Dominic’s Story
Dominic, Horticulturist, Landscape Designer, Ambassador and Patient Representative
“In 1998, during forestry work for my studies in the royal forests near Apeldoorn in the Netherlands, I was bitten in the neck by three ticks. After a few weeks, I started to have symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, and muscle pain. I went to my general practitioner and told her about the three tick bites and my symptoms; she saw no red circles or bulls-eye rash, and she dismissed my symptoms as stress because of my studies. In the years that followed, I developed more symptoms: severe headache, muscle pain, joint pain, heart, cognitive, and visual symptoms, and extreme fatigue.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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My general practitioner and specialists said the symptoms were psychological. In 2005, I could no longer work at the internet company that I had with my brother. My relationship also ended. I was in so much pain, I was so miserable, and I was admitted to a psychiatric institution. I got worse and worse, and I had severe epileptic seizures every day.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Eventually, I went to a university hospital. We did an FDG-PET scan, lumbar puncture, and blood test. Finally, I was diagnosed with active and positive Borrelia in CSF and blood. Despite this, my doctors continued to say that my symptoms were psychological.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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In 2008, I hired a lawyer to get a second opinion from an independent neurologist, to show that I do not suffer from psychiatric illnesses and disorders. In recent years, I have been treated by a German doctor. After extensive testing, I was diagnosed with active and positive Borrelia, TBE virus, Bartonella, anaplasma, ehrlichia, mycoplasma, chlamydia, EBV and bornavirus, real epilepsy, asthma, heart and vascular spasms, cardiac arrhythmias, inflammation, and multiple allergies. I also had high levels of pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides in my blood.
This disease changed me and my way of working. Before I got sick, I worked for the big money; I had dollar signs in my eyes. I was always busy, and I had no eye for other things. Now I do volunteer work for non-profit organizations. I share my story, inspire others, raise awareness, educate, and do advocacy. Now, I share and give more than I take.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If I'm honest and realistic, then I don't think I'm better in the sense of being completely healed. I have undergone long, tough treatments, taken supplements, and maintained a strict diet. Little by little, I have recovered.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I do think that this condition can be kept in sleep mode. I focus on a combination of treatments, drugs, supplements, diet, and exercise. A drug or vaccine would be nice, but these infections are complex, especially if you have multiple infections, which makes treatment more difficult. However, you should always stay positive and keep hope.”
Stories reflect the experiences and perspectives of the individuals featured and are not intended as medical advice.
