Subject: My Story. Still not sure if Lyme or not...
First thank you for reading this.
My name is Sean L. and I am 35 years Old. I am the president of a successful internet company. I have a beautiful wife and 3 great kids. The reason I am starting with this statement is because for a year now people have been telling me that all of my pain is coming from stress and or Fibromalagia. However, as I just mentioned, I have no reason to be under any stress and things in life were going smooth and everything was going well. I just could not accept the fact that my life is diving in a downward spiral because of my own doing. It has to be something else.
The symptoms:
For over a year now my symptoms have been getting worst and worst. Started with muscle pain behind the left shoulder blade ( around Feb ) and a few months later spread to my left shoulder blade. Continued to my mid back and finally lower back as well. Continuous muscle spasm all over for over a year. About 3 months ago my symptoms have leaped into a whole new level. Continued with daily serious neck tension, headache and the worst of all, ringing in my head ( especially in the morning when I wake up ). My back and neck feel ( and sound ) like they are made of rice crispies. They make a crunchy noise which make me feel as if I am 75. I am mostly tired and sick of feeling sick. If you look at me from the outside all is looking well, I look fine and do everything I am supposed to. However inside I am a mess, I spend most of my day worrying about my unknown disease and the fact that things are getting worst, much worst.
The whole thing started around Jan/Feb of 08 when I came back from a cruise to Mexico. The strange thing is that I got the bulls eye spots on my legs around June ( about 6 months after I started with the symptoms ).
Its hard for me to concentrate on work and find my self talking to other people trying to find out if anyone is feeling as bad as I do... and they don't.
What have I done:
I had complete blood work ( no Lyme testing ), MRI of the back, MRI of brain ( which felt horrible by the way ), Neurological testing and much more. Had spent over $25,000.00 in co payments to Blue cross and still have a clean bill of health.
I just wanted to post this and let you all know that I thank you for sharing your information and stories as I find it comforting to know that help is out there.
Tomorrow I am going to see a Lyme disease literate Dr in Agoura Hillsm CA thanks to a referral from this forum. He told me he will do a special blood test and will send it to a special lab in Palo Alto.
I will report back with the findings as I hope my story will help someone.
I wanted to ask if anyone knows if I do have Lyme disease, will the symptoms and damage I have is irreversible or may one day be cured and hope for to feel 100% again ?
Thanks again for reading this and stay healthy,
Sean L. - Agoura Hills, CA.
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
Sean, I'm sorry to hear of what you're going through. We sound so similar. I really feel for you. I am working off a clinical Dx, but our symptoms mirror each other. I wish you the best at your LLMD appt.
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
There are success stories.
I think at the top of General Support.
Read them.
Yes you can get better.
I can't promise 100%, but where life is enjoyable again.
Hang in there and please keep us posted.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posted by Starfall1969 (Member # 17353) on :
Hi Sean. Welcome to the world of psychosomatic illness! The sooner you accept that it's all in your head and get yourself to a psychiatrist for some antidepressants, the sooner you'll feel better.
I'm being sarcastic. That's what I've been hearing for the past 7 months that I've had symptoms--shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle pain/weakness, joint pain, fever and chills, visual disturbances, etc. I have lost more than 30 pounds without trying.
Like you, I have been through blood work, including Lyme tests; CT scans; ultrasounds; MRIs--all normal.
I have been to several doctors in the practice I visit, the ER, a neurologist, 2 optometrists, an opthamologist, a gastroenterologist, and no one can find anything.
I've had several doctors tell me it's all in my head, and I'm just a stressed stay at home mom who needs to get out more, maybe get a job. The answer is to see a psychiatrist to sort out my issues and get on an antidepressant.
I have been on Zoloft, Xanax, and Lexapro, and all have caused severe reactions. The pharmacist wouldn't even fill the script for Celexa that the latest doctor gave me.
I'm scheduled to see a LLMD in March, and as much as I don't want to be sick, I pray that I am diagnosed with Lyme so that I can get on the road to health again.
Good luck, and I'm sure you'll be able to regain most if not all your good health! Keep the faith! Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
I got a Somatization Disorder diagnosis from a "regular" doctor. I did end up having a positive Lyme test and got treated by an LLMD. The symptoms did go away (hopefully in another month or two I'll feel I can add my story to success stories).
Bullseye rashes? You had more than one? Typically a bullseye rash is diagnostic of Lyme Disease.
Another consideration .... since you were traveling to a tropical climate, if it ends up not being Lyme, could it be something like malaria?
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