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The Infection Hiding Behind the Smoke
Alec, an athlete and outdoorsman, had abrupt, severe psychiatric and physical symptoms. Despite 30+ ER visits, 20+ diagnoses, 9 hospitalizations, and 25+ meds, Lyme and Bartonella were missed until it was too late. The medical system failed him. He was only 27 when he died.
Story Overview
I’m Terri McCormick, a writer for LymeDisease.org and author of Being Misdiagnosed: Stories That Reveal the Hidden Epidemic of Lyme Disease. My connection to tick-borne disease began when my own children endured years of misdiagnosis. I worked closely with Alec’s parents, Dr. Richard and Pam Dulude, to tell their son’s story. Alec was an athlete and outdoorsman who developed severe psychiatric and physical symptoms. Despite extensive medical care and a physician father with access to medical resources, Lyme disease and Bartonella went unrecognized. By the time the infections were identified, it was too late. Alec died by suicide at 27.
Target Audience
My primary audience is psychiatrists, inpatient psychiatric teams, emergency clinicians, primary care providers, and healthcare policy leaders. Alec’s story is a call to recognize a vulnerable population: patients with severe psychiatric symptoms whose underlying tick-borne infections, including Lyme disease and Bartonella, may go undiagnosed while their psychiatric symptoms are repeatedly treated.
Priority
My priority is greater medical education so severe or sudden neuropsychiatric symptoms prompt evaluation for infectious and immune-mediated causes, including Lyme disease and co-infections such as Bartonella. Clinicians need to recognize that tick-borne infections can present with profound psychiatric symptoms and consider these possibilities early, before assigning another psychiatric diagnosis, prescribing another medication, or sending a patient back into a cycle of crisis. Earlier recognition could prevent years of misdiagnosis, inappropriate treatment, repeated hospitalizations, and devastating outcomes. For Alec, recognition came too late. His story shows why this change is urgently needed.
External Links
Read the story in your browser, or download the PDF below: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19vegAN23s_Rw...?usp=drive_link
Very sad
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Heartbreaking.
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This is tragic. Something has to change!
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Thank you for sharing this story
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So tragic. Going back and forth to doctors without having an answer is terrible. Thank you for sharing
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So sad. Thanks for sharing.
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This story is so sad. Thank you for sharing
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Terri and Dr Richard, thank you for sharing Alec's story. My brother Jeremy has struggled with infectious driven psychosis for over the last decade. He is still on a journey of recovery, and seeing this story makes our family feel a little less alone. Thank you for sharing and for the advocacy work that you are doing; we are deeply grateful.
- Matthew
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Alec's story moves me to tears every time I hear it. Thank you for sharing this Terri. We must start prioritizing research linking neuropsychiatric conditions with infectious disease as a root cause.
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Thank you for shedding much-needed light on a disease that deserves far more awareness, attention, and understanding. I truly appreciate you using your platform to bring attention to Lyme disease and the many people and families affected by it.
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Recognizing the link between psychiatric illness and tick-borne infections is crucial. Thanks for raising awareness!
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Terri... such an incredibly powerful story. My heart breaks for Alec's family. I am so grateful that they have encouraged you to share his/their tragic experience to help others. So important to expose the reality of what these diseases can to a person's body and mind so that these diseases can be recognized earlier and lives saved. Thank you for all that you do.
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