You might want to rule out Lyme Disease if you've been diagnosed with fibromyalgia or any autoimmune condition . Also, the following three links contain information about Plum Island and it's connection to Lyme disease and possible other infections.
http://paulahenry1.hubpages.com/hub/Lyme-Disease-symptoms-treatment
http://www.examiner.com/article/did-lyme-disease-originate-out-of-plum-island
http://www.thedogpress.com/Editorials/Plum-island-LymeDisease_Andrews1.asp
Fibromyalgia and Lyme....it's really important to know if you have one or the other, and, in some case a patient can have both.
http://www.fibromyalgia-treatment.com/lyme-disease-and-fibromyalgia/
http://voices.yahoo.com/fibromyalgia-lyme-disease-423908.html?cat=70
Ally
Allergic,
I tried to find out more about Lyme testing (beyond the initial test we take for it.) My sister contacted a local Lyme organization and they sent her the name of someone. Turns out that doctor doesn't accept insurance at all, so she referred me to somewhere else. I called that number and was told they don't know if they accept it or not and they'd get back to me. About a week has passed and they haven't. Also, the doc. told me that Lyme testing and treatment is very expensive. So i feel rather sidelined at the moment.
It's terrible to think that all of our pain and suffering could all be down to a tiny black deer tick.
Petunia,
The following information might be helpful to some. I am waiting for my tests to come back from IgeneX. Medicare does cover the testing fyi. But for those who meet certain criteria there is assistance available shown in the following information. You can call the lab and ask if your particular insurance plan has been covering the tests. That way you can be sure before you do the testing.
Lab testing for Lyme Disease, IgeneX Labs.....
http://igenex.com/
The following info is for assistance for the cost of Lyme testing
:
Lyme-TAP: Lyme Test Access Program to Help with the Cost of Lyme Testing
The Lyme Test Access Program (Lyme-TAP) is a nationwide patient assistance program to provide assistance for initial Lyme-related lab tests to patients who demonstrate true financial need. If approved, you may be reimbursed for up to 75% of your out-of-pocket costs of testing from a qualified CLIA/Medicare approved laboratory of your choice. Funds are limited & are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Children under 18 years of age are given priority. The intention of this program is to help as many patients in need as possible. It is not intended to cover insurance deductibles or to cover patients not truly in financial need. Payments of approved grants may take several weeks. This nationwide assistance program was made possible by a very generous donation from IGeneX Inc., a CLIA/Medicare licensed laboratory. Any CLIA/Medicare licensed laboratory may be selected for testing: you do not have to use IGeneX for this program. http://www.lymetap.com/
Financial Help for Prescriptions:
Prescription Hope offers a way for patients with financial hardship to obtain low-cost prescription medications. One of the biggest financial challenges facing many Lyme patients is the high cost of prescription medications. Some people have no insurance coverage for drugs in the first place. Others may have some, but benefits can run out before the need for them does. More than 180 drug companies offer patient assistance programs, which offer free or low-cost drugs to people who can’t pay for them, including many of the drugs commonly prescribed for Lyme patients. But all these companies have different rules and paperwork requirements. Tracking them down and dealing with complex application forms can be beyond the capability of a person who is extremely ill (or their beleaguered caregiver.) It’s been reported that only 3% of the patients who apply on their own to these programs ever receive benefits. I recently found out about a program that can help you, if you fall into certain income categories. Prescription Hope can help you obtain any of about 1500 brand name prescription medications. They do the legwork and the paperwork for you, matching your prescriptions with the correct pharmaceutical company. They work with your doctor to obtain signatures and any information needed. They complete and submit all paperwork directly with each drug company. They manage the process of refilling your medications and/or changing the dosage. You pay a $20 yearly enrollment fee, and then an $18 per prescription per month service fee. That’s it. Generally, you can qualify if you earn $30,000 or less per year as a single person, or $50,000 or less as a couple. You can participate in the program if you are on Medicare, but not Medicaid. If you have prescription coverage through an HMO, you can participate after you have exceeded your prescription limit. Once you apply to the program, it takes about a month before you receive your first shipment of medications. You’ll usually get a three-month supply, sent to your home or doctor’s office. Prescription Hope follows your case, to make sure refills are delivered as needed. Levaquin, Zithromax, Plaquenil, doxycycline and Malarone are among the drugs available through this program. Alas, IV drugs such as rocephin are not. For more information: http://www.prescriptionhope.com/about-us.html