Hi, I have been reading a lot of posts for several months but this is the first of posting my own. I am a 33 year old single mom of 3 boys. I grew up right smack against the State Game Lands here in Lititz, Pa. I believe I contracted Lyme from a tick at some point between the age of 5 and 8 years old. Over the years I've had many problems. I've had several different diagnoses like, boarderline personality disorder, Bipolar disorder, Hypoglicima and the last doctor before finding out I had Lyme wanted to diagnose me with fybromyalgia. After the Hypoglicima diagnoses I had given up on doctors all together. Anytime I gave my symtoms the first thing that they want to do is put me on meds like anitdepressants that did not do anything but make me worse off. I knew I was starting to sound like a hypochondriac and they were thinking I was carzy so i thought it was best to ignore it all and do research on my own. I completley changed my diet avoiding, sugar, flours, alcohol and wheat since these were what a hypo was to be on. I honestly believe that this change over the last 8 years of my diet has kept me from any severe problems. Even with the diet which was not always strict I felt aches and pains, mental fog, extreme fatigue, depression, weird ringing and popping in my ears, times where I felt as though I was losing my mind, tingling and numbing of limbs, headaches, and the list goes on of things that come and go. Its was not until my sister came to me (she was having a lot of same issues) that she had Lyme and that I should see a speacialist to be tested for it. I tried going through my regular family doctor first and she did not want to hear about Lyme at all and did not hear me out. I pushed for the testing anyway and it of course came back negative. I researched and found that if i were to get the right testing I was going to have to go to the speacialist and that was paying out of pocket. I borrowed the money to pay for testing that was sent to IGenex in Calinfornia and it came back positive. I then tried to get treatment through that doctor that did the blood test but they then would not treat me because I had medical assitance. They said they no longer would except medcoal asstiance patients. I said but I'm paying out of pocket. They said they were told not to excpet med assitance patients anylonger and they could not help me. I was not sure what i was to do but trya nd find a doctor that would treat me and try and get it under my insurance cause I really could not afford to try and pay out of pocket any way. I did find one and he has been trying to treat me but he does not know much about Lyme and the antibiotics I was on I found out do nothing for late stage Lyme. I attended a Lyme support group meeting and found someone to treat me for half price thank God! I meet with her on Oct. 5th. Finally after 6 months of finding out I have this I may be getting started on the right treatment. I am hoping anyway! I have been seeing a lot of different stories and a lot of things contradict. And my conclusion to it all is that everyone is different. I think having a positive attitude, believing that you will be healed, you will be along with taking good care of yourself. Trust me I know it is very hard to stay positive when you can hardly get out of bed in the morning and every part of your body is screaming at you! I am not going to give up and the reason why i joined this is to help me with some encourgement or hope that this will get better when having those really bad days. I am so grateful to be in this world and that I know what I'm battling now. There was a time that if I had not had my kids I know I would not be here. One thing I have not heard much on is how long does it take for most people to start feeling better when getting the right antibotic treament? Or this may change with each person as well depending on how long each one has had it? Any info would be greatly appcreciated 
Thanks for taking the time to read!
Melissa