Living Well When You Don’t Feel Well: Overcoming Lyme Disease and Illness | Joe Trunzo | TEDxBryantU

Trunzo highlights a different way of thinking and coping with diseases (and life), specifically Lyme. Dr. Trunzo earned his undergraduate degree in 1993 from Marywood University in Scranton PA and completed his graduate work in 2000 at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. He completed his pre-doctoral internship at the University of Vermont and his post-doctoral fellowship at the Centers for Behavioral & Preventive Medicine at Brown University Medical School in Providence, RI.

He is a Professor of Psychology and Chair of the Department of Applied Psychology at Bryant University. He is also a licensed, practicing clinical psychologist with expertise in the psychological management of chronic medical illnesses such as cancer and Lyme disease, as well as the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, especially obsessive compulsive disorder.

[KathleenJean]

Have had neurological Lyme for five years. Had to step back from my career, relationships, regular stuff. The physicians denied I was sick or could still be sick after a few weeks on doxycycline. Used my savings to get help from naturopath. When the money ran out I was on my own. Friends and family do not get that this sickness goes on and on. I do not do things now, no volunteering, do not show up for picnics or parties. I am home on the couch. Hearing how I have “changed” from family and friends is the meanest thing. Also disbelief that I can “still be sick” hurts me. So the chronically ill often isolate themselves, often from the ones who should care the most. What a lonely place that is. I know raw suffering everyday.

[laurawalker]

The problem is when you have 25 plus symptoms that make you think that you're going crazy it is very hard to look at the bigger picture and get yourself out of all the feelings that you're having in your body and dealing with the illness. Fear plays a big role too because the symptoms can be very bizarre

[jessicah]

This is very frustrating when a lot of us Lyme patients have been misdiagnosed with psychiatric illnesses. We've been through this and heard this before. It's about making you comfortable, but it's a bacterial infection, treat the underlying illness.

[donnafairmanwilson]

Thank you Dr. Trunzo!! I have ME/CFS and practice similar coping methods; although I haven't received ACT therapy. You're right; when I say, "I accept my illness, " I'm accepting my reality. But, people often mistaken believe that I've given up on treatment or hope. If I express what people consider "negative emotions, " ie anger, frustration, sadness, I'm often told that I must stay positive. To me, they are saying deny my feelings rather than work through them and allow them to move through me. You have given me validation, and I thank you!

[scratchandwinner]

Thanks for the recognition of Lyme and what we go through.

[Badjujucrew]

40 years with lyme. Nothing has helped. Don’t care if I die now. Can’t take anymore.

[leeadventures]

Thank you for acknowledging that the "experts" can not come to an agreement for the best way to help Lyme patients. Where are you putting your energy and live the most meaningful life you can! Good advice. I have Lyme and am fighting. Meaning makes the world a better place.

[gypsyhobo]

When you are housebound by pain, fatigue and a myriad of symptoms, how can you earn a living, much less volunteer anywhere. People don't understand why you don't show up for commitments and don't have the wherewithal to notify anyone. I go to the desert in the winter and live in my car and sit outside all day in the sun and it relieves all my Lyme disease symptoms for the winter, and when I come home to the mountains for summer, I stay outside in the sun all day. That's what keeps it at bay and the pain levels down. Been doing it for years. It's almost November and cold and rainy and I'm flaring big time right now.

[jadilan]

Having really bad herx reaction and found this video. I hate the episodes of rage when this happens. Have to tell your loved ones to stay away. I'm a stay at home dad now because I can provide consistently. I can't push past the chronic fatigue most days. Helping my son succeed on my good days gives my life meaning. I pray for those that are suffering with Lyme and other tick borne diseases.

[AxisMundi]

Doctors don't like testing for Lyme. I had two ticks. They gave me a pamphlet. No test. You'd think with a disease that can be so impactful they would be more proactive about ruling it out. Lyme is a tragic medical blindspot it seems.

[eb]

First of all thank you.
I have had lymes disease now for 10 years , when I was bitten by the tick the next day I got a bullseye rash on my leg and to touch my hair on my head was extremely painful , I went to my gp in Scotland uk my GP gave me cream to put on the rash and gave me paracetamol for the pain I was getting in my head ,
From that day my life changed forever, as the weeks went on the pain was all over my body on a scale of 1 to 10 my pain was 1000 x worse , I was seeing things that wasn't there hallucinations , I couldn't find items in my home that I always put in the same place , shoes were found in the freezer , car keys in the bathroom , shopping found in different cupboards in the kitchen , I thought I was going mad , back to the doctors he said I was stressed probably due to work related , my employer ended up asking me to hand my notice in because of the time I was taking off work ,
Before I was bitten I was a very active person 10 years later to now I can't barely walk I'm in a wheelchair most of the time now , I was only diagnosed with lymes disease 18 months ago , I think I've seen every doctor in 4 different hospitals , I was put into a mental health ward by force by doctors they removed my rights , I was not treated for 8.5 years , the mental health doctor's doped me up without my consent.
I absolutely hated anything to do with drugs never touched any drugs in my life growing up , I am now taking fentanyl and probably addicted to it prescribed by my gp for the pain I have and all the other drugs im on for the pain , also on antidepressants which dope me up ,
My life is a mess all because my doctors got it wrong from day one .
Anyone out there who has lymes disease please never think you are alone in this terrible illness , you are Not going crazy , try to come to terms with it , laugh when you find items in the wrong place and try to have the best life possible , try and do exercises even if you can only move your feet back and forwards a couple of times a day , you must try and walk as much as you possibly can but don't over do it , discuss with your family your symptoms don't bottle things up by not talking.
Try to move your fingers in and out
The more you can move your limbs the pain seems to ease off , tens machine are a good way to ease the pain ,
Lymes Disease is the worst illness anyone could ever get if not treated early.
Soft hugs to the suffering.

[smiller]

9 years Lyme, and a doctor want me to see a behavioral health specialist, how maddening!!!

[CrystalAPlace]

It would be so great of whomever uploaded this could fix the volume and re upload. It is SOOO so low, it’s hard to hear. Thank you! ♥️🙏🏻

[singspeaklovechilou]

I've recently been diagnosed with Lyme. I have neurological indications that i've had Lyme disease for a long time. After having Covid19 while pregnant and giving birth a few months later my immune system was shot. Every joint in my body aches. I'm currently on antibiotics and I'm hopeful that they work b/c I do not like feeling this way. Over the past few years my energy level has plummeted; my body hurts and my general sense of well-being has been very low. My parents told me that I changed a few years back. I didn't know I had Lyme at the time. My response was simply "I don't feel well". Anyway, hoping everyone suffering from Lyme Disease is moving towards complete healing and the varying medical fields catch up quickly with real treatment.

[carriefrn]

I'm one of those that used alcohol to cope with my Lyme symptoms - it didn't work out. I have multi system Lyme involvement, and even with positive lab results in hand most of my California doctors pretend lyme doesn't exist.
Thank you for presenting this. Your volunteer patient is someone like me.
Would love to find a therapist like you 😊

[keilacuriels]

I understand what he saying, it depends on the the person ability, I wish I could go at least for a volunteer work, but I barely make it to doctors appointments I can’t even go to church and I miss that very much. So happy for those who are able to go to work and do volunteer work, before I knew that I had Lyme I used to ouch through out the day raising 3 kids, school appointments, grocery cooking cleaning volunteer work and now I’m trying to lift my head up and oh boy. God bless you all and praying for a cure !!!

[mamashanshan]

I’ve learned, having CLD, & ending up in the hospitals & all, some turn their heads, they don’t realize I’ve fought to live, many of us have that have it... they’ll realize when we pass on, comforting themselves, “ if I would have listened, or this or that...”, it’s been one roller coaster ride, it just won’t stop. I’ve learned, keep it all in, regardless how much pain, suffering, education one has, it’s absolutely to exhausting.

[KRAEMERP]

Lyme disease is a brutal lonely battle, been fighting for little over 3 years now, don't know how long I can go on..

[zionne]

I can barely do anything because of lyme. I feel it in my body almost all the time. I m too weak physically to walk much or sit long. I wish everyone suffering fromnthis to heal. I hope for miracles. I ve known many kinds of suffering but this is debilitatingvand despairing.

[BeneficialCuts]

This all well an good for the upper/ middle classes who can afford to put those rescued resources into "meaningful value" activities rather than just into day to day struggle and survival. For those of us who are unemployed or can't work due to sickness the issue is one of "How am I going to make money to survive now that I am constantly fatigued?". If I can get any energy back I have to use it to work and live.