Topic: Totally need to vent!!!!! What kind of mental illness is this?
Linda LD
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Member # 6663
posted
My identical twin had surgery (IV antibiotics) and is now very fatigued. She was taking Oxicotin and told doc it didn't help with her post-surgery pain. Doc said that it sounded like it didn't help because her pain reseptors were full already . O.K. I may not be saying that right--but the long and the short is she is like me--she isn't feeling pain during the day but only at night when she doesn't have the mental capacity to push the pain away.
Our doc thinks she has Lyme. Has asked her to take a sleep test--she refused.
When I was talking to her about the diagnosis (she had blood taken for a Western Blot today). She told me she wasn't going to treat the Lyme until after her four year old graduated from High School. Said she couldn't have Lyme 'cause her SOB of a husband would divorce her (probably true). Said she wasn't going to eat crap like I do--she was going to eat healthy and keep the Lyme at bay. I told her I eat crap because I'm too tired to fix something nutricious. "I've seen you, you eat deserts!"
She said she would never take "all those antibiotics!" I asked her if she didn't like antibiotics. "I don't want to sleep all the time--like you!" Ya'll--we pulse. I take ONE 500mg zith a MONTH! She makes me sound like a drug addict.
I was saying all the right things--when she said husband would divorce her I told her I would keep her kids while she was herxing. Told her I would help her...
This is the woman who said I was a bad mother because I slept all the time--that one still burns. She didn't believe I had Lyme until she found out an old boyfriend of mine had Lyme.
Why am I so mad?
You know, I hear from at least one person a week in this area who is looking for a doctor--and she has a doctor and she is going to refuse treatment!
I am so very mad at her. I told her I had to get off the phone because I was really annoyed at her. She was pretty annoyed with me. The hand writing has been on the wall for at least a year that she has Lyme too--this is no shock.
Talk me down--I would like to rip her nasty little head off, crap down her throat and hand her head back!
None of us want to be sick--her attitude is like my whole family--if you ignore it you wont be sick--what kind of mental illness is that?
L
Posts: 1171 | From Knoxville, TN US | Registered: Dec 2004
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char
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8315
posted
If you rip her head off she won't get treatment.
You have to let it go. It is so hard.
We have to pray that she becomes open to idea.
Bet seeing you get better will help.
Also, perhaps she will have a good week where she can think more clearly.
Also, fragile marriage can overwhelm a person to where they can't take on one more thing; even if that thing will help them.
posted
Your story reminded me of something (other than our families thinking we're lazy hypochondriacs - many of us had that in common at one point or another).
For many, many years, I didn't understand why antibiotics always made me feel worse. I asked around and I was only the only one sicker than before when taking abx. It's only after I was diagnosed that I realized that I was actually herxing each time I was taking abx for an infection.
Maybe your sister could think about that. She can doubt all other problems if she wishes, but herxing when you're on abx is pretty unusual when you're healthy.
Posts: 159 | From CT, USA | Registered: Jan 2005
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Linda LD
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Well, now you made me cry--I don't think she feels real luck to have me right now. if she hadn't seen me suffer so much she might be more open.
I just need to shut up--this is her journey--but having an identical twin is like no other relationship--its almost like your kid or something--except she is my peer and wont let me help her.
Thank you, L
Posts: 1171 | From Knoxville, TN US | Registered: Dec 2004
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I'm sending you all the love and support I can. My husband is a twin and so I know a little bit about that relationship and the extra amount of connection you have.
Man, do I know how you feel. How frustrating it must be to have gone through all you've gone through and then have someone refuse treatment from an actual doctor who actually suggested she get tested. I would turn into a screaming howler monkey if I found out my sis did that.
But you know, people often get angry out of fear. And Lyme is some scary stuff. Your sis is getting really defensive because she sees that lyme = marriage ending. You're scared because if she has it (and of course we're pretty sure that she does) then she is looking at some serious difficulty up ahead.
It seems like you really know the score, it's just frustrating as all get out. Some days I really hate having all this knowledge about lyme and no one to listen. I think of how much better the world would be if people listened to us.
You are so right...it's her path, her decisions. Maybe she is meant to learn something by doing it this way. But it's also hard to have to be on the receiving end of her comments about your food, etc. and still support her unconditionally.
I'm also hoping that by talking you off a ledge I can talk myself off about my own sister. She is 18 and she brought 2 guy friends over last night and they were screaming and yelling which made me want to cry it hurt my ears so much.
Then one of them took my dog on a leash and made her attack the other guy. For the first time ever, she bit somebody (thankfully not hard and no blood but still). I went back into my room, shaking and crying. I am still so upset and because I'm on doxy my head is a mess and I'm all spacy.
Ok, sorry for inserting my own rant in there lol. Just want to show solidarity with you. I get what you're feeling.
Alison
--------------------
The obscure we see eventually. The completely obvious, it seems, takes longer. --- Edward R. Murrow Posts: 923 | From California | Registered: Aug 2005
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Linda LD
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Member # 6663
posted
Christelleny,
Me too! I always thought I was "allergic" to antibiotics--I would take the perscription and not fill it--tough out whatever was bothering me because I didn't want to experience what I now know was a herx.
Alison, is your sister coming to your house and acting like that? You need to tell her you are sick and to go home! I am so sorry--no one drives you as crazy as a sister can.
Once I step back a little I can see you are right and my sis is afraid. I just hate that I'm the one that made her so afraid.
I am so sorry those boys got your dog all excited like that. That was mean to your dog and to you. Sounds like when you get a break from the abx you need to have a heart to heart with your sister. If she wants to be treated like an adult she needs to act like one--other wiise she is showing the maturity of a ten year old.
My four year old asked me to read "Horton Hears a Who," last night. That's us--we are all down in Whoville and no one will listen. It is so incredible frustrating.
Linda
Posts: 1171 | From Knoxville, TN US | Registered: Dec 2004
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I have to laugh when you asked, 'what kind of mental illness is that?' I orignally clicked on to see what kind of neuro problems you have run into but then it was about the family. LOL
I HEAR you loud and clear. I have lost everything b/c of Lyme. I am back at my parents house w/ my young son. I found out last week I could have passed it on to my son. I have been sick for eight years and was diagnosed this year after child birth.
I was hysterical and told my dad and he walked away. Told my mom and she said, "oh, he is fine." Then last week when he felt warm w/ no temp. I asked if he felt like he had a temp. They said in unison, "NO, NOTHING IS WRONG. HE IS FINE, QUIT WORRYING ALL THE TIME"
They have seen my CAT scan w/ lesions all over it and me sit around doing nothing for eight years but be lazy. Finally my boyfriend really chewed on my dad so he doesn't always ask me why I don't want to do things anymore.
So I know the power in denial. Your sister is afraid she will lose it all b/c people w/ Lyme do lose it all many times.
I know it must be hard when you are trying so hard to get well and she won't even look at what she has. But perhaps she is not yet that sick to the point where she is desperate to get better.
Hang in there, be mad, maybe she will come around. She is lucky to have you. I wish I had a supportive sister like you.
LQ
-------------------- Mitakuye Oysain (we are all related) Posts: 34 | From OH | Registered: Nov 2005
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Linda LD
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6663
posted
I have a theory.
I think that when you get pregnant and your body lowers your immune function so your body wont kill the baby (this is all proven scientific fact). I think when all this happens it gives the Bb a leg up and that is when it gets a real foothold. Who got really sick after having the babies? I believe that is why more women than men have auto-immune diseases--I would love to see if the women with auto-immunes have had kids.
But one of the sickest people I know doesnt have kids--so who knows.
I grew up on a dead end road out in the sticks. There were maybe 10 houses on the mile long road and three had girls. My two sisters, my friend across the street and my friend down the road. My Mom moved away as did the lady down the street while their husbands kept the houses (divorce). the Mom across the street (that stayed) has lupus. Her daughter has lupus and arthritius. My two sisters and I have hashimotos (my twin and I have Lyme). The girl down the street has hashis.
Do you think the well-water had Bb in it? Is that possible? Isn't is weird that we all grew up and are sick with autoimmunes? The family with the lupus--I tried to tell them about Lyme--but the daughter is a nurse and she wouldn't listen...
Linda
Posts: 1171 | From Knoxville, TN US | Registered: Dec 2004
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char
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8315
posted
Linda,
Like you need some more bad news...
I think that you may have been exposed to something nasty in your environment as a child.
I found out recently that our farm, that is adjacent to former ammunition plant (Vietnam War), is a super fund site. Status is in process of cleanining up; which can mean anything unfortunately.
I have wondered lately if this contributed to my kids and I having weak immune systems that made us susceptible to lyme.
Feel so betrayed to have been unknowinly exposed as child, which perhaps you can relate to.
I am working at taking comfort in the fact that out bodies seem to strengthen immediately when we do something to take away bad or add good.
For example, a smoker who quits, even after 20yrs, sees an immediate proven improvement in health immediately. And then some seem to enjoy good health for many years.
So my pt is if you have moved to safer environment and I trust you are taking supplements, actively trying to strengthen immune system which can heal.
Linda LD
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6663
posted
I always thought my thyroid disease was from being close to Oak Ridge--kinda thought it was my contribution to winning the cold war. But when I found out my friend down the street has hashis--that is too weird!
The only boy on the street is my brother who is in wonderful health and a very intelligent good looking man (maybe not so intelligent--he doesn't believe in Lyme disease).
The people with the lupus (the daughter lives next door now. they do believe the well water is poisen--they just don't believe in Lyme...
L
Posts: 1171 | From Knoxville, TN US | Registered: Dec 2004
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