posted
Hello. What a yucky weekend it is turning out to be. I am hoping someone can give me some advice.
I posted about a week ago that I was finally done taking prednisone after almost a year of treatment. I was anxious to finally be done to see what symptoms it was actually masking.
I am still taking Plaquenil and 3000 mg of amox. a day. I was positive for bartonella and negative for lyme through Igenex but still being treated by LLMD for it.
I usually feel ill about a week before my menstrual cycle and it lasts about 7-10 days. I had that about 2 weeks ago. Since yesterday I have had a low grade fever and just feel achey all over. My heels hurt when I walk if I have been sitting for awhile. It's not unbearable pain just an aching.
Since yesterday the joints in my fingers and toes are also aching. I have never had that before. They feel stiff when I bend them and just ache at other times. Is that common? I have only ever had hip and knee problems.
When my symptoms where at the worst I have alot of chest pain and shortness of breath. I haven't had that too often lately. Last night I felt like I just couldn't catch my breath. If I walked up the stairs my pulse was pounding like I just ran. It would slow down to normal rather quickly but it brought back old fears.
If just laying down I felt alot of air hunger. I also had a terrible headache. I am thinking that maybe the prednisone..even though it is very bad for lyme...was masking these problems while I was taking them and now maybe I am truly herxing. On the other hand it makes me think..hey maybe it's not lyme and now symptoms are returning becuase I need the steroids.
I feel so confused. What do all my experts think?
I see my LLMD in 2 weeks to go over all of this. I just wanted some opinions and comfort.
Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
Kit,
I have the achiness in many joints, and particular stiffness and inflammation in my hands, fingers and wrists as well as feet. Also Knee was my first symptom, and I've also go the hip issues.
How much Plaquenil are you taking, and how long have you been taking it? Plaquenil actually helps reduce the stiffness in my hands, but it needs to be the brand. Generic doesn't do it.
I tried NSAID's (like Vioxx) and they did nothing but make me exhausted.
A new doctor I'm working with in conjunction with my LLMD just recommended I start taking Bromelain, an extract from pineapple, because my hands and feet are really reacting to a Zith herx. I just started today, so don't know if it will work.
I never get fevers, but I often get the feeling of just being weak. I've discovered it's because my autonomic nervous system is not functioning properly because of the year's of disease. My doctor is treating it with essential amino acids and B-12 with folic acid.
Your system is probably very weakened from the time you spent on prednisone. I realized how weak I was and searched out an integrative medicine specialist to help me build it back up.
You may want to do the same. Find a doctor who can help the nutrition side and build your system up so it can fight the Lyme.
-Aniek
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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I take 400 mg of plaquenil a day. I have been taking it for almost a year now. I didn't think it was doing anything for me until a couple of months ago when I stopped taking it for several days.
I have the weak feeling really bad today. My fatigue has come back strong since stopping the prednisone. I have to take a nap everyday.
Thanks for your help...kit
Posts: 655 | From Pennsylvania | Registered: Jul 2006
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