I've had Lyme for over six years, and the physical things seemed to be getting better, but I was having awful panic attacks and I couldn't concentrate on anything well, people were telling me I was depressed though I didn't think so.
I was having vision problems too, and couldn't see at night or look at bright lights and couldn't drive and couldn't read and things.
I thought these were all from Lyme. However, I found out recently that I have a protein deficiency and malnutrition.
When I started eating better and especially eating protein, my thoughts all started working right, I stopped panicking, I can study and read quite well, and my vision's nearly normal again.
I still have a lot of achiness and the normal pain I've always had from Lyme, but they're tolerable.
Is there any way to know if I still have Lyme? I'm not sure what's going on. If all my thinking problems were from malnutrition, and NOT from Lyme (though technically I guess Lyme caused it, since it's the reason I get so sick around food and can't eat well), could it be that the Lyme's gone now, and these are just the problems that are left?
Thanks, Holly
Posts: 19 | From Georgia | Registered: Feb 2006
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
quote:Originally posted by Holly135:
I've had Lyme for over six years, and the physical things seemed to be getting better, but I was having awful panic attacks and I couldn't concentrate on anything well, people were telling me I was depressed though I didn't think so.
I was having vision problems too, and couldn't see at night or look at bright lights and couldn't drive and couldn't read and things.
I thought these were all from Lyme. However, I found out recently that I have a protein deficiency and malnutrition.
When I started eating better and especially eating protein, my thoughts all started working right, I stopped panicking, I can study and read quite well, and my vision's nearly normal again.
I still have a lot of achiness and the normal pain I've always had from Lyme, but they're tolerable.
Is there any way to know if I still have Lyme? I'm not sure what's going on.
If all my thinking problems were from malnutrition, and NOT from Lyme (though technically I guess Lyme caused it, since it's the reason I get so sick around food and can't eat well),
could it be that the Lyme's gone now, and these are just the problems that are left? Thanks, Holly
Holly, in my non-medical opinion, with your having lyme 6 years, you're NOT cured; it will be with you till the day you die.....
Also, you did NOT mention if your protein deficiency HELPED your sensitive eye issue; I doubt that .... that's lyme. I've had this problem bad for 36 years. On meds for 1.7 years. Good luck to you.
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quote:Originally posted by bettyg: Holly, in my non-medical opinion, with your having lyme 6 years, you're NOT cured; it will be with you till the day you die.....
Also, you did NOT mention if your protein deficiency HELPED your sensitive eye issue; I doubt that .... that's lyme. I've had this problem bad for 36 years. On meds for 1.7 years. Good luck to you.
I'm not quite sure what's going on with my eyes, however, I've been reading that somehow protein and vitamin A need each other to work right (I think that's it anyways), and that a vitamin A deficiency can cause vision loss and eventually blindness.
So I started eating lots of protein and taking vitamin A supplements. Usually I see halos and starbursts around all lights, especially in the dark. That went away really quickly. I no longer have pain in bright lights either.
It's just bizarre. I know I don't eat nearly enough or the right things at all, but I never thought that'd cause anything serious. And I always thought that all these problems with my eyes and my thinking were totally from Lyme.
My memory's coming back too. Before I usually had a hard time having any sort of conversation unless it was about very certain things, I'd forget who I was talking to, I've even been out somewhere and forgotten my name and where I lived and things.
Now I remember things quite well, I can even read a book and actually get something out of it.
I didn't think such a sudden recovery was possible with Lyme. I can live with this. Before things were so messed up I didn't think I could stand it much longer. I don't mind having pain so much as not being ME.
Posts: 19 | From Georgia | Registered: Feb 2006
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posted
Hi Holly, So glad that improving your nutrition helped a lot of your symptoms.
If they weren't caused by the malnutrition, it could be that the improved diet strengthened your immune system & it's working better.
You asked if you even have Lyme? Since you still have symptoms (even tho they are tolerable), it sounds as if you still have LD and/or Co-Infections.
A little more info would help people understand your situation better & offer opinions.
You said you've had LD over 6 yrs. When & how were you diagnosed? Where is your Lyme Dr located? What antibiotics have you received for treatment?
The Lyme treatment you've received could indicate a lot - antibiotic, dose per day, length of treatment, etc.
Posts: 4638 | From South Carolina | Registered: Mar 2001
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quote:Originally posted by cbb: Hi Holly, So glad that improving your nutrition helped a lot of your symptoms.
If they weren't caused by the malnutrition, it could be that the improved diet strengthened your immune system & it's working better.
You asked if you even have Lyme? Since you still have symptoms (even tho they are tolerable), it sounds as if you still have LD and/or Co-Infections.
A little more info would help people understand your situation better & offer opinions.
You said you've had LD over 6 yrs. When & how were you diagnosed? Where is your Lyme Dr located? What antibiotics have you received for treatment?
The Lyme treatment you've received could indicate a lot - antibiotic, dose per day, length of treatment, etc.
I was diagnosed about six years ago. I'd been sick for at least five months, and I was too young to pay much attention to what was going on even if I wasn't sick. I didn't think it was such a big deal at the time, heh. Who could be sick for more than a few months?
My Lyme doctor is here in Atlanta. I've had IV Rocephin, oral Doxy, and I think I've been on others but I don't remember. They seem to work well.
That makes sense about the improved diet strengthening my immune system. I do seem to do better when I eat more.
Posts: 19 | From Georgia | Registered: Feb 2006
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
Lyme and other infections can cause leaky gut and other forms of malnutrition. By eating better, you may just be upping your chances of getting nutrition.
I did find I do much better when I eat a lot of protein. I was a vegetarian until I started treatment. I have a lot of muscle symptoms, and the increased protein definitely allowed me to build necessary muscles.
When you changed your diet, did you stop eating anything? Or did you signficantly reduce something you ate a lot? If so, you may have food sensitivities.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Aniek: I did find I do much better when I eat a lot of protein. I was a vegetarian until I started treatment. I have a lot of muscle symptoms, and the increased protein definitely allowed me to build necessary muscles.
When you changed your diet, did you stop eating anything? Or did you signficantly reduce something you ate a lot? If so, you may have food sensitivities.
I wasn't a vegetarian until I got Lyme. And then suddenly one day I couldn't stand meat at all. And I've hardly eaten it since. But I never started eating any other type of protein really, until recently.
I haven't really stopped eating anything since I started eating more protein, though I did pretty much stop eating sugar at all about a month ago. It didn't seem to make any change, but maybe it just took a while and somehow that's related?
Posts: 19 | From Georgia | Registered: Feb 2006
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AZURE WISH
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 804
posted
Just from my experiences as a PATIENT with lyme It sounds like you still have lyme symptoms...
even though the pain is tolerable now if you stop treatment it could get worse
From what I have heard usually poeple keep treating until there symptoms have disappeared for a couple months or so.
quote:Originally posted by AZURE WISH: Just from my experiences as a PATIENT with lyme It sounds like you still have lyme symptoms...
even though the pain is tolerable now if you stop treatment it could get worse
From what I have heard usually poeple keep treating until there symptoms have disappeared for a couple months or so.
Best wishes
My mom and I were talking about that earlier today, we were trying to decide if I should go through with the IV treatment that I'm supposed to have in April. Do you think that's a good idea or should I just keep taking the oral doxy?
I don't want to do less than is needed to really make me better. If the IV's going to give me a better chance of being better for longer or for good, I think I should do it. I just want this to be over for good.
Posts: 19 | From Georgia | Registered: Feb 2006
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