Emma Pikoulas’ Lyme Hack:

Emma Pikoulas drops some great Lyme tips! First – educate yourself. The sooner you know what you’re dealing with, the easier it is to make any type of decision. Second – advocate for yourself. At the end of the day, you know what’s working for you and what’s not working for you. Third – make sure you have a support system. The people that try their hardest to understand what you’re going through. People like your friends and your family. Seek them out. There are some great communities online like Tick Boot Camp. Fourth – we know you’re not feeling good but prioritize something each day that makes you feel good. Take a deep breath. You got this!

Emma is a 22-year-old lifelong resident of tick endemic Long Island, New York. Ms. Pikoulas was bitten by ticks on numerous occasions during her childhood. She was first diagnosed with a tick infection (Mycoplasma) at the age of 16 and then Lyme disease and coinfections after a relapse at the age of 19. Ms. Pikoulas has treated with several of the top Lyme Literate Medical Doctors (LLMDs) on the east coast. One of her medical protocols required her to travel 5 hours per day, by train, for infusions. Despite chronic Lyme and the COVID epidemic, this young woman located the fortitude to grit through her symptoms and treatment to graduate from college in 4 years. Today, Ms. Pikoulas is treating with the famous LLMD and co-author of the book Chronic: Dr. Steven Phillips, MD. If you would like to learn more about how a young woman balanced treatment, an epidemic, and her college studies, then tune in to episode 167 of our Tick Boot Camp Podcast!