During my first visit he asked me if there was any way I could come back to NY for "a while" so that I could be "treated properly". By this, I think he meant by IV. (I have to clarify this, but I am sure that is what was meant).

NOW, the opportunity has presented itself for me to live in NY temporarily - close to the LLMD. A friend has offered me a place to live for a couple/a few months if I need to if I need IV, with my daughter also.

I was worried about giong away (from the UK) and leaving my daughter and husband behind. This illness is enough of a strain without major family upheavals also. Now I have the option of going with my daughter, but hubby has to stay here to help his elderly dad and work.

If I left my daughter here, it would mean my husband couldn't work (he's freelance and travels). If I take her with me I don't know if during IV people generally herx so badly they are incapacitated completely or not. (so that I may not be able to be a good mother to her anyway, it may also be traumatic for her to see me like that). I am also a bit worried about staying with people I don't know that well and perhaps being more or less a "vegetable". Right now, you could say that despite this illness I am pretty functional - I can manage to do everything I NEED to do in a day, usually. However, my taste of life on Flagyl last week to treat Helicobacter Pylori made me realize that the treatment for Lyme might make me so ill I won't function AT ALL.

Basically, I don't know what to do. As I am American, I have enquired and it LOOKS like I may be eligible for some state covered medical insurance (medicaid?) from having asked over the phone.

In other words: IS having IV going to make a SIGNIFICANT difference to the outcome of my recovery, and speed of recovery - as opposed to staying in the UK and having JUST orals?

If it is, I seriously have to consider adding this new dynamic to my life: changing the way our family exists for several months, and who knows if that could also cause some permanent "damage", I don't know. Also, I wouldn't be able to make this happen for another 3 months at least, so I will still be doing orals to start I guess.

Dll

Would the medical benefits outweigh the upheaval and stress of it all?

Dll

Just us and our IV's.

IV Rocephin/oral Zithromax was our first form of treatment and for us, it was THE combination to get us from functioning at 20% to functioning at 80%. We followed up with orals and are now 100% abx free and living a VERY natural lifestyle.

frenchbraid

I am glad to hear of your vast improvement. I have had a few emails off list with results ranging from none or minimal to ver good. This of course doesn't make it easy for me to decide what the best course of action would be.

My husband though has already stated, when I ran this by his yesterday, that our daughter going along with me is not an opion. He feels the uprooting (from friend and familiar environment and seeming me possibly pretty ill) is going to be too traumatic for her. And, I would have to be away from her for X number of months.

I can understand your situation. That was a factor that we didn't have to consider. We stayed put in our familiar environment and continued on with our "normal" lives.

Your situation does pose some big challanges.

While the IV was a blessing for my daughter and myself, my youngest daughter and husband did remarkably well on a mix of orals. So, it really does depend on the person.

I'll never know if I would have responded as well to just orals since my doctor never gave me the choice.

I like to believe that everything happens for a reason and eventually it will all make sense.

Hang in there!

frenchbraid

I can relate to your experience in more than one way. I too had difficulty finding an LLMD in my country and had to fly to the States to see one.

But I arranged a pretty good deal with my LLMD in the US. I would get my meds and lab tests done in Mexico, so my insurance would pay for all of them and flew to Texas every couple of months to see him. A lot of people even within the US have to do this sort of thing, because there aren't any LLMD's in their area. It's not uncommon and most doctors will be helpful making this an easy transition.

I managed to have a catheter for over a year and give myself IV Rocephin at home in Mexico. I found a doctor in the area to check up on me every month or so, in case of an emergency I needed a doc to understand my condition. And I'm happy to say that it worked wonderfully!

I do believe that a combination of IV and orals will help you get better sooner.

Check out this link as it will surely answer you question. It's still on the first page of Medical.

http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/025086.html[/URL]

editing to add that my LLMD, Dr. C of MO www.drcharlescrist.com rarely ever prescribes IV Rocephin because of what is discussed in the post I have provided you.

I did IV Rocephin with Zithromax. It seemed to reduce symptoms quickly. The protocal didn't call for oral followup, which is needed. I did go to another Dr. several months later and have been on long term tetracycline and feel really well most days.

My son started tetra the same month as I did. He didn't have IV, a year later I have fewer symptoms.

The three months on IV were easy enough. I slept a lot but was able to care for 4 extra children in my home daily.