Sample Letters

(Your address)

(Date)

Dear (MP)

In (the year ___), I/my partner/sister/brother became very unwell with many strange symptoms. After all the standard tests my doctor did not know what was wrong.

Now I am sure I have/Now I have been diagnosed with Lyme disease or something closely allied to Lyme disease and I regret that so much time has passed. I have had inadequate/no treatment. Every week that goes by has a further bad effect. (Fill in your own case history, if you have had a key symptom like rash or facial palsy*, mention it, tell your own story).

I find it hard to believe the NHS cannot help me but there does not seem to be anything provided for someone like me.

This is what this illness has done to my life/my partner’s/sister’s/brother’s life. Even to have my/their situation properly recognised and treated would be a start, but there is no realisation that I am/they are extremely ill and need help against an infection. This awful situation needs to change and I support the changes requested in Lyme Disease Action’s ‘Lobby for Lyme' leaflets which I have printed out from their website and enclose. Please help me get the NHS recognition and treatment that I need.

Please support LDA's campaign, and please could you write to the Secretary of State for Health to find out for me what is being done to address patient’s concerns about diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease.

Thank you.

(Your Signature)

(Print your name)

(Your address)

(Date)

Dear (MP)

After an extended period of ill health during which time I received very little help from the NHS, I came across information about Lyme disease and the symptoms described were very like my own case. It’s known to be a disease that can be hard to diagnose. I have since seen a doctor who specialises in Lyme disease and I have been diagnosed as having this illness after all. The result of all this is that I have been/am being treated for Lyme disease and my health has improved markedly/my health has taken a turn for the better/I have recovered. (Expand on this by giving details and timescales of how it has affected you).

I find it hard to believe that the NHS could not recognise what was wrong with me and yet I could have been treated for an infection all along. Whilst I am much better now, I still need your help, not only for myself, but also for others like me. For my own case, I do need the NHS to recognise and enter this episode of ill health properly in my notes, such that, if unluckily it should recur, I could be properly recognised and treated promptly.

Please support LDA's campaign, and please could you write to the Secretary of State for Health to find out for me what is being done to address patient’s concerns about diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease.

Thank you.

(Your signature)

(Print your name)

(Your address)

(Date)

Dear (MP)

Last year I developed an illness after being bitten by a tick. I had an expanding red rash on my skin and my doctor saw this. He/she diagnosed that I had Lyme disease and this was confirmed by a blood test which was positive. I was given some treatment and told to take all of it, which I did. (Fill in your own symptoms, tell your own story).

At first I felt better, but after a few months the same symptoms returned. I have been told I cannot have the illness any more. But I still have the symptoms I had last year. I have read that some doctors advocate long-term treatment. However, my doctor will no longer consider Lyme disease. I find it hard to believe the NHS cannot help me when I need treatment against an infection. This is an awful situation to find myself in. I enclose information from Lyme Disease Action which outlines the changes I believe are needed.

Please help me get the NHS recognition and treatment I need. Please could you write to the Secretary of State for Health and find out for me what is being done to address patient’s concerns about diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease.

Thank you.

(Your signature)

(Print your name)

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