posted
I have a friend who is 42 years old who has been sick for almost 5 years now. The doctors can't figure anything out, and they are just constantly treating her for her symptoms. She has never been tested for Lyme, and the doctors have never mentioned anything about Lyme to her.
Can you please look at the following symptoms and tell me if you think it might be related to Lyme? If not, can you please tell me what else you would suggest it might be? She has never tried natural therapies before, but I think she is open-minded about them now, because she is very desperate.
Here are the symptoms (there are probably more, but these are the major ones): Extreme swelling in lower torso Chronic pain in her neck and back Bulging discs in and below her neck Feeding tube IV nausea medication Too numerous medications Insomnia Chronic vertigo Heart disease (6 stents) Blurred vision Depression Severe diabetic gastroperisis Out of control blood sugar levels Severe malnutrition (weighs a little over 90 lbs) (She smokes cigarettes, and has a hard time quitting)
Thank you so much for the suggestions.
Addition: I recently found out that she has a history of drug and alcohol abuse. I don't know which drugs it was, and I don't know how bad it was, but her husband thinks that many of these illnesses were self-inflicted. Now it makes the entire issue very much more confusing. I don't feel comfortable asking how bad her drugs problem was.
momlyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 27775
posted
Could be many things.
I recently read a book called Surviving Mold... I can't remember the chapter or the pathologist's name... but there was a pathologist who says 99% of heart disease is mold related. So the heart problem would lead me in that direction. So would a lot of the other symptoms: blurred vision, depression, vertigo, insomnia...
But mold can hold your immune system down and let other infections in. Lyme is one of those opportunistic infections... but so are others!
Without medical testing, it is difficult to say what this woman is suffering with. I would travel to the best doctor she can possibly afford! One that will look into all possibilities! There is a TX doctor who treats mold... not sure if he will look at anything else though. PM me if you want a name.
Tough call, since many doctors are my-optic. They only see what they specialize in.
-------------------- May health be with you!
Toxic mold was suppressing our immune systems, causing extreme pain, brain fog and magnifying symptoms. Four days after moving out, the healing began. Posts: 2007 | From NY/VT Border | Registered: Aug 2010
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
I suggest you look at the list of lyme disease symptoms on pages 9-10 of the Burrascano Lyme Treatment Guidelines found here:
The more of these symptoms a person has, the more likely the person has lyme disease. Nobody has all the symptoms.
You have listed a few symptoms that could be lyme, but you have not listed the most common lyme symptoms. Also, the brain will not function properly if a person has had lyme for at least a year. Memory problems, etc. would be a major complaint. See the list of symptoms on pages 9-10 for examples.
You have listed many symptoms that don't sound like lyme disease at all to me.
She already has certain diagnoses that are very serious and can cause many medical problems. For example, she is a diabetic and her blood sugar is not under control. That is very serious.
She also has malnutrition and bulging discs and heart disease. So, this is one very sick woman.
Smoking is a primary cause of heart disease. Smoking also causes very serious vascular (blood vessel/blood circulation) problems and could be the cause of the extreme swelling on the lower torso. Diabetes could add to this problem.
This lady could end up needing amputations in the lower torso if she continues smoking and even if she quits now.
If she does happen to have lyme disease, she would have to totally stop smoking and drinking. If she didn't, she would have absolutely no chance of ever getting well from lyme disease.
I can certainly see why her husband thinks that many of these illnesses were self inflicted. They do seem to be based on what you have said.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
It sounds to me like this woman is very sick and already has her answers. Most likely has heart disease from smoking and drinking. She has 6 stents at 42? Come on already.. Lyme would not cause that nut drug abuse would. IMO.. I think she's should forget Lyme here.
Posts: 96 | From USA | Registered: Jun 2011
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posted
Thank you all very much for your responses. I trust your opinions a lot, because I know that Lyme patients are usually smarter than most doctors!
God bless.
Posts: 32 | From TX | Registered: Jul 2011
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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
Diabetes causes heart disease and smoking makes it worse. It also is a major cause of blindness - her blurry vision. It affects circulation causing neuropathy and inability to heal. It is the leading cause of non traumatic amputations.
Being an alcoholic can contribute to developing diabetes. Liver damage can cause swelling of the lower abdomin. Her lack of good circulation and general overall poor health could lead to the problems she has with her neck and back. Older women with diabetics are more prone to fractures and anyone with diabetes will heal much more slowly.
I really hate to hear a sick person say they are having trouble quitting smoking. I hate to hear it from anyone but when you are sick, it truly is self inflicted suffering. I know of a woman now in line for a kidney transplant because of diabetes. She never quit smoking or eating garbage.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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groovy2
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6304
posted
Hi-
Sorry your friend is in such bad shape --
Its going to be hard to figure out what could be wrong with her -- Read the symptoms list posted above by TF --
Some of the things you listed could be caused by Lyme like the (joint pain- vertigo-insomnia-depression- Blurred vision ect )
Tell your friend that Lyme is in Texas as well as Babs-- I was infected with both 25 years ago in Austin--
Tell your friend that she Really needs to quit smoking -- it makes a Huge difference--Jay--
Posts: 2999 | From Austin tx USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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