I went throught he chiropractor, PT, etc. to helps ease the pain. I was put on neurontin for a couple of months but had an extremely bad reaction to it. The pain was finally controlled with elavil and PT combined. I also discovered downhill skiing made my back feel so much better I began skiing several times a week. Then I completely blew out my acl & mcl and had to have surgery to repair them.

After 3 months of barely walking I was PAIN FREE (fibromyalgia and nerves) for the first time in 4 years. Things were going great. The knee rehab helped me build my muscles back up very slowly and I'm now stronger than I've been in years. Then it happened.

3 weeks ago I asked the dermatologist about a new spot on my leg. They said it was a bug bite -- no big deal. Then on July 4 I had uncontrollable vomiting and a wicked headache. I thought it was food poisoning until a week later when I realized I wasn't getting any better.

It was then I put 2 & 2 together and came up with Lyme again. I never did get the bulls eye the first time around, but the tick entry site is quite distinctive.

My family doc put me on 100mg doxy, 2X a day, for 30 days.

Has anyone ever experienced a 2nd incidence of Lyme? Does anyone know what I can expect this time around? I'm so worried all the gains I made since knee surgery are going to fade away.

Unfortunately, having Lyme disease does not leave you with any immunity. Additional bites from infected ticks will result in repeated cases of Lyme.

Go to www.ilads.org
Print "Basic Info" - 3 pages of facts everyone should read, especially drs.
Note #10 says in part - There has never been one study that proves even in the simplest way that 30 days of antibiotic treatment cures Lyme..."

Go to www.ilads.org/burrascano_1102.htm
Print "Diag Hints & Treatment Guidelines..." 32 pages of excellent info from one of the very best Lyme Literate Med Drs (LLMDs).

page 16: Antibiotic Choices
Doxycycline - Adults: 100 mg 4 times a day with food: doses of up to 600 mg daily are often needed, as doxy is only effective at high blood levels.

pages 17-18: Treatment Categories
Early localized - bull's eye rash only
Adults: oral therapy for 6 weeks

Early Disseminated Disease - milder symptoms present for less than 1 yr
Adults: oral therapy until no active disease (no symptoms) for 4 weeks.

You said that after treating Lyme & Ehrlichiosis 5 yrs ago, you have had fibromyalgia & nerve pain ever since.

It seems possible that Lyme &/or Erhlich were not treated long enough & you were left with Fibro symptoms & nerve pain.
(LD symptoms can be mis-diagnosed as Fibro.)

Considering the difficulties you have had in the past, I recommend that you see a LLMD for evaluation - ASAP.

Go to "Seeking a Dr" here on LymeNet. Put your location in the title. Drs' names are not given here, but info can be e-mailed to you.

In the meantime, take copies of Dr B's
"Guidelines" & the ILADS "Basic Info" to your dr & see if he will increase your dose of Doxy to 400 mg a day until all your symptoms have been gone for 4 to 6 weeks.

With the higher dose of antibiotics (abx), you will need Acidophilus from the health food store.
The abx kills the good bacteria along with the bad, so the good bacteria must be replenished to keep the body in balance.

In "Diag Hints....Guidelines", read
pages 24 & 29: acidophilus info

BE SURE to have 2 hours between abx & acidoph - before & after - or it won't be able to work.

At the top left, click Support Groups & contact those near you & also in surrounding states.

Last time around the earliest an LLMD would see me was 6-12 weeks AFTER initial diagnosis (which took 6 weeks). I finally got in the back door at Stonybrook, LI and then six months later I went for a follow-up at Cornell in NYC.

The general consensus was that the bacteria had been completely killed off and my body needed time to heal. I agree only because after the enforced bed rest I was pain free for over a year.

I'm curious as to whether the 2nd time is worse (because of damage done already)
or better (because of earlier treatment).

Has it ever been documented whether the spirochete can become abx resistant?

Needless to say, my trust in docs is virtually destroyed, so I have a tendency start on the simplest path.

I'm really tired of fighting the ignorance related to the disease. So long as I can be back skiing in December, I'll be happy.

BTW, I realized I had Lyme while I was giving a tick check lecture to the ladies at work. Ironic isn't it.

Thanks for your help.

Relapse/Persistence

Useful Links

Relapse/reinfection (hard to tell which -- many people have been sypmtom free for years, then gotten very sick again) does often seem to be worse.

I'll send you a pic from the Western Ski Slopes if you'll send me a pic from the Eastern Ski Slopes this winter!

You asked: Is the 2nd time worse or better?

If Lyme was truly cured the 1st time, then I think the 2nd case would be like starting all over. Since abx do not stay in the body, I don't think the earlier treatment could improve the situation.

If there is damage from the earlier case, then spirochetes may go to the damaged area.
I've heard they tend to attack problem areas, but I don't have any documentation for this.

If the 1st case was NOT cured, then the spirochetes have a head start, & symptoms would probably appear earlier & be more difficult to deal with.

I do not have any documentation I can quote about spirochetes becoming resistant to abx.

On the other hand, I have heard many times - always take all of your abx for a sinus or ear infection.
If you kill off the weaker bacteria, then the stronger ones can build up a resistance if the abx is not given long enough or it is not strong enough to kill them, too.

Of course it's only my opinion, but I strongly feel like you never completely killed all the spirochetes 5 yrs ago.
Read the links minoucat gave.

I still recommend that you see a Lyme Literate Med Dr for an evaluation - ASAP.
(use Seeking a Dr & Support Groups)
They also check for Co-Infections like Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Bartonella.
Have you been checked for any of these?

You need a dr who treats primarily Tick-Borne Diseases AND has a lot of "satisfied customers"
The best recommendations come from patients.

Generally speaking, the large pestigious medical facilities do not have a lot of success stories with Lyme disease.

In the past, there have been discussions here about these facilities.
You may want to do a "search" to read about experiences people here on LymeNet have had.

At the top right, click "search" & type in the info.

They gave me some heavy hitting antibiotics post op because they used an allograft and then I followed up with 30 days worth of oral antibiotic.

I was completely symptom free for a year (surgery was 6/9/03).

I also know this is a new infection because I found the entry mark within 2 days of the bite. The symptoms appeared 14 days after the spot appeared.

The only time I was outdoors without Deet sprayed all over me was 1 particular Saturday. The timing from exposure to onset was text book.

The doxy is definitely working because the last 3 days have been hell with pain. This is the best afternoon all week. TGIF

I just have to remember not to get overtired. After a year of good health I forgot how to ration my energy.

Oh well. My husband is a good PDA.

BTW, its a deal on the ski photos. We live 5 miles from our local ski resort on the other side of the mountain -- great sunsets!

I'll have to think about using an LLMD since it takes weeks and sometimes months to get appointments in this area.

I believe there is at least one LLMD in Westchester County, NY, I think Bedford and/or Mount Kisco.

That's probably not THAT far for you. Try on seeking a doctor and see if you can get the info, or on the ILADS website.