LymeSci Blog

Lonnie Marcum

is a Physical Therapist, with a dual degree in health administration and physical therapy. She has a passion for helping people heal from illness and injury by treating the whole body. She became active in the Lyme community after her daughter was diagnosed with tick-borne diseases in 2013. She now devotes much time to learning about Lyme and related conditions, and sharing that knowledge via social media. Her blog, LymeSci, seeks to help patients understand the science of tick-borne diseases and new developments in research.

LYME SCI: Infected ticks in California? It’s complicated.

MAY

2018

Last week, I posted the verbal comments I made to the federal Tick-Borne Disease Working Group. At the same time, I also submitted written comments, which delved more deeply into issues specifically related to California. Here’s what I wrote: California has one of the most... Read More »

LYME SCI: We need better testing and we need it now

MAY

2018

My recent request to deliver verbal comments to the federal Tick-Borne Disease Working Group on May 10 was granted. Here’s what I said: Good afternoon. First, I’d like to thank you all for the work the TBDWG is doing and for giving me the opportunity to comment. My... Read More »

LYME SCI: What to eat when you’re allergic to everything?

APR

2018

What are you going to do, when everything your child eats makes her sick? As I’ve explained in my earlier posts about mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), virtually anything my daughter put in her mouth triggered a serious allergic reaction. However, with the help of an... Read More »

LYME SCI: More about healing from mast cell activation syndrome

MAR

2018

This is part three of a series on mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) triggered by Lyme and co-infections. Part one is an introduction to MCAS including an interview with Dr. Jill Carnahan. Part two is a description of my daughter’s diagnosis of MCAS and the five-step process we... Read More »

LYME SCI: The agony of mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS)

MAR

2018

In the winter of 2016, my 17-year-old daughter was dying. She had severe allergic reactions every day, was in constant pain, and was losing weight at a rate that was not sustainable to life. She had reached the end of her rope, and I was completely out of ideas on where to turn... Read More »

LYME SCI: MCAS, when the immune system goes haywire

MAR

2018

We’re hearing from increasing numbers of Lyme patients who have suddenly developed serious allergic reactions to foods they used to be able to eat with no problem whatsoever. Many have learned that this can be a sign of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). Sometimes, the... Read More »

LYME SCI: B. miyamotoi has been in California ticks for a long time

FEB

2018

Like forensic detectives, using a bank of frozen blood serum from the 1980s, tick researchers from both the west and east coasts set out to determine how prevalent Borrelia miyamotoi infection is in California. What they discovered should set off more than a few alarms. B.... Read More »

LYME SCI: Using the lessons of cancer to target Lyme disease

FEB

2018

Dr. Neil Spector, a Duke University cancer researcher who nearly died from complications of Lyme disease, is now turning his attention to finding innovative therapies for Lyme and Bartonella. Antibiotics are currently the only treatment available for most tick-borne diseases.... Read More »

LYME SCI: Developing new tests to identify ALL bacteria in ticks

JAN

2018

Researchers at Philadelphia’s Drexel University College of Medicine have joined the fight against tick-borne diseases and are asking citizens throughout the US to send them ticks. Drexel’s Center for Advanced Microbial Processing (CAMP) has developed a state-of-the-art facility... Read More »