posted
Ok, Ive been slowly trying to piece together the whole lyme situation of getting it... if you see the tick, and happen to see the bullseye rash, and happen to get tested, and its positive...you know you have it... pretty cut and dry.
But what about those who never saw the tick bite, didnt see the bullseye rash, tested negative, but still think they have it, or, tested positive to it years later?
Im just pondering...but is it possible that lyme works similiar to chicken pox, (the herpes virus), mono or other viral strains.. meaning, if your immune system is strong enough, you dont get the symptoms, and it just sits dormant in your body in different places. But once your immune system is weak enough, then the lyme starts its nasty dance and onto the spiraling of symptoms.
Was there ever a study done to find out if its possible to have the Bb in your system for years and never know it? You test positive, but have no symptoms?
I only ask because Ive got two sisters who display classic lyme symptoms and one was tested and it was positve. (The other is afraid to get tested.) I also have a mother and father who both had the bullseye rashes over the years but were never tested, and now in their upper years are displaying symptoms they didnt have before. I myself never had any problems till my immune system was weak after a knee surgery and then within a month or two later, bam, the flu like symptoms started and non stop crud ever since.
Is it possible that a huge population have Bb but dont realize it because their immune system is strong now...but down the road when they get weakened or older, it will come out and mutate? Or is it just that people could have it, but ignore the subtle little oddities till they start to become obvious and troublesome?
Sorry to ramble, but Im just trying to solve the mystery of Bb... I really theorize that my whole family might have gotten it when we were kids 20+ yrs ago, but only now are starting to slowly show up..
Your thoughts?
Posts: 514 | From . | Registered: Apr 2008
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disturbedme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12346
posted
Yes, yes, and yes!!!! Everything you said is what I believe is what happens in most of the population. This is why I also believe most of the population DO have lyme but don't have symptoms or only have a few but think nothing of it, of course until the symptoms get worse.
The one thing that you mentioned:
quote:if you see the tick, and happen to see the bullseye rash, and happen to get tested, and its positive...you know you have it... pretty cut and dry.
ACTUALLY, if you get the bullseye rash you do not really need to be tested for lyme. The bullseye rash itself MEANS lyme disease, period. No two buts about it.
posted
Is it possible that a huge population have Bb but dont realize it because their immune system is strong now...but down the road when they get weakened or older, it will come out and mutate? Or is it just that people could have it, but ignore the subtle little oddities till they start to become obvious and troublesome? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Absolutely...BOTH!!!!!!
Read my story in my signature. Mine was dormant [sorta] for years and years.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96223 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
i think this is possible. although the mutate part is not true, lyme does not mutate, that has been proven.
the problem with this theory is that when people are sick, the IDSA says still not to treat.
Posts: 615 | From maryland | Registered: Oct 2007
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posted
This is what exactly happpened to me. I was bit ATLEAST 6 years ago. had subtle waxing and waning symptoms for many years.
Fast forward 6 years later caught a virus from my 4 year old son took ABX that opened pandora's box ,have not been well since.
Posts: 115 | From warwick, new york | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
We think my husband started with lyme in 1993 when he was diagnosed with meningitis. It went dormant (he started antibiotics for acne and we think that caused it to go dormant) and then resurfaced in January 2008. My husband had his wisdom teeth out in December 2007 and had a bad infection, which we think triggered it. When we piece together the puzzle, it make senses to us!
Posts: 26 | From Virginia | Registered: Apr 2008
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posted
I have a weakened immune system. I used to have the ABSOLUTE worst eczema on my hands. My hands were filled with little watery blisters on every single part of my hands, fingers, in between my fingers, and on top of my fingers and it was SOOOO painful.
I got medically discharged from the military for it.
By some people's opinion, that is considered a type of an auto immune thing, same with my endometriosis, they say that almost everyone has back flow menstration, but some people with lowered immune systems doesn't recognize that the tissue that backflows into your pelvis isn't supposed to be there, so it just sticks and does it's own thing. (not to be gross)
It sticks on your other pelvic parts and "sheds" when your uterus does causing painful sticky adhesions and massive amounts of pain.
So, I know for a fact, that I do and I think I always had a weakened immune system, but I've never had more of a weakened immune system than starting LAST year.
Tested for ovarian cancer (it took 8 months and many different scans to determine what was on my ovary) then a blood test to rule it out, then my cervix kept having changes with every 3 month pap, then there was a lymphoma scare (probably related to my bug bite!!!)...but my point is, during that whole time, I hardly ever ate because of stress.
I lost 20lbs without trying. I just couldn't eat, swallow vitamins, or even take my thyroid medicine. My immune system was wayyyyyy down and I was sick all of the time.
Anyway, I think there is a link.
-------------------- "~*~My smile hides my bite~*~." Posts: 506 | From N/A | Registered: Jun 2008
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posted
Thanks for the replies.. In reading the many, many stories from people, there does seem to be some correlation with a weakened immune system and the surfacing of lyme.
One question I do have is this...
**Is having the bullseye rash a 100% positive indication of lyme?
**Can you have the bullseye rash and not have lyme?
I have two parents who have both had the bullseye rash after being bit by ticks my father...twice), and neither of them has ever gotten tested for lyme. It happened at least 15-20 yrs ago when lyme wasnt as well known. They do have symptoms of lyme now (joint pain, eye problems, tiredness, sleep disorders, and some occasional emotional rage), although they've attributed that all to old age (they're in their 70s').
Its hard enough to convince a senior citizen to go to the drs, but to convince them to get lyme testing and abx after 20-30yrs?..
Posts: 514 | From . | Registered: Apr 2008
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
my new doc said when i told him i had the rash "that's good enough for me. that rash is a definite sign of lyme. good enough for me."
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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posted
Yeah, even my duck PCP said they always treat for Lyme with a bullseye rash, no test required.
And that they mostly treat with Bells Palsy (when a stroke has been ruled out) as well.
I definitely agree about weakened immune system triggering Lyme. My first go around, it was after my wisdom teeth were removed.
My 2nd go around was after a week of steroids. This was separated by 10 years of excellent health, excluding the normal colds/allergies, etc.
Posts: 168 | From Delaware | Registered: Aug 2005
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
-
Yes to your questions AND lyme can disable the immune system and really mess things up so that immune support and repair can be very tricky indeed.
posted
I read an article recently about researchers who had made a connection between certain genotypes and their susceptibility to Lyme. Those without that genotype don't get as sick or have as many different organ systems involved w/Lyme as those w/the genotype.
Now I can't remember where I read that. It was online, but apparently not on this website, because I haven't been able to find it w/a search.
Does anyone else know the article I'm talking about and have a link to it?
Thanks,
Patti
Posts: 975 | From California | Registered: Apr 2007
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