New Here. Can lyme alter sex hormones? Feeling very anxious

Hello,
I've been lurking, reading the lyme forum for a couple of weeks but have been too shy to join and post. However, today I got a shock and need somewhere to offload my anxieties and try to figure out what to do next.

My primary question is: can a chronic lyme infection effect the endocrine system to the extent that a store bought pregnancy test can give a false +ve? I did a urine test today because my breasts have been hurting for a week and yesterday I realised that I am producing milk again (I have 4 children, all were bf'd). The test gave a weak positive. This result fills me with anxiety because if I am pregnant, then how do go ahead with Lyme treatment? If I'm not, how do prove that I'm not, without waiting for the long weeks to pass until an ultrasound can show anything?

If I Am pregnant, then it is very early as my period is not due for a couple of days, so any embryo will surely be too small to see on ultrasound? Am I right in thinking that a blood test will measure the same things that the urging test does, and therefore also be positive?

Short background. I am 44 yrs old and believe I was infected about 21 years ago although it is possible I have been reinfected in the last couple of years as I have found 5 ticks on me in that time. My lyme symptoms have waxed and waned over 2 decades but I never knew what was causing all the weird symptoms I was accruing until a few short months ago! In all the medical visits to doctors and rheumatologists, non one ever mentioned Lyme. I had an extensive rash and flulike symptoms in 1993 when I worked as a veterinary nurse. I thought (was told by dr) that it was atypical scarlet fever, but I was not tested for it.

Fr the last 6 months my symptoms have snowballed, most worrying are the hand tremors, sshort term memory lapses, night sweats, sacroilitis, thyroid pain, horrendous mood swings, and now the breast milk and positive pregnancy test. Recently I have had a simple lyme test, ordered by my regular doctor, but it came back -ve. My thyroid test was also fine apparently. However I did show neutropenia in October and again in February. My Dr said not to worry, I must have had a cold or something...I did not. My list of symptoms is very extensive, I shall not bore you all as I'm sure you are familiar!

Part of me thinks that perhaps Lyme is in my pituitary or ovaries and maybe this is a false pregnancy? I could not find anything online about this possibility.

I'm currently not going to tell my husband about the pregnancy test. He's dealing with enough *rap right now. We suffered a miscarriage at 10 weeks 2 years ago and had decided not to have any more children. I feel like I've been thrown a massive curve ball!

I've written to a Dr who is apparently lyme literate. I am waiting to here back to see if he will see me. He is German apparently and is treating someone that a friend knows. I am English and live in rural France. Although this region is also known to carry Lyme and Babesiosis, the general medical community are very ignorant of tick disease here. Plus , my French is pretty inadequate when it comes to medical and scientific issues. (That's another thing, my comprehension and spoken French has nosedived recently, much to my embarrassment)

What to do? What to do???

Post Edited (SarahQ) : 4/1/2014 7:59:15 AM (GMT-6)

SarahQ the blood tests they do nowadays are extremely sensitive even very early in pregnancy. If it will ease your stress go have yourself tested. The chance the test will be accurate is very high, much more accurate than the urine test you just did. Good luck and hope you find an answer soon! Sorry you are having such a hard time!

Hahaha! I went through a series of infertility treatments several years ago and they were able to determine at 2 weeks after the IVF that I was not pregnant. Once I had a very weak positive but I knew that it did not work AGAIN and sure enough, one week later the test was negative. I did this 8 times. What a nightmare! One day I want to adopt a baby girl from China.

I hear you about your mistrust of doctors. I just came back from my new primary care doctor. He actually believed my blood test from Germany that shows positive for Anaplasmosis. And he agrees with me going to Sponaugle Wellness and said that he would follow their recommendations after I come back! I am so thrilled that I don't know what to do with myself!

And yes, Lyme can definitely screw up your hormones. It has been a topic here on the forum many times.

I live in the US but I am Czech. I have had memory problems because of the infection and I am having hard time speaking Czech! I am so upset! So I can totally understand your language problems.

Good luck with your car and everything! Hope things get easier soon!

Hello and sorry things seem hectic for you. From my experience the pregnancy tests are generally correct. You need to find an ob gyn to follow up on those results asap. Some people here are positive for lyme and had very healthy pregnancy. There were a few that took ammoxicillin during the course of the pregnancy. I know it is milder and used for children and pregnant women. Anyway take one day at a time. Prayers up and I would tell your husband asap so he can help you decide your next steps.