Gia Gasparino

Art Director, Designer, and Consultant in Santa Monica, California

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Gia Gasparino says that It has taken a long time to write about her story with Lyme Disease.
It’s long with so many turns and downhill slopes, but I decided to consolidate it and write what I thought would help others the most. I am passionate about Lyme disease awareness because it can happen to anyone, with a growing problem here in the United States. My goal is to educate others on Lyme disease prevention, awareness, and treatment so that others do not have to experience or battle the crippling debilitations from chronic Lyme that I have.

You never really know how quickly your life can change until it does.
For me, my world fell to pieces nearly overnight when I moved to Connecticut and went for a hike with my dog. I had no clue how rampant Lyme disease was or how devastating it could be. Within days my health started to decline rapidly. It started with horrible flu-like symptoms, night sweats, memory loss, and debilitating fatigue. I was initially told it was a virus and that it would pass. Weeks and months passed, and more symptoms began to pile up, and so did the misdiagnosis from the numerous doctors I saw. I was chronically sick, hit with symptom after symptom with no answer or help from the medical community.

After almost a year, I was finally diagnosed with Lyme disease and was treated with three weeks of doxycycline, which at this point of the illness was like putting 50 cents of gas in your car when the gas tank is on empty. I had no idea (and obviously, the doctor had no idea) that if you didn’t treat thoroughly or long enough, with a much higher and longer duration of antibiotics, you are in danger of developing Chronic Lyme disease, which is exactly what happened to me.

Please e-mail me with any questions if you think you or someone you love may have Lyme disease.

Gia Gasparino
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