Hope you are healing!
Those of you who’ve had it for a super long time, how did you finally get a diagnosis? How did you convince a doctor to test?
I was diagnosed on 8/30 - most of the symptoms have lightened up - no fever, the joint aches aren’t nearly as bad - but the FATIGUE. I just want to stay in bed…forever.
Someone - please tell me - that part gets better…
I know I’ve lost some weight. Between the fatigue and nausea from the doxy, I’m not eating nearly as much, and can only handle certain foods. I didn’t know about calcium and doxy - which sucks, because Greek yogurt is one of the few things I can stomach.
Sigh.
I’m 20 lbs lighter than last summer!
It does get better. It took me about 6-8 weeks after starting doxy. I actually rode Ted last night!!!
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Those of you who’ve had it for a super long time, how did you finally get a diagnosis? How did you convince a doctor to test?[/QUOTE]
I never connected my symptoms with Lyme until I started working for a woman who thought she might lose her daughter to Lyme a couple of years ago (my employer also has Lyme herself-- doctors think that her daughter contracted the Lyme in utero). She referred me to a local naturopathic doctor who specializes in Lyme, and that doctor ordered the test after hearing my laundry list of symptoms. Since the naturopath isn’t able to prescribe antibiotics in this state, I found an MD who doesn’t specialize in Lyme, but is very open-minded and is willing to treat as aggressively as needed.
MyGiantPony, the fatigue does get better. It may go in cycles-- I just went through a couple of weeks where the fatigue was hitting me hard again, but have been feeling pretty good for the past couple of days.
I actually found that when I started on antibiotics, the fatigue lightened quite quickly, but the pain was MUCH worse for several weeks. I’ve been experiencing the same sort of thing every time my antibiotics are changed or dosage is increased. I know how hard it is to deal with the fatigue-- I can work through pain (and that actually often helps me deal with it), but the fatigue gets to a point that just knocks me on my ass, and if I try to work through it, I can barely get out of bed for the next three days.
Re: the yogurt-- it’s fine to have high-calcium foods an hour before or two hours after you take the doxy, so don’t give up the yogurt entirely!
When I was on the doxy for the Lyme I took a probiotic to help with any digestive issues. I didn’t have any so I am not sure if I would have gotten them or not.
My doctor prescribed me Tramadol for the body aches. They took about 2 weeks to go away. I only really had 2 or 3 days of fatigue what was bad enough to go nap after work instead of going to the barn.
It appears that they caught my Lyme really early. I spend 2 nights in the hospital in early June due to the stiff neck, headache and fever. The Lyme test done there was negative and the docs think it was before I had seroconverted. The late July test was positive so I did another round of doxy. I have a follow-up appointment 10/4/10 with the infectious disease doctor.
Hopefully I am done with the doxy as I get the photosentivity thing. Anywhere the sun touches my skin for more than 15 minutes at a time it feels like I have just applied mineral ice. The feeling will come and go later in the day even if I am not in the sun at that moment. Not painful but kinda freaky.
As a person who has chronic Lyme disease, I implore you to make sure you are with a Lyme Literate doctor. This is the key! I live in the south and guess what-I could not find a doctor who would diagnose me with Lyme even though I the bull’s eye rash when first bitten. Some area’s of the country are not as ‘open’ to Lyme as others. It is a frustrating part of having the disease. I am exhausted from fighting for treatment as I am getting the treatment.
Another option for those that have been diagnosed with Lyme, I would look into removing Gluten from your diet (and yes, it will help you lose weigh too 
). The Lyme bacteria (and co-infections) feed on the sugars produced by the gluten.
BTW-my Lyme Literate Doctor mentioned that about 30% plus of his practice is horsepeople. And I found out about him from the women who delievers my hay (her husband suffers from Lyme).
Hey DGRH, no advice but best wishes to you and Ted. Hope you are feeling better SOON!
How sweet! And knock on wood - it took a good two months after starting the antibiotics - but I feel great now. I am very tick phobic…I mean, I hated them before, but I really hate them now!
But I really do sympathize for those who have chronic Lyme, rheumatoid arthritis or a degenerative arthritis - how painful and draining. I never realized!
