how to tell if it's a lyme symptom or something else?

Hello! I haven't been here for awhile. I think a couple of months ago I came on with a question, but this time last year this forum was one of my saving graces. I was just scrolling through the usernames and still recognize a lot (and hello to those I know), but see many new ones too.
I'm back with a question if you have time:

The situation is: my son (5 years old now) hasn't had any lyme symptoms for 6 weeks! (praise God!) Prior to these 6 weeks even, he's been doing really well too, with just minor joint pain about 4-5 days/month is all (for several months). He was dx and started tx for lyme last winter, (Feb. 2014). His symptoms started Sept. 2013.

Anyway, so, as the weeks go on with no symptoms, I've been holding my breath, and hoping/praying for the best. Praying that this is it, the end of lyme! and why not? he's been being treated now for a long time (although I've been giving his herbs very, very slowly, due to a bad herx in the fall).

This morning though he told me that his eyes are bothering him, wanting to blink heavy. He's had blinking and other tics off an on in the past (last time was Oct.-Dec. this last year, but nothing since then). And, also this morning he told me his tummy hurt.

Strep was going around his class last week. The health aide at school even emailed all the preK parents saying, strep was in the class and not with typical symptoms, but with tummy aches and mild sore throats.
In 2014, he had labs done and his strep titers were very low, very normal. So, strep wasn't contributing to symptoms last year (like ticcing), when he was very symptomatic, but maybe now after last week at school?

here's my question: since he hasn't had any lyme symptoms for 6 weeks (and they mostly were joint pain just before that) and since strep was in his class (exposure to symptoms time is 2-5 days, which fits) do you think the eyes bothering him/blinking, and the tummy ache may be the strep? or lyme? I guess time will tell.

oh, also: I think his ticcing in the past was also yeast related, and I've been slacking off on our anti-yeast diet and lots of coconut, etc.
Also, some mom's on a fb group (PANS/lyme group) have suggested maybe the eyes could be histamines from allergies. I could see that too. EAch time (3 total) that ticcing started it was during some allergy season. I firmly believe that things like ticcing can be triggered by several different things, and not always the same (infection, yeast, etc.).

oh! and actually, thank God, he has't ticced with blinking or anything now. Just complaining of a heavy blinking feeling. But still, that isn't normal, and something is causing it.

With him being 6 weeks symptom free, I so badly don't want the tummy ache or eye feeling to be lyme related. I so want it to be a different bug or something, anything (well, expect co-infection). And he hasn't had tummy aches as a symptom for a long time.

He's so close. He's doing so well. It's hard to say what that tummy ache is. I know no one can tell me what it is exactly. I wish I could look inside his body and "see" what's going on. But just looking for thoughts and opinions. Time will tell I guess. That's probably the only way to tell, with time.

Thanks for reading and for thoughts!

Post Edited (stacestar) : 4/20/2015 11:34:51 PM (GMT-6)

thank you achievinggrace! It's hard, but true I need to not stress out about it. The fact is I should be counting my blessings that he's 99.+% symptom free, and trust the rest will come with continued tx.
I think I'm just burnt out from it all (aren't we all!). He hasn't ticced, so I think the eye thing might be being provoked by allergies. And, even if, God-forbid, the tummy was lyme…well, we keep fighting and at least it's getting fewer and farther between. But maybe it's a different bug.
I go in circles! ok, now to relax :)

thanks Traveler for those kind words!!

yeah, my feeling is it probably isn't lyme this time, (oh, I did miscalculate; it's been 5 weeks symptom free, but that's still good, b/c he was getting joint pain about every 2 weeks previous to this, so I'm happy with 5 weeks too!)

It's hard with so many illnesses going around this spring. I cannot wait for these rounds of bugs to be done!
He's only 5, so it's might be hard for him to tell, but I asked him if it felt like his old tummy aches from the "infection" (what we called the lyme) or different. He said different, so I'm hoping so!

Since he's doing herbs, and tolerating them well, I actually plan on even going longer than 2 months symptom free with them anyway, so I do need to just relax and know it's ok!

and, again, thank you Traveler for your happiness about it. This place, you and others, have been a God-send during some really bad times, and help through out it all, even still! Thank you!

and... his foot this morning after school. :( In a real lyme typical place and way.
Crap. Can I say crap here, b/c crap.
man, 5 weeks it had been without symptoms!

But you know what? I'm going to look at the bright side. It had been 5 weeks since he had joint pain. It used to be every two weeks. And, this time it was 5 weeks between symptoms. That's progress. They're getting much fewer and much farther between; the symptoms I mean. And, that's a good thing. He will get better soon, to 100%. I know it.

In the meantime, to quote from a song I love, we "keep our eyes on the prize and hold on."

oh, good news, he's not ticcing, so I do think the eye stuff is allergies; it's just different this time, not ticcing. So that's good too!

Yes!! 5 weeks instead of every 2 weeks is good progress!!! And no ticcing!! Wonderful!! Progress!! Congratulations!!!