Hi everyone, I am new here. I just was wondering if anyone could share their experience with lyme and exhaustion. I was first diagnosed in 2008, treated, and felt fine until the middle of this year, when I started treatment again. I am currently on Biaxin SID for about 2 months now (I was cut down from BID because of side effects) and am completely exhausted. My muscles feel heavy and sore, and I have no energy. I was wondering if it may be the Biaxin or maybe Herx-reactions. I am also on a tranquilizer (tranxene) as the lyme has brought about pretty bad anxiety. I realize that it may be a combination of all of these things, but any input on your experience with any of these medications or just your experience with exhaustion would be much appreciated. I look forward to talking with you!
** edited to remove dosages, please see terms of use stickied at the top of medical questions **
[ 12-28-2010, 10:47 PM: Message edited by: sixgoofykids ]
Posted by RubyJ (Member # 28711) on :
I've been exhausted for over 20 years. I've never been on antibiotic treatment. For me, part of it is not sleeping well, I wake up unrefreshed every morning. Exhaustion is typical for lyme. It's different than a "normal" tiredness after exertion or a long day.
Posted by Need Lots of Help (Member # 18603) on :
Erica,
Fatigue is probably the hardest thing to find the root cause of. You can do a search and find tons of things to try, but you will go broke trying them all!!
I have had this exhausting mental and physical fatigue for 20 years. I have tried everything under the sun!! So, I think my fatigue is related to system overload from bacteria, yeast, and viruses.
You also mention medication and herxes which cause people with fatigue to have a worsening in symptoms, or people with no fatigue to experience fatigue.
All I can say is try to eat as healthy as you can, keep up with detox, and take care of yourself as best as you can!!
Posted by the3030club (Member # 21898) on :
I've gotta assume the tranxene is a major player in your fatigue.
That being said, lyme knocks ya out. I've never had sleep issues, and i drink 3 cups of coffee to get through the day.
There was a time when would just sleep and sleep and sleep. Couldn't drive, leave the house, or anything.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Lyme exhaustion is horrendous. I had undiagnosed lyme for 10 years. Now, it is nearly 6 years since I completed my treatment and am still symptom free.
The horrendous exhaustion is the classic lyme symptom. I woke up exhausted. I was constantly exhausted. I did everything by sheer will power.
You have to prioritize what you do every day, because you have such limited energy (if you can even say you have any energy) and abilities. So, each day pick the most important thing you want to do and try to accomplish that. Some days are so bad you can't even do that one thing.
Doing too much can set you back for days. So, don't make that mistake. You make yourself sick that way. You pay for any overexertion.
Good lyme treatment gets rid of this totally awful symptom. But, it does take time. Like months. Maybe 6 months or more to notice any improvement whatsoever.
Also, the only way I totally got rid of this symptom was by doing the Burrascano 1 hour weight lifting/calesthenics routine every other day.
At a certain point in my treatment, my doctor told me I would never get rid of lyme unless I began this exercise program. It was a joke at first. I could only do 10 minutes. But, over a number of months, I worked up to the full hour. A full body workout.
Don't try to do the exercise until you are well on your way to recovering. But, just remember that this is what is likely to get you all the way to remission and keep lyme away. It boosts your immune system which must do the work of keeping you lyme free.
If you have never read about this rehab program in the Burrascano Guidelines, I suggest you do.
Here is a quote from p. 31:
"Despite antibiotic treatments, patients will NOT return to normal unless they exercise, so therefore an aggressive rehab program is absolutely necessary. It is a fact that a properly executed exercise program can actually go beyond the antibiotics in helping to clear the symptoms and to maintain a remission.
Although the scientific basis for the benefits of exercises is not known, there are several reasonable theories. . . ."
Exhaustion, fatigue, wake up unrefreshed...I can't stand any of it. It has almost gone away. I've been treated for lyme/ehrlichia and now babs. I treated myself for parasites. I can now wake up and feel like a real person. I can get through a whole day. Some days I still take a nap, but I have kids who can be exhausting ;-).