I had a slight (common) headache when I went to bed; and I barely dosed off when I woke up because my right eye ball was hurting - felt very pressurized. I got an ice pak = because that's usually what I do for any sort of head pain: icepak it.

I started dosing off again, but awoke suddenly as I experienced this explosion (with sound) inside my head. Intuitively I felt it had to do with my eyeball, so I got up and looked in the mirror. Eyeball was fine. Hmmm.

Went back to bed - trying hard not to think about the explosion and whether this meant there was something bleeding in my head (and thankful I had not taken my evening round of heparin.)

While lying there in bed worry myself half to death about IF I would actually wake up in the morning, I couldn't decide which way to lie - on my back? on my side, and if so which one? Does it matter which direction the blood drains, if in fact, there IS blood in my head?

I turned on my right side, and I SWEAR after a little while I felt some pressure in my right ear. Hmm. Not a good sign. OR maybe I was just being paranoid?

I turned on my back again, and convinced myself that if something had indeed exploded in my head, I would certainly feel worse than this....maybe...hopefully.

As I kept trying to fall asleep, I would awake with a startle as more 'tiny' explosions were going off - making me think that I was having that experience where you just start to fall asleep and then startle awake for some odd reason. But this really felt different.

I think this happened about 8 or 9 times.

The smaller explosions didn't feel like the first...but I just don't think it was that 'normal' experience of startling awake. Does that make sense to anyone?

I'm wondering if it was some kind of nocturnal seizure or something - what do y'all think?

And yeah, I'll call my doc today. I just don't want him to either a: blow it off as nothing without really HEARING me OR b: tell me I need to have an immediate MRI.

Other than continued headache & some eye pain, I feel my usual level of misery. I'm still relatively aware of my surroundings...I know that my house is filthy, yet I won't be cleaning it today; I know today is Tuesday, it is May 24, 2005; and I know that, like it or not, George W. is STILL the president. (Yes, I'm a Texan but I'm not required to love him.)

See - I'm still sarcastic. I feel relatively 'normal' ...you know, for a lymie.

Feedback?

Thanks in advance.

Blessings,

After reading your post.. my first thought would be to change the title from...

"Little tiny explosions in my head..."

TO-

"Explosions in my tiny little head..."

Yep.. you win the Tuesday Morning Nut Case award.. no doubt.

Ok.. I am NOT giving medical advise.. and I am NOT wanting you to act on what I am saying in any way, shape, or form. This is just a thought that MAY apply.. or may not.

I found this was happening with me.. so I will share it for whatever it's worth.

When the brain lining/fluid/tissues/etc. in the brain/skull/neck swell or are under pressure, it makes the flow of spinal fluid more difficult to get to where it normally would be. Like trying to put 10 gallons of wine in a 5 gallon leather pouch and trying to get it to be "normal".

Also... it is kinda like when playing in a slow moving creek and putting rocks in different spots to block the water flow or change the direction. Some areas that normally would "flow" regularly no longer will and you have sort of created a mini-dam.

The fluid in the brain can get "blocked" and later.. as you move.. or as the swelling goes down.. or some other something goes on.. the fluid will suddenly burst through the proper channel once again.

This actually causes a noise you can hear in your head.. and even in your neck as the fluid tries to move through the tiny opening in the spinal column.

To me it sort of sounded like when you squeeze a plastic ketsup bottle and it suddenly squirts out the ketsup in one big blob all over the place.

The description you gave.. about moving from side to side and not knowing which way to lay to "drain" made me think of the times this happened to me.

If you lay on your right side (or left).. as I do sometimes.. I also feel the ear pressure start after a while and I feel uncomfortable enough to move on my back to assist the draining process... or at least reduce the pressure.

My thought is.. and this is NOT anything official.. just what goes through MY little brain...

The fluid, your brain, your guts and whatever else is contained in that little skull of yours is shifting a small bit due to gravity.. and the additional fluid, swelling, or whatever, is noticed because it is not what normally would be there... it is a bit extra.

I am sure there are other reasons you could feel this sensation.. and I HIGHLY recommend checking with the doctor. I don't know what meds you are on.. or any of the nitty gritty.. so again.. this is ONLY a thought to share.

Ice.. like you used.. reduces swelling. If you used the ice.. and the swelling reduced.. the explosions might just occur for that reason.

This was terribly worrisome when I had it happening to me years ago. I was scared too. Once I determined what it was.. with the help of a chiropractor... I was much more clam.

Hopefully you will find answers for yourself and your brain won't explode all over town this afternoon. I hate when that happens.

Feel better soon, Squirt.

PS.. Ear infection? Sinus infection? Just a thought.

------------------
If you get the choice to sit it out or dance...

I'm glad your going to the doctor--you get all the "fun" stuff--have you noticed?

ultimately, I forgot them.

I hope you feel better and keep the explosions at a low rumble

No really, when all is said and done ...

lemme know what the doctor says

As far as your explanation of your experience, TC, I would like to say:

"HUH???" (In keeping with the true "little head" style, of course.)

Does that imply that excessive fluid means I might have encephalopathy? Isn't that swelling of the tiny skull, tiny brain, or tiny head in general?

AND I found one of your comments VERY interesting, because for the past several months I could SWEAR that I've heard my craniosacral fluid draining down the back of my head into my neck.

I even posted this once, but got another kind of "Lymenet Nut Case" award on that day too.

I think it was our good friend, and brainic lymie Ms. Dura Matar that poo-pooed my thought, saying it was IMPOSSIBLE to hear your own craniosacral fluid. (This of course had been previously backed up by an osteopath AND a chiropractor...but I don't always believe doctors these days)

SO - what the @#$% IS that grainy fluid that leaks down my tiny skull into my large neck?

And back to my original question - what KIND of fluid is that that's breaking through my neural dams?

Request more feedback, please.

(FYI - Still trying to get ahold of doc - as his office has YET to turn their phones off the answering service - and it's WHAT TIME? Oh yes, almost 11 AM!!! Not upset at all!!!!!!!!!!! I am calm!!!!!)

Blessings,

Linda - Yes, I do get the 'fun' stuff. I can hear a little jealousy in your post. Perhaps if you train yourself to become a little more neurotic, narcissistic, & paranoid, you, too could start winning some "Nut Case" awards around here. Hey lady - it takes WORK to be this screwed up!

Sapphire - Thank you for your SINCERE post! (Some of us don't get no respect around here...!!) My question still remains - WHAT IS THAT FLUID?
As far as the migraine theory - I've had them for YEARS AND YEARS (OK, a couple of decades). So far - this ain't one. (Thank you God!) Otherwise, I might have woke my DH up & insisted we go to the ER last night if I had a migraine AND the explosions. But thanks for that tip.

Now Crime - your advice was given like a true Lymie. I bestow upon you this morning: "The LymeBrain Of-The-Day Award". Thanks for the chuckle!

I've actually gotten to speak with my doc's nurse. AND she said she'd actually give him my message & he'd call if he thought it might be serious. Whew! What a relief. My doc will read this message by early evening...I trust I won't die before then.

I had this when I had encephalitis and had a lot of swelling in the brain.

I was laying in bed trying desperately to go to sleep and heard "the noise." I asked my husband if he heard it because it sounded so loud and he said no. Then it happened again. I still woke up the next day, but I remember worrying about it most of the night thinking I was having an aneurism or something.

Never happened again...

I wonder if it was an auditory hallucination, but I'll never know. I did have a CT scan later and they did find one AV malformation but "nothing to be concerned about."

At her tender age, she is already learning that you just can't say things like this to a lot of doctors. And if I try to say it for her, it's even worse.

We are still trying to come up with a strategy for addressing this weird and disturbing problem, medically, without being accused of hypochondria or delusions.

So, let us know if your superior communication skills get you any answers!

I also had auditory symptoms too, a "SNAP!" sound.
That all stopped when I restarted the Zoloft, as I could not tolerate the increased level of body pain.

I don't think you can "hear" a Transient Ischemic Attack, when a tiny blood vessel breaks. But you may feel it as a terrible headache. I had one several years ago during a migraine, and part of my face went numb. The numbness improved over the next couple days, and was pretty well resolved in about two weeks.
I didn't bother my doc with it, as I had no other symptoms.

Bigmama - Your post has scared some crap out of me...but I guess that's OK because I've been a little constipated lately.

HOW did you know that you had encephalitis when you did? I assume you have been diagnosed with that previous to your explosion experience?

As for you Lyddie - I certainly understand the frustration of having weird symptoms and not knowing how/when to communicate it to the doc...and to what degree of hysteria should the communication be?

Thank you for the technical term. I shall google 'head zaps' and 'brain zaps' and see if I come up with anything usable.

Carol - This whole scenario was happening while I was trying to sleep. I have not recently started or stopped any medication - altho I will say that after that first big head explosion, I saw on my nightstand that I had not actually taken my evening meds, which includes the Neurontin (900 mg).

So do you, Carol, think it might have been a seizure? And if so, was it just an innocent little Lymie type seizure OR could it be a signal to something more dreadful like Bigmama suggested...like encephalitis.

AND if that Lyme encephalitis is possible, will my LLMD (Neuro) waiting until this EVENING to even read my phone message be possibly detrimental to my health? I mean: could I just drop dead? Would I get some advance warning, so I could delete some stuff off my computer?

Thanks,

My theory is that it is more to do with the middle ear, maybe explaining your ear pressure and the noise. My symptoms have been primarily neurological, dizziness, pulling to one side, head fullness, blocked ears with pressure, disequilibrium, lack of co-ordination etc.etc.etc.

I haven't had the noise since on new regimen of drugs, but feel and hear popping, clicking, crunching with more like a post nasal drip down my throat(not my neck).So I guess that doesn't qualify me for an award. As this continues, my symptoms are subsiding.

I have been having the same thing happen for the past 2 weeks along with head pressure (not usual - more like my head being squeezed with a vice), eye issues, auditory hallucinations etc.

When a neuro-opthamologist dx'd me with lyme encephalopathy he did it as though it was expected with lyme (meaning that it wasn't something to kill me - so he thought). So, I am having more of the same now - and my current neuro is just wanting me to call daily and changing meds as needed.

I believe the change in weather (atleast here near dc) has alot to do with it (but like TC I'm no doctor).

We don't know if he is really having LD hallucinations or is just so desperate for attention because his Mom and Dad are asleep all the time.

Spend my evenings waiting for the DHS to knock on the door.

Yes I'm going to get a t-shirt that says hypocondriact/menchover by proxy--they are both my friend.

On a good note I read recently that if you are a hypocondriact that it dosen't just spontaniously "start." I found that reassuring as my family thinks I woke up and decided to be sick and found a doctor to support my diagnosis.

Do you grind your teeth when you sleep? Maybe grinding your teeth messed with your jaw and ears? I know I kept telling my doc my ears hurt and it took me quite a while to realise it was my jaw/teeth grinding that was causing the problems. Might be related--sounds better than dripping brain fluid...

It definately is Neur...but...I would suspect,

Bartonella
or
Candida

"I mean: could I just drop dead?"

No.

After being awarded the Tuesday Morning Nut Case Award, that is not allowed. It says so in the bylaws... so forget THAT as a way to get any relief.

Ok..

It appears you are afraid of (rightly so).. or concerned about brain swelling or enceplopathy.

Well, that might be a concern for folks.. but with your problems, my guess was you already had that as a possibility and knew it could be going on? By your response.. perhaps not?

NOT saying it is what is going on.. but it does happen a good bit in folks with Lyme.

I will post a new post for "water on the brain" info.. including stuff like, "Lyme neuroborreliosis disguised as normal pressure hydrocephalus." And it will be just for your information.

Since I have been away.. I haven't known what is going on with everyone.. so it is hard to jump in the middle without a review of basics.

NOT saying this IS the problem.. just trying to answer your NEVER ENDING questions. HA!

And now that I have your attention... might as well give you the "Paul Harvey".. the REST of the story.

As the brain sort of kicks the bucket.. it sort of slips away from the skull.. like shrinks up a bit. (Kinda like a fellow might do while standing in ice cold water- ya know?) The empty cavity.. which I am sure you might have one somewhere between those two ears of yours... kinda gets fluid filled sometimes.

Some folks have a shunt installed.. kinda like a drain pipe to let out the excess fluid. That would be the alternative to a pump... like the one that they use in boats to get water out of the bildge. They install a shunt in humans cause walking around with a bildge pump on your head.. like a hat... can distract from ones looks a bit and make people stare or point and laugh.

Now.. as far as being able to hear the fluid make noises... I still say you can. My bet is- only the ones who have not had swollen tissues in the brain or water laying there building up pressure are saying it can't happen.

Pump their little head cavities full of pressurized water and listen to them "squirt". Maybe then they would know better?

Anyhow.. not to worry.. many of us have had swelling of the brain, the brain lining, the fluid increases, pressure, etc.

And with proper treatment.. this does get better.

Just a guess.. do you have Babesiosis? Have you treated for it?

Let me know.

I found my brain swelling/fluid stuff eased up when treated for Babesia.

NOT that you even HAVE this problem.. just trying to explain it to clear up the confusion.

------------------
If you get the choice to sit it out or dance...

And below it is a warning to STOP swallowing flies. I KNOW you do that. Don't try to deny.

And when your doctor finally calls back.. just read to him/her the information about flies I posted for you below. I am sure then, once you read that to him, the doctor will get a clearer idea of what is going on with you.

http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/034340.html

I know an old lady who swallowed a fly.
I don't know why she swallowed the fly.
Perhaps she'll die.

I know an old lady who swallowed a spider
that wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
I don't know why she swallowed the fly.
Perhaps she'll die.

I know an old lady who swallowed a bird.
How absurd, to swallow a bird!
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
that wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
I don't know why she swallowed the fly.
Perhaps she'll die.

I know an old lady who swallowed a cat.
Imagine that, to swallow a cat.
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird.
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
that wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
I don't know why she swallowed the fly.
Perhaps she'll die.

I know an old lady who swallowed a dog.
What a hog, to swallow a dog!
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat.
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird.
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
that wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
I don't know why she swallowed the fly.
Perhaps she'll die.

I know an old lady who swallowed a horse.
She's dead of course!

Hope you feel better,

quote:

---

Originally posted by DR. Wiseass:
I think it was our good friend, and brainic lymie Ms. Dura Matar that poo-pooed my thought, saying it was IMPOSSIBLE to hear your own craniosacral fluid. (This of course had been previously backed up by an osteopath AND a chiropractor...but I don't always believe doctors these days)

---

To be more accurate, I did not poo-poo your thought, rather I offered you a physiologically plausible explanation of what you experienced. I would also offer this same explanation, namely misfiring of various auditory neurons (due to Bb or some other co-infection) which again, are contributing the to wild symphony you seem to be experiencing. Sometimes it sounds like fluid, at this time it sounds like "explosions" but in either case, misfiring of auditory neurons is a physiologically plausible hypothesis.

And to answer someone else's query, no, one can't hear TIAs.

As for the explosions, I do not have a clue.I do know that one Dr once questioned whether my daughter may be having some electrical misfires..Or mini seizures..The hospital did eeg's but nothing unusual showed up..

She does have encehpalitis..

Good luck Doc and congratulations on the award..Think I would request a framed version for your wall....Now, I am jealous..I have had a few fun things happen to me on lymenet but never an award..

Hey BOZO.. what gives?

Did the head finally pop it's top?

Come back...

Mine does. Sometimes it is horrible.. sometimes not as bad. I have had several spinal taps in the early years and no one mentioned anything abnormal.. but then.. I was postive for histoplasmosis in my spinal fluid and the duck motel NEVER mentioned a word of it to me... and told me NOTHING was wrong with me after all the tests and exams. They lied.. and they missed 10 tick borne diseases. I saw the test results years later once I got my records. I did not check the other things back then to see if they were "normal" or not. Maybe I should?

You said.. " my daughter also says she can feel a bulge on top of her head, where her headache is"

Well, I have doctors who say that is impossible because the skull is solid and will not expand or move... and all the plates in your head are fused solidly together.

Puppy poo I say. I also feel the buldging in the top of my head.. and can feel the skull slightly deformed when this happens by placing my hand on it.

My jaw joints often feel as if they are being forced outwards when the swelling feeling comes on strong... like a huge balloon is being inflated in my head and the "give away" point is the jaw joint area.

I also have fluid buildup in my upper upper areas of my gums.. usually one side or the other. My upper jaw bone feels as if it has deterioated and is soft and crunchy... as if the bone is being eaten away and is now fragile.

So I personally believe her... and those things she feels also happen to me. But my bet is it would be hard to get a doctor to admit this happens. But again... unless their heads also buldge.. they would have no way to know.

Hope she is doing better soon.

I can feel the bulge on her head with my hand. Doctors have denied this possibility, as you said, and won't even touch her head. She has a new doctor so maybe we'll try to take her in to him when this happens.

Her neck also gets swollen. A massage therapist wrote a note to her doctor saying that her neck contained swellings that he had never seen before in his career.

I am so tired of her being in pain. How do you treat yours, Tincup? Do diuretics help?

At the moment, she is dealing with major yeast from the combo of anitbiotics and diabetes. I don't know when she will be able to do Lyme treatment again. Has Lyme treatment helped your head pain/swelling problems? Do you think that anitbiotics are the only way to truly deal with it?

And it's tacky to win an award and then disappear--its bad for moral.

Lymemomtoo--thank you for liking my t-shirt--sometimes I feel like I am the only Mom being criticized for thinking her child is sick. Dr. J will get all the tests back in two weeks.

Hey Smartbottom--what did the doc say?

L

quote:

---

Originally posted by cave76:
Lisa,

I've had those--- at least the description sounds familiar. In fact, with hindsight, they may have been one my first symptoms----before I got sick but was not quite right either. (Hush! TC )

I tried to describe them to a variety of ducks--- the best I could do was say it sounded a bit like a far-off manhole cover being dropped, with the sound in my head. (No wonder we're considered nut cases. )

Anyway, I've never figured out what they are. I still get them, but not as bad. But almost always ONLY when I'm lying down.

In my case I can't always put them together with increased brain swelling.

cave76
[email protected]

---

I get funny ear noises-- hard to describe, only in one ear, and pronounced when head is turned in a certain direction.
Usually when I'm in bed, and have to turn over to get my head in a better position and then it stops. They sould like distant firecrackers. A muffled repeated popping sound. I've had MRIs of the head, had a carotid ultrasound, etc., no one can explain them. They are worse when my lyme sx are worse.

So sorry to respond this late - I know it's 'tacky' but that is part of my personality, so you are required to overlook.

Yesterday afternoon I had to go up to my daughter's school & pretend like I was a normal mom watching the awards ceremony. (The ceremony with lots of LOUD kids and MUSIC... It was one of the longest hours of my life!)

I felt like total crap - tremoring like crazy, dizzy, headache, profuse bab sweats...(yes, TC, I officialy have Babs).

I'm glad my hubby was there for me to lean on...there was one time I thought I might pass out!

Came home & took 4 hour nap & waited for my doc to call. HE DIDN'T. So I assume from that LACK of attention from him, that he believes I am OK.

I didn't respond last night, as there were MANY season finales on TV - and a gal HAS her priorities!!

Today, I feel relatively 'normal' in that miserable way Lymies feel 'normal' - and so far nothing else has blown up in my head or otherwise!

I have an appt. with the good doctor tomorrow - so I will hopefully gain more insight then.

Now, to address some of my fellow Lymies' questions/comments:

Lymemomtoo - It's not WHAT you have, it's how pathetic & paranoid you sound when you present it! Dig up some of your old ailments & practice presenting your case with more neurotic type descriptions. I think that's the key to winning awards around here -- at least the "Nut Case" award! Just a thought. Good luck.

LindaLD - Hey woman - what's the deal with the triple posting? Just what medication are you on? OR is that YOUR way of getting MORE attention than ME? Jealous, jealous, jealous!

The good Dr. Duramater - Thank you for your physiologcially plausible explanations with regards to my various physiological experiences. Perhaps it IS because you have a legitimate DR in front of your name that I so easily discard your explanations...or maybe it's because I am jealous of you for being so much smarter than me. Hmmm.

Perhaps I could tell you which case it is, except the WEATHER here is hot, muggy & miserable & very distracting. BUT not as distracting as the d*mn flies that are buzzing around in my head!!

Finally, TC - how ever did you know about the flies? Is that a common Lymie craving or what?

I would like to thank you TC for your continued interest in my tiny little head explosions - did I get that right? Instead of tiny explosions in my head...???

Thank you for your effort at explaining an otherwise dreary and confusing subject matter. I do so feel very special about the hydrocephalus links. I just feel swell. (I trust you get that joke.)

OR perhaps you just gave me all that homework to just SHUT ME UP from all my NEVER ENDING QUESTIONS? Hmmm. What were your motives?

I want you to know, TC, that I saved my little melodramatic crisis just for your return...and I'd like to say you've been gone for a really long time - no wonder there was an explosion - as all the fluid was just in there WAITING AND INCREASING. (I therefore could blame all of this on you...but I will excuse you as you did not know how much your presence in my life meant to me!)

I do have one more thing to say, TC.

For the most part your presentation about all the brain fluid & potential reasons for stuff sloshing around in the skull was actually quite entertaining and comforting.

However, there was one line that was disturbing for this neurotic lymie (me):

"As the brain sort of kicks the bucket..."

KICKS THE BUCKET? That's not comforting, TC!

I realize we're all already in a state of decay...constantly approaching the day that we do actually kick it - but I must say that your timing with that particular expression was quite disturbing. I had to further medicate myself. Just wanted you to know.

As my fingers are started to cramp from all this typing - I would like to end by saying Thank you to all of the replies - it has been a really swell education for me!

I will report back to you about what my neuro says tomorrow.

Blessings,

Also I keep forgetting, I always suspect that allergies may have something to do with some of this..And barometric pressure and moon cycles..Just let the wolves howl...

How are you feeling? Email me. I'd email you but between getting off of Lymenet, opening my email and actually emailing you - I'd get lost in something else. And I probably wouldn't remember I was going to email you until 2am while laying in bed trying desperately to fall asleep...

Hey, did you see the finale NCIS?????? WTH?????????

Well, I do and have had bumps/lumps on head, I call them gushy spots and they hurt. My head hurts at the same time. I can also feel a pulse in these gush spots on top of my head. I also have mini-explosions in my head when I lay down at night and swooshy sounds with kinda like blocked ears or great pressure in head and ears. When I feel like this (head feels like it is going to burst), my scalp (skin) is really really tight, cannot move my scalp/hair around when trying to do a massage.

When my head and body are not feeling good, like this week and or is it just me, but I truly do not feel good all of the time, just various levels of awful stuff.

I decided to measure my measure at various angles when I feel like this, and then when I am feeling better and scalp/sking is soft and moveable, I measured again. There is definately an increase in size when head is swollen, so I really do suffer from a swollen head (hehehe, my body is also swollen at same time. So I am assuming there is some kind of build up of body fluid.

Am waiting on tinadazole from pharmacy in Vancouver, must call Dr. M and see what's up.

One thing I was told by someone in the medical field is that these bumps/lumps on head are blocked lymph nodes and NOT to rub/massage them hard, just ever so softly gently caress them to get lymph nodes moving.

Also was told to get one of those blow up balloons (exercise ball) and for 5 minutes a day gently "bounce", this is supposed to give you a full body lymph drainage. Much much cheapter than going to a massage therapist.

My eye doc says I can bounce a little, so will get myself a ball this week and give it a try, especially before going to bed and arising.

I have been so traumatized by physicians' reactions to my daughter's weird ailments, that I had just about given up trying to get her help for this head pain she's ahd since 1/6/03.

Today, as often happens, I got a call to pick her up at school with a horrendous headache. After reading this thread, I asked the school nurse to feel my kid's head, on the top, and to document what she found.

She found a bulge there (and had been taught in school that this was not possible). The nurse also found a PULSE on top of my daughter's head, very weird.

I guess others of you have this.

Anyway, I asked the nurse to e-mail these findings to my daughter's new doctor. I am hoping this will bring some help.

My daughter is swollen in other places today (most noticeably upper arms). The storm continues outside. Why would barometric pressure cause swelling like this?

The strange swellings between shoulder and neck are definitely something to do with lymph drainage. Is it possible to have lymph nodes or swellings of the lymph system on top of the skull?

Any ideas on how to deal with this are most welcome. two and a half years of pain for this girl...

She was in two plays tonight, despite the pain. I don't know how she does it...

Good to hear your head didn't explode last night. I hate when that happens.

Well jeepers creepers.. I plum forgot what you asked and what I was suppose to respond to. My computer is running VERY slow tonight.. and my brain is even slower. Hold on while I go re-check.

````````````````````````````````````````

Ok.. first to Lyddie... cause I don't like to see a child in pain. If I can provide ANY help Lyddie.. please just let me know.

You said..

"Her neck also gets swollen. A massage therapist wrote a note to her doctor saying that her neck contained swellings that he had never seen before in his career."

Just so you know you aren't alone... my chiro had to fix a VERY swollen area below my arm... across the edge of my shoulder... along my side/chest... and slightly across my rib cage... not too long ago. He also said he had never seen anything like it before and was VERY concerned it was possibly something like a tumor at first (?) Anyhow... he worked it out.. and I was VERY sore... for a VERY long time.

Good to know you had them send that note. It's always good to document.

You said... "I am so tired of her being in pain. How do you treat yours, Tincup? Do diuretics help?"

First of all.. I think mine is more a babesiosis thing?? That's my opinion after dealing with this tick borne disease junk a long time.

After MANY years of Lyme treatment on and off.. this never went away. Once I took Mepron and Zithromax for the first time... and I had taken 6 months of Zithro with no Mepron in the past so I don't think the Zithro alone was the answer.. but not sure.. it got worse with herxing... but eventually I had my VERY first pain free head days .. and no pressure in my head.

Once the Babesiosis came back (I was mistakenly told 3 rounds of Mepron would "cure" it)... the head pressure returned along with other Babesiosis symptoms. I am having the problem as we speak.. along with the return of many Babesiosis symptoms. As a matter of fact.. this is 2 months now with a daily headache ranging from very noticable to horrid.

I try to keep the pain lower several ways. I REALLY don't enjoy the meds.. and the horrible herxes.. so in between, when I am not on meds.. and even when I am.. till it is under control... I take a Sudafed, 12 hour non-drowsy tablet once a day to help reduce swelling in sinues, head, jaws, etc.

My theory was if it could reduce congestion and fluid in ANY way.. it would help reduce some of the fluid/pressure my head. It seems to help and without it I am miserable.

I also.. when fluid builds up anywhere (which happens more than I would like).. use dandelion tea.. a natural diuretic. I didn't want to take "fluid pills" the doc prescribed.. so I researched natural substitutes.. and this was a good one.. very safe and could be used along with any meds I took. I use the tea because I don't like taking so many stinking pills a day.

I am NOT a tea drinker... never have been, never liked the taste of tea.. but I now.. out of necessity... make a tea using green tea (decaf), a dandelion tea bag, and then I throw in a peach flavored tea bag to help kick the icky tea taste. I sweeten the hot tea with Stevia and add cream to also improve the taste. One cup a day helps quite a bit.

Sometimes I mix up a pitcher of green tea (mostly in the summer) and add one dandelion tea bag to a quart of the green tea.. and I drink it all in one day as a cold beverage.

The green tea is an antioxident.. and has other good stuff for you (mild detox).. and the dandelion tea VERY much reduces the swelling.. almost immediately. You can get dehydrated with the dandelion tea if you do too much.. so do be careful... especially in the summer time when you are sweating.

I ONLY use it when needed to reduce fluid in my hands, feet, legs, or head. It is a medicinal herb.. and not for every day drinking. I think the dandelion tea LEAVES are much nicer tasting than the dandelion roots (very strong taste).

I buy it at a health food store.. some carry it... but you may have to ask them to order it for you. They do sell capsules of dandelion root/leaves... and I have broken them open and made tea that way and strained it.. and I have taken the capsules like you are suppose to.. but I find the tea seems to work best for some reason.

There are other herbs that can be used for reducing swelling.. but they have cautions and possible side effects. Dandelion is the safest one and I seem to do well on it.. as do others who have tried it.

I wish I knew if your little one had babesiosis or not.. and if she was treated even if tests may have been negative. I am sorry I am not up to date with her history.. but trust me.. I feel for her.. and hope soon her pain goes away. And I have to thank you for working so hard to try to help her. Not everyone would put this much effort into looking further. Good for you mom.

Please let me know what you think and if any of this might help her. I do worry.

Hey Dr. WA...

Back at ya.

Yes.. my choice of words was not quite pleasing to those who THINK their brains are in tact and always will be. Perhpas instead of saying the brain "kicks the bucket".. I should have said.. "While the brain suffers from infections".

Hope that calms your fears and paints a better picture. Cause as you know.. my aim is to please.

This swell head thing is a good discussion.. and I wish I could address everyone's post cause it is helping me also to read the replies here too. However.. I am done for the night.. sorry.

Got to go rest my swollen head!

Please excuse me for the evening... and have a great Thursday everyone.

Things Rednecks Will Never Say

I'll take Shakespeare for 1000, Alex.

Duct tape won't fix that.

Honey, I think we should sell the pickup and buy a family sedan.

You can't feed that to the dog.

Honey, did you mail that donation to Greenpeace?

We're vegetarians.

I'll have grapefruit and grapes instead of biscuits and gravy.

Honey, we don't need another dog.

Who gives a crap who won the Civil War?

She's too young to be wearing a bikini.

Does the salad bar have bean sprouts?

Hey, here's an episode of "Hee Haw" that we haven't seen.

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Question: What's the difference between a northern fairy tale and a southern fairy tale?

Answer: A northern fairy tale begins with, "Once upon a time. . . " A southern fairy tale begins with, "Y'all ain't gonna believe this . . . "

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If you get the choice to sit it out or dance...

I take sudafed myself for fluid in my ears, every day, and will try with her. I bought dandelion tea (both roots and leaves kind) 2 months ago for my daughter but the taste was definitely a deterrent, so thanks for the suggestions. I think I got the idea from you in the first place! And yesterday, after reading this thread, we tried one of those blue gel pack icey things on top of her head. She did do the two plays!

My daughter has so many different types of swelling going on, it's hard to figure it all out. There's the swelling on top of her head, like a bulge. There's the swelling/lumps in her neck and between her neck and shoulder. Her tummy is bloated. A certain times, but not all, her upper arms, thighs and breasts all swell up. The school nurse also documented this very visible change in appearance.

For a girl her age, the pain is the worst, but the change in appearance/trouble with clothes fitting etc. is tough too.

She is being treated for extensive GI yeast/leaky gut (type 1 diabetes plus antibiotics equals massive yeast). However, the headache predates this problem by 2 years.

It's also hard becasue everything- sudafed, tea, meds, exercise, pain, affect blood sugars. Leaky gut causes food reactions which triple blood sugars after eating! She has always been well-controlled but this year has been nuts, just when she became almost totally independent with it too.

So since last April, she has been off any Lyme treatment at al. And with Dr. D in Boston, no treatment for babesia. I have to take care of the yeast first, then we will go back to the tick-borne stuff.

At least she's in school and, otherwise, quite happy this year. Old enough to be happy doing theater and music (she palys awesome classical guitar) and is very, very funny too. So she's developed the ability, which I really am inspired by myself, to live well with these problems. I don't know how she does it!

I'll take Shakespeare for 1000, Alex.

Duct tape won't fix that."

etc.........I liked all of those, TC!!

Hi Doc! How ya doin' today???

Went to see the LLMD today.

Since he is also a neuro and has seen lots of brain 'stuff' - he thinks my little 'explosions' and other wierd happenings are part of the misfiring that happens when you have massive die off.

Yes, I do feel like total crap, thanks for asking.

I'll probably elaborate more - if I can remember what he said - tomorrow. I'm headed for bed tonight.

Thanks,