The NHS “insulted and failed” Adam Lomax, 28, after his GP dismissed his Lyme Disease as flu, he claimed.
Lomax was diagnosed with the rare condition, which causes joint pain, heart problems and a bull’s-eye-shaped rash, three months ago. After a friend’s recommendation, he was tested for the disease after his symptoms persisted for almost seven years.
Lyme disease affects between 2,000 and 3,000 people in England and Wales a year, according to NHS Choices. It’s a bacterial infection that’s spread to humans by blood-sucking ticks.
Ticks are small, spider-like parasites, found in woodlands and heath areas. When brushed onto skin or clothing, they bite and feed on blood.
“About seven years ago, when I was at university near the New Forest – a high risk area for ticks – I woke up in the night to something biting my arm,” said Lomax. “I whacked it off while half asleep, thinking it was a spider or a mosquito.”
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“After a week, I had sweats, chills, a stiff neck, and my muscles and joints were in agony.
“It was like flu, but times a million – that’s the only way I can describe it.”
Lomax’s GP and “thousands of other GPs” diagnosed him with a number of conditions, including post-viral fatigue, chronic fatigue, bipolar syndrome and depression. But, not Lyme disease.
“It was a bit insulting, being diagnosed with so many conditions, none of which seemed to stick.”
Lomax quit his full-time advertising job after three months, because of the physical pain he was suffering, he said.
He was given permission to work part-time, before leaving work entirely seven months later, because he was “completely washed”.
“Lyme disease completely ruined my life. There’s no up-to-date treatment for the disease with the NHS, so I’m forced to go to the US for treatment.
“The US is the only place with funding to research the disease, so I’ve had to set up a crowdfunding page to get the treatment. It’s very expensive.”
With travel and expenses, the treatment would cost more than £20,000, Lomax predicted. He would also need to go back to the US every six to seven months for check-ups.
Lomax has sacrificed his savings to help fund his treatment. He was saving for a house.
“Lyme disease should be covered by the NHS,” he said. “It’s essentially just a combination of antibiotics.”
The risk of Lyme disease infection can be reduced by keeping to footpaths, and avoiding long grass, when walking in grassy areas, according to NHS Choices.
Insect repellents, wearing long-sleeved clothing and inspecting your skin for ticks will also reduce the risk of becoming infected.