LYMIES, what were your first symptoms, what did they turn into(Like I got more as time went on), how long before finally being diagnosed, how many docs did you see, what finally got you the help and treatment you needed?
Monday, May 2, 2011
It's Lyme Disease Awareness Month
The point of my blog is mostly to educate people. I knew nothing about Lyme Disease before it changed my life and I want others to be educated BEFORE they could possible be bitten and know what to do and watch to watch for. I am calling all lymies to help me. LYMIES please post your answers below...
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This is going to be long-winded!
ReplyDeleteFirst, while in an endemic area in 2009, I developed a rash under both of my armpits that itched like CRAZY for a few months. I saw 3 docs for it and they all gave 3 different answers as to what it was, but nothing made the itching stop. It itched soooo badly that at times, I couldn't even hold a conversation.
Next, my eyesight became affected. My vision would randomly go foggy, as though there was something on my glasses. I would wipe my glasses, but nothing would change. Then words started jumping around the page when I would try to read. I developed headaches for the first time in my life. I had extensive eye testing done and everything came back normal.
Next went my joints--they started looking weird and my fingers actually starting curving slightly.
I developed a sinus infection that wouldn't clear up and got put on antibiotics, and that's when all hell broke loose.
I became disabled to the point where I couldn't leave the house or take care of my children any more. I developed shooting nerve pain up my legs that were worse than any pain I've ever felt in my life. I developed muscle aches that started in my ankles and worked their way up my legs over the weeks. Soon after that, my joints started aching.
It took about 6 doctors and a year to finally get diagnosed with Lyme and the only reason that happened after a year was because I got a tip-off about Lyme disease online and saw that I had a scary number of symptoms. I knew a friend who has Lyme AND is an LLMD (I am lucky!!) and I went to see her.
I believe that I've had Lyme disease for most of my life, but I was still able to function through feeling horrible for most of those years. I've had a handful of tick bites in my life, but never developed a bulls-eye rash, nor did I know enough to connect the bites with feeling horrible and developing Lyme symptoms over the year.
My Lyme test is CDC positive.
I was ill all my life with this, that or another thing sent from doctor to doctor for answers as to why I had chronic back, head, & gut pain, was malnourished & had malabsorption, skin issues, clinical depression, suicidal ideation and MORE!! I was FINALLY diagnosed in April 2006 which, by that time, I was told it was CHRONIC Lyme Disease & that I've probably had it since I was a kid. FINALLY a diagnosis which put all of the 'puzzle pieces' of health challenges into basically ONE category @ the age of 53! Now, five years later, I still have the same health challenges and MORE hoping & praying to just maintain, tho' likely will progress.
ReplyDeleteI am almost 34 and my doctors and I believe I have been sick about 17 years minimum. My only known tick bite was approximately fourth grade so that if that is when I got Lyme that is well over 20 years ago. I had lots of stomach problems that were diagnosed as Irratable Bowel and looking back had lots of ADD symptoms. In the last few years leading up to my diagnosis last year I had shortness of breath, a rapid heart rate, palpatations,weakness, numbess and tingling primarily in my arms and legs. I can say for about 15 years I had the extreme fatigue, increasing ADD symptoms, insomnia, ringing in the ears, muscle aches, muscle spasms, stabbing pains, lower back pain...on and on and on the symptoms go. My heart issues were diagnosed as Inappropriate Sinus Tach and I was put on a beta blocker. I was being treated for ADD and in the last 6 months to a year before my diagnosis I was told my symptoms were anxiety and depression. An amazing chiropractor/nutritionist who has an incredible practice is the one who suggested Lyme Disease. I did some research, sought out a specialist, and the rest is history. Please educate yourself on this horrible disease. Great idea Julie, I might have to steal if for my blog or maybe my facebook page.
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