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Since the mid-90s, I've had all the symptoms of Lyme disease, and more.s. Looking back, I remember having the bulls-eye, but I didn't know anything about it being a definite sign of Lyme, I thought it was a reaction to a spider bite. I went from doctor to doctor seeking help and each one took blood for Lyme , hypothyroidism, etc., and when the results came back normal, they sent me away. One doctor took the time to dig further until he learned that my husband had recently passed away. Hallelulah, he insisted I was depressed and was going to cured me by prescribing anti-depressants. What did I know? I had never lost a husband before and, after all, doctors are experts, right? After taking them for - an unremembered length of time - I noticed no difference in my symptoms; but a serious side affect was that I couldn't remember where I put a piece of paper 50 seconds after it left my hands so, at the risk of losing my job, I stopped taking anti-depressants and dealt with my symptoms. In 2005, my OB/GYN suspected - later confirmed - nodules on my thyroid. Still the blood work came back normal - the doc watched the nodules to make sure they didn't grow & we did a FNAs every year to insure they weren't cancerous, but I still couldn't get anyone in the medical field to listen & address my symptoms. Finally, in 2008, the blood test showed that my thyroid was not functioning correctly so I've seen multiple doctors - each for @ 1 year and when nothing changes, I ask why. They tell me I'm getting older or menopause is the burden women must endure, etc. etc. etc. I also suspect that I'm gluten intolerant. Anyway, this past May, I found, another doctor that is apparently the only practice in the world that knows what tests to conduct to find the cause of my symptoms. so after exhaustive testing, I've been diagnosed with Lyme disease, sleep apnea, pre-diabetes, CFS, Fibromyalgia, Parvo, Epstein-Barr, adrenal fatigue, ADHD, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hormone imbalances, and insulin resistant. This would explain most of why my symptoms continue, but how do I know that I'm just not wasting my time on yet another doc, especially since (1) I have to travel from VA to PA for this new doc/treatment; and, (2) this doctor doesn't participate with insurance companies so I have to pay up front and submit to the insurance company afterward; and, (3) I actually feel worse because of the Herxheimer reactions to the Lyme antibiotics (when the body cannot flush toxins fast enough, you develop flu symptoms, headaches, etc.). None of this would matter if I could get some relief in the symptoms especially the weight gain. I am starving myself into obesity and I am frustrated from trying to find someone who can fix this problem while reading all the time online how complicated one of these ailments is and I have them all. So far, I have yet to notice any improvement (or even different) from all/any of the treatment(s) over the years. I also wonder if anyone really knows what they're doing and, perhaps, I'm just a guinea pig for statistic gathering. I am 100+ pounds overweight and I do not eat enough food to justify this weight and the weight gain continues monthly. I was told to try writing down what I eat or maybe a dietician would help. I am over 60 years old and I have always eaten healthy and exercised, not to mention how impossible it is to reach this age without knowing your body - it is VERY insulting to be told to write down everything I eat at this age when I know my diet is not the problem - especially since it just started in 2008. I have been told that the longer you have untreated Lyme, the longer it takes to cure/treat it. Other online sources say that because the spirochetes can lie dormant under so many conditions, Lyme cannot be completely cured. I am taking multiple antibiotics as it's probably the underlying cause of most of the other ailments and I'm trying to focus on being patient as I believe the other problems will, at a minimum, subside if I can get the Lyme controlled and my weight down. Wish me luck,
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Hi osikn2,
Thanks for sharing your story, I am sure this will help many women having these same symptoms and feeling the way you did. BTW, Good Luck!
Best,
Daisy
February 28, 2014 - 4:40amThis Comment