Amélie Champagne's suicide is not the only tragedy of its kind to occur among patients with Lyme disease.
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In an interview with LCN, microbiologist and infectious disease specialist Dr. Amir Khadir said that in the last five years he had seen six of his approximately 500 patients also end their lives.
Dr. Khadir says it is often very difficult for a doctor to diagnose and treat a patient with Lyme disease.
Direct penetration of the bacteria into the central nervous system can cause a range of symptoms such as fatigue, musculoskeletal pain and problems with concentration.
“From diagnosis to diagnosis, from doctor to doctor, after a while, because they do not have an accurate diagnosis, these patients can sink deeper into their distress, that is, the rejection of their symptoms or the non-recognition of their illness increases” to that which already exists Emergency,” explains Dr. Amir Khadir.
Fortunately, there is reason to hope that monitoring of these patients will improve in the near future, says the microbiologist and infectious disease specialist.
“We are currently on the verge of establishing around fifteen clinics and forming a network, the Quebec Network for Complex Chronic Diseases. When will we have all the resources and staff necessary to care for these patients? I couldn’t tell you for sure,” he says.
This ensures that teams are currently working hard to recruit staff and put protocols in place to provide care for people affected by Lyme disease.
“I appeal to everyone not to lose hope and to family doctors to take care of them until these competence networks can properly care for them,” says Dr. Khadir.