachel Allen and have known her for nine years. Rachel needs your help. For the past five years she has been living with Lyme disease, a chronic illness that has had a debilitating effect on her life.
After receiving multiple tick bites over a 3 year period, Rachel's life changed overnight. She became ill in late 2011, rapidly deteriorating to the extent that she could not walk more than 5 metres. Within weeks she lost 15kg, and some months later, after seeing numerous doctors, the diagnosis was Rickettsia (Queensland Tick Typhus). She was given 10 days of antibiotics and told she would recover.
Five years later, Rachel is still struggling on a daily basis.
In early 2013 she found a doctor specialising in tick borne illnesses, who clinically diagnosed her with Lyme disease. Rachel's blood was later sent to Germany, where she was diagnosed with Borellia Burgdoferi (Lyme disease). Late diagnosis results in 'chronic late stage Lyme' making it even harder to treat.
She has undergone many tests in the past few years - MRIs, CT scans, Echocardiogram, abdominal ultrasounds, urine tests, and innumerable blood tests. She has been to hospital a number of times, and has had procedures to remove fluid from her dying lymph nodes.
The last few years have taken a toll on Rachel both physically and psychologically. Each day for her is like Groundhog day, waking up feeling ill like nothing has changed. The feeling never goes away. She tells me that Lyme has ruined her life, her finances, her friendships and her social life. She often cannot drive (to get food) or walk her dog, and reluctantly has to ask neighbours and friends for help with day to day living as she has no family living in Australia.
Treatment
This is Rachel's daily treatment plan. She takes up to 60 pills each day, none of which are available on Medicare and many of which have to be bought from overseas. It won't cure her of Lyme, but helps to manage the symptoms. Besides her pills and supplements, she has undergone many therapies including bio-resonance, IV vitamins, homeopathy, and long term antibiotics.
This illness is very complex and very hard to treat in Australia. For whatever reason, Lyme disease is a controversial subject with Australia's medical authorities. Medicare and doctors do not recognise it. Thousands of people like Rachel are disgracefully left to suffer.
After five years of illness and spending over $60,000 on tests, doctors and medicines, Rachel has shown little sign of improvement, and exhausted all of her funds.
Her best chance of getting on top of this illness is to go overseas for treatment. An intense four week program is now available in Cyprus, and is having many successful results. The clinic is reputed to have some of the best treatment in the world. This is a fantastic opportunity and one of Rachel's only chances to recover.
You can help
Let's help Rachel get her life back!
I am trying to raise $12,000 to help Rachel get to Cyprus for this much needed treatment.
I hope that everyone that sees this campaign can donate something. Any amount large or small will make a difference and be very much appreciated. I also ask that you PLEASE share this with your Facebook friends.
We will keep you updated on Rachel's progress, and thank you sincerely for your support and kindness.
Lyme disease in Australia
There are thousands of Australians suffering from Lyme disease with no effective treatment other than antibiotics, which does not cure chronic Lyme. Here are some links for further information:
Lyme is SO controversial in the medical communities that many doctors who try to treat it risk their license being revoked by the government:
Doctor fighting for his medical license
Having the disease recognised in Australia is one of the biggest challenges and why people are seeking treatment overseas:
Why the government does not recognise Lyme disease
A recent senate inquiry report on the issue, recommends that immediate funding is poured into research, testing and treatment of Lyme, helping those in need as a matter of urgency:
Senate inquiry into Lyme disease
Lyme is an infectious disease commonly caused by a tick bite. It affects the heart, brain, immune system, nervous system, and stomach. If left untreated, it can kill.
My name is Lisa Groom and I'm a friend and colleague of Rachel Allen and have known her for nine years. Rachel needs your help. For the past five years she has been living with Lyme disease, a chronic illness that has had a debilitating effect on her life.
After receiving multiple tick bites over a 3 year period, Rachel's life changed overnight. She became ill in late 2011, rapidly deteriorating to the extent that she could not walk more than 5 metres. Within weeks she lost 15kg, and some months later, after seeing numerous doctors, the diagnosis was Rickettsia (Queensland Tick Typhus). She was given 10 days of antibiotics and told she would recover.
Five years later, Rachel is still struggling on a daily basis.
In early 2013 she found a doctor specialising in tick borne illnesses, who clinically diagnosed her with Lyme disease. Rachel's blood was later sent to Germany, where she was diagnosed with Borellia Burgdoferi (Lyme disease). Late diagnosis results in 'chronic late stage Lyme' making it even harder to treat.
She has undergone many tests in the past few years - MRIs, CT scans, Echocardiogram, abdominal ultrasounds, urine tests, and innumerable blood tests. She has been to hospital a number of times, and has had procedures to remove fluid from her dying lymph nodes.
The last few years have taken a toll on Rachel both physically and psychologically. Each day for her is like Groundhog day, waking up feeling ill like nothing has changed. The feeling never goes away. She tells me that Lyme has ruined her life, her finances, her friendships and her social life. She often cannot drive (to get food) or walk her dog, and reluctantly has to ask neighbours and friends for help with day to day living as she has no family living in Australia.
Treatment
This is Rachel's daily treatment plan. She takes up to 60 pills each day, none of which are available on Medicare and many of which have to be bought from overseas. It won't cure her of Lyme, but helps to manage the symptoms. Besides her pills and supplements, she has undergone many therapies including bio-resonance, IV vitamins, homeopathy, and long term antibiotics.
This illness is very complex and very hard to treat in Australia. For whatever reason, Lyme disease is a controversial subject with Australia's medical authorities. Medicare and doctors do not recognise it. Thousands of people like Rachel are disgracefully left to suffer.
After five years of illness and spending over $60,000 on tests, doctors and medicines, Rachel has shown little sign of improvement, and exhausted all of her funds.
Her best chance of getting on top of this illness is to go overseas for treatment. An intense four week program is now available in Cyprus, and is having many successful results. The clinic is reputed to have some of the best treatment in the world. This is a fantastic opportunity and one of Rachel's only chances to recover.
You can help
Let's help Rachel get her life back!
I am trying to raise $12,000 to help Rachel get to Cyprus for this much needed treatment.
I hope that everyone that sees this campaign can donate something. Any amount large or small will make a difference and be very much appreciated. I also ask that you PLEASE share this with your Facebook friends.
We will keep you updated on Rachel's progress, and thank you sincerely for your support and kindness.
Lyme disease in Australia
There are thousands of Australians suffering from Lyme disease with no effective treatment other than antibiotics, which does not cure chronic Lyme. Here are some links for further information:
Lyme is SO controversial in the medical communities that many doctors who try to treat it risk their license being revoked by the government:
Doctor fighting for his medical license
Having the disease recognised in Australia is one of the biggest challenges and why people are seeking treatment overseas:
Why the government does not recognise Lyme disease
A recent senate inquiry report on the issue, recommends that immediate funding is poured into research, testing and treatment of Lyme, helping those in need as a matter of urgency:
Senate inquiry into Lyme disease
Organizer
Rachel Allen
Organizer
Southern Lamington QLD
