posted
In our best guess, I was either bitten while living in Europe (5+ yrs ago) or as a child (lots of yrs ago). I have only had sx for the last 2 yrs. NOTHING prior to that.
So what makes LD decide to "start"? I know that it can sometimes hide but what makes it decide to come out to play?
Has anyone else had a long sx-free period between bite and being sick?
Posts: 41 | From SC | Registered: Jan 2009
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Leelee
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19112
posted
Hmmmm. I haven't been officially diagnosed yet, but I am curious to know the answer to this question too.
Sometimes I wonder if a stressful situation triggers the onset of symptoms.
I'm sure other people will chime in with lots of good information as this is a most helpful, enlightened group of people.
Looking forward to reading the responses to your quetion.
-------------------- The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. Martin Luther King,Jr Posts: 1573 | From Maryland | Registered: Feb 2009
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I had mild learning disabilities growing up but otherwise a very healthy person.
First a car accident took me down a notch. age 26.
First pregnancy age 27 put me on my back and the lyme raged. Went on to have miscarriage and two more children without knowing I had lyme.
Have been very ill for about 10 years misdiagnosed with Fibro/CFS.
Diagnosed with positive WB in 2007.
-------------------- Bart Henslea 1976 Fibro/CFS/arthritis 2004 Lyme diagnosed 2007 3 1/2 years treatment with oral combos, Cowden, IV roc. BW herbs. Off all abx in 12/10. Feeling good. Posts: 647 | From NY | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
IT is a shock to your immune system which triggers it. With me, I was bitten in 1998, and I was healthy as ever until I herniated my disc in 2004. After several doses of steroids, my immune system began to weaken, and the lyme crept out. But it was Feb 2007m after my knee surgery where lyme raged in my body. So, I have been treating ever since. It gets better, but it takes a while. Jenin
Posts: 455 | From Maryland | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
I just don't get this LD. I've never had anything like that...no surgeries, no major traumas, not even major stress. I have rarely had so much as a cold, so I am assuming my immune system was functioning properly.
Doesn't make sense at all. Guess that's part of it.
Posts: 41 | From SC | Registered: Jan 2009
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posted
Who knows how long I have had it. I believe it was dormant for me, and stress and getting sick with mono brought it out.
Posts: 348 | From maryland | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
Childbirth brought on one symptom--night sweats. Years later, a whiplash car accident brought on many major symptoms.
Posts: 311 | From CA | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
I was just sitting at lunch eating sushi when my first "attack" happened. It did go way with being Sept 4th the last trip to the ER until recently. Maybe it was a combo of the Neuortin, Cymbalta, Paxil, Lorazapam, Klonopin, and all the drinking I was doing that made it stop,heee.
I started to get Neck pain in Novemeber and then was in a very bad accident bringing on the next wave of illness and it hasnt left me yet.
Posts: 171 | From the land of oz | Registered: Feb 2009
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posted
I'm pretty sure I've had Lyme for more than 10 years, just started being symptomatic two and a half years ago. I've always had mild nausea and mild headaches.
I grew up in MA where I know I was bitten by ticks several times when I was a kid. But I've lived in the city, with no exposure to ticks since 1999 and the sx just kicked in.
No inciting incident of emotional or physical trauma. I just went to work one day, zero pain, and on the way back from lunch all of a sudden I couldn't walk. Incredible knee pain, fever, sore throat, etc.
Who knows? I have thought about this question a lot in the past. I may have had Lyme since the time I was a small child and it just never "triggered".
Posts: 55 | From New York | Registered: Nov 2008
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
emh, You may have been bitten by a nymph 2 years ago when you first got symptoms. They are the size of a pin head. The bullseye shows up in only a percentage, some guess as low as 30%, others say more.
Part of the job of your LLMD is to look for everything that can mimic lyme. Have you gotten any of your tests back yet? Were you tested for viruses, heavy metals, parasites, candida, vitamin deficiencies, co-infections, food allergies, celiac? I've probably forgotten something but that is a start.
As others have said, stress is what activates lyme for most people because stress depresses the immune system. Some people are sick from the beginning of a bite and never have periods where they feel better. Others have a flu like episode and then months to years later get sick. So much depends on your genetics, immune system, your level of stress, number of co-infections etc..
Any kind of stress can depress the immune system. Even stress that isn't obvious such as that caused by exposure to chemicals, mold, heavy metals, change in diet, more dental work etc. etc..
I know it is frustrating to wait for answers. Hang in there and let us know when you get your results.
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
Lyme comes out to play when the germ load is more than the immune system can control.
So the two controlling factors are germ load and the strength of the immune system.
Germ load is based on how many germs the tick gave you when it bit you. For some people, the germ load of the first tick bite is so high that they immediately get sick (immune system is immediately too weak to win the battle).
For others, it takes a few bites over a number of years before the immune system is overwhelmed.
What weakens the immune system? Alcohol, smoking, not getting adequate rest, winter, sickness, surgery, pregnancy, accidents, injuries, bad news (death in family, etc.), viruses you get/already have, certain medications in the class of immune-suppressants (cortisone, steroids, etc.) and many more things (such as breathing in coal dust and other irritants), including lyme disease.
That's why the only miners who get "black lung" disease are smokers. The tobacco smoke plus the coal dust is too much for the immune system to handle. The immune system can handle coal dust alone.
Lyme disease actually kills your immune cells, per Burrascano.
What strenthens the immune system? Good diet, not being exposed to a lot of germs (say, by sleeping around) or irritants, molds, etc., and exercise.
That's why when a person is in treatment for lyme, Burrascano says no smoking or drinking allowed, must follow good diet, and the patient can't get behind in rest.
The Burrascano lyme treatment guidelines are here:
If you search the on-line document for words like "load" you will find the sentences that address this question. For example:
"Apparently, in early infections, before extensive damage to the immune system has occurred, if the germ load of the co-infectors is low, and the Lyme is treated, many of the other tick-transmitted microbes can be contained and eliminated by the immune system."
Chronic lyme patients are the ones with "higher spirochete loads, weaker defense mechanisms..." (p 20)
Some people are carriers of lyme. He says the "carrier states [are] where the germ load is too low to be detected." (p 23)
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
I was likely bit in Sept 2005 and lyme was in check until January 2007 and then again in January 2008.
In January 2007, immune system was brought down with while Vacationing in Mexico. Who know's caught something or too much Coronna's
In January 2008, immune system was brought down by attending too many parties over the festive season. ( too much alcohol and not enough sleep)
So I subscribe to the theory that when your immune system is brought down, then the germ load takes over.
Fully functioning Immune system working is key to managing and beating lyme( in my opinion)
-------------------- Dx 3/2008 Pos. WB and Bart- igenex Levequin 500 mg March 2008 Amox 6000 mg - May 2008 Doxy 400 mg - June - oct Biaxin and Flagly 1000 each, oct-dec Zitro, Malarone and Flagly Jan - feb Remission for 6 months Relapse Sept 2009 zithro/flagyl Posts: 130 | From canada | Registered: Mar 2008
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
many of my answers are up at top also...
i didn't know for 34.5 yrs. i had chronic lyme..
dx w/mono when it started.
work stress for many years really made my fibro bad.
79; 5 major things going on including 1 death; an almost fatal car/RR train accident; gallbladder surgery for me, and 2 other things of this life/death danger.
then for 20 yrs. straight; it was constant death and dying of loved ones; suddent and LONG-drawn out ones.
had 12 major surgeries while working...
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posted
I honestly believe a suppressed immune system, for whatever reason, triggers Bb if its been sitting dormant in your body. I think it acts like chicken pox, shingles, zoster, in that it goes dormant, then comes out when your system is weak. Things that weaken the immune sytem include stress, trauma, life changing events, over exertion physically and mentally, poor eating habits, poor sleeping habits, etc, etc...
Posts: 514 | From . | Registered: Apr 2008
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