Clint Heinen

     Currently battling multiple tick born infections including: Lyme Disease, Bartonella, Babesia, Morgellons. Diagnosed 12/2/2016 after 15 months of incorrect diagnoses and medications. (For more info visit: www.txlda.com/co-infections/)

     During my December visit to Dr. Savely (Lyme specialist, Washington, D.C.) I was filmed for a documentary about Morgellons that will be released later this year.  (For more info visit: www.MorgellonsMovie.org)

     I was misdiagnosed with a staph infection in early October 2015 by my regular physician. It started as a small cut I got from shaving in the right corner of my mouth in early September 2015. I used Neosporin for 3-4 weeks but it would not heal. After this I went to my regular physician. It was not very noticeable, looked like a cold sore.

     I was given staph antibiotics for 2 weeks, and it got extremely worse. The infection grew from the corner of my mouth across my lips, up my nose, and down my neck. I looked unbelievably awful, so bad I didn't want to leave my house.

     My doctor then prescribed a different staph antibiotic for 2 more weeks, and it didn't really get better, but didn't get worse. The skin on top of the wounds seemed to heal up, but the infection underneath did not go away.

     After this it was cultured, came back negative for staph or any bacteria, and I was still instructed to finish out 2 more weeks of staph medication by my doctor.

     Finally I went on my own to a dermatologist on 12/18/16 who immediately knew it was a fungal infection that had spread rapidly because of the wrong antibiotics from my original doctor. He said he was 100% sure, so sure that we didn't need to test for it. I finished the last of the 'correct' anti-fungal medication on 12/29, and was looking and feeling 95% better. My dermatologist said we killed it, and that the rest of the physical ailments would be gone soon. I asked if we should do another round of the anti-fungals, but he said no because we didn't need to.

     I was literally nauseous all day for these three months, was getting hot/cold flashes to where my body would break out into a full sweat then I would be shaking cold about 5 minutes later, and wasn't able to eat much solid food. 

     I seemed to be pretty much back to normal for the month of January 2016, but at the beginning of February, the infection had come back all across my face seemingly out of no where, and very quickly. I went back to my dermatologist and he said he literally had no idea what this was now, and that I should see a gastroenterologist because he believed it was being caused internally. 

From February until July, the infection seems to be going in cycles of flare ups that appear every 4-6 weeks in various degrees of severity. 

     It is now in my ears, nose, eyes, mouth, top of my head, chest, arms, fingernails, and legs. I am also experiencing a decent amount of joint pain, as well as seemingly losing my senses (hearing loss, sense of smell, sense of taste, losing feeling in fingertips)

     At the end of July, the infection had progressed severely to my eye region (brow, inner and outer eye lid, behind eyeball). This is also when a significant portion of my hair fell out in a 3-4 day period... (see pic in gallery). Luckily this was only temporary as my hair slowly grew back over the next 3 months.

     By this point I was seeing a second dermatologist in Midland, and when he saw me with my hair fallen out, and sores all over my face he told me I have folliculitis. Obviously incorrect... and I refused to take the recommended Bactrim (antibiotic used to treat Staph & MRSA).

     When I came home in early September for a visit my mom recommended that I leave my job again and stay in Austin until we figure out whats going on. Finally in November we found Dr. Savely, a Lyme Disease and other tick infection specialist, in Washington, D.C. who we spoke to and she was confident I had Lyme, Bartonella, and Babesia (Later confirmed by testing and in-office exam). We went to her office in early December 2016 after completing her requested blood work, which confirmed Lyme Disease. During our in-office exam she also confirmed the presence of Bartonella and Babesia, which she said I could be a, "walking poster child for." 

     I began a long list of antibiotics on December 5, 2016, and since have been feeling worse than ever... most days I am confined to my room, finding it hard to accomplish even ordinary household tasks. My sores have decreased some, but are still very present on my eye brows, nose, neck, and top of my head. Fiber production has been at an all time high during some points of this 3 month stretch, along with spouts of vomiting, heat flashes, vertigo, black outs, etc. 

     I am now looking at a facility called Envita in Scottsdale, Arizona that was recommended to me by a friend that specifically handles cases like mine, and they are optimistic that they will be able to greatly improve my quality of life. I am looking forward to personally visiting with the doctors at Envita and hope that they will be able to help me. 


     I also want to say how much I appreciate everyone's support y'all have given me through this nightmare... I literally wouldn't still be here if it were not for my family and friends. This has been an emotional battle as much as it has been a physical one, and I constantly just try to think about good times I have had with y'all throughout the years. These memories, your support, and hoping for better days with all of you is what drives me every day,