Love, Hope, Lyme Podcast

Fred Diamond
  • 5.0 (36)
  • MEDICINE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

When Fred Diamond decided to learn more about the Lyme disease that afflicted someone he loved, his life changed. He read every book on Lyme, joined Facebook groups, attended webinars and podcasts and quickly realized that he knew hardly anything about what Lyme disease survivors go through on a daily basis. His popular book, "Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know" offers those who love someone with Lyme ideas and tips to support this beloved person. This podcast supports the lessons learned in the book. The book features a foreword by the top Lyme doctor on the planet, Dr. Richard Horowitz. If someone you love has been afflicted with Lyme disease epidemic, listen to this podcast now.

  1. MAR 30

    Ideas on How Lyme Survivors Can Manage Pain with Dr. Penni Vachon

    This is episode 079 of the Love, Hope, Lyme podcast. This podcast does not replace medical treatment. If you are suffering from Lyme and other tick-borne disease, please seek proper medical treatment. Purchase "Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know" on Amazon. What if the pain you've been told to "live with"… is actually treatable? In this powerful episode of the Love, Hope, Lyme Podcast, Fred Diamond speaks with integrative nurse practitioner and Lyme survivor Dr. Penni Vachon about one of the most misunderstood aspects of Lyme disease: chronic pain and how to overcome it. Dr. Vachon shares her deeply personal journey, including how Lyme disease impacted multiple generations of her family and how a life-changing moment in the NICU pushed her to fully dedicate her work to helping Lyme survivors heal. Together, they dive into: ✔️ Why Lyme pain is so often misdiagnosed (arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia) ✔️ The real root causes of pain—beyond what traditional medicine addresses ✔️ Differences between neurological, joint, and muscle pain in Lyme ✔️ Effective treatment approaches—from botanicals to advanced therapies ✔️ The critical role of inflammation and the nervous system ✔️ Why "suffering is optional" and what Lyme patients must demand from their care Dr. Vachon delivers a powerful message: You do NOT have to live in constant pain. If you or someone you love is struggling with Lyme disease, this episode offers both validation and real hope—along with actionable insights to pursue more effective healing. 🎧 Love, Hope, Lyme Podcast is dedicated to helping Lyme survivors and their loved ones find answers, support, and a path forward. To get your free pdf of "Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know," reach out to Fred Diamond on social media.

    22 min

  2. MAR 16

    Why You Need to Know About Pennsylvania's Lyme Problem

    This is episode 078 of the Love, Hope, Lyme podcast. This podcast does not replace medical treatment. If you are suffering from Lyme and other tick-borne disease, please seek proper medical treatment. Pennsylvania has been called a ground zero of the Lyme disease epidemic in the United States. On this episode of the Love, Hope, Lyme Podcast, Fred Diamond speaks with two powerful advocates who are working to change that reality. Eric Huck and Amy Tiehel from the Pennsylvania Lyme Resource Network share their deeply personal Lyme journeys and explain why advocacy, education, and community support are critical for Lyme survivors and their families. Eric's story began in 2009 after a tick bite while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Despite early treatment, his health rapidly deteriorated and he was eventually diagnosed with Lyme disease along with multiple co-infections including Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichiosis, and Anaplasmosis. His experience navigating the healthcare system ultimately led him to help build one of the largest Lyme advocacy organizations in the state. Amy's journey began while she was living in Los Angeles. After years of debilitating symptoms, Bell's palsy, and visits to more than 25 doctors, she was finally diagnosed with Lyme disease and Babesia. Her experience with misdiagnosis and medical dismissal pushed her into advocacy so that other patients would not have to navigate the system alone. In this powerful conversation, we discuss: • Why Pennsylvania has become a Lyme disease hotspot • The mission of the Pennsylvania Lyme Resource Network  • The challenges patients face with diagnosis and treatment  • The mental and emotional toll Lyme takes on families • Prevention through the Dare 2B Tick Aware education program • What must change to improve care for Lyme survivors Eric and Amy also share details about the Pennsylvania Lyme Patient Conference taking place April 18 in King of Prussia, where patients, doctors, and advocates will gather to learn, connect, and support one another. Learn more about the Pennsylvania Lyme Patient Conference: https://palyme.org

    37 min

  3. MAR 2

    Understanding Pediatric Lyme and the Family Impact with Dr. Somer DelSignore

    What happens when Lyme disease steals a child's health and a family's sense of normal? In this powerful episode of the Love, Hope, Lyme Podcast, Fred Diamond speaks with Dr. Somer Delsignore, CEO and Founder of Hudson Valley Integrative Health and a member of International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), about the hidden realities of pediatric Lyme disease. Dr. Somer specializes in neuro-immune conditions in children and adolescents, uncovering root causes behind complex autoimmune and psychiatric symptoms related to tick-borne illness. Together, Fred and Dr. Somer explore what no one tells parents at diagnosis — including: Why the Lyme journey is rarely linear The guilt many parents carry — and why it's misplaced Gaslighting, medical trauma, and rebuilding trust The emotional toll of identity loss and grief in chronic illness How schools can better support children with fluctuating symptoms Navigating family dynamics when others "don't see" the illness Realistic hope vs. toxic positivity Dr. Somer also shares insights on congenital Lyme, teenage independence during chronic illness, caregiver burnout, and how small wins become powerful milestones in long-term healing. This episode is especially important for parents of children and teens with Lyme disease — but it will resonate with any caregiver navigating chronic illness. As Dr. Somer reminds us, "Hope isn't toxic positivity. Stability is success." If you or someone you love is walking this road, this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and grounded hope. 👉 Subscribe for more conversations that support Lyme survivors and the people who love them. #LoveHopeLyme #PediatricLyme #ChronicIllness #LymeDisease #CaregiverSupport Order "Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know" on Amazon. The PDF is always free. Contact Fred Diamond on Facebook or LinkedIn.

    30 min

  4. FEB 16

    Lyme Disease Origins: Dr. Jennifer Miller Explains Why Ticks Are More Dangerous Than You Think

    This is episode 76 of the Love, Hope, Lyme podcast. To get your free pdf of "Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know," reach out to Fred Diamond on social media. [NOTE: This podcast does not replace medical treatment. If you struggle with Lyme care, please see a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor.] In this episode of the Love, Hope, Lyme Podcast, Fred Diamond, author of "Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor" sits down with Dr. Jennifer Miller, who oversees clinical and scientific operations at Galaxy Diagnostics, for one of the most important conversations we've ever had about Lyme disease. We discuss the basics. Not just what Lyme does, but why it happens in the first place. Dr. Miller brings decades of deep scientific experience studying Borrelia burgdorferi and explains: ✅ How ticks actually become infected ✅ Why nymph ("seed") ticks are the biggest threat to humans ✅ What happens biologically inside the tick and inside your body ✅ Why Borrelia is so hard for the immune system (and antibiotics) to find ✅ How co-infections like Bartonella and Babesia complicate diagnosis and recovery ✅ Why some people develop neurological symptoms while others don't ✅ Why today's antibody tests often miss active infections and how Galaxy is working on direct detection methods to change the standard of care We also talk about: 🧬 Immune dysregulation 🧠 Blood–brain barrier crossing 🧪 False negatives and outdated testing 🦠 Why Borrelia behaves unlike almost any other bacteria Dr. Miller shares insights from her presentation at International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) and her personal journey into Lyme research inspired by growing up in tick-heavy Southern Maryland and watching her father care for Lyme patients as a primary care physician. If you've ever asked yourself: 👉 Why me? 👉 How did this actually start? 👉 Why is Lyme so hard to diagnose? 👉 What's really happening inside my body? …this episode is for you. 🎧 Listen now and please share this episode with anyone who needs a deeper understanding of Lyme disease. #LoveHopeLyme #LymeDisease #TickBorneIllness #LymeEducation #ChronicLyme #GalaxyDiagnostics #VectorBorne #LymeTesting #InvisibleIllness

    46 min

  5. FEB 2

    Healing Guidance for Navigating Chronic Lyme with Marjorie Veiga

    This is episode 75 of the Love, Hope, Lyme podcast. To get your free pdf of "Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know," reach out to Fred Diamond on social media. [NOTE: This podcast does not replace medical treatment. If you struggle with Lyme care, please see a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor.] In this powerful episode of the Love, Hope, Lyme podcast, host Fred Diamond is joined by Lyme advocate Marjorie Veiga for an honest, practical conversation about managing the overwhelm of Lyme disease and tickborne illnesses. Marjorie shares her personal journey with tickborne illness, which began in 1999, and her experience caring for her daughter through years of Lyme coinfections. Drawing on her background as a senior manager at Verizon and her deep involvement in the Lyme community, Marjorie explains why organization, documentation, and support systems are critical to healing. At the center of the conversation is "My Lyme Guide," the comprehensive resource Marjorie created to help Lyme patients and caregivers track medications, appointments, symptoms, insurance, school accommodations, and more especially when brain fog and fatigue make daily management overwhelming. Together, Fred and Marjorie discuss: 💚 Why Lyme disease creates unique and ongoing overwhelm 💚 How organization can accelerate healing and reduce stress 💚 Managing medications, pulsing and rotating treatments, and symptom tracking 💚 Supporting children with Lyme and navigating schools, 504 plans, and IEPs 💚 Using technology, apps, and patient portals to stay organized 💚 Frequency-based and bioresonance therapies as complementary healing tools 💚 Practical advice for caregivers and families walking this journey together 💚 How hope, teamwork, and adaptability matter at every stage of healing Marjorie also shares encouragement for those early or deep into their Lyme journey, reminding listeners that healing is not one-size-fits-all and that there are always new paths forward. This episode is especially valuable for: ✔️ Lyme survivors ✔️ Parents and caregivers ✔️ Those overwhelmed by complex treatment plans ✔️ Anyone seeking practical tools, structure, and hope 💚 You are not alone. There is help. There is hope.

    29 min

  6. JAN 19

    How Two Lyme Advocates and Podcasters Found Hope After Years of Misdiagnosis

    This is episode 74 of the Love, Hope, Lyme podcast. To get your free pdf of "Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know," reach out to Fred Diamond on social media. [NOTE: This podcast does not replace medical treatment. If you struggle with Lyme care, please see a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor.] In this powerful and deeply human episode of the Love, Hope, Lyme podcast, host Fred Diamond is joined by two respected Lyme disease advocates and fellow podcasters. Anne Desjardins and Tanya Hoebel join Fred for an honest conversation about healing, advocacy, and hope. Anne, host of The Silver Lyming podcast, shares her journey through years of misdiagnosed Lyme disease, how discovering the truth changed her life, and why practices like hot yoga, holistic medicine, and self-advocacy became critical to her healing. She also discusses her work educating communities through the PA Lyme Resource Network and her mission to help others believe recovery is possible. Tanya, host of Lyme and Beyond with Tanya, opens up about her 13-year journey to wellness, including years without a diagnosis, profound financial loss, and the mental-health toll of chronic Lyme disease. She explains why nervous system regulation, sleep, sound therapy, and mindset are foundational components of healing, and why no one should feel ashamed for struggling. Together, Anne and Tanya discuss: 💚 Why Lyme disease is often misunderstood and misdiagnosed 💚 The emotional and psychological impact of chronic illness 💚 Practical, low-cost tools to support healing 💚 The importance of becoming your own best advocate 💚 Why hope and community can be life-saving Fred also reflects on why he wrote Love, Hope, Lyme, the heartbreaking realities of suicide risk in the Lyme community, and why sharing stories of resilience and recovery matters so deeply.  This episode is for: 💚 People living with Lyme or other tick-borne illnesses 💚 Family members, partners, and caregivers seeking understanding 💚 Anyone looking for real stories, practical ideas, and genuine hope 🎧 Listen, share, and remind someone today: you are not alone—and healing is possible.

    36 min

  7. JAN 5

    Finding Hope When Lyme Disease Changes Everything in Your Life

    This is episode 73 of the Love, Hope, Lyme podcast. To get your free pdf of "Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know," reach out to Fred Diamond on social media. [NOTE: This podcast does not replace medical treatment. If you struggle with Lyme care, please see a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor.] In this powerful and deeply moving episode of the Love, Hope, Lyme Podcast, host Fred Diamond welcomes back Rabbi Melinda Bernstein and Gregg Kirk, two extraordinary guests for an honest, soulful conversation about the spiritual dimensions of chronic illness, healing, and personal transformation. Gregg Kirk, author of The Gratitude Curve and his newest book Your Love Will Make the Difference, shares how Lyme disease became a catalyst for profound awakening, gratitude, and purpose. He opens up about his journey through illness, remission, grief, and healing and why chronic Lyme can be information pointing us toward necessary life change. Rabbi Melinda Bernstein brings a grounded yet expansive spiritual perspective, exploring how faith, surrender, nervous system regulation, and embodiment practices can support healing when medicine alone falls short. Drawing from her own decade-long Lyme journey, Melinda explains how constriction, loss, and suffering can become doorways to growth, balance, and renewed vitality. Together, Fred, Melinda, and Gregg discuss: 💚 The spiritual initiation that chronic illness often becomes 💚 Why Lyme is not just physical—but emotional, energetic, and existential 💚 The role of faith, frequency, and nervous system regulation in healing 💚 Practical spiritual practices for Lyme survivors  💚 What Lyme remission looks like and how to stay there 💚 Why there is more to you than Lyme disease This episode is especially meaningful for anyone navigating chronic Lyme, tick-borne illness, grief, or long-term healing and for loved ones seeking to better understand the journey. 👉 If you're searching for hope, meaning, and a deeper understanding of healing beyond symptoms, this conversation is for you. Listen. Reflect. Heal.

    40 min

  8. 12/22/2025

    RFK Jr. Lyme Roundtable Follow Up from Lyme Disease Advocates

    This is episode 72 of the Love, Hope, Lyme podcast. To get your free pdf of "Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know," reach out to Fred Diamond on social media. [NOTE: This podcast does not replace medical treatment. If you struggle with Lyme care, please see a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor.] Historic Moment for Lyme Advocacy. RFK Jr. Roundtable Reactions & What Comes Next In this special episode of the Love, Hope, Lyme Podcast, host Fred Diamond, author of Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know, convenes a powerful panel of Lyme advocates, researchers, and survivors to reflect on a pivotal week for the Lyme community. Just days after the RFK Jr. Lyme Disease Roundtables in Washington, D.C., this episode captures real-time reactions to what many are calling a historic turning point when federal leadership publicly acknowledged chronic Lyme disease, condemned medical gaslighting, and outlined tangible steps toward research, funding, and accountability. 🎙️ Featured Panelists Ali Moresco – Founder of Moresco PR, Board Chair of Project Lyme, longtime advocate and communications leader in the tick-borne illness space  Nikki Schultek – Research leader, founder of multiple pathobiome initiatives, Lyme survivor, and board member of ILADEF Meghan Bradshaw – Executive Director of the Center for Lyme Action, leading federal policy and funding advocacy efforts Together, they discuss: 💚 What made this week's HHS and White House engagement different from past hearings 💚 Why statements like "Lyme patients will no longer be gaslit" matter—and what must follow 💚 Federal funding, diagnostics, Medicare coverage, and clinical trials 💚 The urgent need for collaboration between government, clinicians, researchers, and advocates 💚 How patients, caregivers, and supporters can turn momentum into lasting change This conversation is both hopeful and grounded celebrating progress while emphasizing that advocacy, accountability, and action must continue.

    27 min
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5
out of 5
36 Ratings

About

When Fred Diamond decided to learn more about the Lyme disease that afflicted someone he loved, his life changed. He read every book on Lyme, joined Facebook groups, attended webinars and podcasts and quickly realized that he knew hardly anything about what Lyme disease survivors go through on a daily basis. His popular book, "Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know" offers those who love someone with Lyme ideas and tips to support this beloved person. This podcast supports the lessons learned in the book. The book features a foreword by the top Lyme doctor on the planet, Dr. Richard Horowitz. If someone you love has been afflicted with Lyme disease epidemic, listen to this podcast now.

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