Diagnosed hypothyroid 2004, put on synthroid, which set-off anxiety and heart palps, shortness of breath off and on.
Only signs that I had thyroid issues before diagnosis was I was tired all the time, cold, and irregular periods -- and family history (both sisters and mom).
Diagnosed PCOS 2005, although I don't have weight issues, PCOS symptoms other than irregular periods (my periods have normalized and I'm not on any medication for it)
Just recently (June 2007), I was in a minor accident, which resulted in whiplash. I felt a tingling/burning in area of neck right afterwards until following day when I felt heat searing up in neck, followed by diarrhea, trembling/tremors/muscle twitches which lasted about two weeks.
During this time I developed stiff neck, neck spasms, weakness (probably due to weight loss as a result of diarrhea) and feeling out of it, confused. Crying a lot, not like me.
I had x-rays, MRI done, shows minor bulging in disk of neck...the worst symptoms were the extreme anxiety and agitation I felt and a buzzing/tingling/numbness in different areas of the body and well as muscle aches in legs and brain zaps (hard to explain).
I would wake up with neck spasms, felt prickly heat in body - very scary. Doctors can't explain weird buzzing.
Today, I'm doing a little better, still feel agitated but not as much, still some neck stiffness (base of skull) and headaches better although I sometimes feel like my skull is so tight! Legs are still achy and tired at times and although the buzzing isn't as bad, I still feel it through my body, mostly on left side where I hurt my neck.
Thank goodness the muscle twitches have calmed down but the buzzing continues and muscle aches continue as well as fatigue. I started thinking I had MS until I rememberd my sister and looked up lyme symptoms.
I've been to internist, neuro who both chalked it up to cervical neck strain and mostly anxiety. I know these symptoms (buzzing, major fatigue, dizziness, brain zaps) are different than any anxiety I've ever felt!
Currently trying nucca chiro to align my spine and hopefully alleviate any nerves that are being pressed and possibly causing symptoms.
My sister was treated for lyme disease about a year ago and she has a lot of the same issues and me, thyroid related. We also have high bilirubin levels (gilbert's syndrome) which is genetic but benign, I guess.
I've had blood tests done -- still working on getting TSH levels normalized (hashimotos) and as I noticed my neutrophil levels are high and lymphocyte levels are low. Doctors said nothing to worry about??
I'm wondering if bacteria was laying dormant until whiplash set me off and BOOM, causing all these were neurological symptoms. I've read that high neutrophil levels show you could have a bacterial infection or something.
I realized this was started after the whiplash incident, but the buzzing feeling and agitation scare me, after three months of this. Sometimes standing for too long is so painful (muscle aches) and I feel out of it a lot of the time. Minor dizziness at times.
Before the whiplash, I had been having periods of lightheadedness and some buzzing in stomach area. I'm a vegetarian so I'm also looking into b12 deficiency (even though tests show levels normal 535). I've tried accupuncture (with minor success) and I'm taking daily magnesium powder drink to calm me down.
Just trying to make sense of all of this....does this sound like lyme -- can a traumatic event on the body set it off so quickly?
I don't know a lot about lyme, other than some symptoms, etc and I know a lot of the tests are different or controversial, etc so I need some insight. Sorry, this was so long and all over the place.
[ 27. September 2007, 08:42 PM: Message edited by: whiteorchid ]
Posts: 4 | From IL | Registered: Sep 2007
| IP: Logged |
Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
Lyme is known for being set off by some type of "traumatic" event or illness.
I would recommend that you get a Western Blot through Igenex in Ca. They specialize in Tick Borne Diseases.
Also may want to find yourself a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor.
They are very specialized and used to ruling out other conditions that may not be Lyme.
Hang in there.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
It sure could be! Find an LLMD as soon as possible!
Lyme Disease Symptoms List 1. Unexplained fevers, sweats, chills, or flushing 2. Unexplained weight change--loss or gain 3. Fatigue, tiredness, poor stamina 4. Unexplained hair loss 5. Swollen glands: list areas____ 6. Sore throat 7. Testicular pain/pelvic pain 8. Unexplained menstrual irregularity 9. Unexplained milk production: breast pain 10.Irritable bladder or bladder dysfunction 11.Sexual dysfunction or loss of libido 12.Upset stomach 13.Change in bowel function-constipation, diarrhea 14.Chest pain or rib soreness 15.Shortness of breath, cough 16.Heart palpitations, pulse skips, heart block 17.Any history of a heart murmur or valve prolapse? 18.Joint pain or swelling: list joints_____________ 19.Stiffness of the joints, neck, or back 20.Muscle pain or cramps 21.Twitching of the face or other muscles 22.Headache 23.Neck creeks and cracks, neck stiffness, neck pain 24.Tingling, numbness, burning or stabbing sensations, shooting pains 25.Facial paralysis (Bell's Palsy) 26.Eyes/Vision: double, blurry, increased floaters, light sensitivity 27.Ears/Hearing: buzzing, ringing, ear pain, sound sensitivity 28.lncreased motion sickness, vertigo, poor balance 29.Lightheadedness, wooziness 30.Tremor 31.Confusion, difficulty in thinking 32.Diffculty with concentration, reading 33.Forgetfuiness, poor short term memory 34.Disorientation: getting lost, going to wrong places 35.Difficulty with speech or writing 36.Mood swings, irritability, depression 37.Disturbed sleep-too much, too little, early awakening 38.Exaggerated symptoms or worse hangover from alcohol
posted
Thanks for the replies so far! I need to find a doctor soon, I guess, and get those labs done.
I'll post something in the "find a doc" area
Thanks again --- this has been a scary time for me and I'm trying to stay positive but it's hard.
It's nice to know there are others out there with symptoms that are similar and I'm not alone -- even if it's not "lyme"
I forgot to mention, I have had eye problems on/off for the past 5+ years or so, only in one eye, though, which is weird. Eye doctor says I'm ok, probably just eye strain...but you never know.
Also, when all of this started happening, I had tingling/numbness in face as well -- so scary, that's partly why I went to the ER...because I thought I was having a stroke, along with all of the other symptoms, arm pain, etc.
Also - plugged ear (left side) but that could be related to the whiplash. I have noticed my hearing hasn't been as good for years, and I'm only 29!!!
I don't want to turn into a hypochondriac (I've never done so much medical googling in my life!!!) but when all these weird symptoms pop up and the doctors are no help...not good.
[ 28. September 2007, 09:50 AM: Message edited by: whiteorchid ]
Posts: 4 | From IL | Registered: Sep 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
It was pneumonia that set off the pain, fatigue, migraines, IBS, GERD, arthritis part of my Lyme, and surgery that brought on all my neurological symptoms.
Yours sounds like Lyme to me too, but like everyone has said, you need an LLMD and Igenex testing to be certain. Other things need to be ruled out.
Posts: 43 | From Grand Rapids, MI | Registered: Aug 2007
| IP: Logged |
In january of 05 I had a significant increase in neurological symtoms.
I mentioned this in my story (link at bottom), but what I did not mention was that this increase in symptoms happened after an accident.
I was spinning my children in a sled after an overnight freeze when I lost my footing, fell, and broke my shoulder.
Prior to this I had joint issues, a "tension" headache, and this had started with a flu-like thing several months before.
After the fall I had major balance issues, disorientation, cognitive, and many other wierd stuff listed in my story.
Because this happened shortly after the fall thats where my doctor focused for quite a while, but nothing was "normal", many symtoms didnt make sense to anyone.
I later was told after being diagnosed with Lyme in March 07 that the bateria sometimes takes advantage of trama, weakness, stress etc. and spreads rapidly.
This makes sense to me now, back then nothing did.
Maybe I should't have left this out of my story, perhaps it could help someone else. I'll probably edit it later, right now I have to wrap up, my head is getting pretty mushy and strained.
Not sure if this is the case with you. I agree you should find an LLMD and get the testing done asap.
Hope all goes well.
BJK
-------------------- BJK
Nothing I write here is medical advice...I'm just another lymie sharing how this disease has affected me personally Posts: 175 | From Central Maine | Registered: Sep 2007
| IP: Logged |
CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
It could be but also could not be!!!
Could also be or not be Babesiosis, another TBD which often hits thyroid hard in my experience-
Yup, I would find an LLMD*)!*)! Especially since there are gentic susceptibilites in Lyme if your sister has had it that's a red flag right there-!!
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thanks for your replies...I can't believe the closest LLMD in IL is in St Louis. Crazy.
It doesn't hurt to get tested and see what's happening...does anyone know of the correlation between lyme and white blood cells? Just wondering since my neutrophils are high and my lymphcytes are low. Could mean some kind of bacteria was unleashed by the accident OR sometimes white blood cells go out of wack when there is stress on the body -- like these past three months...I was under a lot of stress (physical and mental) as a result of this injury.
Can anyone explain how the testing works -- why is lyme diagnosis so controversial?
Posts: 4 | From IL | Registered: Sep 2007
| IP: Logged |
cantgiveupyet
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8165
posted
My neutrophils are high too. The Dr's i have went to say nothing about this.
Three days before all heck was unleashed in my body, i had a fall down my stairs, hit flat on my back, but the only injury i sustained was a bruised big toe(so i thought)
then 3 days later One minute I was at the lake on vacation next minute was overcome with tingling, sweats, an odd sensation thruout my body. Went to the ER in the middle of nowhere and he thought it was my thyroid acting wacky,
or that i was slipped some sudafed!!!
You seem to have a few lyme symptoms but as others have said you need to rule out other stuff too.
-------------------- "Say it straight simple and with a smile."
"Thus the task is, not so much to see what no one has seen yet, But to think what nobody has thought yet, About what everybody sees."
-Schopenhauer
pos babs, bart, igenex WB igm/igg Posts: 3156 | From Lyme limbo | Registered: Oct 2005
| 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!
Printer-friendly view of this topic