posted
My daughter was diagnosed with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme and Bartonella on November 23. She had been having symptoms since the beginning of October. We went to many different drs and didn't get much help from them. We then decided to go to a specialist in Lymes and got a few reputable names. We decided on one and she was the one to diagnose my daughter. Since then of course I have been overwhelmed with all of her symptoms and trying to find out the most I can. I've discovered the hard way that infectious disease drs and lyme specialist do not have the same school of thought. I have so many questions I don't know where to begin. First I want to ask if anyone knows about Sed Rates. Her first set of labs that were taken at the lyme specialist dr. her sed rate was 69. They said it shouldn't be over 20. On Dec. 18 my daughter had such head pressure that we took her to the ER not knowing what else to do. They took blood and her sed rate was 11. On Jan. 7 more lab work was done at the lyme specialist and the sed rate came back at 60. I don't understand how it can keep going up and down the way it is. I've put a call in to the dr. but haven't heard back yet. Can anyone share any of their input. Please help.
Posts: 107 | From New Jersey | Registered: Nov 2009
| IP: Logged |
sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
Welcome to the board. I'm sorry your daughter is sick. I don't know anything about sed rates, but I'm glad she's in the hands of an LLMD.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
| IP: Logged |
Haley
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 22008
posted
I believe the Sed rate is a sign of inflamation. The higher the sed rate the more inflamed.
I'm so sorry that you have to deal with this.
Posts: 2232 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
Yes, the sed rate is a measure of inflammation, which I imagine it could fluctuate from day to day.
It also can change according to the thickness of the blood.
You are on the right track with the Lyme specialist. Don't let anyone tell you she has RA until she has been treated for a long time for the above illnesses.
The sed rate may very well go back to normal with successful treatment.
WELCOME!!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Our Lyme specialist said she thought we caught it early, but it seems that more symptoms keep popping up on a regular basis. She started out with flu like symptoms that went away and then returned, horrible joint pain, where I had to help her walk up the steps, totally exhausted, horrible headaches and most recently horrible head pressure where she says her head feels like it is going to explode. She will be 18 in a month and off to college this fall. I feel so bad for her...I feel so helpless.
Posts: 107 | From New Jersey | Registered: Nov 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
I came to lyme by way of being diagnosed with reactive arthritis. Sed rate is definitely an indication of inflammation, along with c reactive protein. They usually go hand-in-hand.
The one thing I can say about lyme is the symptoms fluxuate. It would not surprise me that your daughter's sed rate goes up and down. My blood pressure does the same thing. Confirm that with your doctor.
I have had success with head pressure from the following:
Mucinex reduced the head pressure significantly. I never realized that I had fluid in my ears until my llmd found it. I was always trying to clear my head, but didn't have any cold symptoms. It surprised me when I read on another lyme forum about guaifenesin helping with head pressure. That is the only ingredient in Mucinex. It really works!
Most of us with chronic illness have sticky blood. Taking a systemic enzyme such as bromelain, lumbrokinase, nattokinase, or neprinol can thin the blood and help to break down fibrin, reduce clots and assist in reducing inflammation.
IV clindamycin reduced the head swelling and swollen temples. I think it crosses the blood brain barrier, and has been extremely helpful.
I'm hoping your daughter has caught this early, and can go off to school in the fall... nancy
Posts: 964 | From san diego | Registered: Oct 2009
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
I don't know anything about sed rates, but I'm glad she's in the hands of an LLMD.
Printer-friendly view of this topic