Symptoms come and go.

I have not yet been diagnosed with Lyme disease but through my own research I believe there is a good chance i have lyme. I have a LLMD appointment June 28th with Dr. S in PA. I believe I got bit approximately 6-7 weeks ago while on vacation.

The hardest thing for me is the symptoms always come and go. I will be sick for a week and then feel fine for 3 days and get sick again. This comes and goes and it always makes me wonder if I just crazy or these feelings are in my head! I have a feeling my family doesn't think I have lyme but I don't want to keep feeling this way.

Here is a chronological list of my symptoms.

3-5 days after suspected bite- Flu-like symptoms, chills, back ache, high fever.

1-2 weeks after bite- upset stomach, diarrhea, fatigue, lightheaded.

week 3- I felt fine for a couple of days but then toward the end of the week my allergies got really bad and I got hay fever and then eventually a sinus infection.

Week 4- sinus infection, allergies, fatigue, intolerance to alcholol.

week 5- still battling the sinus infection, not as bad as well as allergies.

week 6- Brain fog, muscle soreness, especially my neck. Swollen lymph nodes in neck and jaw. Itchy lymph nodes as well.

week 7- Brain fog, fatigue, muscle soreness, specifically lower back. Motion sickness, lightheaded. very poor balance. Feels like the room is moving when i walk.

end of week 7- symptoms have gone away. Still lightheaded and weak somewhat but I feel a lot better.

I can see how people overlook lyme b.c of the variety of symptoms and the fact that they go away and come back. Has anyone else noticed this in their early stages?

Hi Nolan I just got on the forum yesterday but I have had Lyme 2.5 years. You are going to a LLMD which is great. It is my hunch that if you take this window of opportunity you may not be on this site in two years. First thing I would do is start with the advice given on the forums "New to Lyme" link. I really wouldn't drink at all even prior to your appointment and avoid sugar. I know I sound preachy but trust me I am telling you this because I wish I had taken my own advice. Now I just have the hangover without any alcohol. When I describe the sickness to others humorously i say I feel like I drank a bottle of tequila and wrestled a grizzly bear. When I first got sick I thought I was so strong that I would recover. I think you have a window of opportunity now not to go chronic, I would make the most of it. My son was in fourth grade when I got sick, Tuesday he will be finishing sixth grade. I have missed alot and I am not the parent I would like to be.

I hope you get on your antibiotics and get get well. You wont regret making the most of this opportunity!

Take care and good luck!

You are not crazy but the spirochetes in your head will make you feel that way

Oh yeah! Did my symptoms ever come and go! That's what saved the little shred of sanity I have left! Well I think I have some left anyway!

You all sound so much like me. I am just so overwhelmed. I was just well for a few days and I actually thought that I was healed and then back at the pain and tight muscles in my body.

I started on this roller coaster at the end of May.
At that time ER and then PCP, I had pain in my neck and was told "Wry neck". After working for 8 years I was home in pain.
Then the pain went to my back I went to chiropractor four times a week. Then after weeks led to months I had another set of x-rays and my spine was worse then when I started. I then knew I needed help to see what was wrong with me. I went to my chiro's son, who specialized in Chiro too, except he had a machine that tested for lyme disease, which after the fact I discovered this is not recognized as a real diagnostic test.

Then on to find a way to get tested at Igenex. I called them got providers in Maine and called one. Waited 6 weeks to get in---to be told that I would have to travel 3 more hours the following week to have a blood test done. Then it would be a month or more to get the results. When I did get the results I had an Igenex positive and CDC negative. CONFUSING TO SAY THE LEAST.

I have been on Tramadol for pain and besides making me tired it has been very helpful. Sometimes I do not think it is doing much until I try to go off it and I get the full extent of the pain.

I went on Doxy two pills twice a day and got very sick for a month I thought I was wishing for an end.
Went on Minocycline two pills twice a day for two months and got headaches, sick and miserable.
Started natural supplements and vitamins with garlic cloves.
Then went to MA and saw a specialist down there. He put me on Biaxin 500mg and Plaquenil 200mg a day. He also told me that most of the vitamins and supplements that I was taking was not helpful and in fact that I was creating an environment where the bacteria would thrive at a higher rate.

I have been out of work for ten months and I still do not have any answers. I have one week to decide whether to go on unemployment and making myself go to work or to just find out how to qualify for long term disability. Some days I could definitely work and others I struggle to get off the couch..........what to do very overwhelmed..........any ideas anyone

Nolan, yes, my symptoms come and go. I believe I was infected from a bite in July, but wasn't diagnosed until January. I have several of the symptoms you mentioned as well as severe joint pain...I thought it was weird when I would feel awful and have these odd seemingly unrelated symptoms then a week or two later I was ok then they would come back a week or two later...that was when I started researching Lyme and found a doctor who used Igenex testing. Be happy that you caught it so early. I agree with JT65...there is a good chance you won't be sick before too long.
Good luck

Hi Nolan,

As you can see from the responses, your symptoms are typical of lyme. I think typical and lyme probably shouldn't be used in the same sentence though. ;). I'm glad you are getting evaluated by an LLMD. Have you gone to your PCP to rule out other things just to be safe? That is worth a shot for sure.

In the meantime while you are waiting for an appointment there are some things you can do on your own to help alleviate symptoms on those days that you are having them. If you haven't yet, be sure to check out our "New to Lyme, Start here!" thread. There is good information there on detoxing. Make sure you are drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day and eating as healthy as possible so your body can focus on getting the lyme toxins out of your body! And it is healthy for you do that even if you don't have lyme too!

Before I went to the LLMD - I took some suggestions from members on this site and started a few herbs to help with my symptoms. That helped me while I was waiting.

~beth

The people that recover are living their lives! :) Not many stick around here after they get better, so don't lose hope.

Lyme in Maine are you seeing a good doc? I am seeing a specialist in Portsmouth, he's very good. I know some docs up here too, two are in Falmouth.

I have been ill since childhood, I'm 37 now. But I was only tested last year, I was misdiagnosed as a child.... It does matter who you see! even doc with the best of intentions may not be the right ones for you. There are two in Falmouth Maine, I am in Portland. Yes people heal, but you need your body supported and in balance, it's a multidisciplinary approach and those who practice functional medicine seem to have the best protocols that actually help people.
What are of maine are you in and how long have you been sick? Would you like some names?