Morgellons Disease is characterized by these symptoms: non-healing lesions, ‘brain fog’, depression often leading to suicide, multi-colored fibers growing from their skin and most disconcerting, the relentless sensation of being bitten on and under their skin. The Morgellons Research Foundation, located on the campus of Oklahoma State University, states that there are approximately 93 typical symptoms and each individual with Morgellons has some but not all of these symptoms.
I have spoken to well over 1,000 Morgellons sufferers in the past 3 years during my direct involvement with Morgellons Disease. Most are ordinary people from every walk of life while some are medical professionals themselves infected with this disease or care for those who suffer.
Most Morgellons victims tell the same story; they are diagnosed with Delusions of Parasitosis (DOP) and labeled permanently in their medical record as having ‘Mental Health Issues”. Most doctors will not even look at the lesions and tell their patients to “stop scratching yourself.” Those who are prescribed medication through misdiagnosis spend a great deal on medications that effectively do nothing for them. Many follow the message boards on the Internet and desperately chase lotions, potions, chemical and herbal remedies only to experience no improvement. Those who suffer the longest often tell me of how the medical profession takes their money and all they get is worse.
Many Morgellons victims tell the story of how they have lost their jobs, homes, savings, and family and just about everything else trying to get relief. They feel alone and isolated and often ‘cocoon’ in their homes. I hear this far too often. Some call me crying out of desperation and loneliness; it breaks my heart.
Most medical practitioners seem to be into Morgellons treatment just for the money. There is a PhD in Los Angeles who knows of an effective treatment but does not use it because she does not make any money on it. There is a Nurse-Practioner from Texas whose medical license was suspended by the Texas Medical Board for prescribing antibiotics too frequently who now commutes to San Francisco under a California license to treat Morgellons patients. She continues to administer antibiotics to Morgellons patients with no results. She charges $500 for the initial visit. All the Morgellons patients received for their hard-earned money is they get worse.
Imagine, over 40 US Senators and Congresspersons have written to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) requesting them to conduct an investigation into Morgellons. It only took six years for them to begin their investigation in Oakland, California at Kaiser-Permanente Hospital with funding of a mere $338,000. That amount of money is barely enough money to begin an investigation yet alone complete one. Their investigative conclusions are due in May, 2009.
As this infection continues to spread globally, little scientific attention is being paid to those who have Morgellons and suffer with no hope and no help from the established medical and scientific communities. Apparently, there are not enough people who suffer Morgellons for scientific research to make research financially beneficial to fund the research. Today, only a very small handful of individuals and small organizations have attempted to discover the cause(s) and methods of disease contraction and transmittal of this mysterious disease. When I ask a half dozen scientists what Morgellons is, I get 6 different answers suggesting that no one really knows very much about this horrific disease.
Although every major US television network has reported on Morgellons, 99% of the medical profession and the general public have not heard of Morgellons.
This is exactly what happened 30 years ago when patients presented with symptoms also classified as ‘Delusional’ but is now well-known as AIDS/HIV. Those early victims endured the same neglect and abuse as Morgellons victims do today; denial, labels of being delusional and general neglect. Until enough people were infected, they were ignored by the mainstream medical community.
So what do Morgellons sufferers do to eliminate their suffering? They commit suicide as one of my friends did yesterday. We all have a responsibility to take care of each other. Until enough people suffer from Morgellons, it will remain “unprofitable” to conduct real scientific research into this horrible pandemic disease. Clearly, the Winners are the suppliers of medical goods and services and the Losers are the Morgellons sufferers.
