posted
I'm surprisingly now almost 28 weeks pregnant. I've been sick with Lyme since I was 12 years old, and now I'm 29. I've done a lot of good treatments over the years such as the Gerson Therapy, antibiotics, herbals, diet change, etc. I live quite normally mostly. But because I've had bad menstration irregularities, my husband and I were really shocked to have a suprise baby in my senior year of college studying vocal performance.
Since being pregnant I now take amoxicillin daily. I take 500-1000mg, (1 - 2 pills). I feel nasty, but we want our little baby to live.
Questions: - Has anyone else had lyme while pregnant? I take antibiotics as much as I can handle until I Herx too much - Has anyone else had problems eating while pregnant?I can't gain weight! I barely weigh 100 lbs even now - I have bad stomach pain; is this normal for other pregnant lyme sufferers? - any gallbladder pain? I also have a bad gallbladder. I was due for a Hulda Clark cleanse but put it off. Now I need to wait till after I give birth - could some of you share your experiences pregnant with lyme? My regular doctors mostly don't understand much.
Posts: 204 | From Wyoming | Registered: Feb 2003
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-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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LisaK
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 41384
posted
nice to hear your exciting news!
I wsa pregnant with lyme, but that was long ago and much has changed I would think. it was about 18 years ago. they gave me 4 days of antibiotics. I remember feeling some GI issues . Iam a lyme weigh gainer- not a loser ,so I don't know about that, but my mom cannot gain weight adn she found eating more fatty meats, butter, healthy all food weight gaining shakes are good too.
I had a lot of my auto immune issues start after I gave birth. almost immediately, so I would say to make sure you give your immune system top priority. I also became allergic to many foods and meds after I had baby. he was born very healthy, and that was even with onoly 4 days abx. amazing. and at that time I didn't even suspect lyme since I thought I ws cured from that. it wasn't until just a couple years ago that I was diagnosed. my health had been getting worse.
my son has always had health problems since birth and was diagnosed the same time I was - when he ws about 15.
not sure any of this will help you. I hope you and baby will be ok and my advice is to focus on immune system I guess.
-------------------- Be thankful in all things- even difficult times and sickness and trials - because there is something GOOD to be seen Posts: 3558 | From Eastern USA | Registered: Jul 2013
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You didn't mention if you are under the care of a LLMD, just that you are taking antibiotics. If you need the name of one, please let me know. I don't know of any in Wyoming, but there is one in MT, if you are able to travel.
The top LL Pediatrician, Dr. J, has put together a protocol for pregnant women with Lyme which can be followed with one's own doctor. Many have gone on to have healthy babies by following it.
I sent you a pm with Dr. J's contact information.
Wishing you all the best and that your baby be healthy when he/she is born. God bless.
Posts: 8981 | From Illinois | Registered: May 2006
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posted
These posts are very helpful. Thank you! Yes, I am under the care of a good doctor. He is not exactly a LLMD but he is very willing to learn. He researches carefully and helps me a lot. He is one of the reasons why I am doing so well and was able to get pregnant in the first place.
Posts: 204 | From Wyoming | Registered: Feb 2003
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Carol in PA
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 5338
posted
I had awful morning sickness to my seventh month of pregnancy. Nausea, nausea, nausea, and dry heaves. I lost about four or five pounds.
My belly wasn't growing, and I didn't need maternity clothing until the last three months. I had a metallic taste in my mouth all the time. My sister had the same taste, and one of my cousins too, when they were pregnant.
I felt full very quickly when eating, which is normal for pregnancy. (The hormones that cause this are also active when a woman has symptoms of ovarian cancer.)
I found out later that low magnesium and one of the B vitamins can cause morning sickness. Lyme patients are usually low in magnesium, as the Lyme bacteria use up ours.
I was under alot of stress at work, and when I had a week off at Thanksgiving, my belly grew noticeably. I had to go back to work, or I wouldn't have had health insurance.
When the morning sickness finally let up, I had acid reflux to beat the band. This too is considered normal, as the hormones relax the sphincter between the esophagus and the stomach.
A week before I was due, my ankles swelled tremendously and my blood pressure went up. These are symptoms of preeclampsia, which is serious, and I was hospitalized.
The mother can go into seizures, which is treated with intravenous magnesium. Hmmm, low magnesium....sounds like Lyme.
Although my baby was born right on time at 40 weeks, he was underweight at 5 lb. 8.5 ounces. The obstetrician told me that the placenta was unusually small. This is called intrauterine growth retardation...the small placenta retards (slows) the growth of the baby.
I had a good diet, and I gained about 21 lb. I wasn't smoking, drinking or using drugs. But I had Lyme, although I didn't realize what was causing my symptoms.
As soon as I gave birth, the metallic taste in my mouth stopped. Because the baby was so small, he nursed every two hours. His sucking was not very strong, and it took him almost an hour for each nursing.
This left me an hour to use the bathroom, get something to eat, and get back to sleep. Then he woke up again, hungry. It was like this for the first couple weeks, but he gained weight steadily, and when he reached about ten pounds he could eat more and sleep longer.
I'm so grateful that I nursed him, as he grew well and had few illnesses. This is why I encourage moms with Lyme to continue to nurse their babies. Mother's milk is also best for brain growth.
Years later, after I found out about Lyme, I met a woman in the Lyme chat room whose daughter had given birth to a very small baby with a small placenta. The mother of the baby had Lyme symptoms.
Posts: 6947 | From Lancaster, PA | Registered: Feb 2004
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