What happens when your country's medical system refuses to believe you have the disease that's destroying your life?
In this episode of Integrative Lyme Solutions, Dr. K sits down with Lachlan Onegin-Ward, a marine biologist and wildlife conservationist from Australia who contracted Lyme disease after being bitten by 17 ticks on a snake-spotting trip south of Sydney. What followed was a years-long battle not just against Bartonella, Rickettsia, and Babesia — but against a medical system that handed him antacids instead of answers.
Lachlan shares the raw reality of fighting Lyme disease in a country that officially denies its existence, navigating a healthcare system that left him bedridden, seizing, and unable to move his arms — all while spending tens of thousands of dollars chasing a diagnosis. He opens up about the neurological relapse triggered by COVID, the PTSD of living with an invisible illness, losing close friends who couldn't understand what they couldn't see, and the grassroots mission he's now on to make sure no other Australian has to go through this alone.
Key Takeaways:
0:00 Introduction
3:00 17 tick bites, one wildlife trip
8:10 Australia's medical system denies Lyme exists
13:20 Triple co-infection: Bartonella, Rickettsia, and Babesia
18:00 COVID triggers seizures after 11 seizure-free years
25:00 The financial toll of chasing treatment in Australia
30:30 Podcasting to fill the awareness gap
34:00 Invisible illness and the friends who disappeared
Schedule a Free 15-Min Phone Lyme Consultation at The Karlfeldt Center: 208-338-8902
Resources:
Lyme Disease Association of Australia - https://www.lymedisease.org.au/
Tick Science Alliance - https://ticksciencealliance.au/
IGENEX - https://igenex.com/
Let's Get Aussie Wild / Corona and Lyme Podcast (Spotify) -https://open.spotify.com/show/0xRfQ3zKvuivkgtBEiFuxf
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or replace professional medical advice. Always consult your physician or qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical condition or treatment decisions.
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