Flip This: I Am Diagnosed with Lyme Disease and It's Causing Bell's Palsy on My Face

Cody, I've been watching HH on and off for the last couple of months. Started watching cause your Gogo is so hot---however, I think your combination of intellect, insubordination, and experience, of the "system" is a bulleye. Frankly, I'm perplexed you get away with it---a big kudo to you. I saw you jump that barstool--DUDE, very impressive--be careful I'll tell ya---I'm Marine jet driver, been through a lot, never got hurt, and first pulled a hamsting around your age of 35, I guess. I searched as to why you were off HH. I saw you lookin not so well on HH--thought you had a series of rough nights and maybe needed to get away from the booze or worse. I'm dismayed that an active guy like you is saddled with that damn tick disease. I hope you get well soon. For remedial action--when in the woods carry a mix of 50/50 water and avon skin so soft. don't worry about smellin like a chick. Spray it at your ankles--waist band--neck and wrists. I never got a single tick at places like Camp Lejuene, while I have seen friends with hundreds. Best of luck to you

Cody, I ditto Theresa's comments (July 8ty 2008 at 2:10am)which are right on target. The book "Cure Unknown" is dynamite and the documentary will show just how lucky you are to have been treated so promptly and especially with IV! See copy of Theresa's comments just below my signature. Jill "I am so glad for you that the disease was diagnosed early. Like others have said, you are one of the lucky ones! So hang in there with the Bell’s Palsy, it will clear with the IV. And, it sounds like you are in good hands. There are 2 exciting things that have happened in the last few months. One is the release of a documentary on the disease called “Under Our Skin” It is fantastic. It was featured at the Tribeca Film Festival a few months ago, and was voted by the audieces as No 8 out of more than a hundred films. The other exciting release is of a book by a scientific journalist called “Cure Unknown”. It’s written by Pamela Weintraub, and can be ordered on Amazon. It chronicles the history, science, and politics of the disease. Very, very interesting and educational. Fear not re: the title of the book. I believe the author is referring to the chronic version of the disease. In your case, since caught early, you will hopefully have a full recovery to normal health."

Cody, I wish you a speedy recovery. I don't know much about the disease except being warned of ticks when camping in N. California. After doing a bit of wiki-ing, it doesn't seem like a fun time off. Enjoy the company and hope you recover in full. Take care of yourself. If there is an address we can send you a "get well card", you should post it on your blog. Alex Kazmarck

Cody, Good luck on your recovery. I contacted Lymes while stationed in Japan in the Air Force in 1976. At that time, they had no clue what Lymes was, so consequently, I went untreated. I also was diagnosed with Guillion Barre syndrome and was very close to having to go into an iron lung. As you have probably found out by now, Lymes can cause any number of problems. I have ended up with a pacemaker and other central nervous system problems the VA has attributed to Lymes.

This is an addition to the previous post, about the two Lyme bills currently in Congress that need to be moved to a hearing. Forgot to add that Rep. Frank Pallone's phone number is 202-225-4671. Sen. Edward Kennedy's commitee number is 202-225-2927. I can think of no two more important advocacy calls to make regarding the future of Lyme disease in this country, and ultimately, around the world.

Cody, sorry to read that you got Lyme disease. A lot of us do a lot of study to figure out how we're going to treat it. An experienced Lyme-treating doctor is important. Doctors connected with ILADS (www.ILADS.org) have that experience. Re the issue of use of tax dollars for this disease, actually we do have two bills in Congress now, to authorize 100 million over five years' time for testing, treating, reporting and education regarding Lyme disease and co-infections. What better way to use your experience with Lyme than to advocate for getting those bills to a hearing, which is the next necessary step. HR741 is currently in the House Health Subcommitee under the chairmanship of Rep. Frank Pallone (NJ). S1708 is currently in the Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Sen. Edward Kennedy. Both of these reps need to be lobbied to move the two Lyme bills up for a hearing so this country can get the help it needs for this raging epidemic that shows no signs of quitting at this point unless we all work together to figure out how to stop it. Thanks for your attention and I hope you get the treatment you need.

Cody, it's unfortunate this happened. If you're fortunate, and do get well -- which I hope is the case, then that's great. If you don't recover, and find yourself being one of the many who receive 2-4 weeks of antibiotics, feel better, then relapse later only to be told "It's not Lyme" "Nothing is wrong with you" or "It's post-lyme syndrome" -- you can be sure that after enough time goes by, you'll enter the "Lyme community" begging for help and begging for Congress to listen. When dying from an illness that is as political, controversial, and money driven as Lyme Disease, you can't really minimize the plight of those suffering terribly when they beg Congress to do something (It was implied), especially considering the private sector has proven itself incapable of ethically choosing the publics safety over the financial interests with this specific disease. in 2006 there was an anti-trust case brought against the Infectious Disease Society Of America. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut found multiple conflicts of interest financially over the societies creation of the treatment guidelines for Lyme Disease. The problem is simple. The society claims Lyme Disease is hard to catch, easy to cure -- while another group of doctors say Lyme Disease is easy to catch, and often hard to cure. You don't think the government should get involved when a society as large is the IDSA is restricting consumer choice over having access to "all" the available science on Lyme Disease, a society who is producing guidelines that literally dismiss the studies implicating the infection as being persistent and requiring long term antibiotics? Unfortunately for those sick, having access to the best and brightest doctors in the medical community, just like President Bush, you'll probably consult doctors who are members of ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Disease Society) and who use long term antibiotics, you'll get well, and then you'll abandon the facts I've presented, and you'll go back to your comfy life and ignore the reality that there is an epidemic going on that is killing people and or crippling people, while the majority of the medical community deny that fact. You're in a position where people can tell you these things, and can warn you of the consequences of holding the belief you do. There are hundreds of studies indicating that this infection is persistent, and that once it reaches the central nervous system, it can take up residence, sequestering itself in areas of the body, such as collagen rich spaces, where antibiotics can't permeate. Yet, with all these studies, the medical community is literally split over whether Chronic Lyme Disease exist? Are you kidding me? Here, I'll post just a few abstracts: 1: Ann Med. 1999 Jun;31(3):225-32.Links Borrelia burgdorferi detected by culture and PCR in clinical relapse of disseminated Lyme borreliosis. Oksi J, Marjamäki M, Nikoskelainen J, Viljanen MK. Department of Medicine, Turku University Central Hospital, Finland. jarmo.oksi@utu.fi A total of 165 patients with disseminated Lyme borreliosis (diagnosed in 1990-94, all seropositive except one culture-positive patient) were followed after antibiotic treatment. We conclude that the treatment of Lyme borreliosis with appropriate antibiotics for even more than 3 months may not always eradicate the spirochete. By using PCR, it is possible to avoid unnecessary retreatment of patients with 'post-Lyme syndrome' and those with 'serological scars' remaining detectable for months or years after infection. 2: Rheumatol Int. 1996;16(3):125-32.Links Intracellular persistence of Borrelia burgdorferi in human synovial cells. Girschick HJ, Huppertz HI, Rüssmann H, Krenn V, Karch H. Children's Hospital, University of Würzburg, Germany. To investigate if Borrelia burgdorferi can persist in resident joint cells. Treatment with ceftriaxone eradicated extracellular Borrelia burgdorferi, but spirochetes were reisolated after lysis of the synovial cells. Borrelia burgdorferi persisted inside synovial cells for at least 8 weeks. These data suggested that Borrelia burgdorferi might be able to persist within resident joint cells in vivo. 3: Logigian EL, Kaplan RF, Steere AC. Department of Neurology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111. BACKGROUND AND METHODS. Lyme disease, caused by the tick-borne spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, is associated with a wide variety of neurologic manifestations. To define further the chronic neurologic abnormalities of Lyme disease, we studied 27 patients (age range, 25 to 72 years) with previous signs of Lyme disease, current evidence of immunity to B. burgdorferi, and chronic neurologic symptoms with no other identifiable cause. Eight of the patients had been followed prospectively for 8 to 12 years after the onset of infection. RESULTS. Of the 27 patients, 24 (89 percent) had a mild encephalopathy that began 1 month to 14 years after the onset of the disease and was characterized by memory loss, mood changes, or sleep disturbance. Of the 24 patients, 14 had memory impairment on neuropsychological tests, and 18 had increased cerebrospinal fluid protein levels, evidence of intrathecal production of antibody to B. burgdorferi, or both. Nineteen of the 27 patients (70 percent) had polyneuropathy with radicular pain or distal paresthesias; all but two of these patients also had encephalopathy. In 16 patients electrophysiologic testing showed an axonal polyneuropathy. One patient had leukoencephalitis with asymmetric spastic diplegia, periventricular white-matter lesions, and intrathecal production of antibody to B. burgdorferi. Among the 27 patients, associated symptoms included fatigue (74 percent), headache (48 percent), arthritis (37 percent), and hearing loss (15 percent). At the time of examination, chronic neurologic abnormalities had been present from 3 months to 14 years, usually with little progression. Six months after a two-week course of intravenous ceftriaxone (2 g daily), 17 patients (63 percent) had improvement, 6 (22 percent) had improvement but then relapsed, and 4 (15 percent) had no change in their condition. CONCLUSIONS. Months to years after the initial infection with B. burgdorferi, patients with Lyme disease may have chronic encephalopathy, polyneuropathy, or less commonly, leukoencephalitis. These chronic neurologic abnormalities usually improve with antibiotic therapy. I could go on, I have hundreds more.... The documentary "Under Our Skin" has been in the news a lot lately, I would see it if I was you. Get familiar with this illness, because remember, Lyme Disease isn't the only thing that ticks can transmit when they bite you. Babesia? Bartonella? Mycoplasma, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis. There are more, but I suggest you do your homework and understand the complexity of your situation. You're not out of the woods just because you've been told so by someone wearing a white coat.

Cody, Seeing that you're a television personality and appearence is so very important, it'll be interesting to see if you get all the treatment you need until the facial palsy is completely gone. Many people are in your identical predicament and are given a certain amount of treatment and then sent on their way irregardless of treatment success or failure. Regarding your quip about Michael J. Fox, let's get one thing straight: You are not Michael J. Fox. Tons of people have never heard of you before, so let's not get the horse before the cart. Focus on trying to get well. I hope you are successful.

Hey Cody, I had it and I would suggest you do some acupunture in your area that is affected. You will get better. Best wishes.

Hi Cody, Well my heart goes out to you, that's downright uncanny about the getting on TV and then having Bells Palsy after all the injuries during your sports escapades. Kinda does make you wonder, doesn't it? Well, your tone is great and yes, you are indeed very lucky to have the Bells Palsy! Cause if you hadn't of caught this the way you did...well, there are no words for what it potentially does to people. I speak from unfortunate experience. But it's great you're on it and I hope the prompt treatment with the IV antibiotics nips it in the bud for you and you're back on TV in no time flat. Maybe your last sentence was an attempt at humor or flippancy just to get through this unexpected side track, but really, this thing for some people can become debilitating and life threatening. Research really does need to be done!

Cody.......I cant believe certain posters on here use this as a forum to bash your show. That makes me sad. I did not know about this until Rebecca talked about it today. I am praying for your recovery. I can relate to your comments about having no support network where you live. I'm in Phx and I have no one. I'm going home after toughing it out for 4 years. I wrote you an email once when the show first started that I'd trust my money to you. Do you remember that? You wrote me back. God will never leave you and will help you. I love the show. You'll be back. I can't wait. Maybe Hoofy and Boo can stop by to see you. Your friend, Nancy C.

Cody, I hope you have a quick recovery, but I'm sure you'll be fine. I got Bell's Palsy a few days before starting college (ironically right before a week-long camping trip), which was a pretty awkward time to be the kid with a half-paralyzed face. It took about a month and a half to recover, and while it was an annoying condition, I was just grateful it was something that did not pose any long term health risks. It's rather distressing, however, that you not only equate BP with more serious conditions, but downplay the importance of public funding for medical research. Once again, you seem to take advantage of the general ignorance of your readership to present a horribly under-researched and misunderstood claim. (Not that you don't usually have good information).

Dear Cody I'm wishing you a speedy recovery. So glad your family is here for you because I know how difficult is is for you to relax and take care of yourself. Sometimes family love can heal where doctors cannot. Peace and prosperity on your way to recovery. Jennie B

Cody Sorry to hear the news. Touch base freely if I can help by doing medical datagathering or anything else to help. Dave Burstein

Cody, I was feeling you all the way until you got to the no tax dollars part. Why not? Why shouldn't our tax dollars be spent on saving lives and curing disease? Without a larger pool of $$, some conditions never would be cured or controlled, because there aren't enough people who have them. Certainly not enough to donate the millions needed for research. Bell's Palsy just happens to be one of those. I've had it since I was a child -- and it has never gone away completely. I could send thousands of dollars toward research -- but that wouldn't get much. So beware -- you may rue those words.

Hey Cody, That really sucks. I'll email you some of my private thoughts privately. But, let me try to flip this one in the only way possible, which is by passing along some useful information for anybody who may be reading this. a) When traveling in places where ticks are common, a twice daily "tick check" of all exposed skin is called for. Hard to do on thoroughly on yourself (though not impossible with a small mirror) but worth the effort. If you find one remove it carefully, grasping the head with a tweezer or a tick-removal device that is included with most good-quality first aid kits. Ignore old wives tales about using heat or petroleum jelly to make the tick "loosen up." They don't work and may even make things worse. b) Try to cover up, especially on the lower extremities. Yeah, I know, it sucks to wear long pants in the summer. c) Use DEET-based repellants. Always. On all exposed skin. Yeah, the stuff could theoretically kill you someday. A bite from something nasty could kill or hurt you sooner and isn't a theoretical threat. d) Ticks that carry lyme disease are common in the Northeast, Central/Northern Midwest and Pacific Northwest. They are most common April-October but may be found for longer periods in sections of the Pacific Northwest where very cold temperatures don't occur. e) There's lots of information online about tick avoidance and management. Read up and become familiar with it all. f) If in doubt, get checked out. Especially true if you identify signs of tickbite but the tick is already detached. g) For the furry ones (that means Lobo!), monthly application of Frontline or Advantage is necessary April-October, and year-round in warmer climates. Ticks and fleas can infect them with all sorts of things too. Michael Gat, WFR

So sorry to hear of your ordeal. This does explain the last broadcast when you looked like you'd had stroke or going through something. Sounds like you have good doctors. Happy your family was in town. Will be praying for you.

Cody, Sorry to hear about this challenge for you. Many standard medical clinics that test for Lymes get false negatives. My wife has it and has been studying this for years. The best place we know about is Bowen Research and Testing in Florida. They actually take an electron micrograph of the spirochetes in the blood. Their website is: www.centralfloridaresearch.com You may want to check it out. If you do test positive for it, the antibiotics will help. You may want to look at some of the alternative medicine therapies, too. Eliminate the cause, don't just overcome the symptoms. All the best to you.

Sorry to hear about this. Get well soon.

Check out a mineral supplement called MMS. You can find information on Amazon.com. According to author, it will cure the disease.

Yes, you were lucky. You have rash + obvious sign Lyme disease. Many people have no rash + subjective symptoms Lyme disease, and go years without diagnosis or treatment, making the disease much harder to erradicate. If you still have symptoms after treatment, and are dismissed by doctors as many Lyme patients have been, perhaps you will re-think doing a Michael J. Fox in front of Congress. Fox, who had shot a film in New Milford, Connecticut, highly endemic for Lyme. And late Lyme, by the way, is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson's. Makes you wonder. The Congressional bills are S 1479 and HR 3427, and they are languishing in Congress while too many doctors continue to believe in only rash + obvious sign Lyme. I hope you will join us in petitioning Congress. I hope you won't have to.

by the way CERTAINLY don't mean to offer up any medical advice there just insights - from all I've encountered on this subject in the past. consult a doctor on any health issues ! do not take anything I've proposed as advice you can research yourself though, rocephin is used more than not for Lyme in early stages, expensive - and if not careful - well- the kidneys can get taken down heavily on intraveneous (rocephin is only avail. intraveneously - I think about $400 a vial). People I'd come across would either have it early and were doing THAT - or missed the window - it's not black and white - no one knows how it gets into a stage where you'll never get rid of it. I cringe when I see articles on how it likes to move around, from the brain to the lungs etc. I have to discount those theories, I tried to stick to academic studies/medical school work when learning about it. Mass. is up there Nantucket Island has the highest Lyme concentration in the US. I think it's Mass Gen that pushes on Lyme - you'd have to check, somewhere in Boston, BECAUSE in part of Nantucket Island - one of the hospitals up there is on the cutting edge. PROBABLY Mass Gen.

I might also say heh- and you'll get this humor I think ? I don't know ANYTHING to do with a lumbar pucture is on one hand not funny, but ? when faced with the followup one typical for treatment validation ? sheesh- was just going to say - if you thought that LP was fun prolly another one to double check - I forget though, I used to read QUITE a bit on this Lyme subject, I forget if once exposed if there exist presence of antibodies for good in the CSF. Either way - oh yeah, I know why I wrote this If it were me ? I'd have the LP done by a neuroradiologist so they can see - I mean, if whoever does it ? for WHATEVER reason ? screws up ? and you know, each time you puncture the dura, you risk CSF leak temporarily which is worse than a new years day hangover only perm. ? The record for those MIGHT be held by me, heh, over 9 months post lumbar headache - but - I'd say - if you're gonna end up with a neuroradiologist to do it right anyway ? why not have it done right to minimize risk. needle size 18 is standard for a LP kit -iirc, eeeeeks - if you do a bit of research ? you will QUICKLY find a smaller needle REDUCES impact of post LP headache. The reason they tell you to drink caffeine after an LP is that caffeine is ONE of the FEW neuro's can use to stimulate CSF production. You have theophiline (spelling iirc) and one neuro explained to me hyper-ventilating also increases CSF - either way - on your NEXT spinal tap - ok ok Lumbar Puncture ? Why not ask about needle size, and if you're doctor is up on that, OR, ask their ratio of people that have had post LP headache. I mean, sheesh, that will keep you out for weeks - potentially months, and it's far far far far FAR worse than anything you can imagine, I mean, you can take hydromorph - hydrocodone + morphine - supposed to fix ANYTHING and it won't touch low CSF pain, I'd not take chances. I'd also keep you doctors advice as much as you should rely on one bank for advice on a loan. Look around, Like I said, Mayo is WAY up on Lyme, there are a few academic institutions that promote leading work on Lyme - I'd connect with an expert - LOTS of nutcases with Lyme - overdiagnosing, and lots of doctors won't even entertain it - saying - bah - just a false positive - heh heh, and who in their right mind other than ME actually ASKS for a spinal tap ! Oh well -watch This is Spinal Tap if you DO have any pain from the LP - you'll get Nigel's 'this one goes to eleven' joke all the more. Competence is best accompanised by GREAT experience when it comes to neurology if you ask me. I'd not rule out that your bells palsy isn't from something else, and you merely have antibodies from a previous case of lyme you're already successfully living with, who knows, but - ouch - some good doctors will hold you to be near insane if you suggest you had the bullseye (as I once did)- and ask for a Lyme test, I mean, some doctors just don't give much to it. Some ? anything that's wrong and they're off on "It's Lyme Disease" few - but they are out there. I'd stick with neurologists - and like I said, Mayo is the best bet I know of for Lyme. It is CRITICAL to get it early - or I've read of people that live with chronic Lyme Disease the rest of their lives, which can include Lyme induced pain at the joints which can be crippling or eeks- more commonly but not pleasant - burning from neuropathy. Beware of what you come across online - LOTS of confidence out there, Lyme is best studied from a neurobiological perspective, or immunological front - with actual CSF / spinal results IN hand or postive blood work + some HARD evidence otherwise with no spinal. NOT all doctors will be able to help you with Lyme - Some conditions can block positive test result on a spinal though -I'd say expect a few more taps on the ole spinal column there. - each one of those brings risk of death within hours from infection, things come into that sacred space - the dura - as well -least you probably have the hardcore antibiotics on your side if'n that happens - If you're neuro won't do an MRA though ? or the new ultra-sonic tech for very fine vein analysis ? I'd find an academic center with professors who can all work together, that's always been my best option, and it really pays off, because you have people alive in the field, who you KNOW consult each other. By the way ? what they say about lying flat after an LP ? yeah, that's so the CSF won't literally run out - I recommend that too - people say 1 hour, I'd lie flat longer personally - and don't forget -alcohol and cephalospores - it's not like a beer and penicillin - where it merely decreases it, ceph + alcohol in any amount is very very bad for you. Emycin and alcohol is liver damage - and yet ? I bet people sneak in a beer when on these substance and don't know. Most people don't know the severe damage to the liver now known from alcohol and acetaminophen. Hope the intense wave of anti-biotics rids you of the Lyme - have fun on the follow up spinal tap - you'll find with issues like Lyme - and neurologists in general, like economists - many theories, much confidence, lotta dart boards. And if you hear "There are horses and there are Zebra's" from a doctor think of walking out !

Cody I was so worried after I saw you Wednesday on the tube. I thought you had suffered a stroke. Checked in here to see how you were doing. I'm glad you got the problem diagnosed and are taking treatment. Hope you don't miss any HH shows... I don't want to watch a parade of slickie boys parading through the bar trying to take your place.

Remember, Rove is a Fox News Contributor too. I'd not rely on the competence by physician on that but at the same time ? My experience with neurologists, and this very sort of thing - does first remind me of the joys of the first spinal tap, and you know ? I stopped counting after the 11th. I TRULY understand Nigel in This Is Spinal Tap on 'this one goes to eleven' Not because I know what the 11th tap feels like but - because the pain level - when you're in a bind like you are in, you will get asked 'on a scale 1 to 10' for probably over year, who knows. Lyme is tricky - without the - I'm surprised you didn't pretty up the 'spinal tap' to the neuroradiologists fovaorite way of lubing that 'lumbar puncture' or perhaps 'le lumbar puncteur' ! false positives, false negatives. Mayo is up on Lyme - you might want to cut to the gorilla suit chase scene in the 1967 movie - and explore diagnostics there. Chances are any blood work is being sent there anyway. Neuro's are like MBA's - a dime a dozen - some of the most revered neuro's I've had send back 'the brain is a black box' message - I'd be SURE on BP that it IS in fact LD. Me ? I'd get an MRA AND an MRI of the brain and make sure you don't have a vessel problem - those show up blatently as white - small ones can be missed and you know what ? Without sharing the ENORMOUS amount of funds and time I dumped into a process similar to yours, different causal factors, so much comes down to the radiologist reading your images. Isn't that strange ? Unless you have a neighbor as a neuro - you won't find your images reviewed in detail as you might think. if you do have Lyme though, sheesh, good luck there, early treatment I understand offers prevention of severe neurological features LATER but you will find yourself on mass gen neuro support boards, you'll find yourself in the company of others who go through Lyme - and you may be in for lifelong OR more involved treatment than you planned anti-biotic wise. I'd be surprised if you aren't given Rocephin, it's $400 a dose but it's a 3rd generation cephalosporin that is one of the only ones you'll find I think that has decent success with erradication of Lyme in early onset cases. That's just me, and my memory of research on that, I'll say this, stick to spinals for accuracy - as FUN As those are - you're throwing darts on the ELISA if you ask me. This one goes to eleven ! Doesn't help I loathe the entire show and welcome when Happy Hour is off the network - but hey - as a human being ? I'll pass on some advice - Lyme you have to accept is a grey area in immunology - blood work is all but useless, spinal certainly increases the chances on identifying it as present. Even IF present, you STILL have to sort out whether your BP is from that, or not, as some people carry Lyme with no blatent symptoms ever. The most common I've seen - is the neuropathy lending people to experience a burning sensation all over their body. I'd say GO for the 3rd generation cephalosporins and see if you can't get nail it through an aggressive approach of anti-biotics, if not, you ought to consider what most people end up with - longer term anti-biotic treatment. After that, people explore pain management. Hmm, to close on a line that like your article - doesn't fit - I DO welcome the end of that wretched show Happy Hour, but I certainly don't wish it to end on THESE circumstances. Good luck, it's going to come down to ridding yourself of Lyme (IF it was ever properly diagnosed), or living with it, which may include pain medication or more non-orthodox blocking approaches such as tri-cyclics even - which are - to my surpise the #1 cause of heart attacks of men over 40. I never 'get' why people complain of opiate addictions, sheesh, SURE they're not effective for PAIN after some time but.... heh