Image de couverture de Episode 627: Why Lyme Patients Feel Dismissed: How to Get Doctors to Listen – Dr. Kirsten FitzGerald | LIVE from ILADS

Episode 627: Why Lyme Patients Feel Dismissed: How to Get Doctors to Listen – Dr. Kirsten FitzGerald | LIVE from ILADS

Episode 627: Why Lyme Patients Feel Dismissed: How to Get Doctors to Listen – Dr. Kirsten FitzGerald | LIVE from ILADS

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 What do you do when you're sick, your Lyme disease test comes back negative, and your doctor tells you everything is fine—even though you know something is wrong? For many people living with Lyme disease, tick-borne infections, and complex chronic illness, the search for answers can involve years of unexplained symptoms, multiple specialists, frustrating medical appointments, and feeling dismissed by the healthcare system. But what if improving the patient-doctor relationship could become one of the most important steps toward finding answers? In this LIVE from ILADS episode of the Tick Boot Camp Podcast, co-host Rich Johannesen sits down with Dr. Kirsten P. FitzGerald, DNP, FNP-BC, a board-certified family nurse practitioner and functional medicine provider based in Ridgefield, Connecticut, to discuss Lyme disease awareness, missed diagnoses, patient advocacy, and the importance of building collaborative relationships between patients and healthcare professionals. Recorded at the 2025 International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) Conference in San Antonio, Texas, this conversation explores how Dr. FitzGerald transitioned from conventional primary care into functional and integrative medicine after recognizing that some patients with persistent symptoms were not finding the answers or support they needed. Dr. FitzGerald shares her experiences working with patients affected by Lyme disease, long COVID, mast cell-related concerns, and pediatric neuroinflammatory conditions, including PANS and PANDAS. Together, Rich and Dr. FitzGerald develop a practical framework for helping patients prepare for medical appointments, communicate more effectively, participate in treatment decisions, and work with their providers toward better health outcomes. Their central message: Patients deserve to be heard, and meaningful progress often begins when patients and clinicians work together as partners. Meet Dr. Kirsten P. FitzGerald, DNP, FNP-BC Dr. Kirsten P. FitzGerald is a Doctor of Nursing Practice and board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with more than 25 years of healthcare experience. She is the founder of FitzGerald Health and Wellness, an integrative and functional medicine practice in Ridgefield, Connecticut. She also collaborates with the team at New Frontiers Functional Medicine & Nutrition, led by Dr. Kara Fitzgerald in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, and works alongside pediatric naturopathic physician Dr. Lindsey Wells, ND, in Trumbull, Connecticut. Her clinical interests include: Lyme disease and tick-borne infectionsPersistent and complex chronic symptomsLong COVID and post-infectious illnessFunctional and integrative medicineMast cell activation syndrome (MCAS)PANS and PANDASMetabolic health and lifestyle medicinePatient education and collaborative care Dr. FitzGerald grew up on a trout farm in Connecticut and has spent much of her life around animals, including horses, chickens, cats, and dogs. Despite living in a region historically associated with Lyme disease, she explains that her understanding of the complexity of tick-borne illness changed significantly after attending a professional presentation. That experience ultimately helped redirect her medical career. Learn more about Dr. Kirsten FitzGerald and her clinical background. From Conventional Primary Care to Functional Medicine Dr. FitzGerald describes a pivotal moment at an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) conference in Connecticut. A presentation by fellow clinician Pam Cipriano challenged her understanding of Lyme disease and prompted her to reconsider patients she had previously encountered. She began thinking about people whose Lyme disease test results had been negative despite symptoms and exposure histories that continued to raise clinical questions. Dr. FitzGerald explains that conventional primary care often relies on established diagnostic pathways, laboratory testing, and specialist referrals. These tools are essential, but she became increasingly concerned about patients whose symptoms remained unexplained after multiple evaluations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she encountered additional patients struggling with persistent symptoms, including long COVID. One experience was particularly influential. A patient who was also a nurse became emotional during an appointment and asked Dr. FitzGerald to stop sending her to additional specialists. The patient wanted someone to take responsibility for understanding her overall health picture rather than continuing a cycle of referrals without satisfactory answers. For Dr. FitzGerald, that conversation reinforced the need to expand her knowledge and explore different approaches to complex chronic illness. She eventually transitioned toward functional and integrative medicine, including working with Dr. Kara Fitzgerald's New Frontiers team. The conversation illustrates why continuity of care, clinical curiosity, and thoughtful follow-up matter when patients experience ...
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