hello community
I am finding myself lately terrified of having lyme and not sure how to proceed. I would like to run some ideas past you all and see what you think.
okay- my tick exposure history to start:
I am 41 yrs old. when I was 18 I guess I had some form of lyme- at the time it felt very minimal to me, I was young. I had some kind of lyme rash and did a few weeks of doxy.
I never had symptoms and didn't thin of lyme for decades.
Next tick experience was when I was about 33. I found a tick on me (not embedded). I did a couple of weeks of antibiotics ( cant remember now which one) and didnt think about it for years.
Next experience: last year I was in the woods, came out and did a tick check and found one crawling on my upper body, got it off and didn't notcie anything.
And finally, the most recent-- this past fall (5 and a 1/2 months ago) I briefly went walking in a ticky area (brush). I was at that time already very tick awareand did tick checks every night. I didn't find one on me but a few days later I had a small mark and a very small rash around it. the mark looked like some sort of a bite but it was light pink and small- not a red big mark- and the rash around it was two unconnected half circles, and maybe2 and a 1/2 inches big or so.
When I saw thatrash I went to a local health clinic who has natropaths who are very lyme aware. I saw a natropath and she said itlooked like a lyme rash. She recommended a high and long dosage of doxy, plus serapeptase and grapefruit seed extract.
I did 10 days of doxy at 200 mg/day (she recommended 4 weeks at 400 mg per day but by day ten I was puking my guts out from it and could not take it) with the serapeptase and grapefruit seed. I then followed that with two weeks of nothing. then Igot scared and did two weeks of samento/banderol/serapeptase/grapfruit seed, followed by 12 days of amoxycillan (because I could not tolerate the doxy) also with the serpapetase and grapefruit.
the rash went away the day after it appeared and the bite mark lingered about a week. oh yeah- the thing that really frightens me is two weeks ago the area where the "bite" was- which had totally gone away- had a tiny drop of blood on it- and now there is a tiny mark on that area. I went into the other lyme literate natropath the day that returned and she said to her it did not look like lyme but it set off panic attacks in me since there was something still active in that smae spot.
during that time I started reading about lyme and became extremely afraid and focused on it. Since that time 5 months ago I have been paranoid about lyme and am not sure if I have it.
I will share my symptoms but first I want to say some other things. I was told by the lyme literate natropath that only the culture test can say for sure if one has it and that the other tests are noteven worth taking. the only reason I have not yet taken the culture is because she said it is 4 vials of blood and that kind of sacred me. I am still not sure if I will take it and kind of want to.
since then, I found a doctor who is an hour from me who has a rep for being very good at treating lyme. made an appointment with him for last week and then it was a snowstorm and I could not make it! His next appointment free is now 6 weeks away. His receptionist also told me he uses (in addition to other tests) a new test from Germany that they like. I am hoping that one needs less blood draw.
so- symptoms. right now the two "symptoms" I have are mild knee pain and fatigue. I am also somewhat out of shape and do not exercise or stretch enough so the knee pain could be that. the fatigue- well, I do feel tired a lot. not sure if that is the main symptom or form something else.
for a few weeks recently (but not for a few weeks) I was also getting a lot of anxiety and panic attacks. I read that that can come from lyem - and basically any symptom I noe have I am terrrified is lyme.
Meanwhile I knwo that the earlier I treat it the better.
I have a bunch of doxy and amoxy left over which I could start at any time. I have not started it because if I do take the test, I want to knowreal results and thought the doxy might interfere.
so my options as I see thme now are:
-I can make an earlier appointment with the good lyme doc's natropathic doctor- and they can order me the tests and I can take the.
-I can take the 4 vial culture test at my local clinic
-I can start on the doxy on my own
-or any other option.
so my knee pain comes and goes and is mild. mostly in one knee but sometimes in the other. My fatigue is pretty constant but comes and goes in intensity.
as for flu like- there were two days in the last 5 months where I had a one day flu. went away the next day. the whole time I was freaking out worried it was lyme.
If it is lyme I want to know and treat it. but I just don't know.
On another note I have become terrified of ticks and of lyme. I am scraed that ticks are everywhere. I am scared for my child to play in the yard even- I mean we play in the yard but only in themowed sunny part.
I have met many people with lyme and I find it terrifying.
what do you guys think? also, when Italk to the general popluation about my fears of ticks and lyme they tell me I am way over worried and need to chill out but I don't think so.
for a while I had anxiety attacks every day and that was really scary and at that point I really thought that was a strong lyme symptom. those have mellowed thnak god- I have not had one for a few eeeks. now just the mld knee pain and fatigue.
please advise- what should I do? thank you
Post Edited (Katie444) : 3/16/2014 1:06:02 PM (GMT-6)