From reading this forum for the last few days I'm convinced I have lymes. Almost every page reads as memory of mine.
I'm 34 now and I was bit when I was 3 followed by a rash. I was in the hospital within 6 months of that with ecephalitis. I've suffered with the craziest things my whole life.
I've been in and out of doctor's offices so many times its all just a blur. Seems I've had just about everything but an answer.
Several multi year spanned unexplainable infections have taken their toll on me. Both physically and mentally. Just the amount of different ailments has always gave me issue. "How on earth could one person have so many different problems?" I asked myself repeatedly.
I've been told I have so many things, IBS, anema, fibro myalgia, lupus, athritis, depression, gall stones, GERD, ulcers, var. palsys, epilepsy , the list goes on and on.
Finally out desperation and experimenting with diets, I found that I am now gluten intolerant. Almost instantly the incurable heartburn vanished. Coupled with supplements my health improved dramaticly as if overnight the health fairy paid me a visit.
The cholesterol and blood pressure problems went away, skin looked normal for once, arm and leg hair grew back. Got my green eyes back.
Even manage to get a run in every once in a while though the shin splints havent gotten any better my muscle pain is almost livable.
This renewed taste of normalcy gave the strength to seek out the answer of my woes. Been through a few local doctors lately but even years ago I brought up the tick bite to no avail. The few here lately refused to check for lymes, flat refused. Luckily theres a simple walkin clinic thats agreed to igenex testing.
Sad to think theres others that have had to go through the same things I have though maybe not for the same reason/s. Kinda excited to find out, I dont see that anything will change if I'm diagnosed just for the satisfaction of why I suppose. Cheers.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
welcome, and post your IGENEX western blot igm and igg ok
we want POSITIVE AND INDermnate only...NOT NEGATIVE one!!
post them going downward so it's easier to rea. i sent you my newbies 55 pages.
look towards the earlier part for DR. C'S EXPLANATION OF WESTERN BLOT testing. click on that link and it shows 16 protein numbers and givs comments.
so you should be posting in SEEKING DR. for a LLMD, lyme literate md, in your STATE IN TOPIC LINE PLUS CLOEST, LARGEST CITY IN TITLE.
you can just block copy what you posted here and paste it in seeking dr. area. ok.
glad you found us. start reading thru the 50 pages of stuff i provided you ok.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
I was so relieved when my blood work came back indicative of Lyme
That I cried and cried and all I could say to the nurse calling was "Thank you".
Don't get me wrong. I wasn't thankful that I had Lyme Disease, but I was so relieved
That they finally found out what was wrong with me.
I had been dx with everything from post traumatic stress disorder to congestive heart failure!!!
I finally had a diagnosis that fit my myraid of symptoms.
It wasn't all in my head!!
Welcome to the board.
Here's hoping that your results are helpful to you and that you finally get some answers.
This is the best support group ever!
Hugs,
Geneal
Posted by roostertn (Member # 11887) on :
Crap! As usual I lost where I was going with this.
Is there anything I need to tell the doctor to have screened, being that if I do have this its 30 plus years old?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Yep, sounds rather Lymey! Glad you finally got someone to run the Igenex test! Awesome!!
I hope they will handle the blood draw correctly and send it out EARLY in the week.
I can't think of anything special you need to be screened for.
About the celiac....I finally found out that was a problem for me also. In one week, my stomach problems vanished!!
It is my belief that Lyme caused the gluten intolerance. We have quite a few on this board with the same problem.
My story is similar to yours. I didn't find out for sure that I have lyme, babs and bartonella until I was 50. I urge you to have a formal evaluation by someone who knows what they are doing NOW rather than waiting. Lyme is an illness that can go into remission and then rear it's ugly head when least expected, sometimes years later. I know because this very thing has happened to me many times since I contracted the illness at age 5.
Unless you are CDC positive (and that is rare in late stage lyme), no one at a walk in clinic will be able to tell you if you have lyme, let alone co-infections. Lyme is a clinical diagnosis because the tests are not reliable. You need someone who knows to test and/or treat for co-infections. Tests for co-infections are also not reliable. Please seek an LLMD (lyme literate medical doctor) who is a member of ILADS. Go to the seeking doctors section and ask for doctors in your area. An LLMD will be in the best position to check for lyme, co-infections or illnesses that can present like lyme. If lyme isn't your problem, they may be able to tell you what you have.
I'm glad you have found someone to do IgeneX testing since IgeneX tests are better able to detect late stage lyme than other labs but you need someone who knows how to read the test AND who can do other tests for co-infections. Also, it is important to go to someone who knows lyme and co-infections really well because the tests might be negative but that does not mean that you don't have lyme or co-infections.
I noticed you said that nothing will change if you do have lyme. IF you do have lyme or co-infections, you would be wise to be treated and understand that you will need to watch your immune system etc.. I was better through diet and various other treatments when I was your age as well but lyme and co's have really taken their toll on me over the years and now I am much sicker than I've ever been. My body would have healed much easier 20 years ago.
I wish I could go back 20 years and be evaluated by an LLMD. I wasted the last 10 years with horrible symptoms and a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, CFIDS, NMH and a ton of other things that are actually only symptoms of lyme and the 2 other infections that I have.
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