posted
I can say theres nothing closer to what my perception of hell is.. Herxing in jail. My life has been torn apart by this disease. Im a 21 year old male, I moved hear from poland when I was 10. I contracted lyme disease while visiting my dad at age 12, he still lives in poland, on a hunting trip.
I never knew i had it till about 5 months ago when i totally lost it. I always had anxiety and nervousness and a feeling of unreality, but could still some what function until i went out with my friends and drank to much. I dont remember what happened but remember waking up in a jump suit the next morning.
I Kicked a police officer in the face and was drivin to the hospital and givin antipsycotics drugs and morphin to calm me down. I got bailed out of jail and my parents had no clue what went wrong with me. (i guess you could say luckly) My cousin that still lives in poland was in a pschiatric ward for 6 months until a western blot revieled she had lyme disease which helped us with my own diagnosis.
Lyme in europe is primarly neuropscyiatric. She is doing much better now that she is on iv antibiotics. So hear I am. I have a felony conviction on my record which means no one will ever hire me. I can barely function or even get a sentence out. I have to serve one month in jail where I will be recieving antibiotics and herxing. Im so scared.
We couldnt use lyme in the defense because its not recognized as neuro type disease by the mainstreem, and i also had alchohol in me which would kill that defence. Im ready to jump off a bridge. Feel so hopeless. My western blot from igenex was positive even by cdc standards which is weird because usually people with a chronic stage like mine dont produce full blown antibodies.
Im seeing an llmd in wisconsin and look forward to years and years of antibiotics YAY! I actually made it to my second year of college with very good grades with this disease until i started to deteriorate and had to move back home.
I developed autistic type behavior and became very nervous panicky and socially withdrew myself, Also devolped horrible social anxiety. Why me! The only thing that makes me feel better is thinking that people have it way worse than this. But my situation is sh*tty no doubt.
[ 01. January 2006, 03:12 PM: Message edited by: SNEAK250 ]
Posts: 6 | From Chicago ill | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
My heart goes out to you....My son has autism and his Western Blot came back positive High on both also...His herx is aggression and it scares the hell out of me and is done in 10 minutes and I really dont think he remembers anything either...I am currently searching for a LLMD to help with this end of lyme. He is seeing two but I dont think they realize what I am taling about when I say my son "FLIPS"....Whatever I find to help, I will post and it may help you too...
Posts: 127 | From Rock Tavern, New York | Registered: May 2005
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posted
A bad situation, no doubt, but this is not the end of the world. You are now getting treatment. You will be able to go back to college at some point. There will be documentation of your illness and plenty of written info from lyme literate psychiatrists. Maybe you can collect this into a nice binder, along with abstracts of published medical journal articles that describe neuropsychiatric lyme. A good permanent record for yourself and anyone else that needs to understand.
It is such a good thing that you have a positive test. Make sure you get a copy for your personal files.
Have you seen the news articles about Wyatt Sexton, the college football player who also had neuropsych lyme? Can print some of this out from the internet too.
If you need help finding this stuff, let us know.
Best wishes with treatment. I know this is a daunting situation, but you now have a diagnosis and are getting treatment. Try to hang on to the positives in your case and don't let pessemism interfere with your treatment, as it might during herxing. If you go on flagyl, be forewarned that it makes some people more depressed. Just tell yourself that it is the pill/disease and will pass.
You have a lot to deal with: foreign born, disease acquired outside U.S., having a misunderstood disease, etc. Any chance of getting treated in Poland? They seem to be doing a better job of understanding this disease. Your cousin's case was not picked up immediately but did end up getting IV. If you are satisfied with your current U.S. doc and getting the treatment needed, ignore this last idea.
Oh, in future posts, it would help us if you make more short paragraphs. Lymies have a hard time reading long blocks of text.
[ 01. January 2006, 11:42 AM: Message edited by: lou ]
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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char
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8315
posted
Dear Sneak,
I am really sorry that you are going thru all this.
Unfortunately, it is common here in US for good people having a psychiatric problem to end up incarcerated for doing something totally out of character.
I can see how the prospect of herxing in prison could be daunting.
Can you find out what you can bring with you? Heating pad, for example. What nurse can offer there to help.
Also, if you think ant-depressant or anti-anxiety medicine could help you, perhaps you can work on getting on the best one(s) before you go in. Also sleeping medicine. I imagine that they will provide you with the meds you are on when you are "admitted"
I hope the conditions are OK for you. Maybe you can get some rest there at least.
char
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8315
posted
Oops. I forgot something. Remember that if the herxing gets to be too much, most Drs. have you cut down or take a break. So you will have some control there.
I am from the midwest and did a lot of polka as a kid.
Posts: 1230 | From US | Registered: Nov 2005
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David95928
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3521
posted
Everyone's suggestions have been helpful. Lou's suggestion of looking up the story of Wyatt Sexton could be particularly helpful. It sounds to me like you need a good lawyer who is able to understand neurolyme, it's behavioral effects, and advocate for you. With young people, sometimes records of convictions are expunged after several years if the offense was isloated and not repeated.
-------------------- Dave Posts: 2034 | From CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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It's horrible that you have been a victim of both the disease and the system.
It's just horrific how many people suffer this kind of thing....
however ************
I see in your story many blessings that IMO you must hold tight to through this.
You are blessed because you KNOW what you are dealing with.
There are many who never have that ray of hope. Who never learn of the cause of the illness, and that the behavior was reactive to infection.
You are also blessed to have a Doc who will treat you, and medical records, proof..
You are also blessed with the potential to help others once you are through the hardships of prison and in recovery from the illness.
You gave great opportunity here, so long as you hold tight to these blessings and stay focused on your care as best as you can.
Is your family supportive? Can they gain access to important info, some mentioned above, as well as info on Herxing, and treatment support they may be able to offer while you are incarcerated?
Is your Doc in on this as well? Yes, a good lawyer may also be of help, so long as they are Lyme literate, or at least Lyme open. There is no lack of medical documantation.. allot is on the site www.lymeinfo.net .. and ask here of you need specifics.
Hang on, I know it seems so very grim right now, but -- really --- you are so far ahead, more than you realize, just to have the knowledge you do now, and married with the drive to learn more you can beat the odds and regain health, and even negate the impact of the mark on your record...
Great suffering often begats great things.. your overcoming in this situation could be so very helpful to others in similar situations.
First thing is your health, but perhaps hope for the future will help you endure in the meantime.
Mo
Posts: 8337 | From the other shore | Registered: Jul 2002
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Your situation is a very difficult one, putting it mildly. Herxing anywhere is not a fun prospect, and herxing in jail would certainly be that much worse.
Hang on, one day at a time, or even hour by hour. It may not seem like it now, but you will get through this. You will get out of jail. You will recover. You will get your life back and be able to begin again.
There is something that you can do for yourself in this situation, that no one else can do for you, and it may help you gain some sense of peace and control.
I offer this idea as something that has helped me. Have you tried visualization? It has helped many, and I used it daily through breast cancer treatment.
It's best to choose images that are your own, but here's the idea: Lie or sit down comfortably, close your eyes, relax your entire body head to toe, breathe deeply, see the medication as destroying the BB, and then picture it all washing out of your body where it can no longer harm you. See yourself filled with radiant health.
Everyone else has offered great suggestions, and I second them.
Wishing you the best, Hopeful4
Posts: 873 | From WA | Registered: Dec 2005
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
Wellcome. You've been given great suggestions. Print off Cave's cognitive article; you can use that later on.
Have you gone to 1st post in medical, TREEPATROL'S NEWBIE LINKS.
Print it off, and also print off the 40 pages of 2005 Dr. B's lyme guidelines. Check off those you have read as Tree constantly adds more as he/we get.
Yes, we chronic lymies like paragraphs of 6-8 lines of text, and DOUBLE space between paragraphs. We can't comprehend LONG paragraphs. Good luck!
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posted
Well SNEAK250 You still remember how to drink after moving from poland. Oh sorry, You were 10, You were to Young to remember I remember one party after which i became significantly more ill. Too much alcohol is bad in this disease especially becasue it has a lot of sugars what spirochetaes likes the most.
Posts: 636 | From Wroclaw, Poland | Registered: Mar 2004
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Glad you were able to post here...glad you are getting treatment too. So sorry you are going through this.
Start writing your book now and I will see you on Oprah along with Wyatt Sexton I am serious about this...a book about your experience could really increase awareness about tick borne illness.
I hope they are feeding you well.
Take care and keep us posted on your treatment progress. I think with the right attorney you can get this erased from your record...don't give up...
Posts: 655 | From NC, Exit 88 on the Deer SuperHighway | Registered: Dec 2004
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lymeloco
Unregistered
posted
Maybe this article can help you! Hang in there, I can't imagine dealing with what your going through while in prison, althought this disease in and of its self already imprisons one enough!
posted
What is tj talking about? Im not trying to scam anyone here. Just telling everyone my situation. But "Beware folks!" Tj why dont you keep your negative accusations to yourself, thanks you. Actually I got my citizenship when I was 10 years old, so no im not an illegal immigrant.
Posts: 6 | From Chicago ill | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
Well i got my name from my friends. Before i became totally antisocial, because im not able to socialize anymore, I guess my friends thought i was sneaky.
But I was really timid and have social anxiety. anyone thats healthy wouldnt understand that. Which led them to call me sneak because I did everything without socializing.
Im doing ok MO, Im seeing a new llmd tommarow in wisconsin. Last one didint really know what he was talking about. Was more set on working on my diet, heavy metal detox and not on treating a infection. I believe once the infection is treated, your body should rebalance by itself ya know.
Im going to push for bicillin and biaxin. I dont think i can affored IV, had have been hearing good things about the combo. I just want to be a normal kid again. It just seems like im so far from that point right now
Posts: 6 | From Chicago ill | Registered: Nov 2005
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thanx. too many of us identify with the timidity, social anxiety, and a lot worse that i'll not mention, since,these traits are naturally very un-characteristic of most of us.
dr. virginia scherr,m.d., jonathan bleiweiss,m.d. and robert bransfield,m.d. all have addressed these, and other things both in professional and lay periodicals.
tick-borne infections DO a "number" on us, and i'm no exception-- no sphere of our existence spared!
your choice of name, and reason for it, show good sense of humor,and philosophical perspective in the face of the challenge of your life.
i,too, wound up in court,and while details of which i'll not regal the world with, i almost went to prison. the judge dropped the finanially-crushing fine, and sentenced me to community service, and for which i am eternally grateful!
posted
hi sneak,well,there is a chance that you may not herx during the month that you will be in jail...i was on 100 mg of doxy 3x a day and did not herx at all. my friend was on the same dose and did herx, but it was a fever,sweats,flue like type of herx,nothing intense.. i have neuroherxed on cats claw,una de gato,colloidal silver,green black walnut ticture,rife machines,etc..i just did not herx on doxy.so it can depend on which abx they give you,and what dosage,if it will cause a die off or not. you may just get fatigue and irritable as a herx.i have a feeling that you will recover from lyme and have a really good life!
Posts: 32 | From northern ca. | Registered: Mar 2005
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David95928
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3521
posted
Bicillin LA and Biaxin is a good combination, from my experience. Good luck.
-------------------- Dave Posts: 2034 | From CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
Holy crap, what a nightmare. I feel so bad for you. Hope you get better and keep writing on lymenet.
You have come up with the title of the book you could write about Lyme disease and make a lot of money: "Herxing in Prison". You are a good writer and when you are better, you should write your story.
I am a professional writer and you have a knack for this craft. Lymelady
Posts: 484 | From Fredericksburg, Va USA | Registered: Sep 2004
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