HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Can Lyme get worse after giving birth?

Support Forums
>
Lyme Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 3/11/2013 11:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,

I have not currently been diagnosed with Lyme but am starting to wonder if I might have Lyme.  Before my son's birth 10 years ago I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  After 1 miscarriage and the birth of my alive son (it was about 3 months later) I started much sicker.  Severe pain, trouble walking, etc.  I started seeing different Drs and was finally diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Candida and Hormone Imbalances.  Well after Doctoring for the past 10 years I am slowly developing newer symptoms such as arms falling asleep for no purpose, severe anxiety, racing heart, inner tremors and more.  My question is this:  If I had Lyme prior to getting pregnant - is it possible for the Lyme to get much worse after?  And second is it possible to have slow progression of Lyme over a 10 - 20 year period with immune boosters, clean diet and lots of supplements and fibro and candida medication or should it progress quickly regardless of what a person does?  Thanks so much for the advice. 

 PS Also is Candida really just Lyme or is Candida for real?  I have been trying to kill Candida with heavy prescription antifungals for 8 years to minor improvement.

oliverbenny

Post Edited (oliverbenny) : 3/11/2013 5:45:14 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/12/2013 12:55 AM (GMT 0)
YES!!!!

The immune system is suppressed during pregnancy, which allows the infection to become active and worsen. I had mild symptoms for years (some neck and upper back pain, muscle stiffness, and fatigue). I was able to function just fine through it. Then, I got really sick at the end of my second pregnancy and completely debilitated, practically bedridden after delivery. My daughter is almost 2 yrs. old now. I was diagnosed with lyme disease and co-infections 7 months ago.

Yes, it's very possible for it to slowly progress. It seems like most of the people on this forum had a slow progression. Many went undiagnosed for 20+ years.

In order to be properly evaluated and treated for lyme disease, you need to find a LLMD (lyme literate MD) as soon as you can. THere is more info. on the "New to Lyme" thread on here. Also, if you post a new post requesting a LLMD with the state that you are in in the subject line, you will get some responses. Title it "looking for a LLMD in __(state)____. Also, go to your profile and make sure that your e-mail address is posted and enabled. We can't post LLMDs names on this public forum for a number of reasons, so that way people can e-mail you if they know of a LLMD near you.
Posted 3/12/2013 3:13 AM (GMT 0)
oliverbenny,

First things first- WELCOME to the forum. I am glad that you have found us, but definitely not glad that you are sick. You will find a lot of friendly and knowledgeable people here who are willing and able to help you. Many years of diverse experiences have taught us a few things. I'm sure that a few more of our mothers will chime in and share their experience with you.

We have an excellent thread entitled "New to Lyme...Start here" at the top of the thread column. It has some good information that anyone with this illness would find useful to know.

I have read many thousands of posts on lyme forums over the years. I have read that some women became even more ill after they gave birth to their child, and others didn't. Of course i don't have any personal experience!

The course of the disease is different for very person. Some people will not get sick when bitten. Some get sick right away. Some will take a longer time to get sick. Some get progressively sick as they are exposed to a series of bites from different insects. Some will not get sick for a while, but then get sick when they experience some other kind of stressor to the spirit, mind, or soul. I certainly don't think that your situation eliminates the possibility of you having Lyme disease.

Candida is a yeast while Lyme is a bacterium. This is a well established scientific fact. It is quite common for Lyme patients to experience candida overgrowth when their ABX creates an environment in their body for that to happen. It is highly advised to take a good quality probiotic while on antibiotics

Candidiasis on its own is capable of creating symptoms that are similar to Lyme Disease from what I have heard. Please be sure that you are being treated by a lyme literate physician so that you are receiving the appropriate standard of care.

Don
Posted 3/12/2013 4:26 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks so much Mystery Illness & Don for you heartfelt reply.  Yes, I did call today and managed to get an appointment with a LLMD.  So hopefully I will know the truth before too long.  I just hate spending so much money trying to find answers.  How long does it usually take to get test results back from IgeneX?  And Don I am so happy to hear that God answered your prayer with your daughter.  I pray that she continues to due well.  God Bless!

oliverbenny

Is my email enabled now?  Thanks

Post Edited (oliverbenny) : 3/11/2013 10:30:33 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/12/2013 4:55 AM (GMT 0)
As has been said many times- this is a rich man's (or woman's) disease! It has been a while for us, but i think that it takes 1-2 weeks to get the results back from Igenex.

Thanks for your well wishes for Heather.

Your email is now enabled and ready to go.

Don
Posted 3/12/2013 12:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Oliver. It takes 16-18 days (weekends included) to get results back from Igenex. Hope you have found a good lyme doc!
Posted 3/13/2013 1:14 AM (GMT 0)
That's wonderful that you already found a LLMD. Yes, it is a very expensive process.

It took 4 weeks for me to get my IGENIX results back.

Yes, your e-mail is enabled.
Posted 3/13/2013 4:05 PM (GMT 0)
I have had lyme on an off for 18 years. I have a 5 year old and a 1 year old. I had very sick pregnancies but not lyme related. The lyme symptoms hide during pregnancy but come out even stronger after. about 6 months after my first daughter was born my symptoms began to return. My symptoms with my second daughter came back after 3 months after giving birth and are pretty bad a year later. I am still nursing and therefore not on any treatment. But, yes, after having a baby it can bring on stronger symptoms. I had my diagnosis long before my children and got 100% well on antibiotics in my 20's but relapsed 3 years later. I am still searching for alternative treatments while I am breastfeeding, but options are limited.
Posted 3/13/2013 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks so much or the wonderful replies. I am very worried about going to the LLMD on Tues. I so much want an answer to my problems. It has been a very long ten years. My greatest worry is the Candida I do have. Are my problems all candida or both? Also if I do have lyme how much worse will it make the candida? My hubbie & I both feel I have an underlying problem that is keeping the candida from staying inbalance. I just pray that my LLMD is very good at telling the difference between Lyme and candida. Oh I am so nervous. My anxiety is through the roof. lol God Bless All of You
Posted 3/14/2013 12:07 AM (GMT 0)
I think that Igenix's business is doing very well these days. The number of people getting this illness is just exploding. My daughter had her test over 4.5 years ago. I guess that my info is not up to date.

Diagnosing the difference between Lyme and Candida will require the expertise of your doctor. At any rate, I wouldn't worry. Both Lyme and Candida are treatable, although it will probably take a lot longer to treat the Lyme.

When you have 2 or more of the Lyme and coinfections, it tends to multiply the virulence of each individual illness according to Dr. H.

This is a difficult illness syndrome consisting of possibly several illnesses. However, it can be successfully diagnosed and treated. I advise you to take a different mental approach to Tuesday's appt. I would look at Tuesday as the first day of your journey to becoming well. The starting point is getting accurate information, even if the information isn't what we want to hear. Relax and take a deep breath. You will probably find that Tuesday's appt. will not be nearly as dreadful as you have imagined. You won't have to endure this illness alone. Your hubby is with you, and we are all with you!

Don
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply