My PCP says that this is acute, but the Western Blot shows both past and present infection.
When I was 12 (I am now 27) I found a tick embedded in my leg. I circled it with a pen and when it looked fine the next day I never gave it a second thought.
I didn't know much about Lyme, and my mother was the type of parent that made me scared to even tell her I found a tick on me, because she would have somehow blamed me and I would have been grounded for a month, so I never even told my parents.
around the same age (I don't remember if it was immediately after the tick bite or it could have even been a year or 2 later) I noticed what I thought was a bruise on the same leg that I found the tick on.
I thought it was a bruise because I had been bitten by a dog a few years earlier that left a bruise that looked similar. Now looking at pictures I realize it very well could have been a bullseye.
Here is a picture of a bullseye rash I found on google of exactly what this mark that I thought was a bruise looked like
This is what the dog bite mark looked like, so I guess you can see why my 12 year old mind just assumed it was some type of bruise. (just another google pic, I don't actually have pictures of myself)
around the same age as the tick and bruise/rash I started having some problems that now I realize could be related to Lyme:
bad knee pain that was diagnosed as tendonitis from dance classes and physical activity
fatigue that was attributed to my busy and active lifestyle
bladder problems > Caffeine (although no improvement when I don't drink caffeine)
I realize that given this history you probably all think its extremely likely that I have had this all this time. But is it possible to lead a relatively normal and healthy life with Lyme (despite above issues) for 15 years and then have it all of the sudden attack with a vengeance!?
a few months ago I felt pretty healthy for the most part and was very athletic and physically active. I started losing my hair, having pain in all joints, and extreme fatigue, which is when I was diagnosed with Lyme about 2 months ago.
Things have just rapidly gone downhill since. I did the 21 days of Doxy, and have been off of it for about 2 weeks now (Dr won't give me more because she says my symptoms are just "post Lyme symptoms" and not still active infection.
I can barley function and sometimes question if I will make it to the next day. I can barley get out of bed, or walk the 10 feet from my bed to the bathroom. I am having really bad chest pains and shortness of breath. I have tons of other symptoms but those are the worst at the moment that are leaving me debilitated
Would someone have Lyme for 15 years and be able to function somewhat normally and then all of the sudden become very ill years later??
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
For sure! I had it for 42 years before being diagnosed and treated. I taught school for 21 years of that time.
Certain things can trigger it to explode: Surgery, stress, a virus or other illness, childbirth, etc.
Posted by Green_Where_You_Water (Member # 46647) on :
Wow, 42 years!? I did have a copper IUD placed in July, thinking that this would be a healthier alternative to hormonal BC.
After the placement of IUD is when symptoms seemed to start so I thought they were a reaction from the IUD. I thought it was Copper Toxicity after doing some research
The OBGYN insisted that I could not have copper toxicity so soon after getting the IUD and sent me to my primary care physician who found the Lyme.
I am wondering if the IUD may have triggered it? Im thinking maybe I should just rip the damn thing out. Im so tired of going to the doctor and I literally don't have the energy for it.
Posted by DanP (Member # 7501) on :
I had symptoms all through the 80's when I was in my late 20's early 30's...didn't know what it was , just kept telling all the MD's I saw that I didn't feel well but once tests were developed they kept coming back negative, so I couldn't make headway,
however I did know that whenever I was put on an antibiotic for something or other I did get better for a while...
but now I'm sure that I got it when I was very young in Maine because two younger siblings have it too...and I haven't lived in Maine for 39 years...I think we all got it when camping in the woods when we were young...field mice were rampant in our little shack in the Allagash...and it really hit me and the two siblings badly when we hit our 50's and tests started coming back positive...I know I had a bad bout after a tonsillectomy when I was 30...but abated until I turned 50...
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
From the little that I know about copper, I would (myself) have the IUD taken out.
Keep doing your homework on it. Copper imbalances can trigger many problems.
Posted by paleogal (Member # 45991) on :
I am pretty sure I've had at least babesia since 2004, when I was working in tick country (never found a tick though). I had a summer flu, but no other symptoms.
Reflecting back, my sleep patterns changed in late 2004, then I developed "reactive airway disorder" and "asthma" that didn't respond to asthma meds. It went away after a year.
Then migraines and heat intolerance (for lack of a better word) started in 2008.
Random other symptoms here and there until I got mono in late 2012/early 2013. But nothing major - I was just always a little sicker than those around me (an extra cold or flu, or whatever).
Since then, all h*ll has broken loose - severe insomnia, more migraines, leaky bladder, daily insistent grinding headaches, recurrent flus, severe exhaustion, achey knees, achey ribs, shooting pains in my eyes and hands/feet, severe (40lbs) weight gain, irregular periods, etc...goes on forever.
Thankfully (?) positive IGENEX tests for Lyme, and Babesia. My doc and I also think Bartonella, despite negative test, but even just starting treatment for those two has made the migraines evaporate!!!
Incidentally, tried the copper IUD as well in 2013. I only made it about 8 months and had to give up because of miserable periods and pain all. the. time.
I remember googling copper toxicity as well because some symptoms matched. So, I bet there's some interaction. Good luck!
Fundamentally, I think Lyme can be there doing little things to your system for decades without you knowing it. Can't shed the last few pounds, or maybe you get recurrent headaches, or maybe you have periods that never really regularized...etc.
Sure, doctors say "not everyone is normal", but then, not all these symptoms can be idiopathic, can they? Doctors are idiots. Post Lyme syndrome doesn't exist, from what I can tell. Those little bugs can hide forever and resurface, apparently.
