“You could say I was stunned when I saw in a photo just what was inside me.”
“That’s how I was born – with Lyme disease,” says László P., who, as a pensioner, threw himself into Lyme disease research. He believes that many of his relatives may also be, or may have been, infected, and he can now quite easily tell whether someone has Lyme disease or not. During his research, he read that the spirochaete can also enter the placenta if the mother is infected; he was last bitten by a tick in 2014, after which his symptoms became truly severe. She wanted to get better, so she began researching the infection, sometimes spending as many as 8–10 hours a day on it.
Why did you think it was important to get tested for Lyme disease?
As I had numerous unexplained symptoms, ranging from sensitivity to light and sound, through to unexplained fatigue and stomach problems – which I had never managed to cure permanently – I tried to find out more. I heard all sorts of information, then read about the infection in the books by Ágnes Makara and Sarolta Monspart; later, I searched the internet and read English-language literature, and I was almost certain that I had Lyme disease.
How did you find out about the DualDur test?
It was through my online searches that I came across the Istenhegy Clinic and got to know Dr Bózsik; having learnt about his work, there was no question that I would have the DualDur test done. This is, after all, the most logical test, as it detects the pathogen itself rather than just the antibodies. I had great confidence in it, and my confidence was further strengthened by the fact that the European Union had also supported the project.
How did you react to the result?
With sadness, because it revealed the truth: that I also have co-infections – Bartonella and Babesia. You could say I was stunned when I saw in the image just what was inside me. Earlier, in the early 2000s, I had an antibody test carried out at László Hospital, but it didn’t detect Lyme disease, so I didn’t receive any treatment.
Given these results, what will your treatment involve?
As I’m getting on in years, a strong, prolonged course of antibiotics wouldn’t be good for me. I know of alternative solutions that allow me to reach a level where I can live a normal life and carry on as I’d like. I do not wish to name this alternative due to professional debates, but the fact is: it helps. I have been using it since last September, when I received the results. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to speak like this; I’d experience brain fog and other symptoms, just as I did back then. I plan to book another check-up in due course to see if I’m really on the right track.
(C) Lyme Borreliosis Foundation
