If you suspect you have Lyme disease, you’re not alone and your symptoms warrant thorough investigations. We have decades of experience evaluating complex symptom patterns and use a comprehensive range of pathology tests, including ones aligned with ILADS guidelines, to thoroughly investigate and understand what’s affecting your health.
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Understanding Lyme disease: prevention, recognition & treatment
At Breakspear Medical, we’ve been diagnosing and treating Lyme disease for many years, developing expertise in managing this complex bacterial infection. Our experience has taught us that early recognition and proper treatment are crucial for the best outcomes, which is why we want to share our knowledge to help you protect yourself and your loved ones.
The diagnostic challenges of Lyme disease
For those unfamiliar with Lyme disease, it can be tricky to diagnose because the symptoms are similar to many other conditions.
Our Clinical Team has helped thousands of Lyme patients receive the urgent treatment they need.
Lyme Disease, also known as as chronic borreliosis, is a severe bacterial infection spread to humans by blood-feeding insects, particularly deer ticks. After a person becomes infected with borreliosis by a tick or other blood-feeding insect, the person may develop a resulting skin rash. This characteristic “bull’s eye” circular rash, called erythema migrans, is a clear indication that the tick was infected and treatment should start immediately.
Without appropriate immediate treatment for Lyme, flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, fatigue, muscle aches and joint pain can last for weeks or even longer. Weeks, months, or years after a tick bite, other problems, such as difficulty with concentration, irritability, depression, arthritis, heart problems, memory and/or sleep disorders and nerve damage may also occur. Complications include numbness, pain, weakness, visual disturbances, and meningitis symptoms such as fever, stiff neck, and severe headaches.
The treatment outcome of Lyme disease depends on numerous factors including the:
- duration of infection
- the number of bites
- the strength of your immune system
- your detoxification capacity
Clinical diagnoses of borreliosis may be made based on the symptoms and exposure. However, it is helpful to have laboratory evidence of infection. For decades, doctors at Breakspear Medical have been actively looking for infectious agents such as borreliosis, Epstein-Barr virus, Parvovirus B19 and bacterial, rickettsial and parasitic organisms to find the cause of many illnesses, including ME/CFS.
For more information on prevention of Lyme, about the symptoms or stages, see our blog: Understanding Lyme disease: prevention, recognition & treatment
I lived with the erroneous diagnosis of ME/CFS for a long time. During this time, the Lyme disease was allowed to devour my physical and mental strength… I had a baffling array of symptoms, which were staggering, overwhelming and agonising. It was from the research my family did that we became certain that my diagnosis of ME/CFS was incorrect. During my mum’s hunt for a diagnosis, she found Breakspear Medical… [They] thoroughly investigated and examined me and from this I was clinically diagnosed with Lyme disease and coinfections, which was confirmed with positive blood results.
As my health began to improve [with treatment at Breakspear Medical], I could slowly feel my mental faculties returning to me, the same way I could feel the strength returning to my muscles with the gentle exercise routine I had put myself on.
As time went on, I felt an increasing need to do something to make people more aware of this devastating disease. I kept hearing stories about people who were having their lives destroyed by Lyme disease.”
Morven-May MacCallum, author of Finding Joy, a novel about living with Lyme disease.
I lived with the erroneous diagnosis of ME/CFS for a long time. During this time, the Lyme disease was allowed to devour my physical and mental strength… I had a baffling array of symptoms, which were staggering, overwhelming and agonising. It was from the research my family did that we became certain that my diagnosis of ME/CFS was incorrect. During my mum’s hunt for a diagnosis, she found Breakspear Medical… [They] thoroughly investigated and examined me and from this I was clinically diagnosed with Lyme disease and coinfections, which was confirmed with positive blood results.
What to expect
If you suspect you have Lyme disease, contact us to book an appointment as soon as possible. Early intervention dramatically improves outcomes.
Clinical diagnoses of borreliosis may be made based on the symptoms and exposure. However, it is helpful to have laboratory evidence of infection.
The accredited laboratory investigations we offer for borreliosis include:
- Borrelia antibody evaluation by ELISA technique, which measures antibodies to the organism.
- Polymerase Chain Reaction test for Borrelia burgdorferi, which measures the presence of the DNA – the chromosomes of the organism from the patient.
- Lymphocyte Transformation Test for Borrelia burgdorferi (LTT MELISA), which, if the results are positive, demonstrates current active infection with the organism.
- Borrelia burgdorferi IgG and IgM antibody evaluation by the Immunoblot/Western Blot technique, which detects portions of the Lyme disease organism.
It is important to note that different laboratories use different methods and criteria to interpret the results. Due to the various stages of the lifecycle of the bacteria, some tests are more effective early in the disease, while others are more effective in the later stages. Sometimes it takes several tests to develop a diagnosis. It is important to review your clinical history in addition to reviewing the test results.
Once it has been determined that you have Lyme disease, your doctor will then discuss the treatment options.
Treatments may include antibiotics, biofilm breakers and immune support, as well as dietary and other interventions such as the Lyme Cowden, Buhner and iodine protocols where appropriate.
We offer other treatment options
What makes our approach different from standard care is that in addition to antibiotics, biofilm breakers and immune support, we offer:
Many people benefit from using an oxygen concentrator, which helps increase the oxygen levels in the blood.
Recommendations will be made to optimise your gut function by balancing the microbiomes. The gut has trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi, which are collectively known as microbiome. Some are linked to disease while others are essential for your immune system and many other aspects of health.
Treatment sessions with our IRATHERM®, which provides intense infra-red sauna body-heating therapy, which can help to relieve the pain.
This is commonly caused by food sensitivities and testing for these and provision of low-dose immunotherapy (LDI) will allow the correction of specific food sensitivities to help relieve pain and provide support.
Lifestyle changes may be recommended to help eliminate toxins in the body, including drugs. Find out more about our Detoxification programme.
The Krebs cycle is the citric acid cycle which is the main source of energy for living things. There are 10 steps in the Krebs cycle and if any of the steps are not performing as they should, there is a knockdown effect, which can cause extreme fatigue and pain.
Your results & follow-up care
Following your consultation with one of our doctors, we’ll provide you with a comprehensive treatment estimate so you can review what your doctor has recommended before any further costs are incurred. If your doctor diagnoses you with Lyme disease, they can prescribe a course of antibiotics, which can be dispensed immediately. Treatment is more effective if it’s started as soon as possible. Often recommended blood tests can be arranged during your first visit as well.
Your results, your choice – you can opt to share your results with your GP or keep them private; it’s entirely up to you.
Lyme Disease is the most common vector borne disease. Despite being a complex medical condition to both diagnose and treat, there is still a good chance of complete recovery in some cases, while others can go back to their base line of functioning.”
Dr Daud Mohamed, Specialist in Infectious Diseases
Visit our YouTube channel to watch Dr Mohamed’s lecture on Treatments of Lyme Persisters
Limited appointment availability
Lyme disease requires prompt medical attention and we are committed to seeing patients as quickly as possible. However, due to high demand for our successful Specialist in Infectious Diseases, Dr Daud Mohamed, new patient appointments may take up to 2 weeks to schedule within your preferred time slot.
To expedite your appointment:
- When calling to book your appointment or completing our online preappointment form, please inform the Patient Liaison Team member that you suspect you may have Lyme disease
- Our scheduling team will make every effort to arrange the earliest available appointment
- Ask to be placed on our cancellation list for the possibility of an earlier appointment slot
What to do while waiting: If you develop worsening symptoms or have concerns about your condition while waiting for your appointment, please contact your primary care physician or seek immediate medical attention if symptoms become severe.
We are dedicated to providing you with comprehensive care for your Lyme disease concerns as soon as possible.
To secure your preferred appointment: call 01442 261 333 to check availability and book your consultation. Alternatively, you can complete our Preappointment form and we will contact you to arrange an appointment.
Cost
Our 2025 appointment fee structure is available on a dedicated page, along with essential information about booking procedures, cancellation policies, and our no-scent policy requirement for all clinic visits.
We also provide a comprehensive Patient Information page that covers booking procedures, required questionnaires, accepted payment methods, language services, and other important details that new patients should review before their visit.
Our Patient Liaison Team is available to help you with admission procedures and will be happy to direct you to refreshment facilities if you need to wait for your appointment.
Please note: We ask all patients and visitors to familiarise themselves with and observe our no-scent policy to ensure a comfortable environment for everyone at the clinic.
FAQS
Can you test for Lyme Disease?
At your initial consultation, if your doctor feels that you may have Lyme disease, you will be presented with the various options available to test for this condition, together with an estimate of the costs.
How long will it take to treat my Lyme Disease?
Sadly, there is no easy answer to this question. At Breakspear Medical, we look at each patient individually and therefore your customised treatment programmes will be different from other patients and, depending on a variety of factors, it may take a few weeks to many months to start feeling better.
What are the symptoms of Lyme Disease?
After a person becomes infected with borreliosis by a tick or other blood-feeding insect, the person may develop a resulting skin rash. This characteristic “bull’s eye” circular rash, called erythema migrans, is a clear indication that the tick was infected and treatment should start immediately. Without treatment, flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, fatigue, muscle aches and joint pain can last for weeks or even longer.
Weeks, months, or years after a tick bite, other problems, such as difficulty with concentration, irritability, depression, arthritis, heart problems, memory and/or sleep disorders and nerve damage may also occur. Complications include numbness, pain, weakness, visual disturbances, and meningitis symptoms such as fever, stiff neck, and severe headaches.
Common symptoms include:
- numbness
- pain
- weakness
- visual disturbances
- fever
- stiff neck
- severe headaches
- difficulties with concentration
- joint pain
- depression
- irritability
- sleep disorders
- nerve damage
- chronic fatigue
However, some infected people may not experience any noticeable symptoms at the time of infection. Some people do not receive treatment and forget about the infecting bite and many years later develop symptoms of infection. If a bite has not been noticed, these symptoms often get misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue or psychological problems. Many undiagnosed sufferers have been told that the symptoms are just in their heads.
If I am treated for Lyme disease will I ever have symptoms again? Will I be cured?
To successfully treat chronic Lyme disease, it is often necessary to undergo a long course of treatment. At Breakspear Medical, we’ve treated many thousands of people who have had Lyme disease successfully.
How can I have Lyme disease if I’ve never noticed a tick bite on my body?
People who live in the countryside may well have contracted a bite from a tick. Ticks can jump several feet onto their host from nearby foliage Ticks can bite after the crawl up clothing and can be in a place which is not readily perceived. They can attach and then if they are infected a spirochete the Lyme borreliosis organism can be transmitted to the host in saliva which is injected into the host. It may take time for the spirochetes to travel from the tick bite site and the travel in a ring formation from that point so that a circular rash which is spreading ensues. This is called erythema migrans.
Ticks are not the only insects which carry the Lyme spirochete. They are present in many mosquitoes or horseflies hence bites from these can also be the origin of the infection. There is evidence to suggest that sometimes bodily fluids from an infected person can carry the spirochete into another.
How quickly can I be seen if I suspect I have Lyme disease?
While we prioritise Lyme disease cases, new patient appointments with our Specialist in Infectious Diseases may take up to 2 weeks. When booking, please mention your suspected Lyme disease to our receptionist, and we’ll make every effort to see you as soon as possible. Joining our cancellation list may also result in an earlier appointment.
If you develop worsening symptoms or have concerns about your condition while waiting for your appointment, please contact your primary care physician or seek immediate medical attention if symptoms become severe.
If you have a question for us that is not shown here, please get in touch and ask directly.
ARTICLES ON LYME DISEASE
We have shared information about Lyme disease in our Breakspear Medical Bulletins over the years including:
