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Lyme Madness: Rescuing My Son Down The Rabbit Hole of Chronic Lyme Disease
ABOUT LYME MADNESS: Chronic Lyme disease is a complicated, confusing, and terrifying abyss—a black hole of human suffering, conflicting views, widespread corruption, and unrelenting medical navigation. Lyme Madness chronicles the author’s and adult son’s medical odyssey while capturing the current landscape of immeasurable suffering, twisted politics and medical madness that ensues worldwide. It provides a platform for the many voices of chronic Lyme sufferers, caregivers, and activists, along with the very few doctors and politicians all fighting for awareness, support and justice around the globe. It is a bold testament to the undeniable existence of this medical nightmare where millions are suffering and few are listening. The voices and pleas for medical acknowledgement of this widely negated disease are powerful, compelling, and a clarion call-to-action for those in power to put an end to the political roadblocks that have kept chronic Lyme disease in the shadows for more than forty years.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, LORI DENNIS: Ever since her adult son fell ill in the fall of 2012, her only focus has been to help him get well. Little did she know at the start of this medical odyssey just how deep and unending this rabbit hole would be. While helping her son navigate his medical journey from “no answers” to continued recovery, she was determined to write this book to help others navigate this long and arduous path from illness to wellness—the overwhelming and complicated trek that comes with having chronic Lyme disease. She was also determined to provide a platform for other Lyme sufferers to have their voices heard in an effort to end the madness. A madness where millions are suffering around the globe while mainstream medicine continues to turn its back on the sick and infirm.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, LORI DENNIS: Ever since her adult son fell ill in the fall of 2012, her only focus has been to help him get well. Little did she know at the start of this medical odyssey just how deep and unending this rabbit hole would be. While helping her son navigate his medical journey from “no answers” to continued recovery, she was determined to write this book to help others navigate this long and arduous path from illness to wellness—the overwhelming and complicated trek that comes with having chronic Lyme disease. She was also determined to provide a platform for other Lyme sufferers to have their voices heard in an effort to end the madness. A madness where millions are suffering around the globe while mainstream medicine continues to turn its back on the sick and infirm.
- GenresNonfiction
490 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 16, 2016
43 people are currently reading
325 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 22, 2017
More reviews at TheBibliophage.com.
Lori Dennis’ impassioned book, Lyme Madness, is the work of an unintentional activist. I picked it up expecting a detailed medical memoir about Dennis’ son Matt’s struggle with Lyme Disease. In fact, I’d guess that barely ten percent of the book is actually about the day-to-day of her son’s Lyme battle, rather it’s about Lori Dennis’ journey as a mom fighting and learning about Lyme.
I have chronic Lyme Disease, and have been treated by a Lyme-literate medical professional for over two years. There are many Lyme-related books on my shelves, and more are on my e-reader too. Based on what I’ve read, I think Lyme Madness is a great book for people with Lyme to give their family, friends, and caregivers.
Lori Dennis explains the politics of Lyme Disease in detail, helping clarify a muddy pond of disagreement and frustration. She is an outraged mama bear, extremely disillusioned by the medical establishment’s anti-Lyme positions. Her chapters explore different elements of the controversy, from the CDC to the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) to individual physicians both willing and unwilling to consider the science presented by researchers associated with the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS). Dennis also discusses the unique challenges for Canadian patients with Lyme.
In terms of writing style, Lyme Madness reads like one long rant. Dennis tells of her long-standing issues with the medical profession, even before encountering Lyme Disease. No question that she came into this fight with a chip on her shoulder. I admire Dennis for putting it all out there, but the whole book reads very emotionally, with so much sarcasm and bitterness. By the end I felt like she’d been yelling at me for days. I love the passion, but the delivery was tough to handle.
Like many people fighting Lyme for themselves or family members, Dennis credits Facebook with giving her connections to and support from other “Lymies.” I have also experienced this, and it can make a big difference. However, Dennis uses long, unedited, and poorly written quotes from other folks in her FB groups extensively. Most people don’t write for publication on social media. With permission, I would have wanted some of them edited, just as I think the book as a whole could stand with a strong professional edit.
Lyme Madness is a manifesto for radical Lyme activism. I agree with Dennis’ comparisons to the AIDS movement, which changed that disease’s landscape. People living with Lyme Disease, with the support of anyone who believes in them, are the only way the treatment of this pandemic will change. I give Lori Dennis huge props for her part in that effort.
Thanks to NetGalley, Lori Dennis, and Soulwork Publishing to an digital advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
If you’re interested in more information about Lyme Disease, I’d also recommend the following:
Under Our Skin DVD
Cure Unknown by Pamela Weintraub
The Last Letter by Susan Pogorzelski
Freedom from Lyme Disease: New Treatments for a Complete Recovery by Bryan Rosner
Why Can't I Get Better? Solving the Mystery of Lyme and Chronic Disease by Richard I. Horowitz
My Lyme-related bookshelf on Goodreads
Lori Dennis’ impassioned book, Lyme Madness, is the work of an unintentional activist. I picked it up expecting a detailed medical memoir about Dennis’ son Matt’s struggle with Lyme Disease. In fact, I’d guess that barely ten percent of the book is actually about the day-to-day of her son’s Lyme battle, rather it’s about Lori Dennis’ journey as a mom fighting and learning about Lyme.
I have chronic Lyme Disease, and have been treated by a Lyme-literate medical professional for over two years. There are many Lyme-related books on my shelves, and more are on my e-reader too. Based on what I’ve read, I think Lyme Madness is a great book for people with Lyme to give their family, friends, and caregivers.
Lori Dennis explains the politics of Lyme Disease in detail, helping clarify a muddy pond of disagreement and frustration. She is an outraged mama bear, extremely disillusioned by the medical establishment’s anti-Lyme positions. Her chapters explore different elements of the controversy, from the CDC to the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) to individual physicians both willing and unwilling to consider the science presented by researchers associated with the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS). Dennis also discusses the unique challenges for Canadian patients with Lyme.
In terms of writing style, Lyme Madness reads like one long rant. Dennis tells of her long-standing issues with the medical profession, even before encountering Lyme Disease. No question that she came into this fight with a chip on her shoulder. I admire Dennis for putting it all out there, but the whole book reads very emotionally, with so much sarcasm and bitterness. By the end I felt like she’d been yelling at me for days. I love the passion, but the delivery was tough to handle.
Like many people fighting Lyme for themselves or family members, Dennis credits Facebook with giving her connections to and support from other “Lymies.” I have also experienced this, and it can make a big difference. However, Dennis uses long, unedited, and poorly written quotes from other folks in her FB groups extensively. Most people don’t write for publication on social media. With permission, I would have wanted some of them edited, just as I think the book as a whole could stand with a strong professional edit.
Lyme Madness is a manifesto for radical Lyme activism. I agree with Dennis’ comparisons to the AIDS movement, which changed that disease’s landscape. People living with Lyme Disease, with the support of anyone who believes in them, are the only way the treatment of this pandemic will change. I give Lori Dennis huge props for her part in that effort.
Thanks to NetGalley, Lori Dennis, and Soulwork Publishing to an digital advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
If you’re interested in more information about Lyme Disease, I’d also recommend the following:
Under Our Skin DVD
Cure Unknown by Pamela Weintraub
The Last Letter by Susan Pogorzelski
Freedom from Lyme Disease: New Treatments for a Complete Recovery by Bryan Rosner
Why Can't I Get Better? Solving the Mystery of Lyme and Chronic Disease by Richard I. Horowitz
My Lyme-related bookshelf on Goodreads
November 11, 2019
This author is very angry... and rightly so. The disgraceful behavior of the US medical establishment (both doctors, big pharma and government institutions like the CDC) toward chronic Lyme disease is a sorry chapter in US history.
Dennis outlines the problem very starkly and also makes some very good suggestions to help the millions of people affected by this terrible disease which has now reached epidemic proportions. This is not a "feel good" book-instead it lays out the problems in stark terms and gives examples of the real sufferings experienced by real people. If there is anyone in your family suffering from Lyme...read this book!
Dennis outlines the problem very starkly and also makes some very good suggestions to help the millions of people affected by this terrible disease which has now reached epidemic proportions. This is not a "feel good" book-instead it lays out the problems in stark terms and gives examples of the real sufferings experienced by real people. If there is anyone in your family suffering from Lyme...read this book!
March 3, 2017
This book is an amazing eye opener for the hardships and challenges posed by the lyme disease. I had no idea how strangely ignorant the medical world has been about this disease. I was appalled. The book was very strong jn delivering this message and creating awareness. Hopefully more people will read and get informed and somehow help in findi5cures and more understanding from the academia and scientific world. The community is strong and can definitely help. A powerful heartbreaking story and a must read.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 14, 2018
Lori Dennis's story is crazy--unless you've fallen down the rabbit hole into Lymeland, as she calls it. Then it all makes sense.
She was transported to Lymeland when her son Matt became mysteriously ill after graduating from college and starting a new job. At first everyone thought it was just anxiety about this new transition in his life. But then it became apparent to him and his parents, although not his doctors, that something was really wrong. 20+ doctors later they finally had answers, although not necessarily a cure.
"Lyme Madness" is partly Lori and Matt's story, part the stories of other Lyme patients, and part a history of Lyme disease in North America. Dennis is from Toronto, while her son was living and being treated in New York, so she has witnessed the poor treatment of Lyme patients in the US--and their even worse neglect in Canada.
Like many Americans, I often envy what seems like the idyllic health care conditions in Canada, but tragically, for poorly understood conditions such as Lyme disease, the Canadian socialized health care system is even worse than the US's patchwork, profit-driven non-system. Both turn their backs on patients and condemn them to a life, and sometimes death, of appalling suffering. However, the government-provided health care in Canada is even less responsive to Lyme patients' needs than that of the US, with a lot of active denial of the existence of Lyme disease in Canada, despite its prevalence in New York and New England, just across the border.
"Lyme Madness" is an impassioned plea for more awareness and better treatment of Lyme disease and its patients. Dennis is rightfully very angry over what happened to her son, so much so that people who have not (yet) been deported to Lymeland may find her passion off-putting. She also discusses controversial or unproven treatment approaches, some of the conspiracy theories, such as that of the bioweapons research facility on Plum Island accidentally or intentionally releasing the disease, and the problems with the Lyme vaccine and the interactions between Lyme disease and the flu vaccine. This may also make strict adherents to mainstream medicine uncomfortable, but, as she points out, Lyme patients are not given better options. The mainstream has at best turned its back on us, and at worst engaged in an aggressive program of gaslighting and abuse, often using "mental health" as its weapon of choice. It is therefore particularly welcome that Dennis, a psychologist, is speaking out against the (mis)use of mental health diagnoses and treatments on Lyme patients. I'm not sure how many doubters this book is going to convince, but it has an important message and it's good to get more voices of patients and their families out there.
She was transported to Lymeland when her son Matt became mysteriously ill after graduating from college and starting a new job. At first everyone thought it was just anxiety about this new transition in his life. But then it became apparent to him and his parents, although not his doctors, that something was really wrong. 20+ doctors later they finally had answers, although not necessarily a cure.
"Lyme Madness" is partly Lori and Matt's story, part the stories of other Lyme patients, and part a history of Lyme disease in North America. Dennis is from Toronto, while her son was living and being treated in New York, so she has witnessed the poor treatment of Lyme patients in the US--and their even worse neglect in Canada.
Like many Americans, I often envy what seems like the idyllic health care conditions in Canada, but tragically, for poorly understood conditions such as Lyme disease, the Canadian socialized health care system is even worse than the US's patchwork, profit-driven non-system. Both turn their backs on patients and condemn them to a life, and sometimes death, of appalling suffering. However, the government-provided health care in Canada is even less responsive to Lyme patients' needs than that of the US, with a lot of active denial of the existence of Lyme disease in Canada, despite its prevalence in New York and New England, just across the border.
"Lyme Madness" is an impassioned plea for more awareness and better treatment of Lyme disease and its patients. Dennis is rightfully very angry over what happened to her son, so much so that people who have not (yet) been deported to Lymeland may find her passion off-putting. She also discusses controversial or unproven treatment approaches, some of the conspiracy theories, such as that of the bioweapons research facility on Plum Island accidentally or intentionally releasing the disease, and the problems with the Lyme vaccine and the interactions between Lyme disease and the flu vaccine. This may also make strict adherents to mainstream medicine uncomfortable, but, as she points out, Lyme patients are not given better options. The mainstream has at best turned its back on us, and at worst engaged in an aggressive program of gaslighting and abuse, often using "mental health" as its weapon of choice. It is therefore particularly welcome that Dennis, a psychologist, is speaking out against the (mis)use of mental health diagnoses and treatments on Lyme patients. I'm not sure how many doubters this book is going to convince, but it has an important message and it's good to get more voices of patients and their families out there.
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February 16, 2021LYME MADNESS is THE definitive book on Lyme Disease.
Thoroughly researched and eminently readable, this book deserves kudos and a rating of 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thoroughly researched and eminently readable, this book deserves kudos and a rating of 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
August 23, 2017
Some good information about Lyme--a similar story all Lyme patients have encountered and some soapbox ranting too. It seems crazy that a medical condition could be "political" and patients unable to get the care they need, yet that is what's happening. Lori Dennis describes all of this.
March 9, 2017
As a fellow Psychotherapist, I am so glad to see more and more of my colleagues writing books outside of the "mental health genre". Due to this book being from Canada it is much closer to my UK realities than any USA books out there, and that is heart-warming. The disillusionment with the medical industry explored throughout out this book really resonated with me, most definitely. It is much more than just a "condition book" in my opinion. It is very much holistic and comprehensive and very well researched. My home library just got another new addition for sure!
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