I am 51 years old and I can remember at 21 drinking a strawberry daquari and breaking out in hives and getting terribly sick. I thought it was the strawberries, so one night I had a couple of beers with some friends. Same thing happened. I also had a cyst on my wrist. Went to dr but he had no answer. Could this be Lyme? I remember getting bit by something when I was around 10. Ran high fever, unable to walk. Never taken to doctor.
Any thoughts? How far back did your symptoms begin?
Posted by ktkdommer (Member # 29020) on :
I discovered in the summer of 2010 that my lupus was not lupus, but Lyme. My odd/weird/mysterious symptoms go back to when I was a young teenager. I believe my infection is 30 years old. I have never been normal but never really sick either.
Not sure how to put 2 and 2 together with your very few symptoms. That said, anything can happen with Lyme.
Posted by ItsMyTurn (Member # 31469) on :
Same here. Never really sick. But over the past few years I have been diagnosed with Hypothyroidism, heart palpitatios, High cholesterol, arthritis, joint swelling, vertigo, sinus infections. Before I was dx with lyme, I would visit the doc and always given prednisone. My symptons would lessen then come back with a vengence.
I have had 3 children. Is it possible to pass to them if I indeed had Lyme 30 years ago?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I think I was Lymed 53 yrs ago.
Doing well now.
Posted by jackie51 (Member # 14233) on :
I think I've had lyme since I was a child. I had headaches, nosebleeds, stomach aches.
Over the years (I'm in my 50's now), I also had ear infections, sinus infections, light sensitivity, foot pain, worser headaches, miscarriages, fatigue, loss of concentration, gerd, short term memory loss, bladder problems, horrid cramps, shortness of breath, anxiety, Raynauds Syndrome, some hearing loss, vertigo, travel sickness, neck pain, full body pain, planter fasciitis,runny nose, cold at night, irritability, depression, weight gain, crissakes, not sure what else.
I haven't compiled my symptom list in quite some time. I forget how far I've come. I can even read in a car now, never was able to do that before.
I'm 90/95% now, but still in treatment. I still have a little fatigue now and then, but nothing like before. Pretty much, everything else is gone, except for a headache now and then, and they are not as debilitating as they used to be. My right knee hurts going up stairs, but I think it's old age. I would love to lose the weight I've gained and get rid of the dark circles under my eyes.
Yes, unfortunately you can pass this on to your children. Both of mine have/had it. There is a protocol for pregnant women and/or folks trying to have children. I did not know about it years ago.
Posted by mom2kids (Member # 31972) on :
I'm 44 and I'm thinking I've had it at least 33 years, could be more. It really slammed me 6 years ago and I just figured out it was Lyme 3 months ago.
Posted by MannaMe (Member # 33330) on :
We think my husband had it 11 years - that's when his health went south.
Posted by BoxerMom (Member # 25251) on :
20 years. Got bit during college. Got sick about a year after graduating. Got diagnosed after 15 years of typical symptoms, when I finally chose to go to a Lyme doc to "rule it out." No other doc had come up with that idea. Again, typical.
I've been in treatment almost 4 years. Doing well, but now struggling with how to get life "on track" after nearly 20 years of putting everything off until I felt better.
Sigh.
Posted by ItsMyTurn (Member # 31469) on :
Thanks for the responses. I think you have confirmed what I already knew. But could I pass this on to my children? Anyone have children and they have issues now?
Posted by twicebitten (Member # 5412) on :
Had lyme for at least 38 years. Probably. I had lots of ticks in our area, found them on us all fall back in early 70's. I had migraines at 10 yo. I think I was bitten again in 1992 or 1993 and had the rash, which was dx as "shingles".
Both my kids have tested + . One is CDC +. My oldest child was born before the 2nd bite so her sx are not as severe. My 2nd child is the cdc + one and has more severe sx.
I found out my weird illnesses and issues were lyme around 2003. I've been treated by 2 llmd's since and still have issues. I think some coinfections were overlooked.
My dh of 13 years is showing sx now. I hope he doesn't get really bad, then who will provide for us??
my turn, be careful! all the best to you.
Posted by abby-do (Member # 25440) on :
Moved here to farm in SE Georgia about 15 years ago did a lot of clearing of brush and pulled many ticks of myself and dogs but didn't know anything about Lyme Disease.
Developed pains both arms, slept with both arms elevated on pillows then painful knees and feet...over years talked with doctors did some reading on Internet and learned of Lyme had a local Dr do Elisa test about 12 years ago, it was negative so didn't think any more about Lyme but continued with more and more symptoms, especially severe brain fog and head tremors.
Tried multiple doctors with no real answers except I might have Lupus, arthritis....2009 I searched out a naturopath in Jax, Fl...wanted me tested for Lyme and heavy metals due to severe tremors and tests were positive for both. Also tested adrenals and was in adrenal fatigue and hypothyroidism. First time I had any real answers and felt positive about my condition....that didn't last long when I learned about the politics of Lyme and this naturopath did not treat Lyme either.
Been treating myself since 2009 with about 50% improvement in Lyme, Adrenals retested and much improved and heavy metal levels right at normal now.
2010 tested for co-infections and had antibodies for Babesia.
Posted by mom2kids (Member # 31972) on :
I think both my kids and hubby of almost 15 years all have Lyme. We live in a rural area, we camp, hike, canoe, and fish, well they still do. Both kids have had attached ticks and rashes, so I don't know if they were born with it or got it through the bites. I guess it could be both.
They all have mostly mild symptoms with flares on occassion. They have not seen an LLMD and have not been treated, except for my son. Five years ago when he had an EM the ER gave him 10 or 14 days of amoxycillin.
Posted by momlyme (Member # 27775) on :
I think I have had Lyme my whole life.
I never "liked" cookies, cake and candy... because it made me feel sick when I ate it.
My mother had Lyme.
Her mother had Lyme.
I figured it out when my son got sick with Lyme. He got very, very sick. Disabled.
He is better now.
We all are better. Knowledge is power.
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
So glad the children are recovering.
I was bitten on the back of my neck by a wood tick in May of 2006. I was misdiagnosed and dismissed for 1.5 years. I had no idea what lyme disease was but I was describing classic symtoms (including the EM rash). All the doctors told me I did not have it because it is not in this state.
I had typical migrating symptoms but my weakness got worse and worse. I thought I had chronic fatigue and was doing a search online. Every time I keyed in chronic fatigue it kept coming up lyme disease so finally I wrote "lyme disease in Montana". Then an article from canlyme came up that was from a newspaper 50 miles from here, titled: "There is lyme disease in Montana".
Four years later. . . . . . I have tested positive for borellia (CDC), babesia duncani and ehrlichia. I have also treated bartonella which was negative.
As the nearest LLMD is 500 miles away, I have only been twice. I tried a LLND that was only 200 miles but she was not well informed. I treat myself with the help of a GP who gives me prescriptions I request.
Posted by bcb1200 (Member # 25745) on :
No idea when I was bitten.
I first got sick in November 2009 with what seemed most like a "stomach flu" except it was different. This was followed by a week of a dizzy / drunk-like feeling.
Then it went away. Then in Jan. 2010 I started to have some queasiness and in early Feb 2010 I got the same "stomach flu" again..with the same dizziness following.
Then I crashed with anxiety, tinnitus, dizziness, muscle aches, fatigue, sweating, tachycardia, nausea, vision issues, eye floaters, etc, etc.
Went to 9 docs from Feb 2010-May 2010 and was told I was fine, that it was stress, in my head, that I had Labyrinthitis (inner ear infection) and that I had a somatoform disorder and that I shoudl seek counciling and go on prozac.
I found my LLMD purely by chance in May 2010. I didn't know she was an LLMD and went to her because I heard she was good with mystery illnesses. She gave me the IGENEX test and I came back CDC positive. I've been in treatment ever since.
Looking back..I have no idea when I was bitten. I suspect it was late 2008 or early 2009 as I now recognize I was having mild symptoms all throughout 2009 (getting car sick, achy legs, etc.)
But...then again, I had an issue with one of my tonsils in 1994 (Lyme is famous for affecting only 1 tonsil or lymph node) and had to have both removed. I got mild IBS like symptoms in 2002. I got reflux / GERD in 2006, etc.
So..who knows. Maybe I've had it for a while. I think 2008/2009 is more likely as that is a year after we moved into our house, cut down 100 trees, and expanded the back yard. We had tons of ticks that year.
Posted by ItsMyTurn (Member # 31469) on :
I watch my children very closely and it seems they have things going on that could possibly be Lyme. Of course, they think I worry too much. My son is constantly clearing his throat, one daughter has severe menstrual cramping, and has suddenly put on a lot of weight,, and my other daughter is always having a sore throat and swollen glands, plus bruises very easily and looks like she has the bart stretch marks. They are all 18 and older so getting them to go get tested is like pulling teeth. LOL
Posted by Jennifer70 (Member # 30280) on :
five years, but it's possible I had it when I was a child. I was in the hospital for two weeks with what they originally thought was Rocky Mtn spotted fever, but then said it was kawasaki disease. So who knows.
Posted by koo (Member # 30462) on :
I believe I have had it since age 9 while living in New Jersey. I was sick then, recovered, did pretty well up until about 2006 when "something" seemed off.
The s**t hit the fan in 9/2009, apparently this disease came out of the closet with a vengeance. Was only dx in March of this year.
I believe my 26 year old daughter probably has it, had HORRIBLE GI issues at age 14, interestingly after a ski trip (altitude?). She does not show positivity on Igenex, only to recently find out congenital Lyme probably won't show up on testing.
Posted by koo (Member # 30462) on :
Oops, sorry, forgot to mention that I am now 50, so have had this for 41 years, albeit majority of them were good years.
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
My first time I got Lyme was 1972 .... bitten dozens of times over several years. I remember vividly getting sick one August, but never tied it to all the tick bites.
I finally, in the mid-80's, learned to live with it and did okay. Remission when I got amalgams out and became a health nut.
Bitten again about 9 years ago. Three years until diagnosis, disabled by then. Three years of treatment. Well now for more than two years. Better than I have been since 1972.
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