Sponsored by
Why won't they treat my illness?
A WOMAN who suffered from an undiagnosed illness for 30 years is fighting for treatment.
Annette Miller, 50, of Windsor Road, Hebden Bridge, became ill with flu-like symptoms while she was studying for her A-levels.
She never recovered and was told by doctors she was suffering from ME, or chronic fatigue syndrome.
It was only last year that blood tests revealed she had the rare bacterial infection Lyme disease.
But Calderdale Primary Care Trust has refused to fund further testing and treatment.
Annette said: "For many years doctors simply dismissed my symptoms as me making a fuss about nothing.
"Having an untreated infection for over 30 years has done a lot of damage. I now need treatment to address both the damage and the disease itself."
Annette, a former motorcycle driving instructor, suffers neurological problems including sound distortion, vertigo, pins and needles and migraines.
She is in constant pain, takes up to 14 painkillers a day and has not had a full night's sleep for 18 years.
She spends most of her time resting and some days is not even well enough to make herself a cup of tea.
Trips out of the house are restricted to medical appointments and essential shopping and it takes her days to recover.
She also suffers from food allergies that she believes are caused by the infection.
Every day after her evening meal her skin goes red. "It feels like somebody pouring scalding water over me. It carries on all night in waves of burning sensation," she said.
The waves of pain last between five and 30 minutes and Annette will be affected between three and 15 times a night.
But her bid for food sensitivity testing and treatment has been turned down.
Annette said: "I have no idea why the trust is refusing to take my health problems seriously. This terrible disease has already cost me my career, hobbies, a social life and friendships.
"My savings have had to fund private investigations and treatments, and at present I can see no prospect of being able to work again."
A spokeswoman for Calderdale Primary Care Trust said: "I cannot comment on the decision about the care of this patient as it is confidential to the patient.
"There were communication failures in this case between the trust and the patient.
"We have apologised to the patient and, in light of her comments, we have reviewed our internal procedures to ensure that this doesn't happen again."
Stephanie Woodcock, from Lyme Disease Action, said: "Our charity is lobbying the Government to provide specialists in Lyme disease treatment.
"This is why this person is falling through the net and it is happening to a lot of people."
Email to a friend
Print this page- A58 crash UPDATE: road now re-open after man hit by car earlier this morning
- Crash on the A58 in Halifax this morning UPDATE: Man in hospital with several broken bones
- Taxi worker dies aged 35 after finishing his shift
- Man suffers serious injuries in accident on M62
- How the new Halifax Central Library will look
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Halifax
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -5 C to -0 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
