beths
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 18864
posted
Well, I haven't posted in a while-after 4 years of on/off lyme/bart/bab treatment, I was lyme free and feeling great. Been off abx 6 months. I was working with a ND now to clean up the mess...my stomach is trashed, and she felt my thyroid was off, even though I had all the tests. She felt you have to "clean out" the lyme stuff hidden deep in your body.
Well, for the past month I've been feeling awful...sore feet, really achy arms and thighs, and today I had the good ole racing heart with my POTS sx, which haven't bothered me in almost 2 years.
Problem is..I'm heading into menopause, and all these things can be signs of low estrogen. So-how to tell what's what?
seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
I'm sorry to hear this Beths. Sometimes I can't take coming to this board and reading how many here relapse no matter what. It's disheartening. I hope it's not a relapse and you'll be back on the right road soon. Best of luck.
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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beths
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 18864
posted
Well, if it is a relapse, I'm still much better off then when I first got sick..I was bedbound then.
I will beat this...but thanks for your support.
Posts: 1276 | From maryland | Registered: Jan 2009
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posted
I would get back with your LLMD to see where to go from here!
Do you feel you had aggressive treatment before?
PS... are you interested in trying bio-identical hormones just to see if that helps??
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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beths
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 18864
posted
Very aggressive...I hit everything-well, I hit babs and bart hard for a few years. In the beginning I had IV for lyme and at the very end I did amoxy/tini for lyme cysts.
Tonight I feel fine.
This disease is so weird.
Posts: 1276 | From maryland | Registered: Jan 2009
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beths
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 18864
posted
Lymetoo-I would like to try bio-identical hormone...but not sure how to go about it! I've tried to find a DR. I took progesterone cream...didn't help, I think I need estrogen.
Posts: 1276 | From maryland | Registered: Jan 2009
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BoxerMom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25251
posted
This disease IS weird!
When I relapsed with Babs, it began with a single episode of a single symptom. (Brief episode of air hunger.) Then some small stuff crept in, again in brief episodes. (Couple instances of early a.m. sweating.)
Then some new stuff I hadn't had before. (Twitchy eye, cough.) This happened over a period of months.
Now I'm in full relapse and back on a Mepron combo. I'd been off Babs meds for almost 2 years, though I was still treating Lyme and Bart.
So, pay attention. If these symptoms continue to come and go, it is likely you are relapsing. You'll want to get back on abx ASAP.
I am herxing again, but not nearly like I did when I started Babs treatment initially.
I sincerely hope you are not relapsing. And if you are, I hope you get those bugs and get 'em good!
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
Beths, about a year after I completed my lyme treatment, I went back to my lyme doctor wondering if I was relapsing or if it was menopause.
He told me 3 ways to distinguish the 2. I remember only one now--migrating pains if it is lyme. First the pain is here, then it moves to there, etc.
Anyway, I didn't have any of the 3, but still he did an antibiotic challenge to find out what was going on. He put me on an antibiotic for 10 days. Then, I did some urine test for something like a week after that. Then sent the test off to the lab for results.
The idea was that if there were lyme bacteria the meds would kill some and the debris would show up in the urine. No debris, no lyme.
Well, my urine was clean, so it meant I wasn't relapsing. It was just menopause.
So, that was 5 years ago now, and I am still fine.
Why not go back to your lyme doc for a visit and get this test for peace of mind. If not now, then later if symptoms persist.
Also, you are in Maryland as am I. I have a fabulous gyn. He has me on bio-identical hormones. He has been great to me--during the lyme and for the 6 years since I got rid of it.
If you want his name, PM me and I will be happy to share it.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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canefan17
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 22149
posted
TF,
That's a great approach by Dr S
Very cool
Posts: 5394 | From Houston, Tx | Registered: Aug 2009
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posted
wow, yeah, Rd S, you're the best, why not just conduct tthe necessary tests... hey by the way, I think low oestrogen can have similar symptoms as high ostrogen levels...nad mimic babesia symptoms...
Posts: 723 | From Montreal | Registered: Oct 2010
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posted
TF, what were your symptoms when you went back to your doc thinking it was a relapse?
Posts: 723 | From Montreal | Registered: Oct 2010
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
It's hard to remember back so many years. I think it was not enough energy to get through the day. Also, feeling mentally exhausted half-way through the day.
Also, a general feeling of not feeling well.
The estrogen did the trick for me.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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quote:Originally posted by beths: [QB] Lymetoo-I would like to try bio-identical hormone...but not sure how to go about it! I've tried to find a DR. I took progesterone cream...didn't help, I think I need estrogen.
As TF mentioned.. your LLMD may help out with this.
Mine treated hormone imbalances.
Keep us posted, OK?
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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beths
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 18864
posted
i don't think he does that-I'm trying to find a Dr who specializes in biodentical hormones. TF gave me a name, but it's a little far for me to drive...but may be worth the trip.
I'm feeling a little shakey, morning "fluish", my muscles are so fatigued and burn; I thought it was lyme, but a girlfriend of mine started complaining of fibromyalgia type muscle pain (she doesn't have lyme) and her gyn told her it's common with falling estrogen.
I also have foot pain, but I spend a lot of time indoors on cold wooden floors wearing slippers, so my hubby says that could cause it.
Also having muscle twitches and palpitations (common with meno) and my POTS type symptoms are coming back, which really scares me
I'll call my LLMD tomorrow.
Posts: 1276 | From maryland | Registered: Jan 2009
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Also, Dr Kent Holtorf, endocrinologist and creator of the FFC protocol, says somewhat the same thing about muscle pain but uses compounded T3 rather than Cytomel:
I was deficient in all 7 hormones. Now that I've been on HGH for 3.5 years, I am making some of the hormones on my own like estrogen and testosterone.
It has taken me about 5 years of playing around with my compounded meds to determine which symptom comes from which deficiency.
Posts: 192 | From Dwight, IL USA | Registered: Mar 2007
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sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
I think you should treat with estrogen and then see how you feel. I am treating with low estrogen along with lyme treatment. You have to treat everything. If the estrogen doesn't help then it might be a return of lyme. I hope not!
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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desertwind
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25256
posted
I had this exact conversation a couple of weeks back. Not sure what might be lyme and/or perimenopause creeping in.
So..I decided to try some natural progesterone cream with phytoestrogens and within a couple of days I felt 75% better.
By that I mean; no more flushes in face or body, no chills or mild sweats less muscle twitching and less pins and needles. Energy levels came back to almost normal, bone and body pain gone.
Have to cycle off of it for 7 days and at day 2 of being off the cream those symptoms are coming back just a bit.
I still have headaches and eye issues but so many of the other symptoms cleared up on the cream and came back when I went off.
The list of perimenopause has so many over-lapping symptoms of lyme. One or the other or both?
Posts: 1671 | From Tick Infested New Jersey | Registered: Apr 2010
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It's disheartening. I hope it's not a relapse and you'll be back on the right road soon. Best of luck.
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