Two years into my illness (before I knew that Lyme was part of the picture) I was experiencing arthritis, particularly in the fingers but also other joints.
A local doc tested and found out that I had EBV and food allergies. After going on antivirals and an avoidance/rotation diet, I felt much better and my arthritis went away.
Just recently the arthritis came back. I'd been on a reduced dose of antivirals and after two years of avoidance, I had been adding foods back into my diet to which to which the tests indicated I was allergic. When challenging them back into my diet, I didn't get any noticeable reactions as I had experienced in the past, so I thought I was over the allergies and could eat them as long as I rotated them 4 days apart.
Now, I'm getting the arthritis. Inflammation in general seems to have taken a few upticks. So I'm wondering, could this be a Lyme fall flare-up or is it more likely the foods causing the problem?
Does anyone else out there get an upsurge of arthritic symptoms from Lyme in the spring and fall?
I haven't noticed much in the way of flare-ups in the spring and fall prior to this, but I just started rifing for Bart, and maybe this has allowed the Lyme load gain a little ground?
I'm interested in your opinions.
Posted by jkmom (Member # 14004) on :
I think the only way to know for sure is to give up those foods again and see what happens.
I know my daughter (who doesn't have Lyme) is gluten intolerant. For a while, I was letting her eat something that might have traces of gluten. It wasn't obvious at first, but after a while her gluten symptoms were back. Getting rid of that food improved her symptoms.
Maybe you also need to go back on the higher dose of antivirals.
Those things are much clearer answers than chasing the Lyme thing. You don't want to be making decisions about how to treat your Lyme based on unrelated symptoms.
If you eliminate those foods and up your antivirals and still feel the same, then you'll know.
Posted by chaps (Member # 25286) on :
Well, I've already given up those foods and upped the dosage again. Started that about a week ago. No noticeable change yet, but I know it doesn't change overnight.
One person I spoke with over the phone said, just the opposite. He thinks it's the Lyme flareup and said to Rife the joints giving me trouble.
Just wanted to get a consensus.
I'll give the food avoidance another couple of weeks and see what happens. Inflammation in general seems to be higher.