Everything You Need to Know about Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Disorders [Paperback]

Karen Vanderhoof-Forschner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 11, 1997

With millions around the world infected—and millions more at risk—Lyme and tick-related diseases are now today's fastest growing infectious diseases. Yet, even as the number of Lyme disease sufferers continues to climb and other dangerous tick-borne disorders emerge, diagnosis remains elusive, often hampering chances of early treatment. Now, this complete guide tells you everything you need to know to protect yourself and your family from the pain of Lyme disease, including expert advice on:

• Recognizing the symptoms of Lyme disease
• Finding the best medical treatment
• Avoiding disease-carrying ticks
• Accessing online information on vaccines, repellents, and the latest research
• Finding self-help and support organizations, state medical complaint boards, products, and related services

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Lyme disease is so difficult to detect that the average sufferer sees five physicians before the disease is properly diagnosed. Thirty-five percent of Lyme disease patients suffer permanent bodily damage, and 17 percent lose their jobs. Karen Vanderhoof-Forschner fared even worse than that: she contracted the disease while pregnant (it was misdiagnosed as arthritis), and passed it on to her unborn child, who died when he was 6. She became an expert on ticks and the diseases they spread, started the Lyme Disease Foundation, and compiled all her knowledge into this book, a handy guide for anyone living in tick-infested areas.

From Library Journal

There's no doubt that, as bugs go, ticks are especially yucky. They have an appetite for human blood and carry diseases that range from irritating to life-threatening. This book is a comprehensive guide to ticks and tick-borne disorders. As the president and founder of the Lyme Disease Foundation and the mother of a child who died of Lyme Disease, Vanderhoof-Forschner has the knowledge to make this book comprehensive and the personal experience to make it compelling. She discusses the status of Lyme disease as a public health threat, the nature and characteristics of ticks; the history of Lyme disease; its symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment; and the search for vaccines. She also advises on how to protect yourself from ticks and manage your property to decrease their numbers. The author's writing is conversational and clear even when discussing complex topics, and her appendixes are outstanding. Although some of her suggestions may be excessive?she advocates hourly nude tick checks if you are wearing short sleeves or pants, for instance?this is an excellent book that will be an asset to any health sciences collection.?Stacey Hathaway, Fordham Health Sciences Lib., Wright State Univ., Dayton, Ohio
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (April 11, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047116061X
• ISBN-13: 978-0471160618
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 4.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #856,440 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

82 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is NOT an alarmist's book, but a MUST READ!, September 6, 2001

By 

"[e-mail]" (Texas USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Everything You Need to Know about Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Disorders (Paperback)

My children and I have chronic Lyme disease. I was misdiagnosed for over twelve years and unknowingly passed the disease to my children via pregnancy. Contrary to the reader's statement that this is an "alarmist" book, this book is a MUST READ, especially for anyone suffering with this disease. The reader who stated otherwise should be ashamed to have sounded the alarmist bell him/herself (especially since that reader does NOT have Lyme disease and therefore has no idea of the suffering involved)! Antibiotics are effective only if the disease is caught early, as early as within 48 hours of infection and perhaps as long as up to 6 weeks after infection. Otherwise, the odds dramatically decrease for antibiotics working to rid one of Lyme disease. Unfortunately, by the time symptoms are apparent, it is usually too late for antibiotics to effectively treat the disease. Only approximately 40% of persons with Lyme disease remember a tick bite or develop the "bull's-eye" rash. Therefore, most persons with the disease go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed and untreated for an extended time. Once finally diagnosed after I was again bitten and did see a tick bite and rash, my children and I suffered through several months of antibiotic treatment that made us sicker, not better, and not just from spirochete "die off", but because the antibiotics started to attack our systems. Most persons with Lyme disease WILL continue with certain possibly irreversible symptoms, such as Lyme-related arthritis, even after antibiotic treatment. Integrative medicine, which is a combination treatment of homeopathic (alternative, such as certain herbs and nutritional supplements) and allopathic (conventional, such as antibiotics) as well as dietary changes (such as reduction or elimination of meat consumption, as well as eliminating all sugars) appears to be the best approach for sufferers of Lyme disease, especially those with chronic Lyme disease. The fact is that Lyme disease IS scary and IS a huge problem of epidemic proportion that MUST be addressed. Sticking ones head in the sand and hoping it will simply go away or ignoring the cold, hard, at times frightening facts of this disease is irresponsible. The reader who refuses to give this book to his/her friend who has Lyme disease is doing that friend a grave disservice. Those of us with Lyme disease recognize a factual account as opposed to an "alarmist" point of view. I for one appreciate the TRUTH. This book is well researched and honestly written. EVERYONE should read this book, whether they have Lyme disease or not. Often, persons diagnosed with nervous system disorders, such as MS, or autoimmune disorders, such as Lupus, actually have Lyme disease. I reiterate: THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ FOR EVERYONE.

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and readable up-to-date resource on Lyme disease, August 6, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Portland, OR, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Everything You Need to Know about Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Disorders (Paperback)

Information presented in this book is essential for anyone (public or medical professional)who wants to know the latest on Lyme disease. Factual information, presented in an understandable format that never underestimates the reader's intelligence and common sense, is presented by one of the true heroes in the Lyme disease saga. Mrs. Vanderhoof-Forschner's personal experience is the driving force behind this well-executed, fact-filled, medically-sound and resource-filled book. This is a must for anyone serious about this complex disease and a handy reference guide for further information.

Rita L. Stanley, Ph.D.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yep. This is the book you want., February 3, 2004

By 

Paul Bridges (California) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Everything You Need to Know About Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Disorders, 2nd Edition (Paperback)

Fantastic book, and clearly the best that I read during my recovery from LD. Thorough, level-headed, wonderful.