I am new to this board, just wanted to say hi.

Has anyone had a "relapse" or a major (and I mean major) worsening of symptoms that occured with a stressful event(s) such as divorce, etc.?

I believe I've had this for a long time. But although there were bouts where I couldn't function at all, most of the time I was at about 80% capacity and was feeling at least semi-human. I had given up seeking medical treatment because it had all been so much running around in circles with no answers.

A few years ago, I had two major tragedies strike at once, the death of my brother and the only family member I'd been close too which occured at the same time as my partner of seven years leaving me to be with someone else.

Suddenly the whole thing just spun out of control. An astute and intellegent doctor diagnosed me with mycoplasma and treated me extensively with minocycline. This improved and eliminated certain symptoms (Thank God!!!) but did not altogher make me feel "normal". Gradually the remaining symptoms worsened. And worsened. Now I have been stuck in bed for months and have cardio/neuro symptoms. Thankfully I came across accurate Lyme info while websurfing.

Around the time when it started getting worse I had been in a wooded area where everyone kept pulling ticks off themselves. Symptoms also seemed to take another downturn about 2 years ago. Two things happening then- 1) I was staying in a heavily (really heavily) tick infested property and 2) I was in a very stressful relationship.

Since I got really sick with Lyme I find my body reacts terribly to stress, my symptoms get worse right away. Now,I try to avoid stressful situations, crises, conflict or anything that makes me feel worse.

I got Lyme after a tickbite last July. My symptoms began to appear the week of a dear friends memorial service. I was grief stricken and mega stressed. I'm sure this contributed to how sick I got in just 3 1/2 weeks

Now that I've been on antibiotics for 9 months and am making a lot of progress, I've found that some symptoms I've had for at least 15 years are going away. Although I'm still sick and having weird Lyme symtoms, in some ways I feel better than I ever have. Things that always hurt me are getting better. I'm starting to think that I've had Lyme for a long time. My LLMD says it is likely and the recent tickbite triggered a full blown active case.

Read up here on Lymenet about finding an LLMD (Lyme Literate Medical Doctor).

hatsnscarfs

it happened after i had surgery on my knee two year's ago.

emotional stress,is also a trigger.it is hard to avoid stressful situation's.

but try if you can.i don't mean ,live in a box.just leave an arguement,walk away.

valium might do it.i don't know.someone on this post suggested it.try it.tell your doc what it's for..

good luck,biting the bullit.......gary

Good stress (birth of grandson), bad stress sends me in a tail spin. I do my best to avoid stress, but life happens.

My mother came down with all kinds of weird symptoms after an auto accident. Burning, painful feet and disequilibrium when she'd turn her head, among other problems. Tried many "cures" -- nothing helped.

Several years later, my father passed away, and my mother had hallucinations very similar to those described by Amy Tan in her book "The Opposite of Fate." Yup, both women have Lyme.

I first came down with symptoms when I was taking my ex to court. The CDC would've loved my positive Lyme test. Then I relapsed again 2 years later when it was time to pack up and move out of state. (The morning the movers arrived, I could barely walk, having stayed up late packing the night before.)

I believe stress lowers the immune system, making the body a friendly environment for the spirochetes to come out and wreak havoc.

Regards,
Shaz