posted
I'm new to this site and my research of Lyme, so I guess I'll give you my history in the hopes that someone else out there has some helpful hints.
In 2007, I was 9 months pregnant with my first child - tired, yes - achey, yes, headaches - sure, but that's par for the course during pregnancy, right? It wasn't until the day before my daughter was born that I ever thought something else was at work. I woke up that morning with the left side of my face paralyzed, and ran to my OBGYN. Blood pressure through the roof, so off to the hospital we went and I was induced shortly thereafter. The in-house Neurologist saw me in the hospital for the Bell's Palsy and ordered testing for Lyme. It wasn't until after I was home that I got the call that it came back positive. He prescribed 7 days of Amoxicillian 875 mg as I was breastfeeding and I thought that would be the end of that. After 6 months of barely being able to get out of bed, and almost never leaving the house that I started seeing one doctor after the next.
Primary doc sent me to a rheumatologist. Rhemuotologist tested for arthritis, and when nothing abnormal other than some factor that would make me prone to blood clots...take one baby aspirin every day, and try to lose some more weight. Started to think that it was post pardum depression. Saw a psychiatrist who prescribed anti-depressants. Still no better, returned to the Rheumotologist, who handed me a pamphlet about Fibromyalgia and said "I don't believe in this, but I'll treat it"...also with anti-depressants.
My daughter is almost 4 now, and for her entire life I've been plagued with joint pain, exhaustion, depression, muscle twitches, headaches in the back of the head, widespread itching, and countless nights of feeling like I was coming down with the flu, only to feel better the next morning and have the symptoms come back at night.
I had begun to accept that this is just my life and how I was going to feel. I scheduled a physical after the fact that my libido was non-existent, and my marriage was strained, thinking that maybe my hormones were off for some medical reason. Totally as an afterthought, I asked my doc to re-test for Lyme. Sure enough, came back positive and was prescribed Doxy 200 mg/day for 21 days.
I'm in my 3rd week now, and I feel HORRIBLE! Worse than I remember feeling in a long time...is this common? Since I've started my research it's become clear that I'll need to find a LLMD, and I thank this group for giving me the referrals that I'll be contacting.
Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome - looks like I have a long road ahead of me, but I'm hopeful. Thanks for listening Posts: 4 | From New York | Registered: Nov 2011
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So sorry you're going through this. I don't know how much research you've done on this site, but your story is like many others' here. Years of going from doctor to doctor trying to figure out what's wrong.
It is very common to feel much worse after you start the doxy. The doxy causes the Lyme bacteria to die off, and the toxins from that can increase your existing symptoms and even cause new symptoms to appear.
Some things you can try to help your body rid itself of the toxins:
Drink some fresh lemon juice in water (use a straw so as not to hurt the enamel on your teeth).
Take an epsom salts bath (or even a footbath will help).
Take some Alka-Seltzer Gold (this is the kind without any aspirin). I found mine at CVS.
Be sure to take your doxy in the middle of a meal--that will help with the stomach upset that it causes.
Do be sure and contact an LLMD, since 21 days of doxy isn't enough when you've had Lyme as long as you have.
Hope you feel better soon.
Posts: 227 | From Northeast | Registered: Mar 2010
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posted
Hmmm.......mine is a very long story, untreated lyme for about 27 years is the over riding theme. Now, a week and a half ago my doc finally took my request, diagnosed CLINICALLY in spite of a Neg. test, and put me on 30 days of Doxy 100 am and 100 pm.
I NEVER HAVE HEADACHES........well, i got one the second day and it has stayed, but moved around my head. I have had really stunning pain behind my solar plexus, plus some lower GI issues. but, i'm sticking with it.
Along with the above and a couple of other issues i have also cleaned my workshop, taken a closer command of my business, and my wife says i look happier.
Hard for me to judge some things, but i'm looking forward to the next two and a half weeks, even if the headache stays.
Posts: 37 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2011
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posted
welcome!! I so hope you have an LLMD!! You will definitely need more than 3 wks of abx to get well. Lyme patients herx every 3-5 wks, so you are right in the middle of your first big herx.
I'll be back with info on herxes.
Would you like me to move this to Medical Questions where more members will see this?? These ARE medical questions you've asked.
posted
Wow, the support here is unbelievable...thank you all so much! It's comforting to talk with other people who know REALLY understand.
Please do move this to the Medical section, I'd love to hear others from there too...thanks!
I've been reading lots of links on this site, and totally just realized that my trip to the cardiologist a few months ago after a week of chest pains was almost certainly just another sympton of Lyme, geez! I'm having "ah ha" moments daily since I started my research...thanks for everything.
Posts: 4 | From New York | Registered: Nov 2011
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