Re: Risks of prescribing antibiotics in the US

[Guest guest]

a

That sums up! if your doing stupid therapies your getting

superinfections- which gives this lady every right to complain about

STUPID TREATMENTS.

tony

>

>

> This doctor is a famous AIDS specialist, known all over the world.

If he had

> been treating AIDS and not Lyme patients this would never have

seen the

> light of day. We are living in scary times for those of us with

infectious

> diseases - and that is most of the human race.

>

> a

>

>

>

> Patient testifies treatment made her ill

>

> Hearing begins before N.C. Medical Board

>

> KAREN GARLOCH

> kgarloch@...

>

> RALEIGH - A 32-year-old Huntersville woman testified Wednesday

that Dr.

> ph Jemsek treated her for chronic Lyme disease with daily

antibiotics

> for a

> year and a half even though, she learned later, she didn't have the

> tickborne

> illness.

>

> told the N.C. Medical Board that she developed

five

> infections from catheters inserted in her arms and chest for

delivering the

> intravenous

> medicine. The last infection, she said, " almost took my life. "

>

> " I put my faith in Dr. Jemsek, " said , who sometimes cried

as she

> told

> her story. " I held onto the hope. But looking back, I see that my

symptoms

> only got worse. "

>

> , three other former Jemsek patients and the widower of a

deceased

> patient testified against the Huntersville doctor Wednesday at a

public

> hearing.

> The board alleges that Jemsek misdiagnosed at least 10 patients

with chronic

>

> Lyme disease and treated them inappropriately with months of IV

antibiotics.

>

> The 12-member board could decide to revoke, suspend or otherwise

limit

> Jemsek's license.

>

> The charges against Jemsek, 57, are similar to those brought by

other state

> medical boards against 30 other doctors. Like Jemsek, they believe

that Lyme

>

> disease often becomes chronic, with long-lasting symptoms such as

extreme

> fatigue, unusual pain, fever, foggy memory and numbness in the

limbs.

>

> Jemsek, who also testified Wednesday, said he treats about 400

Lyme disease

> patients and 1,200 HIV patients at his clinic. He said he does not

always

> rely

> on laboratory tests to diagnose patients with Lyme disease because

current

> tests are not reliable.

>

> " Tests shouldn't drive us; we should drive the tests, " he

said. " If you

> really pay attention (to what the patients tell you), you get to

be pretty

> good

> diagnostically. "

>

> About 100 Lyme patients, many from Jemsek's clinic, showed up for

the

> hearing

> and stood for more than an hour in the rain until the board's

office opened

> at 8 a.m. The hearing room could hold only 60 people, so many

waited in the

> lobby, wearing lime green bracelets or green ribbons tied around

their arms

> to

> show support for the doctor.

>

> Penny Nichols, a Statesville patient, said the board should have

moved the

> hearing to a larger space.

>

> At Wednesday's hearing, the board heard from two N.C. physicians

and an

> epidemiologist who said Lyme disease is rare in North Carolina and

that

> treating it

> with antibiotics for longer than a month is outside the norm.

>

> Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease specialist at NorthEast

Medical

> Center in Concord, said she contacted the board about Jemsek's

unusual

> approach to

> diagnosing and treating Lyme after seeing about 20 of his patients

who did

> not appear to her to have the illness.

>

> One of those patients, who later testified, was Patti Ingram, 52,

of Fort

> Mill, S.C., who took intravenous antibiotics for seven-and-a-half

years.

> Garwood

> said she didn't think the patient had Lyme and couldn't imagine

why anyone

> would need to take antibiotics for so long.

>

> Dr. Meera Kelley, an infectious disease specialist at Wake Med

Health and

> Hospitals in Raleigh, reviewed records of all 10 patients cited by

the board

> and

> said none appeared to have Lyme disease.

>

> Based on her review of the records, she said Jemsek did not inform

patients

> that his approach to treatment was different from the standard.

>

> In his opening statement, board attorney Marcus Jimison said

Jemsek would

> perform numerous tests for Lyme and then " cherry pick " results

that would

> support

> his diagnosis " while ignoring everything else. " As a result,

Jimison said,

> Jemsek " made lots and lots of money. "

>

> said her treatment, including hospitalization for

the

> infections, cost at least $200,000.

>

> Jemsek's lawyer, Jim of Durham, said his client does inform

patients

> that his treatment differs from what other doctors are

doing. " That's why

> they

> came to Dr. Jemsek. They had sought treatment elsewhere and been

denied. "

>

> Armiger, a mechanical engineer from Washington, D.C., said

Jemsek

> carefully explained the risks of the treatment when he became a

patient in

> June

> 2003. Under Jemsek's care, he said, " I did continue to slowly

improve. "

>

> The board's hearing will continue today with more testimony from

Jemsek.

>

[Guest guest]

QUOTE from article:

Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease specialist at NorthEast

Medical Center in Concord, said she contacted the board about

Jemsek's unusual approach to diagnosing and treating Lyme after

seeing about 20 of his patients who did not appear to her to have the

illness.

END QUOTE:

And there you have it.. A ID Doc, working for a big instiution

turning in a fellow Doc that has his own business. Hmmmmmmmm.

The good Dr. Garwood.

Barb

>

>

> This doctor is a famous AIDS specialist, known all over the world.

If he had

> been treating AIDS and not Lyme patients this would never have seen

the

> light of day. We are living in scary times for those of us with

infectious

> diseases - and that is most of the human race.

>

> a

>

>

>

> Patient testifies treatment made her ill

>

> Hearing begins before N.C. Medical Board

>

> KAREN GARLOCH

> kgarloch@...

>

> RALEIGH - A 32-year-old Huntersville woman testified Wednesday that

Dr.

> ph Jemsek treated her for chronic Lyme disease with daily

antibiotics

> for a

> year and a half even though, she learned later, she didn't have the

> tickborne

> illness.

>

> told the N.C. Medical Board that she developed five

> infections from catheters inserted in her arms and chest for

delivering the

> intravenous

> medicine. The last infection, she said, " almost took my life. "

>

> " I put my faith in Dr. Jemsek, " said , who sometimes cried

as she

> told

> her story. " I held onto the hope. But looking back, I see that my

symptoms

> only got worse. "

>

> , three other former Jemsek patients and the widower of a

deceased

> patient testified against the Huntersville doctor Wednesday at a

public

> hearing.

> The board alleges that Jemsek misdiagnosed at least 10 patients

with chronic

>

> Lyme disease and treated them inappropriately with months of IV

antibiotics.

>

> The 12-member board could decide to revoke, suspend or otherwise

limit

> Jemsek's license.

>

> The charges against Jemsek, 57, are similar to those brought by

other state

> medical boards against 30 other doctors. Like Jemsek, they believe

that Lyme

>

> disease often becomes chronic, with long-lasting symptoms such as

extreme

> fatigue, unusual pain, fever, foggy memory and numbness in the

limbs.

>

> Jemsek, who also testified Wednesday, said he treats about 400 Lyme

disease

> patients and 1,200 HIV patients at his clinic. He said he does not

always

> rely

> on laboratory tests to diagnose patients with Lyme disease because

current

> tests are not reliable.

>

> " Tests shouldn't drive us; we should drive the tests, " he said. " If

you

> really pay attention (to what the patients tell you), you get to be

pretty

> good

> diagnostically. "

>

> About 100 Lyme patients, many from Jemsek's clinic, showed up for

the

> hearing

> and stood for more than an hour in the rain until the board's

office opened

> at 8 a.m. The hearing room could hold only 60 people, so many

waited in the

> lobby, wearing lime green bracelets or green ribbons tied around

their arms

> to

> show support for the doctor.

>

> Penny Nichols, a Statesville patient, said the board should have

moved the

> hearing to a larger space.

>

> At Wednesday's hearing, the board heard from two N.C. physicians

and an

> epidemiologist who said Lyme disease is rare in North Carolina and

that

> treating it

> with antibiotics for longer than a month is outside the norm.

>

> Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease specialist at NorthEast

Medical

> Center in Concord, said she contacted the board about Jemsek's

unusual

> approach to

> diagnosing and treating Lyme after seeing about 20 of his patients

who did

> not appear to her to have the illness.

>

> One of those patients, who later testified, was Patti Ingram, 52,

of Fort

> Mill, S.C., who took intravenous antibiotics for seven-and-a-half

years.

> Garwood

> said she didn't think the patient had Lyme and couldn't imagine why

anyone

> would need to take antibiotics for so long.

>

> Dr. Meera Kelley, an infectious disease specialist at Wake Med

Health and

> Hospitals in Raleigh, reviewed records of all 10 patients cited by

the board

> and

> said none appeared to have Lyme disease.

>

> Based on her review of the records, she said Jemsek did not inform

patients

> that his approach to treatment was different from the standard.

>

> In his opening statement, board attorney Marcus Jimison said Jemsek

would

> perform numerous tests for Lyme and then " cherry pick " results that

would

> support

> his diagnosis " while ignoring everything else. " As a result,

Jimison said,

> Jemsek " made lots and lots of money. "

>

> said her treatment, including hospitalization for

the

> infections, cost at least $200,000.

>

> Jemsek's lawyer, Jim of Durham, said his client does inform

patients

> that his treatment differs from what other doctors are

doing. " That's why

> they

> came to Dr. Jemsek. They had sought treatment elsewhere and been

denied. "

>

> Armiger, a mechanical engineer from Washington, D.C., said

Jemsek

> carefully explained the risks of the treatment when he became a

patient in

> June

> 2003. Under Jemsek's care, he said, " I did continue to slowly

improve. "

>

> The board's hearing will continue today with more testimony from

Jemsek.

>

[Guest guest]

When I first saw Dr. Jemsek myself in 1996

he worked for a huge clinic in Charlotte

called the Nalle Clinic. A few years later the Nalle Clinic went broke and

everyone who worked there had to go somewhere else. Jemsek started his own

office – no big deal – common enough practice. The problem here is

that Jemsek is trying the best he can to treat the severe and epidemic level of

borrelia in the southeast, an epidemic the CDC LAUGHS about. I sat at the 2004

AACFS conf and asked about Lyme in the southeast. The reply with a snicker was that

there is a form of borrelia in the south that is self limiting and mild. It

clears up in three weeks. I begged to differ. No one replied to my case with

three family members infected and me sick for 10 years.

Is Jemsek’s treatment wrong? At

least it is treatment. Tony, I don’t understand what you meant. Barb, I

think I get your point, but not sure.

a

QUOTE from article:

Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease specialist at NorthEast

Medical Center

in Concord,

said she contacted the board about

Jemsek's unusual approach to diagnosing and treating Lyme after

seeing about 20 of his patients who did not appear to her to have the

illness.

END QUOTE:

And there you have it.. A ID Doc, working for a big instiution

turning in a fellow Doc that has his own business. Hmmmmmmmm.

The good Dr. Garwood.

Barb

>

>

> This doctor is a famous AIDS specialist, known all over the world.

If he had

> been treating AIDS and not Lyme patients this would never have seen

the

> light of day. We are living in scary times for those of us with

infectious

> diseases - and that is most of the human race.

>

> a

>

>

>

> Patient testifies treatment made her ill

>

> Hearing begins before N.C. Medical Board

>

> KAREN GARLOCH

> kgarloch@...

>

> RALEIGH -

A 32-year-old Huntersville woman testified Wednesday that

Dr.

> ph Jemsek treated her for chronic Lyme disease with daily

antibiotics

> for a

> year and a half even though, she learned later, she didn't have the

> tickborne

> illness.

>

> told the N.C. Medical Board that she developed five

> infections from catheters inserted in her arms and chest for

delivering the

> intravenous

> medicine. The last infection, she said, " almost took my life. "

>

> " I put my faith in Dr. Jemsek, " said , who sometimes

cried

as she

> told

> her story. " I held onto the hope. But looking back, I see that my

symptoms

> only got worse. "

>

> , three other former Jemsek patients and the widower of a

deceased

> patient testified against the Huntersville doctor Wednesday at a

public

> hearing.

> The board alleges that Jemsek misdiagnosed at least 10 patients

with chronic

>

> Lyme disease and treated them inappropriately with months of IV

antibiotics.

>

> The 12-member board could decide to revoke, suspend or otherwise

limit

> Jemsek's license.

>

> The charges against Jemsek, 57, are similar to those brought by

other state

> medical boards against 30 other doctors. Like Jemsek, they believe

that Lyme

>

> disease often becomes chronic, with long-lasting symptoms such as

extreme

> fatigue, unusual pain, fever, foggy memory and numbness in the

limbs.

>

> Jemsek, who also testified Wednesday, said he treats about 400 Lyme

disease

> patients and 1,200 HIV patients at his clinic. He said he does not

always

> rely

> on laboratory tests to diagnose patients with Lyme disease because

current

> tests are not reliable.

>

> " Tests shouldn't drive us; we should drive the tests, " he said.

" If

you

> really pay attention (to what the patients tell you), you get to be

pretty

> good

> diagnostically. "

>

> About 100 Lyme patients, many from Jemsek's clinic, showed up for

the

> hearing

> and stood for more than an hour in the rain until the board's

office opened

> at 8 a.m. The hearing room could hold only 60 people, so many

waited in the

> lobby, wearing lime green bracelets or green ribbons tied around

their arms

> to

> show support for the doctor.

>

> Penny Nichols, a Statesville

patient, said the board should have

moved the

> hearing to a larger space.

>

> At Wednesday's hearing, the board heard from two N.C. physicians

and an

> epidemiologist who said Lyme disease is rare in North Carolina and

that

> treating it

> with antibiotics for longer than a month is outside the norm.

>

> Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease specialist at NorthEast

Medical

> Center in Concord,

said she contacted the board about Jemsek's

unusual

> approach to

> diagnosing and treating Lyme after seeing about 20 of his patients

who did

> not appear to her to have the illness.

>

> One of those patients, who later testified, was Patti Ingram, 52,

of Fort

> Mill, S.C., who took intravenous antibiotics for seven-and-a-half

years.

> Garwood

> said she didn't think the patient had Lyme and couldn't imagine why

anyone

> would need to take antibiotics for so long.

>

> Dr. Meera Kelley, an infectious disease specialist at Wake Med

Health and

> Hospitals in Raleigh,

reviewed records of all 10 patients cited by

the board

> and

> said none appeared to have Lyme disease.

>

> Based on her review of the records, she said Jemsek did not inform

patients

> that his approach to treatment was different from the standard.

>

> In his opening statement, board attorney Marcus Jimison said Jemsek

would

> perform numerous tests for Lyme and then " cherry pick " results

that

would

> support

> his diagnosis " while ignoring everything else. " As a result,

Jimison said,

> Jemsek " made lots and lots of money. "

>

> said her treatment, including hospitalization for

the

> infections, cost at least $200,000.

>

> Jemsek's lawyer, Jim of Durham,

said his client does inform

patients

> that his treatment differs from what other doctors are

doing. " That's why

> they

> came to Dr. Jemsek. They had sought treatment elsewhere and been

denied. "

>

> Armiger, a mechanical engineer from Washington, D.C.,

said

Jemsek

> carefully explained the risks of the treatment when he became a

patient in

> June

> 2003. Under Jemsek's care, he said, " I did continue to slowly

improve. "

>

> The board's hearing will continue today with more testimony from

Jemsek.

>

[Guest guest]

Barb , I hate to say it but it is world wide ,it even has a name "defensive medicine" if no clear cut protocol is available then you don't get treated simple as that. Long term treatment without a clear outcome is risky ..so avoid at all costs ..we need a political arm...

http://www.cbc.ca/nb/story/nb-lymedisease20060613.html

-----Original Message-----From: infections [mailto:infections ]On Behalf Of Barb PeckSent: 15 June 2006 20:18infections Subject: [infections] Re: Risks of prescribing antibiotics in the US

QUOTE from article:Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease specialist at NorthEast Medical Center in Concord, said she contacted the board about Jemsek's unusual approach to diagnosing and treating Lyme after seeing about 20 of his patients who did not appear to her to have the illness.END QUOTE:And there you have it.. A ID Doc, working for a big instiution turning in a fellow Doc that has his own business. Hmmmmmmmm.The good Dr. Garwood.Barb>> > This doctor is a famous AIDS specialist, known all over the world. If he had> been treating AIDS and not Lyme patients this would never have seen the> light of day. We are living in scary times for those of us with infectious> diseases - and that is most of the human race.> > a> > > > Patient testifies treatment made her ill> > Hearing begins before N.C. Medical Board> > KAREN GARLOCH> kgarloch@...> > RALEIGH - A 32-year-old Huntersville woman testified Wednesday that Dr. > ph Jemsek treated her for chronic Lyme disease with daily antibiotics> for a > year and a half even though, she learned later, she didn't have the> tickborne > illness.> > told the N.C. Medical Board that she developed five > infections from catheters inserted in her arms and chest for delivering the> intravenous > medicine. The last infection, she said, "almost took my life."> > "I put my faith in Dr. Jemsek," said , who sometimes cried as she> told > her story. "I held onto the hope. But looking back, I see that my symptoms > only got worse."> > , three other former Jemsek patients and the widower of a deceased > patient testified against the Huntersville doctor Wednesday at a public> hearing. > The board alleges that Jemsek misdiagnosed at least 10 patients with chronic> > Lyme disease and treated them inappropriately with months of IV antibiotics.> > The 12-member board could decide to revoke, suspend or otherwise limit > Jemsek's license.> > The charges against Jemsek, 57, are similar to those brought by other state > medical boards against 30 other doctors. Like Jemsek, they believe that Lyme> > disease often becomes chronic, with long-lasting symptoms such as extreme > fatigue, unusual pain, fever, foggy memory and numbness in the limbs.> > Jemsek, who also testified Wednesday, said he treats about 400 Lyme disease > patients and 1,200 HIV patients at his clinic. He said he does not always> rely > on laboratory tests to diagnose patients with Lyme disease because current > tests are not reliable.> > "Tests shouldn't drive us; we should drive the tests," he said. "If you > really pay attention (to what the patients tell you), you get to be pretty> good > diagnostically."> > About 100 Lyme patients, many from Jemsek's clinic, showed up for the> hearing > and stood for more than an hour in the rain until the board's office opened > at 8 a.m. The hearing room could hold only 60 people, so many waited in the > lobby, wearing lime green bracelets or green ribbons tied around their arms> to > show support for the doctor.> > Penny Nichols, a Statesville patient, said the board should have moved the > hearing to a larger space.> > At Wednesday's hearing, the board heard from two N.C. physicians and an > epidemiologist who said Lyme disease is rare in North Carolina and that> treating it > with antibiotics for longer than a month is outside the norm.> > Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease specialist at NorthEast Medical > Center in Concord, said she contacted the board about Jemsek's unusual> approach to > diagnosing and treating Lyme after seeing about 20 of his patients who did > not appear to her to have the illness.> > One of those patients, who later testified, was Patti Ingram, 52, of Fort > Mill, S.C., who took intravenous antibiotics for seven-and-a-half years.> Garwood > said she didn't think the patient had Lyme and couldn't imagine why anyone > would need to take antibiotics for so long.> > Dr. Meera Kelley, an infectious disease specialist at Wake Med Health and > Hospitals in Raleigh, reviewed records of all 10 patients cited by the board> and > said none appeared to have Lyme disease.> > Based on her review of the records, she said Jemsek did not inform patients > that his approach to treatment was different from the standard.> > In his opening statement, board attorney Marcus Jimison said Jemsek would > perform numerous tests for Lyme and then "cherry pick" results that would> support > his diagnosis "while ignoring everything else." As a result, Jimison said, > Jemsek "made lots and lots of money."> > said her treatment, including hospitalization for the > infections, cost at least $200,000.> > Jemsek's lawyer, Jim of Durham, said his client does inform patients > that his treatment differs from what other doctors are doing. "That's why> they > came to Dr. Jemsek. They had sought treatment elsewhere and been denied."> > Armiger, a mechanical engineer from Washington, D.C., said Jemsek > carefully explained the risks of the treatment when he became a patient in> June > 2003. Under Jemsek's care, he said, "I did continue to slowly improve."> > The board's hearing will continue today with more testimony from Jemsek.>

[Guest guest]

, I never had IV antibiotics but I

will take my longterm experimental antibiotics with no clear outcome over

virtually all other CFIDS and fms patients I have seen. I am better than

literally all of them who have not tried antibiotics. What the latest report on

Dr. Jemsek fails to report as of today is the numbers of his Lyme patients who

are doing well. That is the story we hope will exonerate him and allow him to

continue treating. No one else in Charlotte

even has a clue.

a

Barb , I hate to say it but it

is world wide ,it even has a name " defensive

medicine " if no clear cut protocol is available then you don't get

treated simple as that. Long term treatment without a clear outcome is risky

...so avoid at all costs ..we need a political arm...

http://www.cbc.ca/nb/story/nb-lymedisease20060613.html

[Guest guest]

Yes ,the situation stinks ..I am mostly well on antibiotics ,but I I still need me ,,experimenting by lowering the dose has taught me that.. I hope the Cimetidine will work its promised magic.

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/local/14819260.htm

-----Original Message-----From: infections [mailto:infections ]On Behalf Of a CarnesSent: 15 June 2006 21:28infections Subject: RE: [infections] Re: Risks of prescribing antibiotics in the US

, I never had IV antibiotics but I will take my longterm experimental antibiotics with no clear outcome over virtually all other CFIDS and fms patients I have seen. I am better than literally all of them who have not tried antibiotics. What the latest report on Dr. Jemsek fails to report as of today is the numbers of his Lyme patients who are doing well. That is the story we hope will exonerate him and allow him to continue treating. No one else in Charlotte even has a clue.

a

Barb , I hate to say it but it is world wide ,it even has a name "defensive medicine" if no clear cut protocol is available then you don't get treated simple as that. Long term treatment without a clear outcome is risky ..so avoid at all costs ..we need a political arm...

http://www.cbc.ca/nb/story/nb-lymedisease20060613.html

[Guest guest]

'Is Jemsek's treatment wrong? At least it is treatment. Tony'

PAula

The thing we have been discussing recently is herxes and what is

often mistaken as a herx is the developemnet of superinfection. The

literature inside a pack of amoxacillin here in australia is very

clear about developing superinfections if the drug is wrong ..

Unfortunately doctors skipped that class and can no longer read.So

by sitting someone (PAul is a recent example) with a borrelia bunker

mentality your actually making them sicker not getting them better

and the response by the rest of medicine can have some merit.

> >

> >

> > This doctor is a famous AIDS specialist, known all over the

world.

> If he had

> > been treating AIDS and not Lyme patients this would never have

seen

> the

> > light of day. We are living in scary times for those of us with

> infectious

> > diseases - and that is most of the human race.

> >

> > a

> >

> >

> >

> > Patient testifies treatment made her ill

> >

> > Hearing begins before N.C. Medical Board

> >

> > KAREN GARLOCH

> > kgarloch@

> >

> > RALEIGH - A 32-year-old Huntersville woman testified Wednesday

that

> Dr.

> > ph Jemsek treated her for chronic Lyme disease with daily

> antibiotics

> > for a

> > year and a half even though, she learned later, she didn't have

the

> > tickborne

> > illness.

> >

> > told the N.C. Medical Board that she developed

five

> > infections from catheters inserted in her arms and chest for

> delivering the

> > intravenous

> > medicine. The last infection, she said, " almost took my life. "

> >

> > " I put my faith in Dr. Jemsek, " said , who sometimes

cried

> as she

> > told

> > her story. " I held onto the hope. But looking back, I see that

my

> symptoms

> > only got worse. "

> >

> > , three other former Jemsek patients and the widower of a

> deceased

> > patient testified against the Huntersville doctor Wednesday at a

> public

> > hearing.

> > The board alleges that Jemsek misdiagnosed at least 10 patients

> with chronic

> >

> > Lyme disease and treated them inappropriately with months of IV

> antibiotics.

> >

> > The 12-member board could decide to revoke, suspend or otherwise

> limit

> > Jemsek's license.

> >

> > The charges against Jemsek, 57, are similar to those brought by

> other state

> > medical boards against 30 other doctors. Like Jemsek, they

believe

> that Lyme

> >

> > disease often becomes chronic, with long-lasting symptoms such

as

> extreme

> > fatigue, unusual pain, fever, foggy memory and numbness in the

> limbs.

> >

> > Jemsek, who also testified Wednesday, said he treats about 400

Lyme

> disease

> > patients and 1,200 HIV patients at his clinic. He said he does

not

> always

> > rely

> > on laboratory tests to diagnose patients with Lyme disease

because

> current

> > tests are not reliable.

> >

> > " Tests shouldn't drive us; we should drive the tests, " he

said. " If

> you

> > really pay attention (to what the patients tell you), you get to

be

> pretty

> > good

> > diagnostically. "

> >

> > About 100 Lyme patients, many from Jemsek's clinic, showed up

for

> the

> > hearing

> > and stood for more than an hour in the rain until the board's

> office opened

> > at 8 a.m. The hearing room could hold only 60 people, so many

> waited in the

> > lobby, wearing lime green bracelets or green ribbons tied around

> their arms

> > to

> > show support for the doctor.

> >

> > Penny Nichols, a Statesville patient, said the board should have

> moved the

> > hearing to a larger space.

> >

> > At Wednesday's hearing, the board heard from two N.C. physicians

> and an

> > epidemiologist who said Lyme disease is rare in North Carolina

and

> that

> > treating it

> > with antibiotics for longer than a month is outside the norm.

> >

> > Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease specialist at NorthEast

> Medical

> > Center in Concord, said she contacted the board about Jemsek's

> unusual

> > approach to

> > diagnosing and treating Lyme after seeing about 20 of his

patients

> who did

> > not appear to her to have the illness.

> >

> > One of those patients, who later testified, was Patti Ingram,

52,

> of Fort

> > Mill, S.C., who took intravenous antibiotics for seven-and-a-

half

> years.

> > Garwood

> > said she didn't think the patient had Lyme and couldn't imagine

why

> anyone

> > would need to take antibiotics for so long.

> >

> > Dr. Meera Kelley, an infectious disease specialist at Wake Med

> Health and

> > Hospitals in Raleigh, reviewed records of all 10 patients cited

by

> the board

> > and

> > said none appeared to have Lyme disease.

> >

> > Based on her review of the records, she said Jemsek did not

inform

> patients

> > that his approach to treatment was different from the standard.

> >

> > In his opening statement, board attorney Marcus Jimison said

Jemsek

> would

> > perform numerous tests for Lyme and then " cherry pick " results

that

> would

> > support

> > his diagnosis " while ignoring everything else. " As a result,

> Jimison said,

> > Jemsek " made lots and lots of money. "

> >

> > said her treatment, including hospitalization

for

> the

> > infections, cost at least $200,000.

> >

> > Jemsek's lawyer, Jim of Durham, said his client does

inform

> patients

> > that his treatment differs from what other doctors are

> doing. " That's why

> > they

> > came to Dr. Jemsek. They had sought treatment elsewhere and been

> denied. "

> >

> > Armiger, a mechanical engineer from Washington, D.C., said

> Jemsek

> > carefully explained the risks of the treatment when he became a

> patient in

> > June

> > 2003. Under Jemsek's care, he said, " I did continue to slowly

> improve. "

> >

> > The board's hearing will continue today with more testimony from

> Jemsek.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Yeah, this is sick. And the lyme docs are sitting ducks. Easy prey because their evidence is especially hard to prove. That's why I'm pushing to raise awareness about infections in general. Start with the ones that there's no question about. Tell docs that we will not accept a box of antibiotics until we know our organisms have been identified and tested for their susceptibilities. That we do not want to contribute to antibiotic resistance in ourselves or the greater community by guessing blindly on antibiotic treatment. It boggles my mind. The pediatric association came out a couple of years back with an emergency warning about the huge increase in MRSA resistant staph showing up in school children. They were clamoring for something to be done. Why can people not see what's happening here? The docs are creating these monster bugs with horrible testing and treatment decisions,

and it's completely unnecessary. And we become the victims of chronic, resistant infections due to laziness and incompetence. pennya Carnes <pj7@...> wrote: This doctor is a famous AIDS specialist, known all over the world. If he hadbeen treating AIDS and not Lyme patients this would never have seen thelight of day. We are living in scary times for those of us with infectiousdiseases - and that is most of the human race.aPatient testifies treatment made her illHearing begins before

N.C. Medical BoardKAREN GARLOCHkgarlochcharlotteobserverRALEIGH - A 32-year-old Huntersville woman testified Wednesday that Dr. ph Jemsek treated her for chronic Lyme disease with daily antibioticsfor a year and a half even though, she learned later, she didn't have thetickborne illness. told the N.C. Medical Board that she developed five infections from catheters inserted in her arms and chest for delivering theintravenous medicine. The last infection, she said, "almost took my life.""I put my faith in Dr. Jemsek," said , who sometimes cried as shetold her story. "I held onto the hope. But looking back, I see that my symptoms only got worse.", three other former Jemsek patients and the widower of a deceased patient testified against the Huntersville doctor Wednesday at a

publichearing. The board alleges that Jemsek misdiagnosed at least 10 patients with chronicLyme disease and treated them inappropriately with months of IV antibiotics.The 12-member board could decide to revoke, suspend or otherwise limit Jemsek's license.The charges against Jemsek, 57, are similar to those brought by other state medical boards against 30 other doctors. Like Jemsek, they believe that Lymedisease often becomes chronic, with long-lasting symptoms such as extreme fatigue, unusual pain, fever, foggy memory and numbness in the limbs.Jemsek, who also testified Wednesday, said he treats about 400 Lyme disease patients and 1,200 HIV patients at his clinic. He said he does not alwaysrely on laboratory tests to diagnose patients with Lyme disease because current tests are not reliable."Tests shouldn't drive us; we should drive the tests," he said. "If you really pay attention (to

what the patients tell you), you get to be prettygood diagnostically."About 100 Lyme patients, many from Jemsek's clinic, showed up for thehearing and stood for more than an hour in the rain until the board's office opened at 8 a.m. The hearing room could hold only 60 people, so many waited in the lobby, wearing lime green bracelets or green ribbons tied around their armsto show support for the doctor.Penny Nichols, a Statesville patient, said the board should have moved the hearing to a larger space.At Wednesday's hearing, the board heard from two N.C. physicians and an epidemiologist who said Lyme disease is rare in North Carolina and thattreating it with antibiotics for longer than a month is outside the norm.Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease specialist at NorthEast Medical Center in Concord, said she contacted the board about Jemsek's unusualapproach to diagnosing

and treating Lyme after seeing about 20 of his patients who did not appear to her to have the illness.One of those patients, who later testified, was Patti Ingram, 52, of Fort Mill, S.C., who took intravenous antibiotics for seven-and-a-half years.Garwood said she didn't think the patient had Lyme and couldn't imagine why anyone would need to take antibiotics for so long.Dr. Meera Kelley, an infectious disease specialist at Wake Med Health and Hospitals in Raleigh, reviewed records of all 10 patients cited by the boardand said none appeared to have Lyme disease.Based on her review of the records, she said Jemsek did not inform patients that his approach to treatment was different from the standard.In his opening statement, board attorney Marcus Jimison said Jemsek would perform numerous tests for Lyme and then "cherry pick" results that wouldsupport his diagnosis "while ignoring everything

else." As a result, Jimison said, Jemsek "made lots and lots of money." said her treatment, including hospitalization for the infections, cost at least $200,000.Jemsek's lawyer, Jim of Durham, said his client does inform patients that his treatment differs from what other doctors are doing. "That's whythey came to Dr. Jemsek. They had sought treatment elsewhere and been denied." Armiger, a mechanical engineer from Washington, D.C., said Jemsek carefully explained the risks of the treatment when he became a patient inJune 2003. Under Jemsek's care, he said, "I did continue to slowly improve."The board's hearing will continue today with more testimony from Jemsek.

[Guest guest]

I agree. These lyme docs are being targeted because the powers-that-be fear what could happen if the public starts figuring out what's really going on and how at risk we all really are from the super infections that have been created by super stupid doctors. Not only would there be chaos, it would cost the medical industry billions, maybe trillions of dollars to deal with the problem. This is why we have to educate ourselves and never settle for subpar treatment. (I know it's very difficult when you're fatigued or in pain, but somehow, we have to at least spread the word that people are sick because of infections that doctor's are refusing to identify for proper treatment. It starts with every mom insisting on a culture when her kid has an infection of any kind. I look back at all the idiotic abx treatments my kids were put on based on doctor's hurried guesswork and it makes me want to throw up. My poor little

girl had a finger infection that the doctor just kept throwing abx at. Finally, a Mexican woman told me to soak it in bleach, which I did, and voila, finger infection gone. Thank goodness, because who knows what all those incorrectly prescribed abx were doing to her organisms, and what might have happened if we'd kept at it? Or maybe it already has happened. Maybe she'll be striken down with a chronic bug, too? I pray not. penny Barb Peck <egroups1bp@...> wrote: QUOTE from article:Dr.

Garwood, an infectious disease specialist at NorthEast Medical Center in Concord, said she contacted the board about Jemsek's unusual approach to diagnosing and treating Lyme after seeing about 20 of his patients who did not appear to her to have the illness.END QUOTE:And there you have it.. A ID Doc, working for a big instiution turning in a fellow Doc that has his own business. Hmmmmmmmm.The good Dr. Garwood.Barb>> > This doctor is a famous AIDS specialist, known all over the world. If he had> been treating AIDS and not Lyme patients this would never have seen the> light of day. We are living in scary times for those of us with infectious> diseases - and that is most of the human race.> >

a> > > > Patient testifies treatment made her ill> > Hearing begins before N.C. Medical Board> > KAREN GARLOCH> kgarloch@...> > RALEIGH - A 32-year-old Huntersville woman testified Wednesday that Dr. > ph Jemsek treated her for chronic Lyme disease with daily antibiotics> for a > year and a half even though, she learned later, she didn't have the> tickborne > illness.> > told the N.C. Medical Board that she developed five > infections from catheters inserted in her arms and chest for delivering the> intravenous > medicine. The last infection, she said, "almost took my life."> > "I put my faith in Dr. Jemsek," said , who sometimes cried as she> told > her story. "I held onto the hope. But looking back, I see that my symptoms > only got

worse."> > , three other former Jemsek patients and the widower of a deceased > patient testified against the Huntersville doctor Wednesday at a public> hearing. > The board alleges that Jemsek misdiagnosed at least 10 patients with chronic> > Lyme disease and treated them inappropriately with months of IV antibiotics.> > The 12-member board could decide to revoke, suspend or otherwise limit > Jemsek's license.> > The charges against Jemsek, 57, are similar to those brought by other state > medical boards against 30 other doctors. Like Jemsek, they believe that Lyme> > disease often becomes chronic, with long-lasting symptoms such as extreme > fatigue, unusual pain, fever, foggy memory and numbness in the limbs.> > Jemsek, who also testified Wednesday, said he treats about 400 Lyme disease >

patients and 1,200 HIV patients at his clinic. He said he does not always> rely > on laboratory tests to diagnose patients with Lyme disease because current > tests are not reliable.> > "Tests shouldn't drive us; we should drive the tests," he said. "If you > really pay attention (to what the patients tell you), you get to be pretty> good > diagnostically."> > About 100 Lyme patients, many from Jemsek's clinic, showed up for the> hearing > and stood for more than an hour in the rain until the board's office opened > at 8 a.m. The hearing room could hold only 60 people, so many waited in the > lobby, wearing lime green bracelets or green ribbons tied around their arms> to > show support for the doctor.> > Penny Nichols, a Statesville patient, said the board should have moved the > hearing to a larger

space.> > At Wednesday's hearing, the board heard from two N.C. physicians and an > epidemiologist who said Lyme disease is rare in North Carolina and that> treating it > with antibiotics for longer than a month is outside the norm.> > Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease specialist at NorthEast Medical > Center in Concord, said she contacted the board about Jemsek's unusual> approach to > diagnosing and treating Lyme after seeing about 20 of his patients who did > not appear to her to have the illness.> > One of those patients, who later testified, was Patti Ingram, 52, of Fort > Mill, S.C., who took intravenous antibiotics for seven-and-a-half years.> Garwood > said she didn't think the patient had Lyme and couldn't imagine why anyone > would need to take antibiotics for so long.> > Dr. Meera Kelley,

an infectious disease specialist at Wake Med Health and > Hospitals in Raleigh, reviewed records of all 10 patients cited by the board> and > said none appeared to have Lyme disease.> > Based on her review of the records, she said Jemsek did not inform patients > that his approach to treatment was different from the standard.> > In his opening statement, board attorney Marcus Jimison said Jemsek would > perform numerous tests for Lyme and then "cherry pick" results that would> support > his diagnosis "while ignoring everything else." As a result, Jimison said, > Jemsek "made lots and lots of money."> > said her treatment, including hospitalization for the > infections, cost at least $200,000.> > Jemsek's lawyer, Jim of Durham, said his client does inform patients > that his treatment differs

from what other doctors are doing. "That's why> they > came to Dr. Jemsek. They had sought treatment elsewhere and been denied."> > Armiger, a mechanical engineer from Washington, D.C., said Jemsek > carefully explained the risks of the treatment when he became a patient in> June > 2003. Under Jemsek's care, he said, "I did continue to slowly improve."> > The board's hearing will continue today with more testimony from Jemsek.>

[Guest guest]

I agree, Tony, about the superinfections. But we have

to be careful to not attack doctors who are at least

sticking their necks out trying to help.

It's tricky. If we fight FOR these guys, and they

lose, we could all end up losing big time too. But if

we don't fight for them, we lose too because every doc

will refuse to acknowledge that ANY infections exist

that can create chronic illness. I just wish more docs

like Shoemaker would stand up for the idea that basic

chronic infections are creating chronic illness,

because it would be much more difficult to discredit

them with basic, easy to identify organisms like

staph.

Since there aren't too many of these kinds of thinkers

out there, our only option is to go to our mainstream

docs who DO deal with infections on a regular basis,

like ENTs (or orthopedists) or plastic surgeons. And

find the ones who'll actually treat appropriately

rather than blow us off for the bigger bucks. That

means each person must find an identifiable source of

infection in themselves that the docs can't really

contest.

penny

--- dumbaussie2000 <dumbaussie2000@...>

wrote:

>

>

> 'Is Jemsek's treatment wrong? At least it is

> treatment. Tony'

> PAula

> The thing we have been discussing recently is herxes

> and what is

> often mistaken as a herx is the developemnet of

> superinfection. The

> literature inside a pack of amoxacillin here in

> australia is very

> clear about developing superinfections if the drug

> is wrong ..

> Unfortunately doctors skipped that class and can no

> longer read.So

> by sitting someone (PAul is a recent example) with a

> borrelia bunker

> mentality your actually making them sicker not

> getting them better

> and the response by the rest of medicine can have

> some merit.

>

>

>

>

> > >

> > >

> > > This doctor is a famous AIDS specialist, known

> all over the

> world.

> > If he had

> > > been treating AIDS and not Lyme patients this

> would never have

> seen

> > the

> > > light of day. We are living in scary times for

> those of us with

> > infectious

> > > diseases - and that is most of the human race.

> > >

> > > a

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Patient testifies treatment made her ill

> > >

> > > Hearing begins before N.C. Medical Board

> > >

> > > KAREN GARLOCH

> > > kgarloch@

> > >

> > > RALEIGH - A 32-year-old Huntersville woman

> testified Wednesday

> that

> > Dr.

> > > ph Jemsek treated her for chronic Lyme

> disease with daily

> > antibiotics

> > > for a

> > > year and a half even though, she learned later,

> she didn't have

> the

> > > tickborne

> > > illness.

> > >

> > > told the N.C. Medical Board that

> she developed

> five

> > > infections from catheters inserted in her arms

> and chest for

> > delivering the

> > > intravenous

> > > medicine. The last infection, she said, " almost

> took my life. "

> > >

> > > " I put my faith in Dr. Jemsek, " said ,

> who sometimes

> cried

> > as she

> > > told

> > > her story. " I held onto the hope. But looking

> back, I see that

> my

> > symptoms

> > > only got worse. "

> > >

> > > , three other former Jemsek patients and

> the widower of a

> > deceased

> > > patient testified against the Huntersville

> doctor Wednesday at a

> > public

> > > hearing.

> > > The board alleges that Jemsek misdiagnosed at

> least 10 patients

> > with chronic

> > >

> > > Lyme disease and treated them inappropriately

> with months of IV

> > antibiotics.

> > >

> > > The 12-member board could decide to revoke,

> suspend or otherwise

> > limit

> > > Jemsek's license.

> > >

> > > The charges against Jemsek, 57, are similar to

> those brought by

> > other state

> > > medical boards against 30 other doctors. Like

> Jemsek, they

> believe

> > that Lyme

> > >

> > > disease often becomes chronic, with long-lasting

> symptoms such

> as

> > extreme

> > > fatigue, unusual pain, fever, foggy memory and

> numbness in the

> > limbs.

> > >

> > > Jemsek, who also testified Wednesday, said he

> treats about 400

> Lyme

> > disease

> > > patients and 1,200 HIV patients at his clinic.

> He said he does

> not

> > always

> > > rely

> > > on laboratory tests to diagnose patients with

> Lyme disease

> because

> > current

> > > tests are not reliable.

> > >

> > > " Tests shouldn't drive us; we should drive the

> tests, " he

> said. " If

> > you

> > > really pay attention (to what the patients tell

> you), you get to

> be

> > pretty

> > > good

> > > diagnostically. "

> > >

> > > About 100 Lyme patients, many from Jemsek's

> clinic, showed up

> for

> > the

> > > hearing

> > > and stood for more than an hour in the rain

> until the board's

> > office opened

> > > at 8 a.m. The hearing room could hold only 60

> people, so many

> > waited in the

> > > lobby, wearing lime green bracelets or green

> ribbons tied around

> > their arms

> > > to

> > > show support for the doctor.

> > >

> > > Penny Nichols, a Statesville patient, said the

> board should have

> > moved the

> > > hearing to a larger space.

> > >

> > > At Wednesday's hearing, the board heard from two

> N.C. physicians

> > and an

> > > epidemiologist who said Lyme disease is rare in

> North Carolina

> and

> > that

> > > treating it

> > > with antibiotics for longer than a month is

> outside the norm.

> > >

> > > Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease

> specialist at NorthEast

> > Medical

> > > Center in Concord, said she contacted the board

> about Jemsek's

> > unusual

> > > approach to

> > > diagnosing and treating Lyme after seeing about

> 20 of his

> patients

> > who did

> > > not appear to her to have the illness.

> > >

> > > One of those patients, who later testified, was

> Patti Ingram,

> 52,

> > of Fort

> > > Mill, S.C., who took intravenous antibiotics for

> seven-and-a-

> half

> > years.

> > > Garwood

> > > said she didn't think the patient had Lyme and

> couldn't imagine

> why

> > anyone

> > > would need to take antibiotics for so long.

> > >

> > > Dr. Meera Kelley, an infectious disease

> specialist at Wake Med

> > Health and

> > > Hospitals in Raleigh, reviewed records of all 10

> patients cited

> by

> > the board

> > > and

> > > said none appeared to have Lyme disease.

> > >

> > > Based on her review of the records, she said

> Jemsek did not

> inform

> > patients

> > > that his approach to treatment was different

> from the standard.

> > >

> > > In his opening statement, board attorney Marcus

> Jimison said

> Jemsek

> > would

> > > perform numerous tests for Lyme and then " cherry

> pick " results

> that

> > would

> > > support

> > > his diagnosis " while ignoring everything else. "

> As a result,

> > Jimison said,

> > > Jemsek " made lots and lots of money. "

> > >

> > > said her treatment, including

> hospitalization

> for

> > the

> > > infections, cost at least $200,000.

> > >

> > > Jemsek's lawyer, Jim of Durham, said his

> client does

> inform

> > patients

> > > that his treatment differs from what other

> doctors are

> > doing. " That's why

> > > they

> > > came to Dr. Jemsek. They had sought treatment

> elsewhere and been

> > denied. "

> > >

> > > Armiger, a mechanical engineer from

> Washington, D.C., said

> > Jemsek

> > > carefully explained the risks of the treatment

> when he became a

> > patient in

> > > June

> > > 2003. Under Jemsek's care, he said, " I did

> continue to slowly

> > improve. "

> > >

> > > The board's hearing will continue today with

> more testimony from

> > Jemsek.

> > >

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Penny

The problkem is these guys are that stupid- they started out 20

years ago and had a handfull of tools in there cabinets. They had

cephalothin a cheap and great antimicrobial in use still in aus- out

of use for 20 years in the USA- because NO ONE is interested IN WHAT

WORKS FOR THE PATIENT.The ameriacn docs use the new antimicrobial

ceftriaxone 10 times more expoensive and absolutely useless at

everything they thorw it at; then you get patients violently ill and

dying and the families SHOULD LINE UP TO GET THESE DOCTORS OUT OF

COMMISION.Imagine using a drug like cefazolin for a week and seeing

the remarkable transformation of the patient even a decent dose of

penicillin sounds smarter.yet they believe the patiuent has to HERX

(when the guy dyed before serious antimicrobial therapy existed) and

just use stiupid logic that just fails too often IMO.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > This doctor is a famous AIDS specialist, known

> > all over the

> > world.

> > > If he had

> > > > been treating AIDS and not Lyme patients this

> > would never have

> > seen

> > > the

> > > > light of day. We are living in scary times for

> > those of us with

> > > infectious

> > > > diseases - and that is most of the human race.

> > > >

> > > > a

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > Patient testifies treatment made her ill

> > > >

> > > > Hearing begins before N.C. Medical Board

> > > >

> > > > KAREN GARLOCH

> > > > kgarloch@

> > > >

> > > > RALEIGH - A 32-year-old Huntersville woman

> > testified Wednesday

> > that

> > > Dr.

> > > > ph Jemsek treated her for chronic Lyme

> > disease with daily

> > > antibiotics

> > > > for a

> > > > year and a half even though, she learned later,

> > she didn't have

> > the

> > > > tickborne

> > > > illness.

> > > >

> > > > told the N.C. Medical Board that

> > she developed

> > five

> > > > infections from catheters inserted in her arms

> > and chest for

> > > delivering the

> > > > intravenous

> > > > medicine. The last infection, she said, " almost

> > took my life. "

> > > >

> > > > " I put my faith in Dr. Jemsek, " said ,

> > who sometimes

> > cried

> > > as she

> > > > told

> > > > her story. " I held onto the hope. But looking

> > back, I see that

> > my

> > > symptoms

> > > > only got worse. "

> > > >

> > > > , three other former Jemsek patients and

> > the widower of a

> > > deceased

> > > > patient testified against the Huntersville

> > doctor Wednesday at a

> > > public

> > > > hearing.

> > > > The board alleges that Jemsek misdiagnosed at

> > least 10 patients

> > > with chronic

> > > >

> > > > Lyme disease and treated them inappropriately

> > with months of IV

> > > antibiotics.

> > > >

> > > > The 12-member board could decide to revoke,

> > suspend or otherwise

> > > limit

> > > > Jemsek's license.

> > > >

> > > > The charges against Jemsek, 57, are similar to

> > those brought by

> > > other state

> > > > medical boards against 30 other doctors. Like

> > Jemsek, they

> > believe

> > > that Lyme

> > > >

> > > > disease often becomes chronic, with long-lasting

> > symptoms such

> > as

> > > extreme

> > > > fatigue, unusual pain, fever, foggy memory and

> > numbness in the

> > > limbs.

> > > >

> > > > Jemsek, who also testified Wednesday, said he

> > treats about 400

> > Lyme

> > > disease

> > > > patients and 1,200 HIV patients at his clinic.

> > He said he does

> > not

> > > always

> > > > rely

> > > > on laboratory tests to diagnose patients with

> > Lyme disease

> > because

> > > current

> > > > tests are not reliable.

> > > >

> > > > " Tests shouldn't drive us; we should drive the

> > tests, " he

> > said. " If

> > > you

> > > > really pay attention (to what the patients tell

> > you), you get to

> > be

> > > pretty

> > > > good

> > > > diagnostically. "

> > > >

> > > > About 100 Lyme patients, many from Jemsek's

> > clinic, showed up

> > for

> > > the

> > > > hearing

> > > > and stood for more than an hour in the rain

> > until the board's

> > > office opened

> > > > at 8 a.m. The hearing room could hold only 60

> > people, so many

> > > waited in the

> > > > lobby, wearing lime green bracelets or green

> > ribbons tied around

> > > their arms

> > > > to

> > > > show support for the doctor.

> > > >

> > > > Penny Nichols, a Statesville patient, said the

> > board should have

> > > moved the

> > > > hearing to a larger space.

> > > >

> > > > At Wednesday's hearing, the board heard from two

> > N.C. physicians

> > > and an

> > > > epidemiologist who said Lyme disease is rare in

> > North Carolina

> > and

> > > that

> > > > treating it

> > > > with antibiotics for longer than a month is

> > outside the norm.

> > > >

> > > > Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease

> > specialist at NorthEast

> > > Medical

> > > > Center in Concord, said she contacted the board

> > about Jemsek's

> > > unusual

> > > > approach to

> > > > diagnosing and treating Lyme after seeing about

> > 20 of his

> > patients

> > > who did

> > > > not appear to her to have the illness.

> > > >

> > > > One of those patients, who later testified, was

> > Patti Ingram,

> > 52,

> > > of Fort

> > > > Mill, S.C., who took intravenous antibiotics for

> > seven-and-a-

> > half

> > > years.

> > > > Garwood

> > > > said she didn't think the patient had Lyme and

> > couldn't imagine

> > why

> > > anyone

> > > > would need to take antibiotics for so long.

> > > >

> > > > Dr. Meera Kelley, an infectious disease

> > specialist at Wake Med

> > > Health and

> > > > Hospitals in Raleigh, reviewed records of all 10

> > patients cited

> > by

> > > the board

> > > > and

> > > > said none appeared to have Lyme disease.

> > > >

> > > > Based on her review of the records, she said

> > Jemsek did not

> > inform

> > > patients

> > > > that his approach to treatment was different

> > from the standard.

> > > >

> > > > In his opening statement, board attorney Marcus

> > Jimison said

> > Jemsek

> > > would

> > > > perform numerous tests for Lyme and then " cherry

> > pick " results

> > that

> > > would

> > > > support

> > > > his diagnosis " while ignoring everything else. "

> > As a result,

> > > Jimison said,

> > > > Jemsek " made lots and lots of money. "

> > > >

> > > > said her treatment, including

> > hospitalization

> > for

> > > the

> > > > infections, cost at least $200,000.

> > > >

> > > > Jemsek's lawyer, Jim of Durham, said his

> > client does

> > inform

> > > patients

> > > > that his treatment differs from what other

> > doctors are

> > > doing. " That's why

> > > > they

> > > > came to Dr. Jemsek. They had sought treatment

> > elsewhere and been

> > > denied. "

> > > >

> > > > Armiger, a mechanical engineer from

> > Washington, D.C., said

> > > Jemsek

> > > > carefully explained the risks of the treatment

> > when he became a

> > > patient in

> > > > June

> > > > 2003. Under Jemsek's care, he said, " I did

> > continue to slowly

> > > improve. "

> > > >

> > > > The board's hearing will continue today with

> > more testimony from

> > > Jemsek.

> > > >

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

yeah, I kow someone who's benefitted tremendously from

cephalosporin for osteomyelitis, and yet continues to

only discuss lyme treatments. Can't even acknowledge

publicly that these other organisms are a huge part of

the problem (although privately it's a different

story). Right. Staph is a harmless organism that

everybody carries. No one dies or suffers from staph

infections and they're really our friends in the

truest sense of the word.

I give up.

penny

--- dumbaussie2000 <dumbaussie2000@...>

wrote:

> Penny

> The problkem is these guys are that stupid- they

> started out 20

> years ago and had a handfull of tools in there

> cabinets. They had

> cephalothin a cheap and great antimicrobial in use

> still in aus- out

> of use for 20 years in the USA- because NO ONE is

> interested IN WHAT

> WORKS FOR THE PATIENT.The ameriacn docs use the new

> antimicrobial

> ceftriaxone 10 times more expoensive and absolutely

> useless at

> everything they thorw it at; then you get patients

> violently ill and

> dying and the families SHOULD LINE UP TO GET THESE

> DOCTORS OUT OF

> COMMISION.Imagine using a drug like cefazolin for a

> week and seeing

> the remarkable transformation of the patient even a

> decent dose of

> penicillin sounds smarter.yet they believe the

> patiuent has to HERX

> (when the guy dyed before serious antimicrobial

> therapy existed) and

> just use stiupid logic that just fails too often

> IMO.

>

>

>

>

>

>

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > > This doctor is a famous AIDS specialist,

> known

> > > all over the

> > > world.

> > > > If he had

> > > > > been treating AIDS and not Lyme patients

> this

> > > would never have

> > > seen

> > > > the

> > > > > light of day. We are living in scary times

> for

> > > those of us with

> > > > infectious

> > > > > diseases - and that is most of the human

> race.

> > > > >

> > > > > a

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > > Patient testifies treatment made her ill

> > > > >

> > > > > Hearing begins before N.C. Medical Board

> > > > >

> > > > > KAREN GARLOCH

> > > > > kgarloch@

> > > > >

> > > > > RALEIGH - A 32-year-old Huntersville woman

> > > testified Wednesday

> > > that

> > > > Dr.

> > > > > ph Jemsek treated her for chronic Lyme

> > > disease with daily

> > > > antibiotics

> > > > > for a

> > > > > year and a half even though, she learned

> later,

> > > she didn't have

> > > the

> > > > > tickborne

> > > > > illness.

> > > > >

> > > > > told the N.C. Medical Board

> that

> > > she developed

> > > five

> > > > > infections from catheters inserted in her

> arms

> > > and chest for

> > > > delivering the

> > > > > intravenous

> > > > > medicine. The last infection, she said,

> " almost

> > > took my life. "

> > > > >

> > > > > " I put my faith in Dr. Jemsek, " said

> ,

> > > who sometimes

> > > cried

> > > > as she

> > > > > told

> > > > > her story. " I held onto the hope. But

> looking

> > > back, I see that

> > > my

> > > > symptoms

> > > > > only got worse. "

> > > > >

> > > > > , three other former Jemsek patients

> and

> > > the widower of a

> > > > deceased

> > > > > patient testified against the Huntersville

> > > doctor Wednesday at a

> > > > public

> > > > > hearing.

> > > > > The board alleges that Jemsek misdiagnosed

> at

> > > least 10 patients

> > > > with chronic

> > > > >

> > > > > Lyme disease and treated them

> inappropriately

> > > with months of IV

> > > > antibiotics.

> > > > >

> > > > > The 12-member board could decide to revoke,

> > > suspend or otherwise

> > > > limit

> > > > > Jemsek's license.

> > > > >

> > > > > The charges against Jemsek, 57, are similar

> to

> > > those brought by

> > > > other state

> > > > > medical boards against 30 other doctors.

> Like

> > > Jemsek, they

> > > believe

> > > > that Lyme

> > > > >

> > > > > disease often becomes chronic, with

> long-lasting

> > > symptoms such

> > > as

> > > > extreme

> > > > > fatigue, unusual pain, fever, foggy memory

> and

> > > numbness in the

> > > > limbs.

> > > > >

> > > > > Jemsek, who also testified Wednesday, said

> he

> > > treats about 400

> > > Lyme

> > > > disease

> > > > > patients and 1,200 HIV patients at his

> clinic.

> > > He said he does

> > > not

> > > > always

> > > > > rely

> > > > > on laboratory tests to diagnose patients

> with

> > > Lyme disease

> > > because

> > > > current

> > > > > tests are not reliable.

> > > > >

> > > > > " Tests shouldn't drive us; we should drive

> the

> > > tests, " he

> > > said. " If

> > > > you

> > > > > really pay attention (to what the patients

> tell

> > > you), you get to

> > > be

> > > > pretty

> > > > > good

> > > > > diagnostically. "

> > > > >

> > > > > About 100 Lyme patients, many from Jemsek's

> > > clinic, showed up

> > > for

> > > > the

> > > > > hearing

> > > > > and stood for more than an hour in the rain

> > > until the board's

> > > > office opened

> > > > > at 8 a.m. The hearing room could hold only

> 60

> > > people, so many

> > > > waited in the

> > > > > lobby, wearing lime green bracelets or green

> > > ribbons tied around

> > > > their arms

> > > > > to

> > > > > show support for the doctor.

> > > > >

> > > > > Penny Nichols, a Statesville patient, said

> the

> > > board should have

> > > > moved the

> > > > > hearing to a larger space.

> > > > >

> > > > > At Wednesday's hearing, the board heard from

> two

> > > N.C. physicians

> > > > and an

> > > > > epidemiologist who said Lyme disease is rare

> in

> > > North Carolina

> > > and

> > > > that

> > > > > treating it

> > > > > with antibiotics for longer than a month is

> > > outside the norm.

> > > > >

> > > > > Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease

> > > specialist at NorthEast

> > > > Medical

> > > > > Center in Concord, said she contacted the

> board

> > > about Jemsek's

> > > > unusual

> > > > > approach to

> > > > > diagnosing and treating Lyme after seeing

> about

> > > 20 of his

> > > patients

> > > > who did

> > > > > not appear to her to have the illness.

> > > > >

> > > > > One of those patients, who later testified,

> was

> > > Patti Ingram,

> > > 52,

> > > > of Fort

> > > > > Mill, S.C., who took intravenous antibiotics

> for

> > > seven-and-a-

> > > half

> > > > years.

> > > > > Garwood

> > > > > said she didn't think the patient had Lyme

> and

> > > couldn't imagine

> > > why

> > > > anyone

> > > > > would need to take antibiotics for so long.

> > > > >

> > > > > Dr. Meera Kelley, an infectious disease

> > > specialist at Wake Med

> > > > Health and

> > > > > Hospitals in Raleigh, reviewed records of

> all 10

> > > patients cited

> > > by

> > > > the board

> > > > > and

> > > > > said none appeared to have Lyme disease.

> > > > >

> > > > > Based on her review of the records, she said

> > > Jemsek did not

> > > inform

> > > > patients

> > > > > that his approach to treatment was different

> > > from the standard.

> > > > >

> > > > > In his opening statement, board attorney

> Marcus

> > > Jimison said

> > > Jemsek

> > > > would

> > > > > perform numerous tests for Lyme and then

> " cherry

> > > pick " results

> > > that

> > > > would

> > > > > support

> > > > > his diagnosis " while ignoring everything

> else. "

> > > As a result,

> > > > Jimison said,

> > > > > Jemsek " made lots and lots of money. "

> > > > >

> > > > > said her treatment,

> including

> > > hospitalization

> > > for

> > > > the

> > > > > infections, cost at least $200,000.

> > > > >

> > > > > Jemsek's lawyer, Jim of Durham, said

> his

> > > client does

> > > inform

> > > > patients

> > > > > that his treatment differs from what other

> > > doctors are

> > > > doing. " That's why

> > > > > they

> > > > > came to Dr. Jemsek. They had sought

> treatment

> > > elsewhere and been

> > > > denied. "

> > > > >

> > > > > Armiger, a mechanical engineer from

> > > Washington, D.C., said

> > > > Jemsek

> > > > > carefully explained the risks of the

> treatment

> > > when he became a

> > > > patient in

> > > > > June

> > > > > 2003. Under Jemsek's care, he said, " I did

> > > continue to slowly

> > > > improve. "

> > > > >

> > > > > The board's hearing will continue today with

> > > more testimony from

> > > > Jemsek.

> > > > >

> > > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Tony,

When will you just STOP shouting your mouth off? When will you stop raving and raving in general terms about people you don't even know? Have you spoken with Dr Jemsek? Do you think you understand his reasons for treating the way he does?

He is in court because some of his patients got manipulated by doctors and health insurances with an agenda, the same agenda as for Dr and others. This is really serious stuff, once those doctors are gone, see how much better off we'll be!!!!

Don't reply to me Tony, I am too furious, I just want to give my support to Dr Jemsek, I am not really try to interact with you (which as you know I am finding an absolute impossibility)

Nelly

[infections] Re: Risks of prescribing antibiotics in the US

PennyThe problkem is these guys are that stupid- they started out 20 years ago and had a handfull of tools in there cabinets. They had cephalothin a cheap and great antimicrobial in use still in aus- out of use for 20 years in the USA- because NO ONE is interested IN WHAT WORKS FOR THE PATIENT.The ameriacn docs use the new antimicrobial ceftriaxone 10 times more expoensive and absolutely useless at everything they thorw it at; then you get patients violently ill and dying and the families SHOULD LINE UP TO GET THESE DOCTORS OUT OF COMMISION.Imagine using a drug like cefazolin for a week and seeing the remarkable transformation of the patient even a decent dose of penicillin sounds smarter.yet they believe the patiuent has to HERX (when the guy dyed before serious antimicrobial therapy existed) and just use stiupid logic that just fails too often IMO.> > > >> > > > > > > > This doctor is a famous AIDS specialist, known> > all over the > > world. > > > If he had> > > > been treating AIDS and not Lyme patients this> > would never have > > seen > > > the> > > > light of day. We are living in scary times for> > those of us with > > > infectious> > > > diseases - and that is most of the human race.> > > > > > > > a> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Patient testifies treatment made her ill> > > > > > > > Hearing begins before N.C. Medical Board> > > > > > > > KAREN GARLOCH> > > > kgarloch@> > > > > > > > RALEIGH - A 32-year-old Huntersville woman> > testified Wednesday > > that > > > Dr. > > > > ph Jemsek treated her for chronic Lyme> > disease with daily > > > antibiotics> > > > for a > > > > year and a half even though, she learned later,> > she didn't have > > the> > > > tickborne > > > > illness.> > > > > > > > told the N.C. Medical Board that> > she developed > > five > > > > infections from catheters inserted in her arms> > and chest for > > > delivering the> > > > intravenous > > > > medicine. The last infection, she said, "almost> > took my life."> > > > > > > > "I put my faith in Dr. Jemsek," said ,> > who sometimes > > cried > > > as she> > > > told > > > > her story. "I held onto the hope. But looking> > back, I see that > > my > > > symptoms > > > > only got worse."> > > > > > > > , three other former Jemsek patients and> > the widower of a > > > deceased > > > > patient testified against the Huntersville> > doctor Wednesday at a > > > public> > > > hearing. > > > > The board alleges that Jemsek misdiagnosed at> > least 10 patients > > > with chronic> > > > > > > > Lyme disease and treated them inappropriately> > with months of IV > > > antibiotics.> > > > > > > > The 12-member board could decide to revoke,> > suspend or otherwise > > > limit > > > > Jemsek's license.> > > > > > > > The charges against Jemsek, 57, are similar to> > those brought by > > > other state > > > > medical boards against 30 other doctors. Like> > Jemsek, they > > believe > > > that Lyme> > > > > > > > disease often becomes chronic, with long-lasting> > symptoms such > > as > > > extreme > > > > fatigue, unusual pain, fever, foggy memory and> > numbness in the > > > limbs.> > > > > > > > Jemsek, who also testified Wednesday, said he> > treats about 400 > > Lyme > > > disease > > > > patients and 1,200 HIV patients at his clinic.> > He said he does > > not > > > always> > > > rely > > > > on laboratory tests to diagnose patients with> > Lyme disease > > because > > > current > > > > tests are not reliable.> > > > > > > > "Tests shouldn't drive us; we should drive the> > tests," he > > said. "If > > > you > > > > really pay attention (to what the patients tell> > you), you get to > > be > > > pretty> > > > good > > > > diagnostically."> > > > > > > > About 100 Lyme patients, many from Jemsek's> > clinic, showed up > > for > > > the> > > > hearing > > > > and stood for more than an hour in the rain> > until the board's > > > office opened > > > > at 8 a.m. The hearing room could hold only 60> > people, so many > > > waited in the > > > > lobby, wearing lime green bracelets or green> > ribbons tied around > > > their arms> > > > to > > > > show support for the doctor.> > > > > > > > Penny Nichols, a Statesville patient, said the> > board should have > > > moved the > > > > hearing to a larger space.> > > > > > > > At Wednesday's hearing, the board heard from two> > N.C. physicians > > > and an > > > > epidemiologist who said Lyme disease is rare in> > North Carolina > > and > > > that> > > > treating it > > > > with antibiotics for longer than a month is> > outside the norm.> > > > > > > > Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease> > specialist at NorthEast > > > Medical > > > > Center in Concord, said she contacted the board> > about Jemsek's > > > unusual> > > > approach to > > > > diagnosing and treating Lyme after seeing about> > 20 of his > > patients > > > who did > > > > not appear to her to have the illness.> > > > > > > > One of those patients, who later testified, was> > Patti Ingram, > > 52, > > > of Fort > > > > Mill, S.C., who took intravenous antibiotics for> > seven-and-a-> > half > > > years.> > > > Garwood > > > > said she didn't think the patient had Lyme and> > couldn't imagine > > why > > > anyone > > > > would need to take antibiotics for so long.> > > > > > > > Dr. Meera Kelley, an infectious disease> > specialist at Wake Med > > > Health and > > > > Hospitals in Raleigh, reviewed records of all 10> > patients cited > > by > > > the board> > > > and > > > > said none appeared to have Lyme disease.> > > > > > > > Based on her review of the records, she said> > Jemsek did not > > inform > > > patients > > > > that his approach to treatment was different> > from the standard.> > > > > > > > In his opening statement, board attorney Marcus> > Jimison said > > Jemsek > > > would > > > > perform numerous tests for Lyme and then "cherry> > pick" results > > that > > > would> > > > support > > > > his diagnosis "while ignoring everything else."> > As a result, > > > Jimison said, > > > > Jemsek "made lots and lots of money."> > > > > > > > said her treatment, including> > hospitalization > > for > > > the > > > > infections, cost at least $200,000.> > > > > > > > Jemsek's lawyer, Jim of Durham, said his> > client does > > inform > > > patients > > > > that his treatment differs from what other> > doctors are > > > doing. "That's why> > > > they > > > > came to Dr. Jemsek. They had sought treatment> > elsewhere and been > > > denied."> > > > > > > > Armiger, a mechanical engineer from> > Washington, D.C., said > > > Jemsek > > > > carefully explained the risks of the treatment> > when he became a > > > patient in> > > > June > > > > 2003. Under Jemsek's care, he said, "I did> > continue to slowly > > > improve."> > > > > > > > The board's hearing will continue today with> > more testimony from > > > Jemsek.> > > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > > >>

[Guest guest]

Nelly,

I couldn't agree more. Jemsek is my doc, and now I'm screwed, cause I live in this great state that just did that. Blue Cross of NC put into place a policy where they won't pay for long term abx while this trial was going on. How's that for collusion? Dr. Jemsek told us that he hadn't received a penny of reimbursement from BC for ANY of his patients since the first of the year, and that included his 1200 AIDS patients as well, not just his Lyme patients. Most of his patients carry Blue Cross he told us. And isn't it interesting that in one of the first articles that came out about this, one of the accusers said that the 4 months of IV abx he took cost his insurance company thousands of dollars. Now tell me who in the U.S. gives a damn how much anything costs their insurance? It's like asking them to stop driving their big ass SUVs or trucks when they don't need to, in order to conserve gas. We won't do it. So don't tell me we care about how much this is costing our insurance company. That's why we pay premiums, most people say. No one worries about how much chemotherapy will cost their insurance company when we have cancer and undergo chemo and radiation, etc, etc

Jemsek wasn't perfect, and Lord knows we had our fights, but he was trying, and he was learning. Both my husband and I have Lyme, and I have a bazillion co-infections as well. Both of us were treated differently. I had a PICC line which never got infected - maybe good sterile technique when changing dressings also helps in this case, not just our bugs running wild. Yup, I got a mouth full of bad bone, but no one will do anything about it. I don't even have a PCP because in this small horse town no one will even consent to treat someone as complicated as me. There is no plethora of docs around here that are willing to step out of their boxes, and now you see why.

I am so tired of being preached to the choir here that I can't stand it, and never post, even if I was able to, because of it. I don't have the options that you folks in bigger cities, or with do it yourself home labs, or money or better health than I to travel to "find" those docs that are out there do.

And yeah, I followed the advice on this list a few years ago about getting the "deep nasal swab" and having it sent to Esoterix. I had to have my husband drive me 3 1/2 hours to get to him. It came back from Esoterix as "no growth". Of course, that was before the most recent advice to have the lab slip say deep wound. Like he'll be willing to do it again, and no Esoterix doesn't exist. We have the great Lab Corp or Quest. And our local hospital lab doesn't do its own work anymore. It sends it all out to Lab Corp. So much for hospital labs helping around these parts.

Sorry for venting, but like Nelly, I'm pissed, and now scared. I've no where to go at the moment, and too sick to even begin looking, so don't bother to tell me what I already know. I was a respiratory therapist for years before I became a healthcare accountant. Worked in an era when we did culture the crap that came out of people's lungs, noses and other orifices before starting abx, and using sensitivities to guide treatment. Then DRG's and the insurances went to bed with the AMA and FDA, and the rest is history.

Will likely go nomail for now until I calm down and before what's left of my pitiful adrenal system really shuts down for good. Sorry for venting Penny, but it seems that there's been a lot of that going around lately anyway, so hope you'll let this one slide by too.

Donna in NC

[infections] Re: Risks of prescribing antibiotics in the US

PennyThe problkem is these guys are that stupid- they started out 20 years ago and had a handfull of tools in there cabinets. They had cephalothin a cheap and great antimicrobial in use still in aus- out of use for 20 years in the USA- because NO ONE is interested IN WHAT WORKS FOR THE PATIENT.The ameriacn docs use the new antimicrobial ceftriaxone 10 times more expoensive and absolutely useless at everything they thorw it at; then you get patients violently ill and dying and the families SHOULD LINE UP TO GET THESE DOCTORS OUT OF COMMISION.Imagine using a drug like cefazolin for a week and seeing the remarkable transformation of the patient even a decent dose of penicillin sounds smarter.yet they believe the patiuent has to HERX (when the guy dyed before serious antimicrobial therapy existed) and just use stiupid logic that just fails too often IMO.> > > >> > > > > > > > This doctor is a famous AIDS specialist, known> > all over the > > world. > > > If he had> > > > been treating AIDS and not Lyme patients this> > would never have > > seen > > > the> > > > light of day. We are living in scary times for> > those of us with > > > infectious> > > > diseases - and that is most of the human race.> > > > > > > > a> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Patient testifies treatment made her ill> > > > > > > > Hearing begins before N.C. Medical Board> > > > > > > > KAREN GARLOCH> > > > kgarloch@> > > > > > > > RALEIGH - A 32-year-old Huntersville woman> > testified Wednesday > > that > > > Dr. > > > > ph Jemsek treated her for chronic Lyme> > disease with daily > > > antibiotics> > > > for a > > > > year and a half even though, she learned later,> > she didn't have > > the> > > > tickborne > > > > illness.> > > > > > > > told the N.C. Medical Board that> > she developed > > five > > > > infections from catheters inserted in her arms> > and chest for > > > delivering the> > > > intravenous > > > > medicine. The last infection, she said, "almost> > took my life."> > > > > > > > "I put my faith in Dr. Jemsek," said ,> > who sometimes > > cried > > > as she> > > > told > > > > her story. "I held onto the hope. But looking> > back, I see that > > my > > > symptoms > > > > only got worse."> > > > > > > > , three other former Jemsek patients and> > the widower of a > > > deceased > > > > patient testified against the Huntersville> > doctor Wednesday at a > > > public> > > > hearing. > > > > The board alleges that Jemsek misdiagnosed at> > least 10 patients > > > with chronic> > > > > > > > Lyme disease and treated them inappropriately> > with months of IV > > > antibiotics.> > > > > > > > The 12-member board could decide to revoke,> > suspend or otherwise > > > limit > > > > Jemsek's license.> > > > > > > > The charges against Jemsek, 57, are similar to> > those brought by > > > other state > > > > medical boards against 30 other doctors. Like> > Jemsek, they > > believe > > > that Lyme> > > > > > > > disease often becomes chronic, with long-lasting> > symptoms such > > as > > > extreme > > > > fatigue, unusual pain, fever, foggy memory and> > numbness in the > > > limbs.> > > > > > > > Jemsek, who also testified Wednesday, said he> > treats about 400 > > Lyme > > > disease > > > > patients and 1,200 HIV patients at his clinic.> > He said he does > > not > > > always> > > > rely > > > > on laboratory tests to diagnose patients with> > Lyme disease > > because > > > current > > > > tests are not reliable.> > > > > > > > "Tests shouldn't drive us; we should drive the> > tests," he > > said. "If > > > you > > > > really pay attention (to what the patients tell> > you), you get to > > be > > > pretty> > > > good > > > > diagnostically."> > > > > > > > About 100 Lyme patients, many from Jemsek's> > clinic, showed up > > for > > > the> > > > hearing > > > > and stood for more than an hour in the rain> > until the board's > > > office opened > > > > at 8 a.m. The hearing room could hold only 60> > people, so many > > > waited in the > > > > lobby, wearing lime green bracelets or green> > ribbons tied around > > > their arms> > > > to > > > > show support for the doctor.> > > > > > > > Penny Nichols, a Statesville patient, said the> > board should have > > > moved the > > > > hearing to a larger space.> > > > > > > > At Wednesday's hearing, the board heard from two> > N.C. physicians > > > and an > > > > epidemiologist who said Lyme disease is rare in> > North Carolina > > and > > > that> > > > treating it > > > > with antibiotics for longer than a month is> > outside the norm.> > > > > > > > Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease> > specialist at NorthEast > > > Medical > > > > Center in Concord, said she contacted the board> > about Jemsek's > > > unusual> > > > approach to > > > > diagnosing and treating Lyme after seeing about> > 20 of his > > patients > > > who did > > > > not appear to her to have the illness.> > > > > > > > One of those patients, who later testified, was> > Patti Ingram, > > 52, > > > of Fort > > > > Mill, S.C., who took intravenous antibiotics for> > seven-and-a-> > half > > > years.> > > > Garwood > > > > said she didn't think the patient had Lyme and> > couldn't imagine > > why > > > anyone > > > > would need to take antibiotics for so long.> > > > > > > > Dr. Meera Kelley, an infectious disease> > specialist at Wake Med > > > Health and > > > > Hospitals in Raleigh, reviewed records of all 10> > patients cited > > by > > > the board> > > > and > > > > said none appeared to have Lyme disease.> > > > > > > > Based on her review of the records, she said> > Jemsek did not > > inform > > > patients > > > > that his approach to treatment was different> > from the standard.> > > > > > > > In his opening statement, board attorney Marcus> > Jimison said > > Jemsek > > > would > > > > perform numerous tests for Lyme and then "cherry> > pick" results > > that > > > would> > > > support > > > > his diagnosis "while ignoring everything else."> > As a result, > > > Jimison said, > > > > Jemsek "made lots and lots of money."> > > > > > > > said her treatment, including> > hospitalization > > for > > > the > > > > infections, cost at least $200,000.> > > > > > > > Jemsek's lawyer, Jim of Durham, said his> > client does > > inform > > > patients > > > > that his treatment differs from what other> > doctors are > > > doing. "That's why> > > > they > > > > came to Dr. Jemsek. They had sought treatment> > elsewhere and been > > > denied."> > > > > > > > Armiger, a mechanical engineer from> > Washington, D.C., said > > > Jemsek > > > > carefully explained the risks of the treatment> > when he became a > > > patient in> > > > June > > > > 2003. Under Jemsek's care, he said, "I did> > continue to slowly > > > improve."> > > > > > > > The board's hearing will continue today with> > more testimony from > > > Jemsek.> > > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > > >>

[Guest guest]

I'm really upset for you too, Donna. I'd freak if my

doc got shut down, or even retired. I just don't know

how to get things turned around if we don't start at

the bottom and force a change (one that we have a

chance of winning).

penny

--- Donna Pruitt <donnap@...> wrote:

> Nelly,

> I couldn't agree more. Jemsek is my doc, and now I'm

> screwed, cause I live in this great state that just

> did that. Blue Cross of NC put into place a policy

> where they won't pay for long term abx while this

> trial was going on. How's that for collusion? Dr.

> Jemsek told us that he hadn't received a penny of

> reimbursement from BC for ANY of his patients since

> the first of the year, and that included his 1200

> AIDS patients as well, not just his Lyme patients.

> Most of his patients carry Blue Cross he told us.

> And isn't it interesting that in one of the first

> articles that came out about this, one of the

> accusers said that the 4 months of IV abx he took

> cost his insurance company thousands of dollars. Now

> tell me who in the U.S. gives a damn how much

> anything costs their insurance? It's like asking

> them to stop driving their big ass SUVs or trucks

> when they don't need to, in order to conserve gas.

> We won't do it. So don't tell me we care about how

> much this is costing our insurance company. That's

> why we pay premiums, most people say. No one worries

> about how much chemotherapy will cost their

> insurance company when we have cancer and undergo

> chemo and radiation, etc, etc

>

> Jemsek wasn't perfect, and Lord knows we had our

> fights, but he was trying, and he was learning. Both

> my husband and I have Lyme, and I have a bazillion

> co-infections as well. Both of us were treated

> differently. I had a PICC line which never got

> infected - maybe good sterile technique when

> changing dressings also helps in this case, not just

> our bugs running wild. Yup, I got a mouth full of

> bad bone, but no one will do anything about it. I

> don't even have a PCP because in this small horse

> town no one will even consent to treat someone as

> complicated as me. There is no plethora of docs

> around here that are willing to step out of their

> boxes, and now you see why.

>

> I am so tired of being preached to the choir here

> that I can't stand it, and never post, even if I was

> able to, because of it. I don't have the options

> that you folks in bigger cities, or with do it

> yourself home labs, or money or better health than

> I to travel to " find " those docs that are out there

> do.

>

> And yeah, I followed the advice on this list a few

> years ago about getting the " deep nasal swab " and

> having it sent to Esoterix. I had to have my husband

> drive me 3 1/2 hours to get to him. It came back

> from Esoterix as " no growth " . Of course, that was

> before the most recent advice to have the lab slip

> say deep wound. Like he'll be willing to do it

> again, and no Esoterix doesn't exist. We have the

> great Lab Corp or Quest. And our local hospital lab

> doesn't do its own work anymore. It sends it all out

> to Lab Corp. So much for hospital labs helping

> around these parts.

>

> Sorry for venting, but like Nelly, I'm pissed, and

> now scared. I've no where to go at the moment, and

> too sick to even begin looking, so don't bother to

> tell me what I already know. I was a respiratory

> therapist for years before I became a healthcare

> accountant. Worked in an era when we did culture the

> crap that came out of people's lungs, noses and

> other orifices before starting abx, and using

> sensitivities to guide treatment. Then DRG's and the

> insurances went to bed with the AMA and FDA, and the

> rest is history.

>

> Will likely go nomail for now until I calm down and

> before what's left of my pitiful adrenal system

> really shuts down for good. Sorry for venting Penny,

> but it seems that there's been a lot of that going

> around lately anyway, so hope you'll let this one

> slide by too.

> Donna in NC

>

> [infections] Re: Risks

> of prescribing antibiotics in the US

>

>

> Penny

> The problkem is these guys are that stupid- they

> started out 20

> years ago and had a handfull of tools in there

> cabinets. They had

> cephalothin a cheap and great antimicrobial in

> use still in aus- out

> of use for 20 years in the USA- because NO ONE

> is interested IN WHAT

> WORKS FOR THE PATIENT.The ameriacn docs use the

> new antimicrobial

> ceftriaxone 10 times more expoensive and

> absolutely useless at

> everything they thorw it at; then you get

> patients violently ill and

> dying and the families SHOULD LINE UP TO GET

> THESE DOCTORS OUT OF

> COMMISION.Imagine using a drug like cefazolin

> for a week and seeing

> the remarkable transformation of the patient

> even a decent dose of

> penicillin sounds smarter.yet they believe the

> patiuent has to HERX

> (when the guy dyed before serious antimicrobial

> therapy existed) and

> just use stiupid logic that just fails too often

> IMO.

>

>

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > > This doctor is a famous AIDS specialist,

> known

> > > all over the

> > > world.

> > > > If he had

> > > > > been treating AIDS and not Lyme patients

> this

> > > would never have

> > > seen

> > > > the

> > > > > light of day. We are living in scary

> times for

> > > those of us with

> > > > infectious

> > > > > diseases - and that is most of the human

> race.

> > > > >

> > > > > a

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > > Patient testifies treatment made her ill

> > > > >

> > > > > Hearing begins before N.C. Medical Board

> > > > >

> > > > > KAREN GARLOCH

> > > > > kgarloch@

> > > > >

> > > > > RALEIGH - A 32-year-old Huntersville

> woman

> > > testified Wednesday

> > > that

> > > > Dr.

> > > > > ph Jemsek treated her for chronic

> Lyme

> > > disease with daily

> > > > antibiotics

> > > > > for a

> > > > > year and a half even though, she learned

> later,

> > > she didn't have

> > > the

> > > > > tickborne

> > > > > illness.

> > > > >

> > > > > told the N.C. Medical

> Board that

> > > she developed

> > > five

> > > > > infections from catheters inserted in

> her arms

> > > and chest for

> > > > delivering the

> > > > > intravenous

> > > > > medicine. The last infection, she said,

> " almost

> > > took my life. "

> > > > >

> > > > > " I put my faith in Dr. Jemsek, " said

> ,

> > > who sometimes

> > > cried

> > > > as she

> > > > > told

> > > > > her story. " I held onto the hope. But

> looking

> > > back, I see that

> > > my

> > > > symptoms

> > > > > only got worse. "

> > > > >

> > > > > , three other former Jemsek

> patients and

> > > the widower of a

> > > > deceased

> > > > > patient testified against the

> Huntersville

> > > doctor Wednesday at a

> > > > public

> > > > > hearing.

> > > > > The board alleges that Jemsek

> misdiagnosed at

> > > least 10 patients

> > > > with chronic

> > > > >

> > > > > Lyme disease and treated them

> inappropriately

> > > with months of IV

> > > > antibiotics.

> > > > >

> > > > > The 12-member board could decide to

> revoke,

> > > suspend or otherwise

> > > > limit

> > > > > Jemsek's license.

> > > > >

> > > > > The charges against Jemsek, 57, are

> similar to

> > > those brought by

> > > > other state

> > > > > medical boards against 30 other doctors.

> Like

> > > Jemsek, they

> > > believe

> > > > that Lyme

> > > > >

> > > > > disease often becomes chronic, with

> long-lasting

> > > symptoms such

> > > as

> > > > extreme

> > > > > fatigue, unusual pain, fever, foggy

> memory and

> > > numbness in the

> > > > limbs.

> > > > >

> > > > > Jemsek, who also testified Wednesday,

> said he

> > > treats about 400

> > > Lyme

> > > > disease

> > > > > patients and 1,200 HIV patients at his

> clinic.

> > > He said he does

> > > not

> > > > always

> > > > > rely

> > > > > on laboratory tests to diagnose patients

> with

> > > Lyme disease

> > > because

> > > > current

> > > > > tests are not reliable.

> > > > >

> > > > > " Tests shouldn't drive us; we should

> drive the

> > > tests, " he

> > > said. " If

> > > > you

> > > > > really pay attention (to what the

> patients tell

> > > you), you get to

> > > be

> > > > pretty

> > > > > good

> > > > > diagnostically. "

> > > > >

> > > > > About 100 Lyme patients, many from

> Jemsek's

> > > clinic, showed up

> > > for

> > > > the

> > > > > hearing

> > > > > and stood for more than an hour in the

> rain

> > > until the board's

> > > > office opened

> > > > > at 8 a.m. The hearing room could hold

> only 60

> > > people, so many

> > > > waited in the

> > > > > lobby, wearing lime green bracelets or

> green

> > > ribbons tied around

> > > > their arms

> > > > > to

> > > > > show support for the doctor.

> > > > >

> > > > > Penny Nichols, a Statesville patient,

> said the

> > > board should have

> > > > moved the

> > > > > hearing to a larger space.

> > > > >

> > > > > At Wednesday's hearing, the board heard

> from two

> > > N.C. physicians

> > > > and an

> > > > > epidemiologist who said Lyme disease is

> rare in

> > > North Carolina

> > > and

> > > > that

> > > > > treating it

> > > > > with antibiotics for longer than a month

> is

> > > outside the norm.

> > > > >

> > > > > Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease

> > > specialist at NorthEast

> > > > Medical

> > > > > Center in Concord, said she contacted

> the board

> > > about Jemsek's

> > > > unusual

> > > > > approach to

> > > > > diagnosing and treating Lyme after

> seeing about

> > > 20 of his

> > > patients

> > > > who did

> > > > > not appear to her to have the illness.

> > > > >

> > > > > One of those patients, who later

> testified, was

> > > Patti Ingram,

> > > 52,

> > > > of Fort

> > > > > Mill, S.C., who took intravenous

> antibiotics for

> > > seven-and-a-

> > > half

> > > > years.

> > > > > Garwood

> > > > > said she didn't think the patient had

> Lyme and

> > > couldn't imagine

> > > why

> > > > anyone

> > > > > would need to take antibiotics for so

> long.

> > > > >

> > > > > Dr. Meera Kelley, an infectious disease

> > > specialist at Wake Med

> > > > Health and

> > > > > Hospitals in Raleigh, reviewed records

> of all 10

> > > patients cited

> > > by

> > > > the board

> > > > > and

> > > > > said none appeared to have Lyme disease.

> > > > >

> > > > > Based on her review of the records, she

> said

> > > Jemsek did not

> > > inform

> > > > patients

> > > > > that his approach to treatment was

> different

> > > from the standard.

> > > > >

> > > > > In his opening statement, board attorney

> Marcus

> > > Jimison said

> > > Jemsek

> > > > would

> > > > > perform numerous tests for Lyme and then

> " cherry

> > > pick " results

> > > that

> > > > would

> > > > > support

> > > > > his diagnosis " while ignoring everything

> else. "

> > > As a result,

> > > > Jimison said,

> > > > > Jemsek " made lots and lots of money. "

> > > > >

> > > > > said her treatment,

> including

> > > hospitalization

> > > for

> > > > the

> > > > > infections, cost at least $200,000.

> > > > >

> > > > > Jemsek's lawyer, Jim of Durham,

> said his

> > > client does

> > > inform

> > > > patients

> > > > > that his treatment differs from what

> other

> > > doctors are

> > > > doing. " That's why

> > > > > they

> > > > > came to Dr. Jemsek. They had sought

> treatment

> > > elsewhere and been

> > > > denied. "

> > > > >

> > > > > Armiger, a mechanical engineer

> from

> > > Washington, D.C., said

> > > > Jemsek

> > > > > carefully explained the risks of the

> treatment

> > > when he became a

> > > > patient in

> > > > > June

> > > > > 2003. Under Jemsek's care, he said, " I

> did

> > > continue to slowly

> > > > improve. "

> > > > >

> > > > > The board's hearing will continue today

> with

> > > more testimony from

> > > > Jemsek.

> > > > >

> > > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Donna,

I hope you read this. Your statement is

powerful and exactly explains the problem particularly in the south.

I want to give you a ray of hope. Dr.

Flechas in ville, NC

up near Asheville

may be able to help you. You know a lot, and he is willing to listen and do

what you request, or at least he used to be.

May I forward your reply below to some

doctors?

a

From: infections [mailto:infections ] On Behalf Of Donna Pruitt

Sent: Friday, June 16, 2006 8:55

AM

infections

Subject: Re:

[infections] Re: Risks of prescribing antibiotics in the US

Nelly,

I couldn't agree more. Jemsek is my doc, and now I'm

screwed, cause I live in this great state that just did that. Blue Cross of NC

put into place a policy where they won't pay for long term abx while this trial

was going on. How's that for collusion? Dr. Jemsek told us that he hadn't

received a penny of reimbursement from BC for ANY of his patients since the

first of the year, and that included his 1200 AIDS patients as well, not just

his Lyme patients. Most of his patients carry Blue Cross he told us. And isn't

it interesting that in one of the first articles that came out about this, one

of the accusers said that the 4 months of IV abx he took cost his insurance

company thousands of dollars. Now tell me who in the U.S. gives a damn how much anything

costs their insurance? It's like asking them to stop driving their big ass SUVs

or trucks when they don't need to, in order to conserve gas. We won't do it. So

don't tell me we care about how much this is costing our insurance company.

That's why we pay premiums, most people say. No one worries about how much

chemotherapy will cost their insurance company when we have cancer and undergo

chemo and radiation, etc, etc

Jemsek wasn't perfect, and Lord knows we had our fights, but

he was trying, and he was learning. Both my husband and I have Lyme, and I have

a bazillion co-infections as well. Both of us were treated differently. I had a

PICC line which never got infected - maybe good sterile technique when changing

dressings also helps in this case, not just our bugs running wild. Yup, I got a

mouth full of bad bone, but no one will do anything about it. I don't

even have a PCP because in this small horse town no one will even consent to

treat someone as complicated as me. There is no plethora of docs around here

that are willing to step out of their boxes, and now you see why.

I am so tired of being preached to the choir here that I

can't stand it, and never post, even if I was able to, because of it. I don't

have the options that you folks in bigger cities, or with do it yourself home

labs, or money or better health than I to travel to " find "

those docs that are out there do.

And yeah, I followed the advice on this list a few years ago

about getting the " deep nasal swab " and having it sent to Esoterix. I

had to have my husband drive me 3 1/2 hours to get to him. It came back from

Esoterix as " no growth " . Of course, that was before the most recent

advice to have the lab slip say deep wound. Like he'll be willing to do it

again, and no Esoterix doesn't exist. We have the great Lab Corp or Quest. And

our local hospital lab doesn't do its own work anymore. It sends it all out to

Lab Corp. So much for hospital labs helping around these parts.

Sorry for venting, but like Nelly, I'm pissed, and now

scared. I've no where to go at the moment, and too sick to even begin looking,

so don't bother to tell me what I already know. I was a respiratory therapist

for years before I became a healthcare accountant. Worked in an era when we did

culture the crap that came out of people's lungs, noses and other orifices

before starting abx, and using sensitivities to guide treatment. Then DRG's and

the insurances went to bed with the AMA and FDA, and the rest is history.

Will likely go nomail for now until I calm down and before

what's left of my pitiful adrenal system really shuts down for good. Sorry for

venting Penny, but it seems that there's been a lot of that going around lately

anyway, so hope you'll let this one slide by too.

Donna in NC

[infections] Re: Risks of prescribing antibiotics in the US

Penny

The problkem is these guys are that stupid- they started out 20

years ago and had a handfull of tools in there cabinets. They had

cephalothin a cheap and great antimicrobial in use still in aus- out

of use for 20 years in the USA- because NO ONE is interested IN WHAT

WORKS FOR THE PATIENT.The ameriacn docs use the new antimicrobial

ceftriaxone 10 times more expoensive and absolutely useless at

everything they thorw it at; then you get patients violently ill and

dying and the families SHOULD LINE UP TO GET THESE DOCTORS OUT OF

COMMISION.Imagine using a drug like cefazolin for a week and seeing

the remarkable transformation of the patient even a decent dose of

penicillin sounds smarter.yet they believe the patiuent has to HERX

(when the guy dyed before serious antimicrobial therapy existed) and

just use stiupid logic that just fails too often IMO.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > This doctor is a famous AIDS specialist, known

> > all over the

> > world.

> > > If he had

> > > > been treating AIDS and not Lyme patients this

> > would never have

> > seen

> > > the

> > > > light of day. We are living in scary times for

> > those of us with

> > > infectious

> > > > diseases - and that is most of the human race.

> > > >

> > > > a

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > Patient testifies treatment made her ill

> > > >

> > > > Hearing begins before N.C. Medical Board

> > > >

> > > > KAREN GARLOCH

> > > > kgarloch@

> > > >

> > > > RALEIGH - A 32-year-old Huntersville woman

> > testified Wednesday

> > that

> > > Dr.

> > > > ph Jemsek treated her for chronic Lyme

> > disease with daily

> > > antibiotics

> > > > for a

> > > > year and a half even though, she learned later,

> > she didn't have

> > the

> > > > tickborne

> > > > illness.

> > > >

> > > > told the N.C. Medical Board that

> > she developed

> > five

> > > > infections from catheters inserted in her arms

> > and chest for

> > > delivering the

> > > > intravenous

> > > > medicine. The last infection, she said, " almost

> > took my life. "

> > > >

> > > > " I put my faith in Dr. Jemsek, " said ,

> > who sometimes

> > cried

> > > as she

> > > > told

> > > > her story. " I held onto the hope. But looking

> > back, I see that

> > my

> > > symptoms

> > > > only got worse. "

> > > >

> > > > , three other former Jemsek patients and

> > the widower of a

> > > deceased

> > > > patient testified against the Huntersville

> > doctor Wednesday at a

> > > public

> > > > hearing.

> > > > The board alleges that Jemsek misdiagnosed at

> > least 10 patients

> > > with chronic

> > > >

> > > > Lyme disease and treated them inappropriately

> > with months of IV

> > > antibiotics.

> > > >

> > > > The 12-member board could decide to revoke,

> > suspend or otherwise

> > > limit

> > > > Jemsek's license.

> > > >

> > > > The charges against Jemsek, 57, are similar to

> > those brought by

> > > other state

> > > > medical boards against 30 other doctors. Like

> > Jemsek, they

> > believe

> > > that Lyme

> > > >

> > > > disease often becomes chronic, with long-lasting

> > symptoms such

> > as

> > > extreme

> > > > fatigue, unusual pain, fever, foggy memory and

> > numbness in the

> > > limbs.

> > > >

> > > > Jemsek, who also testified Wednesday, said he

> > treats about 400

> > Lyme

> > > disease

> > > > patients and 1,200 HIV patients at his clinic.

> > He said he does

> > not

> > > always

> > > > rely

> > > > on laboratory tests to diagnose patients with

> > Lyme disease

> > because

> > > current

> > > > tests are not reliable.

> > > >

> > > > " Tests shouldn't drive us; we should drive the

> > tests, " he

> > said. " If

> > > you

> > > > really pay attention (to what the patients tell

> > you), you get to

> > be

> > > pretty

> > > > good

> > > > diagnostically. "

> > > >

> > > > About 100 Lyme patients, many from Jemsek's

> > clinic, showed up

> > for

> > > the

> > > > hearing

> > > > and stood for more than an hour in the rain

> > until the board's

> > > office opened

> > > > at 8 a.m. The hearing room could hold only 60

> > people, so many

> > > waited in the

> > > > lobby, wearing lime green bracelets or green

> > ribbons tied around

> > > their arms

> > > > to

> > > > show support for the doctor.

> > > >

> > > > Penny Nichols, a Statesville

patient, said the

> > board should have

> > > moved the

> > > > hearing to a larger space.

> > > >

> > > > At Wednesday's hearing, the board heard from two

> > N.C. physicians

> > > and an

> > > > epidemiologist who said Lyme disease is rare in

> > North Carolina

> > and

> > > that

> > > > treating it

> > > > with antibiotics for longer than a month is

> > outside the norm.

> > > >

> > > > Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease

> > specialist at NorthEast

> > > Medical

> > > > Center in Concord,

said she contacted the board

> > about Jemsek's

> > > unusual

> > > > approach to

> > > > diagnosing and treating Lyme after seeing about

> > 20 of his

> > patients

> > > who did

> > > > not appear to her to have the illness.

> > > >

> > > > One of those patients, who later testified, was

> > Patti Ingram,

> > 52,

> > > of Fort

> > > > Mill, S.C., who took intravenous antibiotics for

> > seven-and-a-

> > half

> > > years.

> > > > Garwood

> > > > said she didn't think the patient had Lyme and

> > couldn't imagine

> > why

> > > anyone

> > > > would need to take antibiotics for so long.

> > > >

> > > > Dr. Meera Kelley, an infectious disease

> > specialist at Wake Med

> > > Health and

> > > > Hospitals in Raleigh,

reviewed records of all 10

> > patients cited

> > by

> > > the board

> > > > and

> > > > said none appeared to have Lyme disease.

> > > >

> > > > Based on her review of the records, she said

> > Jemsek did not

> > inform

> > > patients

> > > > that his approach to treatment was different

> > from the standard.

> > > >

> > > > In his opening statement, board attorney Marcus

> > Jimison said

> > Jemsek

> > > would

> > > > perform numerous tests for Lyme and then " cherry

> > pick " results

> > that

> > > would

> > > > support

> > > > his diagnosis " while ignoring everything else. "

> > As a result,

> > > Jimison said,

> > > > Jemsek " made lots and lots of money. "

> > > >

> > > > said her treatment, including

> > hospitalization

> > for

> > > the

> > > > infections, cost at least $200,000.

> > > >

> > > > Jemsek's lawyer, Jim of Durham, said his

> > client does

> > inform

> > > patients

> > > > that his treatment differs from what other

> > doctors are

> > > doing. " That's why

> > > > they

> > > > came to Dr. Jemsek. They had sought treatment

> > elsewhere and been

> > > denied. "

> > > >

> > > > Armiger, a mechanical engineer from

> > Washington, D.C., said

> > > Jemsek

> > > > carefully explained the risks of the treatment

> > when he became a

> > > patient in

> > > > June

> > > > 2003. Under Jemsek's care, he said, " I did

> > continue to slowly

> > > improve. "

> > > >

> > > > The board's hearing will continue today with

> > more testimony from

> > > Jemsek.

> > > >

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Donna

you may not like the tell it as I see it approach that I use but I

don't hide myself from anyone or steal anything, anyone that knows

me knows they only get facts and if I see something strange I will

tell them in my opinion I think this may be occuring.I also seek out

the people I need to help me wherever they are on the planet.I have

my cities leading microbiologist as a friend cause I needed to

focus on bugs, you can't have someone specially this lady to bounce

things off and be making up stories. I was amazed at how well read

she was and the fact that she told me that american's love to

debride and scrape things that we don't seem to do her in aus- not

many people can come up with that unless they have ythere finger on

the pulse.Now when someone is capable of telling you something like

this cause she is well read (speed reads 3 novels a day

occasuionally)you know you have a very intelligent person to work

with (which feels awesome by the way).

I don't have a problem ringing and talking to anyone anywhere so I'm

above board alway's willing to get to the bottom of things at any

cost.. I even spoke to shoemaker over the phone at my expense just

to get a feel for what he is upto- 99.9 % of cfs patients would take

a year to get to someones secretary - basically I want facts NOW and

don't expect anything that adds up to be thrust upon me cause today

we have the internet and the truth is out there- just chase it down

hard IMO...

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > > This doctor is a famous AIDS specialist, known

> > > all over the

> > > world.

> > > > If he had

> > > > > been treating AIDS and not Lyme patients this

> > > would never have

> > > seen

> > > > the

> > > > > light of day. We are living in scary times for

> > > those of us with

> > > > infectious

> > > > > diseases - and that is most of the human race.

> > > > >

> > > > > a

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > > Patient testifies treatment made her ill

> > > > >

> > > > > Hearing begins before N.C. Medical Board

> > > > >

> > > > > KAREN GARLOCH

> > > > > kgarloch@

> > > > >

> > > > > RALEIGH - A 32-year-old Huntersville woman

> > > testified Wednesday

> > > that

> > > > Dr.

> > > > > ph Jemsek treated her for chronic Lyme

> > > disease with daily

> > > > antibiotics

> > > > > for a

> > > > > year and a half even though, she learned later,

> > > she didn't have

> > > the

> > > > > tickborne

> > > > > illness.

> > > > >

> > > > > told the N.C. Medical Board that

> > > she developed

> > > five

> > > > > infections from catheters inserted in her arms

> > > and chest for

> > > > delivering the

> > > > > intravenous

> > > > > medicine. The last infection, she said, " almost

> > > took my life. "

> > > > >

> > > > > " I put my faith in Dr. Jemsek, " said ,

> > > who sometimes

> > > cried

> > > > as she

> > > > > told

> > > > > her story. " I held onto the hope. But looking

> > > back, I see that

> > > my

> > > > symptoms

> > > > > only got worse. "

> > > > >

> > > > > , three other former Jemsek patients and

> > > the widower of a

> > > > deceased

> > > > > patient testified against the Huntersville

> > > doctor Wednesday at a

> > > > public

> > > > > hearing.

> > > > > The board alleges that Jemsek misdiagnosed at

> > > least 10 patients

> > > > with chronic

> > > > >

> > > > > Lyme disease and treated them inappropriately

> > > with months of IV

> > > > antibiotics.

> > > > >

> > > > > The 12-member board could decide to revoke,

> > > suspend or otherwise

> > > > limit

> > > > > Jemsek's license.

> > > > >

> > > > > The charges against Jemsek, 57, are similar to

> > > those brought by

> > > > other state

> > > > > medical boards against 30 other doctors. Like

> > > Jemsek, they

> > > believe

> > > > that Lyme

> > > > >

> > > > > disease often becomes chronic, with long-lasting

> > > symptoms such

> > > as

> > > > extreme

> > > > > fatigue, unusual pain, fever, foggy memory and

> > > numbness in the

> > > > limbs.

> > > > >

> > > > > Jemsek, who also testified Wednesday, said he

> > > treats about 400

> > > Lyme

> > > > disease

> > > > > patients and 1,200 HIV patients at his clinic.

> > > He said he does

> > > not

> > > > always

> > > > > rely

> > > > > on laboratory tests to diagnose patients with

> > > Lyme disease

> > > because

> > > > current

> > > > > tests are not reliable.

> > > > >

> > > > > " Tests shouldn't drive us; we should drive the

> > > tests, " he

> > > said. " If

> > > > you

> > > > > really pay attention (to what the patients tell

> > > you), you get to

> > > be

> > > > pretty

> > > > > good

> > > > > diagnostically. "

> > > > >

> > > > > About 100 Lyme patients, many from Jemsek's

> > > clinic, showed up

> > > for

> > > > the

> > > > > hearing

> > > > > and stood for more than an hour in the rain

> > > until the board's

> > > > office opened

> > > > > at 8 a.m. The hearing room could hold only 60

> > > people, so many

> > > > waited in the

> > > > > lobby, wearing lime green bracelets or green

> > > ribbons tied around

> > > > their arms

> > > > > to

> > > > > show support for the doctor.

> > > > >

> > > > > Penny Nichols, a Statesville patient, said the

> > > board should have

> > > > moved the

> > > > > hearing to a larger space.

> > > > >

> > > > > At Wednesday's hearing, the board heard from two

> > > N.C. physicians

> > > > and an

> > > > > epidemiologist who said Lyme disease is rare in

> > > North Carolina

> > > and

> > > > that

> > > > > treating it

> > > > > with antibiotics for longer than a month is

> > > outside the norm.

> > > > >

> > > > > Dr. Garwood, an infectious disease

> > > specialist at NorthEast

> > > > Medical

> > > > > Center in Concord, said she contacted the board

> > > about Jemsek's

> > > > unusual

> > > > > approach to

> > > > > diagnosing and treating Lyme after seeing about

> > > 20 of his

> > > patients

> > > > who did

> > > > > not appear to her to have the illness.

> > > > >

> > > > > One of those patients, who later testified, was

> > > Patti Ingram,

> > > 52,

> > > > of Fort

> > > > > Mill, S.C., who took intravenous antibiotics for

> > > seven-and-a-

> > > half

> > > > years.

> > > > > Garwood

> > > > > said she didn't think the patient had Lyme and

> > > couldn't imagine

> > > why

> > > > anyone

> > > > > would need to take antibiotics for so long.

> > > > >

> > > > > Dr. Meera Kelley, an infectious disease

> > > specialist at Wake Med

> > > > Health and

> > > > > Hospitals in Raleigh, reviewed records of all 10

> > > patients cited

> > > by

> > > > the board

> > > > > and

> > > > > said none appeared to have Lyme disease.

> > > > >

> > > > > Based on her review of the records, she said

> > > Jemsek did not

> > > inform

> > > > patients

> > > > > that his approach to treatment was different

> > > from the standard.

> > > > >

> > > > > In his opening statement, board attorney Marcus

> > > Jimison said

> > > Jemsek

> > > > would

> > > > > perform numerous tests for Lyme and then " cherry

> > > pick " results

> > > that

> > > > would

> > > > > support

> > > > > his diagnosis " while ignoring everything else. "

> > > As a result,

> > > > Jimison said,

> > > > > Jemsek " made lots and lots of money. "

> > > > >

> > > > > said her treatment, including

> > > hospitalization

> > > for

> > > > the

> > > > > infections, cost at least $200,000.

> > > > >

> > > > > Jemsek's lawyer, Jim of Durham, said his

> > > client does

> > > inform

> > > > patients

> > > > > that his treatment differs from what other

> > > doctors are

> > > > doing. " That's why

> > > > > they

> > > > > came to Dr. Jemsek. They had sought treatment

> > > elsewhere and been

> > > > denied. "

> > > > >

> > > > > Armiger, a mechanical engineer from

> > > Washington, D.C., said

> > > > Jemsek

> > > > > carefully explained the risks of the treatment

> > > when he became a

> > > > patient in

> > > > > June

> > > > > 2003. Under Jemsek's care, he said, " I did

> > > continue to slowly

> > > > improve. "

> > > > >

> > > > > The board's hearing will continue today with

> > > more testimony from

> > > > Jemsek.

> > > > >

> > > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

>