posted
I've had Lyme for at least a year, probably longer. The only real symptom is shortness of breath. I'm a runner. In three years, my mile time zoomed from sub 7:00 to 9:30-10:00+ and the last painful marathon was nearly 6 hours vs. 3:45 earlier.
The initial 30-days of antibiotics (2 wks of doxycycline, then 2 wks of amoxicillin, exactly one year ago) were tough but I started to bounce back. Since then I've been up and down half a dozen times on different abx courses (Biaxin, Suprax, Zithromycin, and just finishing 8 wks of IV Cephotaxime). The pattern is always the same with each new drug/combo: 1-2 weeks of significant improvement in running times, then relapse.
Except for aerobic exercise, I'm fine. Strength is good in the weight room. No joint problems or the other things I read about. Even my anerobic (sprint) times are unaffected. But after 45 secs. of "normal" running (or stair climbing or biking or...), I'm suddenly short of breath, wheezing, running painfully at a very slow pace. I've had every test in the book to rule out co-infections and heart/lung problems, among others. I'm enviably heathly otherwise.
Many Lyme suffers probably can't relate. I'm hardly suffering. My life is otherwise almost normal. But it's very frustrating for me, a 35-year runner. I can't enjoy exercise like I used to. I can no longer run with my buddies or with my daughter, a cross-country/track runner.
Anyone have a similar story: i.e., stubborn, long-term Lyme where the only real symptom is shortness of breath? I'd say "fatigue" but I have energy. It's stamina that's missing.
Thanks in advance. I searched for something similar but decided to post when I couldn't find it.
Posts: 1 | From New Jersey | Registered: Oct 2011
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glm1111
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 16556
posted
Try some antiparasitic herbs. Lungworms can be a possibility and is a much bigger infection in Lyme disease than realized. GiGi has posted about this here on Lymenet. Do a search by typing in lungworms or strongyloids.
Gael
-------------------- PARASITES/WORMS ARE NOW RECOGNIZED AS THE NUMBER 1 CO-INFECTION IN LYME DISEASE BY ILADS* Posts: 6418 | From philadelphia pa | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
I can relate--somewhat. I am not a runner, but a jogger and probably somewhat older than you--and nowhere near as fit. However, I have also been running for over 30 years--just 3 miles a day. In the last 7 years it's been no pleasure. I was finally diagnosed in January of this year and have been taking abx's, but to little avail in terms of returning stamina. One day will be OK(not like before), the next worse in a cyclical pattern. Like you, I'm still fairly strong and have few aches and pains. I do have brain fog and depression though, though how much of that is due to the meds. and the frustration of the illness, I don't know. In addition to lyme have been diagnosed with babesia, which is supposed to cause breathlessness, so maybe you should be treating for that, even though it sounds like you are lacking the classic symptoms(sweats). Sue
Posts: 226 | From Princeton | Registered: Oct 2010
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posted
As a fellow runner - a sub-3 hour marathoner through my 30s - I can totally relate to your predicament. Sure sounds like babesia to me, too!
Consider yourself lucky that this symptom emerged and take it as a warning. Turns out that this was my first symptom when all this mess began over 10 years ago.
Like you, as a runner I was attuned to my split times in track workouts and AT runs. When I just couldn't hit the usual splits anymore, I did the normal cardio-pulmonary workup from the usual docs, and nothing emerged.
Only several years later, when all hell broke loose, did I actually go through 32 other docs to figure out it was Lyme. By then all the infections were systemic and chronic.
So, find a LLMD who will use Igenex to test for all of the various coinfections ticks carry. And treat until you are entirely symptom free. Do it soon!
PS - 3 years into treatment, I was finally able to join my usual track/cross country buddies for a long run this weekend!!!
Best of luck!
-------------------- Increasingly ill over past 10 yrs; treating since October '08. Posts: 180 | From Philadelphia, PA | Registered: Oct 2008
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posted
I've read that aerobic exercise is not recommended for people with lyme disease.
Here's a quote from Connie Strasheim's book by a Dr. H.:
Exercise:
"I think that Dr. B�s approach to exercise is right on. He advocates weight training with lightweights, as well as stretching-type exercises, but cautions against doing too much aerobic exercise.
I agree that people with Lyme need to stretch and do gentle exercises, and that too much aerobic exercise, too fast, will deplete the adrenal glands, decrease T-cells, and open up the blood-brain barrier so that more Borrelia can get into the brain.
Anaerobic-type exercises are more important, especially when people are just starting on a new treatment protocol."
Best wishes.
Posts: 873 | From WA | Registered: Dec 2005
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Bugg
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8095
posted
I have stamina issues as well. The following helps with stamina: healing your nervous system (I found sublingual B12 helpful)....Also, Vitamin D in higher doses...
Posts: 1155 | From Southeast | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
I had chronic neuro lyme for close to 10 years.
Currently in early remission and off abx.s for 4 months and just got re-infected so back on Doxy. But what I can say about the running thing is...
I never really had issues with breathing - except when I was struggling with Babs, so maybe that could be an issue? Also anemia has been an issue.
Prior to lyme, I was competitve for my age group - ran in the 18's for the 5K at the age of 40 and 38:and change for the 10K (female runner). Couple 2:50 marathons in my 30's.
I slowly made my way back - slowly and found that the more I ran the better I would feel but needed to eat WAY more then I had prior to lyme.
De-tox was a HUGE factor in my gaining strength back; IR Sauna. Got rid of parasites and yeast. I also require more recovery time then before.
It has just been in the past few months that I feel like my old runner self. I had been treating lyme off and on for 7 years, so it does take,IMO/E alot of time to get runner healthy again.
Now that I am reinfected (or possible relapse) I am forced to lay low for a while. This lyme stuff really sucks.
Posts: 151 | From North East | Registered: May 2011
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