In Feb I began to feel bad all the time with rare breaks. I have felt progressively worse. Extreme fatigue, muscle aches, now joint aches, brain fog, confusion, I would say I felt like I was just getting over the flu.
I haven't ever felt like this for an extended period of time before, but many of these symptoms aren't new to me. I was diagnosed with ADHD in my mid 20's and can recognize the symptoms from my school years. However I used to be quite sharp and now have difficulty following a conversation or reading anything technical. That is fairly new.
I had a deer tick bite here in MO in 2004 and another one in CT in 2007. (found engorged ticks each time.) The first time I wasn't treated because I was bfing and the second time I was pg. I had that tick tested by UCONN's lab for Lyme but I'm not sure how good that testing is. (it was neg)
Thanks for any help. I am months away from my first appointment with a LLMD
Posted by Hides1 (Member # 6348) on :
My advice to you is plain and simple. You have a hsitory of tick bites- go find a good LLMA and have your blood tested through Igenex for Lyme Babeisa, Bartonella, etc. Also sicne you breastfed and were preganant get your kids checked. All of mine had it and symptoms came out by year 3 or 4. You have classic symtpoms and the bite so what are you waiting for?
Posted by YankeeMom (Member # 26692) on :
I have been tested. I'm waiting for my results. The soonest I can get in to a LLMD is October so I have to wait. I'm just trying to figure out if it makes more sense that this is something that happened within the past year or longer ago. I'm also wondering if my symptoms are considered mild or severe. Some days I can barely move I hurt so bad. Other days I feel almost normal. Most days are somewhere between those two.
Also I have had a few incidents of going to the ER for severe abdominal pain. No tests done there ever show anything. Could this be explained by Lyme?
Posted by Beachinit (Member # 21040) on :
I took doxycycline 100 mg tabs 2x/day for 90 days and felt 85% better by week 12. Maybe your regular doctor can write for 60 tabs and 2 or 3 refills to get you through to October.
Posted by Beachinit (Member # 21040) on :
Igenex seems like the more reliable lab but not all insurances cover testing there. I live in Maine but got my tick bite in Bristol CT of all places which is also where I grew up. I have used the UConn medical library to research Lyme. Dr D. now of Mass. used to work there but he left and I am thinking they are toeing the IDSA party line on chronic Lyme. Hence I can see that they may be setting the bar up high to screen out all those so called false negative test results.
Posted by YankeeMom (Member # 26692) on :
Thanks, I can't do doxy since I am bfing now. My Dr knows nothing about Lyme but I just found a local Dr who knows a little and will be seeing her on Sat. Hopefully she can help me get through till Oct.
Are there also false positive test fears on the ticks themselves? I was kicking myself afterward for not getting it tested for all the co-infections.
Posted by Beachinit (Member # 21040) on :
Actually I think ticks and dogs have a better chance of getting an accurate test than we humans do-- unfortunately. Of course you cannot take doxy right now but your LLMD will have other equally effective options.
Posted by Tammy N. (Member # 26835) on :
Scary to be breast feeding while so sick. This is how my friend passed it on to her son. I'm a big advocate of bfeeding, but you may want to look into it more, to be on the safe side. Wishing you the best.
Posted by YankeeMom (Member # 26692) on :
Yea I've had symptoms for many months and been bfing this whole time. I stronglly suspect my dd has Lyme (based on symptoms) so no real point in weaning her now and it is a comfort to us both.