LymeBlog

National Lyme organization needs your story

LymeBlog News

Lexington, KY USA

By LymeBlog News Staff

For The Institute Of Medicine State of the Science Fall Workshop on Lyme and Tick-borne Diseases - We need your assistance. The IOM has commissioned our organization to write a paper for the workshop committee members entitled: The Human Dimension of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases: From the Patient's Perspective A team of writers have started the paper and we would like your help to make a complete narrative of living with chronic Lyme disease - its impact on family relationships, job/school, finances, health insurance coverage, disability issues and future plans. Participants' names will be protected; they will not be used in the paper. Your story, your son and/or daughter's story, about the experience of on-going illness, not to mention, accurate details of the scope and conditions involved will be woven throughout the paper. Please know that your efforts to contribute to this paper will help to advance awareness to the realities of living with tick-borne disease. Please send an e-mail with your story to natcaplyme@natcaplyme.org. Please put "IOM Paper" in the subject line. To be considered for the paper, stories must reach us by July 5th, 2010. Your participation will make all the difference. Thank You

National Capital Lyme & Tick-Borne Disease Association
natcaplyme@natcaplyme.org
www.natcaplyme.org
Phone & fax: 703-821-8833

Any information provided is for the reader’s own evaluation and is not offered as and should not be considered medical advice. A licensed physician should always be consulted when considering medical decisions and nothing herein may be used in place of advice from your personal physician or other healthcare professional. Links to other sites are provided for ease of research only. Information on those sites is the product of the website author and represents the opinion of those who publish the sites and does not necessarily reflect the opinion or judgment of the National Capital Lyme & Tick-Borne Disease Association

Proof That Chronic Lyme Disease Exists

LymeBlog News
Lexington, KY USA
By LymeBlog News Staff

Dr. Cameron's latest article presents several findings and pieces of data from research and studies related to Chronic Lyme Disease, including but not limited to the following issues; diagnosis, current limitations of and costs for treatment, the severity of symptoms, and mixed long-term outcome for children with the disease. Dr. Cameron includes research from his own practice, 32% of a consecutive case series of Lyme disease cases (confirmed by an ELISA and 5 or more positive bands on a IgG Western blot) had an average treatment delay of 1.8 years. Of these, 60% conformed to Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention epidemiological criteria, presenting with a rash, Bell’s palsy, or arthritis, yet there was still a diagnostic delay. Patients in this case series were significantly more likely to fail their initial antibiotic treatment since they had delayed treatment. Dr. Cameron also addresses the risk to society of emerging antibiotic-resistant organisms – the fact this should be weighed against the societal risks associated with failing to treat an emerging population saddled with Chronic Lyme Disease. He believes once we acknowledge and accept the evidence that Chronic Lyme Disease exists, the medical community will be able to focus on developing solutions for this debilitating disease. This research article is the first of its kind, in that no one has ever summarized the proof that Chronic Lyme Disease exists before in this type of format. In addition, no one has focused on the consequences of denying that Chronic Lyme Disease exists, or on the opportunities if one accepts that Chronic Lyme Disease exists. Please find embedded in this release, the full version of Dr. Daniel Cameron’s Research Article – Proof That Chronic Lyme Disease Exists. About Dr. Daniel Cameron: Dr. Cameron remains active in the practice of medicine, personally attends to all the patients who visit his practice, and is affiliated with Northern Westchester Hospital in Mt. Kisco, NY. He served as the president of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) from October 2007- October 2009, and he has published and presented more than 30 scientific papers.

Photo: lymeproject.com

Dr. Daniel Cameron, a board certified primary care physician in Mt. Kisco, NY, considered one of the pioneers in successfully treating recurrent or Chronic Lyme Disease, has recently published a research article detailing clinical studies that support the conclusion that Chronic Lyme Disease exists – Proof That Chronic Lyme Disease Exists. Dr. Cameron diligently researched and sourced information, leveraging credible research studies and evidence to outline and prove that Chronic Lyme Disease does exist in his research article. The goal of this article is to inform the public and medical community on the implications of Lyme disease when left undiagnosed and untreated.

Photo: lymeproject.com

Dr. Cameron latest publication

Willey crowned Miss Teen NC International

WAYNESVILLE — Megan Willey, Miss Teen Asheville International, was crowned Miss Teen North Carolina International on Feb. 27 at Southwest Guilford High School, High Point. She is a student at Pisgah High School, Canton, and the daughter of Wendy and Rob Willey, of Waynesville. She will compete in the Miss Teen International 2010 national competition July 22-24 in Chicago.

The Miss Teen International system has been developed to promote today’s young women, ages 13-18, and their accomplishments. Willey was diagnosed with Lyme Disease at age seven and was paralyzed several times because of the disease. Willey credits The Clinic of Angels for saving her life.Learn more about Willey and her story atwww.northcarolinainternationalpageants.com. “I believe it is now my turn to use the testimony God has given me to inspire patients with any disease that no matter how hard the climb may seem, with the help of clinics such as this who provide more than treatment but hope, love, happiness, and inspiration; you too can make it to the top,” Willey said.For more information on Willey and her battle with Lyme Disease, visitwww.northcarolinainternationalpageants.com. Willey is available for appearances. E-mail her atmegan_willey@ymail.com

Social Networks a Lifeline for the Chronically Ill

Social Networks a Lifeline for the Chronically IllBy CLAIRE CAIN MILLERPublished: March 24, 2010A former model who is now chronically ill and struggles just to shower says the people she has met online have become her family. A quadriplegic man uses the Web to share tips on which places have the best wheelchair access, and a woman with multiple sclerosis says her regular Friday night online chats are her lifeline.For many people, social networks are a place for idle chatter about what they made for dinner or sharing cute pictures of their pets. But for people living with chronic diseases or disabilities, they play a more vital role.“It’s really literally saved my life, just to be able to connect with other people,” said Sean Fogerty, 50, who has multiple sclerosis, is recovering from brain cancer and spends an hour and a half each night talking with other patients online.People fighting chronic illnesses are less likely than others to have Internet access, but once online they are more likely to blog or participate in online discussions about health problems, according to a report released Wednesday by the Pew Internet and American Life Project and the California HealthCare Foundation.“If they can break free from the anchors holding them down, people living with chronic disease who go online are finding resources that are more useful than the rest of the population,” said Susannah Fox, associate director of digital strategy at Pew and author of the report.They are gathering on big patient networking sites likePatientsLikeMe, HealthCentral, Inspire, CureTogether and Alliance Health Networks, and on small sites started by patients on networks like Ning and Wetpaint.Sherri Connell, 46, modeled and performed in musicals until, at age 27, she learned she had multiple sclerosis and Lyme disease. She began posting her journal entries online for friends and family to read. Soon, people from all over the world were reading her Web site and telling her they had similar health problems.In 2008, she and her husband started a social network using Ning called My Invisible Disabilities Community. It now has 2,300 members who write about living with lupus, forthcoming operations or medical bills, for example.“People have good and bad days, and they don’t know a good day’s going to come Wednesday at 5 o’clock when a live support group is meeting,” Ms. Connell said. “The Internet is a great outlet for people to be honest.”Not surprisingly, according to Pew, Internet users with chronic illnesses are more likely than healthy people to use the Web to look for information on specific diseases, drugs, health insurance, alternative or experimental treatments and depression, anxiety or stress.But for them, the social aspects of the Web take on heightened importance. Particularly if they are homebound, they also look to the Web for their social lives, discussing topics unrelated to their illnesses. Some schedule times to eat dinner or watch a movie while chatting online.John Linna, a pastor in Neenah, Wis., did not know what a blog was when his son suggested he start one after discovering he needed to stay home on a ventilator.“That day my little world began to expand,” he wrote in a post last year about blogging. “Soon I had a little neighborhood. It was like stopping in for coffee every day just to see how things were going.”When Mr. Linna died earlier this year, people all over the Web who had never met him in person mourned the loss.Others use the Web to find practical tips about living with their disease or disability that doctors and family members, having not lived with it themselves, cannot provide.On Diabetic Connect, a diabetes social network with 140,000 members, people share recipes like low-sugar banana pudding, review products like an insulin pump belt and have discussions like a recent one started by a patient with a new diagnosis. “I don’t like to talk to my family and friends about this,” she wrote. “Honestly I feel helpless. I really just need some advice and people to talk to who might have been experiencing the same things.”Amy Tenderich is the community manager for Diabetic Connect and writes a blog called Diabetes Mine. “There’s no doctor in the world, unless they’ve actually lived with this thing, that can get into that nitty-gritty,” she said. “I’ve walked away from dinner parties with tears in my eyes because people just don’t understand.”Patients often use social networks to interact with people without worrying about the stigma of physical disabilities, said Susan Smedema, an assistant professor of rehabilitation counseling atFlorida State University who studies the psychosocial aspects of disability.From her home in Maine, Susan Fultz plays online games at Pogo.com and commiserates with people who are frustrated that they do not have a diagnosis for their symptoms.“There’s no worry of being judged or criticized, and that is something that I know a lot of us don’t get in our daily lives,” said Ms. Fultz, who has Lyme disease and psoriatic arthritis.Those with chronic diseases or disabilities, like all Internet users, have to be wary about sharing private health information online, particularly with anonymous users.Research has also shown that emotions can be contagious, said Paul Albert, digital services librarian at Weill Cornell Medical Library in New York who has researched how social networks meet the needs of patients with chronic diseases.“If you hang out on a message board where people are very negative, you can easily adopt a negative attitude about your disease,” he said. “On the other hand, if people are hopeful, you might be better off.”Some people also worry that patients might exchange erroneous medical information on the Web, he said. Yet most patient social networks make clear that the information on the site should not substitute for medical advice, and the Pew study found that just 2 percent of adults living with chronic diseases report being harmed by following medical advice found on the Internet.Instead, the sites are used to share information from the front lines, said Lily Vadakin, 45, who has multiple sclerosis and works as a site administrator for Disaboom, a social network for people with disabilities. For instance, she has discussed with other patients how to combat fatigue by working at home and taking vitamin supplements.

Under Our Skin

In The Lyme Light

Wednesday, Mar 31 7:30p

at 142 Throckmorton Theatre, Mill Valley, CA

Price: $20.00

Phone: (415) 383-9600

Age Suitability: None Specified

Tags: film, lyme disease

Crusading filmmaker Andy Abrahams Wilson discusses his award-winning documentary, Under Our Skin, and corruption in the Lyme Disease medical community.
Under Our Skin made this year's academy award "short list" for best documentary of 2009.
Andy Abrahams Wilson Founder and president of Open Eye Pictures, Andy Abrahams Wilson is a multi-award winning, Emmy-nominated producer and director of creative non-fiction films. Andy received a Ba in cultural anthropology from Northwestern University, and an Ma in visual anthropology from the University of Southern California, where he also studied at the USC School of Cinema. Andy's approach emphasizes the moving image as a way to bridge disparate parts, peoples and ideas. While his work takes on controversial themes, he uses the filmmaking process as an opportunity to encourage empathy and identification, rather than separation and polarization. His most recent production, Under Our Skin, is the recipient of six best documentary awards at international film festivals and was an Academy Award semifinalist. Andy's films have been shown on Hbo, PBS, CBC, the Showtime Networks, and in theaters and film festivals worldwide. A recipient of a Pew Charitable Trust Fellowship in Dance/Media, he has produced several award-winning films on dance or dancers, and is the two-time Grand Prize recipient at the Dance on Camera Film Festival. Andy is a former budget director of the film distribution cooperative New Day Films and member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. He has received numerous foundation grants, including the California Council for the Humanities, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, the Laurance Rockefeller Foundation, the Columbia Foundation, the Wells Fargo Foundation and the Educational Foundation of America. He was recognized by the Northern California Marin Arts Council as an Outstanding Artist of the Year, and by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for Outstanding Documentary Achievement. In workshops worldwide and at the renowned Esalen Institute, Andy teaches photography and video as a means of connecting to our environment and our selves.
A gripping tale of microbes, medicine & money, Under Our Skin exposes the hidden story of Lyme disease, one of the most controversial and fastest growing epidemics of our time. Each year, thousands go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, often told that their symptoms are "all in their head." Following the stories of patients and physicians fighting for their lives and livelihoods, the film brings into focus a haunting picture of the health care system and a medical establishment all too willing to put profits ahead of patients.
Jane Ganahl has been a journalist, author, editor and arts organizer in San Francisco for more than 25 years. She is the co-founder and co-director of Litquake - the west coast's largest independent literary festival, the author of "Naked on the Page: the Misadventures of My Unmarried Midlife," and editor of the anthology, "Single Woman of a Certain Age: 28 Women Writers on the Unmarried Midlife." She has contributed essays to five other anthologies. Ganahl has also been a journalist for almost three decades, most of that time with San Francisco newspapers, covering everything from City Hall to pop culture. During her final five years at the Chronicle she penned the "Single Minded" Sunday column about the unmarried life. Jane has chaired panels at the Commonwealth Club, Book Expo America, Book Group Expo, and various other conferences. She has appeared on numerous TV programs, including "The Today Show," and innumerable radio shows, from Sirius network to NPR. Her work can now be found on Huffington Post and Match.com; she has also contributed to Harper's Bazaar, Ladies' Home Journal, Harp, Parenting, Book, Salon.com, Vanity Fair.com and Rolling Stone.com.

Ben Stiller suffering from Lyme?

Actor Ben Stiller has revealed that he could have contracted Lyme disease after he badly injured his knee during a recent trip to Mozambique.

Stiller, 44, who had travelled to the African country last month as part of his charity work, was left limping after he fell into a muddy ditch while walking through a village.

His left knee became inflamed and he visited a number of doctors to diagnose the problem, but almost a month later, medics have yet to determine the cause of his ailment, despite running numerous tests.

"I was in Africa about three and half weeks ago and I stepped in a ditch in Mozambique. It was a hidden ditch, I was in a village and it was full of muddy waterand I stepped in it and hyper extended my knee," the Daily Express quoted him as saying.

"It got stiff and worse and worse. It was painful, I couldn't really move it too much. I came back to New York, went to a doctor here, they did an MRI (scan), discovered some arthritic elements. It got worse, then I went back home to Los Angeles and went to see another doctor, apparently the best knee guy.”

"He looked at it and said, ''You got a lot of fluid there, we gotta drain some of the blood out.'' So he stuck a needle in and sucked out the blood.

"He had this look in his eye and was like, ''This isn't blood''. I said to him, ''What is it?'' and he said, ''I don''t know''. So they've been doing cultures (tests) on it, they took two more samples.

"They think it might have gotten infected, they're not sure," he explained. Stiller's mystery injury was so painful it almost forced him to pull out of a scheduled interview with US TV talk show host David Letterman on March 23.

But, after more examinations and tests, Stiller's doctors now believe he may have contracted Lyme disease, an easily treatable inflammatory illness spread through a tick bite, which is common on the East Coast of the US.

Stiller admits he's been experiencing ‘little night sweats’ as a result of the condition, but he's glad his medical mystery is almost solved - because it means he won't have to undergo invasive surgery.

"It's actually improved so much in the last 24 hours, but I almost couldn't come (to New York), I didn't get the go ahead (from doctors)... He (his doctor) sent me to a rheumatologist, an infectious rare disease guy, so they do all these tests," he told Letterman.

"I got this call at like two o'clock in the afternoon (on Monday). The guy said, ''Have you ever had Lyme disease?'' I said, ''No, but I was on the East Coast last summer and my son had Lyme disease''.

"And he said, ''Well, it's looking like it might be Lyme disease''.

"He was saying if it wasn't, I'd have to have an orthoscopic procedure, so if it is Lyme disease, I won't have to have the procedure done, which is great," he added.

Lyme disease the �great imitator�

Lyme disease the ‘great imitator’

By Kyle Slavin - Oak Bay News

Published: March 31, 2010 5:00 PM
Updated: March 31, 2010 5:12 PM

0 Comments

Sufferers’ plight in spotlight Saturday Jean-Luc Giroux was diagnosed with Lyme disease in January 2008. Since then, the 24-year-old has been seen by countless doctors in Canada and the United States and the cost and limits of treatment are taking their toll on his recovery.That’s why the JL Lyme Support Society is hosting Lyme-Aid 4 tomorrow (Saturday) at the University of Victoria’s David Strong building to raise money for Giroux’s treatment.“The lack of awareness about Lyme disease is killing people slowly -- literally. I hope that the fundraiser can raise awareness, but also connect people that have been suffering without knowing what they have,” said co-organizer and Lyme disease sufferer Jessica Iulianella.The event begins at 1:30 p.m. with a screening of the documentary Under the Skin, exploring the politics behind the disease. Following that, retired doctor Ernie Murakami, who treated Lyme disease patients, will give a presentation. There will also be a silent auction featuring the artwork from a number of local artists.Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease that can be contracted from the bite of an infected tick.Early symptoms can include chronic headaches, fatigue, sore muscles, tremors, numbness, blurred vision and much more. The infection, if untreated, can affect joints, the heart and the central nervous system. Sometimes symptoms begin to occur years after a tick bite.The disease, sometimes referred to as ‘the great imitator’ can be easily misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, ALS, Alzheimer’s or ADD.“Ticks carrying Lyme disease have been found on Vancouver Island and across the country but ... treatment in Canada is almost impossible to get.” said JL Lyme Society president and event co-ordinator Keilih Gates.Entry to Lyme-Aid 4 is by donation.“JL’s been on treatment for 15 months, but he’s only just starting to see improvements,” Gates said of her friend. “He has to go to the States to get treatment, so that’s what this (Lime-Aid 4) is all about.”kslavin@saanic

Actress Parker Posey Talks About Her Battle with Lyme Disease

LymeBlog News
Lexington, KY USA
By Mac McDonald

Actress Parker Posey Talks About Her Battle with Lyme Disease In Support of New Documentary, RETHINKING CANCER

NEW YORK, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Since the announcement of her diagnosis with Lyme disease in February 2009, actress Parker Posey has kept a low profile about her battle with the illness. Now the actress is revealing something about the state of her health and battle, which ultimately took a decidedly alternative holistic course, while throwing support behind a thought-provoking new documentary which parallels her own experience with the illness, Rethinking Cancer. The new documentary tracks the experiences of five patients, four with cancer and one with Lyme disease, who took alternative means including nutrition and detoxification and have remained disease-free for up to 35 years. The film also chronicles the 40-year history of New York City-based F.A.C.T., the Foundation for Advancement in Cancer Therapy, which has led these and hundreds of others to alternative treatment sources and practitioners. Clips and information about the film and the bio-repair approach to battling disease it champions can be found at www.rethinkingcancer.org.
Photo: Tsuni / Gamma
Parker Posey

Producers had announced in August that Parker Posey had dropped out of the upcoming off-Broadway play, "This," after being diagnosed with Lyme disease
"As someone who dealt with Lyme disease recently, I had the opportunity to approach it both with conventional medicine (antibiotics) and homeopathic remedies and supplements," states Posey. "The first round of antibiotics did not destroy all the bacteria and I made a decision not to take them anymore and instead approach it purely holistically -- through the help of my homeopathic doctor who guided me with my diet and gave me the natural supplements to bring my body back to its vitality." "The five patients in Rethinking Cancer share with us the path of their recovery: the courage to take their own lives in their hands with a natural approach to healing their bodies," continues Posey. "It raises the questions: How can a natural approach to healing oneself be considered so unconventional? Why do we think we can't play an active role in getting healthy? Why do we give ourselves away so easily to pharmaceuticals that deplete our system and confuse the natural healing process? These people share with us the responsibility they were impelled to take so that others can be encouraged to follow the path of natural medicine and the healing arts. Rethinking Cancer will enlighten and encourage anyone's approach in dealing with disease." For more information and clips from the new documentary, visit: www.rethinkingcancer.org

Lyme disease film ''Under Our Skin'': UNDER OUR SKIN makes the Oscar �short list

LymeBlog News
Lexington, KY USA
By LymeBlog News Staff

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that UNDER OUR SKIN was selected as one of the 15 finalists competing for “Best Documentary Feature” in the 82nd Academy Awards®. Unfolding like a real-life thriller, UNDER OUR SKIN exposes the hidden epidemic of Lyme disease and reveals how our corrupt medical system is failing to address one of the most serious illnesses of our time. Open Eye Pictures is thrilled that the Academy has honored the courageous Lyme patients and physicians whose stories are told in this film. And we hope that this nomination will help spread awareness about this devastating disease and serve as a catalyst for fixing our country’s broken health care system. The Documentary Branch Screening Academy Committee viewed all eighty-nine qualifying documentaries during the preliminary round of voting. Academy members will now select five nominees from among the 15 titles on the shortlist, and Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, February 2, 2010.

Director’s Statement

My journey into the depths of the Lyme disease controversy started by accident. A friend of mine in San Francisco was getting sicker and sicker with severe and progressive neurological illness. She was first diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and then ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease (which is basically a death sentence). But she kept looking for possible explanations and, finally, was diagnosed with Lyme disease. Lyme disease?! I recalled that my twin sister in Upstate New York suffered from it years ago. I remember she was always tired and achy, even though she looked just fine. So I never took it seriously, like most people, and I believed it was just an East Coast disease, if a real disease at all.

So I was shocked that Lyme disease could be so debilitating, even life-threatening. I discovered that the prevalence of Lyme disease in the U.S. may be at least ten times greater than HIV, West Nile virus (and now swine flu) combined. Like its genetic cousin, the "great imitator" syphilis, it mimics other illnesses, including chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, MS, ALS, Alzheimer's and autism. I learned it could be transmitted from mother to child in utero and that sexual transmission has not been ruled out.

Photo: Under Our Skin

Lyme patient Marlena Connors suffers a seizure in UNDER OUR SKIN
Photo: UNDER OUR SKIN

Photo: UNDER OUR SKIN

Ben Petrick, once a Major League player, is now sidelined by Lyme disease

Photo: UNDER OUR SKIN

Sean Cobb tends to his wife Mandy Hughes as she suffers a seizure

Photo:UNDER OUR SKIN

Jordan Fisher Smith surveys his medications

Photo: UNDER OUR SKIN

UNDER OUR SKIN Senior Producer Kris Newby and filmmaker Andy Abrahams Wilson receive trophies at the International Health & Medical Media Awards.
Photo: UNDER OUR SKIN

Under Our Skin
Directed by Andy Abrahams Wilson
See below for August showings
Runtime: 103 min.

Worse still: standard tests seem hopelessly inaccurate, and most physicians are untrained to diagnose or treat the illness. Furthermore, physicians who do take on chronic Lyme patients risk the suspension of their medical licenses. On the patient side, I found variations of the same story repeated thousand-fold: doctor after doctor, years of misdiagnoses, hundreds of thousands of dollars exhausted, denial of insurance coverage, accusations of hypochondria and, finally if ever, a long road back to health.

What was going on? What if my friend had stopped after the ALS diagnosis? Would she still be alive today? What if my sister didn’t persevere until she proved wrong those (like myself) who thought it was all in her head? Sometimes I think the film is my way of making penance for the way I treated my sister when she was sick. After all, William Osler, considered to be the father of modern medicine, once said, "If you listen carefully to the patient they will tell you the diagnosis." Our patriarchal, good-old-boy medical system is coming up against its limits of knowledge and arrogance, threatened by "internet activists" (mostly women) who are taking their family's healthcare into their own hands, sharing community and resources, and demanding help.

After four years of research and production—and over 375 hours of footage, what we uncovered is a chilling tale of microbes, medicine and money. Deregulation of scientific research and conflicts of interest in medicine are poisoning healthcare, denying our citizens health, and costing our citizenry profound loss of productivity and resources. We need an overhaul of our medical research, health delivery and insurance systems. Lyme disease is the canary in the coalmine and a case study for what's wrong and needs to be fixed. UNDER OUR SKIN is an essential contribution to the current national debate about healthcare reform.

Swine flu: How not to be stupid

Swine flu: How not to be stupid
The Argosy, Canada
By Ross MacLean

It’s true, Mount Allison has seen its first H1N1 (“heenee”) diagnoses. Incidence in Canada is currently the third highest of all countries in the world, falling just behind Mexico and the United States. While the spread of the disease is real, maybe it’s just me, but it seems like everywhere you look there’s a new myth about this infection. I thought this week I’d attempt to dispel a few.

The vaccine is not going to kill you. As with any vaccine, there are risks. Usually negative reactions are mild, but the rare patient will have a severe reaction. Let me stress the rare part. The biggest risk from the vaccine is Guillain-Barré, an auto-immune disorder that attacks the nervous system. Odds of getting this from the vaccine are about one in a million, but about forty in a million cases of swine flu will see this. So you’re probably better off with the vaccine. All in all, the vaccine is a hell of a lot safer than the disease.

Pandemic ≠ black plague. Yes, the heenee has been dubbed a pandemic, but this doesn’t mean people will be dropping dead in the streets middle ages-style. This term refers only to the global spread of the disease, not its severity. More people have died from Lyme disease in the last 300 days than from swine flu. Who even knows anyone who’s had Lyme disease? This number is bound to increase as the flu season progresses, but it’s likely that the mass hysteria seen in too many homes is a bit of an overreaction.

Home remedies probably won’t work. For any illness, rumours of home-cooked cures are bound to spread, but it’s usually in your best interest to trust sources like your doctor and Health Canada over your grandmother’s herbal tea. Sandra Oh (and that one Argosy editor) were wrong to think that vitamins would ...