Lyme disease: A Gatineau resident decries the lack of treatments offered

Every year, hundreds of Quebecers become infected with Lyme disease. However, treatments provided remain limited and diagnosis is difficult to obtain in the governorate. Public hearings are also being held in Montreal to address the issue. Nadia, a young Gatineau woman who has been suffering from the disease for 10 years, knows something about this disease.

Nadia was a teenager full of life and projects, but at the age of fourteen her world was turned upside down. Then followed several years of consultations and tests with specialists.

It required the intervention of a physical therapist from Ottawa, who brought him to the United States for tests. On May 29, 2019, five years after the onset of symptoms, the diagnosis was made. Nadia has Lyme disease.

Faced with oral antibiotics that were ineffective for her many symptoms, Nadia and her family headed to the United States to receive intravenous treatment, but the trip was long and the care was expensive.

We had to set up a GoFundMe, which helped us a lot to get treatment accepted in the US, which really helped me a lot today.

– Nadia Stelzig, a Gatineau resident with Lyme disease

In the wake of the coroner's public hearings into the death of Amelie Champagne, Nadia and her mother are adding their voices to all those demanding better treatment in Quebec.

I want the world to wake up because this disease has bad consequences in many aspects. Having accessible treatments would change everything.

– Nadia Stelzig, a Gatineau resident with Lyme disease