I have used this site sparingly over the past few months because my symptoms ( pretty much all the major Lyme ones) have entered into a pretty clear cut discernable pattern.
once every 4-6 weeks, I have a week long period of feeling like death walking. severe chest pain shooting through left arm, headache, increased muscle twitching, neck and back stiffness, bright flashing lights in vision, nausea..you guys know the drill...Is it because of the incubation cycle of the bugs?
But here's my deal: I got the striker cd-57 test done and supposedly the if the determing number is 200 or over, it's not a diefinitive indication. if your 60 or under it's like OMG you're really sick
mine was 112. I don't know what that means and My LLMD is under constant attack from the medical community here in BC. he's SUPER busy and stressed out. I haven't had the best visits with the guy as a result of what's going on with him and his practice.
the reason I'm confused is because I go for 3 weeks feeling great, almost no symptoms or at least very manageable ones and then BAM!! last night I woke up with a sever stabbing sword of pain in my right arm right at the inside of the elbow. I've also been getting increased headaches and stabbing pains in my wrists. but none of that feels like it's actually IN the joints.
I've been meaning to get the Igenex test done but then I'll feel fine for a while and it's like " no problem"
Since being really sick from this the past year, I've done alot of alternative stuff and some antibiotics 200 mg/day of doxy and tenidixoleboth. the only thing I noticed from that treatment was a severe loss of balance and tingling in my legs. I stopped it.
As a result of all that I have gained back alot of lost weight and muscle and for 3 weeks out of every month it seems I am healthy. Then this hits me and I go " oh crap I'm sick again. Do I really have LYME?????"
any advice would be super appreciated.
Alex Gill
Posted by LuLuFlorida (Member # 12066) on :
All last year before I had Lyme disease I would have the same thing happen to me. I would be sick for like a week straight and then appear
normal for several weeks. Everytime the symptoms went away I'd think oh that was weird but I am fine now. I also at first blamed the symptoms on
other things. As my Lyme progressed the weeks of feeling good diminished and I would be lucky if I had a good day or not. I think that is the
nature of the disease. Also things that lower you immunity like lack of sleep and a bad diet can make the spirochetes appear. I think our
body does its best to hold back the symptoms until it can no longer fight it. If I was you I would go see a new LLMD and start treatment. It
is alot easier to deal with Lyme disease when you are not experiencing symptoms every day. If you really want reassurance that you have Lyme
you can take an Igenx test, but Lyme tests are only 30-40% accurate, so what does that really tell you. If you had a positive test I would assume you have Lyme disease.
LuLu
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Do NOT rely on the CD57. That is NOT a definitive test for Lyme disease....not even!!!!
I will bring up a recent discussion of that for you. ---------------------------------------- **** my computer is not cooperating **** Scroll down this page until you see "Stricker Panel CD57" It may be on page two if you don't see this tonight. Look at the bottom of the page and click on "2". -----------------------------------
Get a test thru Igenex ASAP! You are allowing the spirochetes to get the upper-hand. They are like a marching army.
Sounds like the doxy WAS working... Though your dose should have been twice that amount. 200mg per day is bacteriostatic -- i.e., prevents growth, but is not bacteriocidal -- i.e., KILLS.
Presumably you've already been diagnosed with lyme so I don't see a need for another western blot. How about co-infections, though?
The spirochetes multiply about every four weeks so your cycle of illness is just about right.
It WILL get worse if you do not get in treatment.
You have to deal with the herxes however best you can -- I realize it caused you numbness in your legs but that means it was working. Tell your doc you're ready to treat this aggressively. Herxes will lessen each month until hopefully you reach a point where you don't have them.
Good luck!
Michelle
Posted by baladeva (Member # 10618) on :
Thanks to everyone who wrote. I have been procrastinating. But I' still sick so screw it. I'm moving to seattle...hopefully I can find a good llmd there. I have an old igenex order from the doc here in hope bc. I'll get that done this week.