Woman's 20-year struggle to get frightening diagnosis after being bitten by a tick as a toddler
29.01.2022 - 16:43
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A young woman is raising money for life-changing treatment after finally being diagnosed with Lyme Disease among other illnesses.
Briony Hunt was just two-years-old when she was bitten by a tick and says she has suffered too many symptoms to list as a result.
She felt that something was 'eating away at her' but says she was laughed at by heath professionals.
It took almost twenty years to obtain a diagnosis of a whole host of tick-borne diseases.
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Now at 26-years-old, she is fundraising for private treatment in Poland for supportive therapies unavailable on the NHS, BerkshireLive reports.
The treatment - Supportive Oligonucleotide Technique (SOT) - will help her illnesses which include: late-stage Lyme Disease, Bartonella, Babesia, Analplasma, and Seronegative Inflammatory Arthritis (HLA – B27 positive).
These are alongside Briony's secondary conditions, which are likely caused by not treating the underlying cause for so long, including secondary mitochondriopathy, polycystic ovary syndrome (and pelvic congestion ), small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, lymphocytic vasculitis, and si joint dysfunction.
Briony, from Bracknell, Berkshire, argues it took so long to get a diagnosis due to little understanding of tick-borne diseases.
"I went undiagnosed for over two decades", she said. "The lack of awareness within the NHS and the medical community, in general, is appalling.
"It’s been a real struggle to get to where I am today. At times, I felt overwhelmed and alone. I feel that many NHS doctors did not take me seriously.
"Some didn’t believe it was possible for me to be so sick for so long and have a long list of symptoms — I’ve even been laughed at.
"When a