For years, the CDC has been the backbone of a medical establishment that has denied the chronic symptoms of Lyme disease. The CDC has guided and upheld this system, which has gaslighted and turned away countless patients needing help. It has been a primary front of our battle to be heard.
This week, the CDC updated its website to reflect that it has changed its stance on Lyme.
The new page, "Chronic Symptoms Following Infections," from the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), explains that "Infections can sometimes leave people with symptoms that last for weeks to months or longer, even after appropriate treatment." Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, is listed as a disease linked to chronic symptoms.
Reflecting even more change, the page also includes a section about addressing chronic symptoms with a healthcare provider--a complex process this community has long fought to navigate while being undermined by the CDC's previous stance. Here's what the page says:
"Often test results are normal, and the cause of symptoms remains unexplained. It is important for you and your healthcare providers to understand that normal test results do not mean your symptoms are not real. In some cases, tests to confirm a diagnosis do not exist. It may take a long time to consider or rule out all potential causes of chronic symptoms."
So, even the CDC is saying it now: You can still be legitimately sick even if your labs are normal.
This is an enormous deal and something to celebrate. We're hugely thankful to everyone in this community and all of our advocates for fighting for years to create changes like these.
Tap here to visit the new CDC page.
October 27, 2023