hi very confused

catchscooter - did she say that she didn't think you have lyme - just bart?
It's rare for co-infections to exist without lyme...hopefully others will chime in on that.

What is your dose of doxy - it's usually 200 mg twice daily...but good idea to start lower...

Don't feel hopeless - you've started treatment....doxy is a good antibiotic for lyme, and to treat bart, often something will be paired with it, such as Rifampin.

Negative tests for lyme are not uncommon. It's based on our immune system's response to the bacteria...your immune system may be at a low right now...so not producing the antibiodies.

You are being treated now....that's good news!!

I agree with what Girlie said. I don't think your doc would have put you on Doxy if he/she did not think you also had Lyme.

Yay! You're getting treatment. :)

from what my LLMD told me you cant have co infections without lyme and even sometimes the igenix test is wrong as well. its funny you mentioned EBV, because i was told I have an EBV flair up as well..

Lyme can make you feel hopeless/helpless. I know that anxiety and bouts of depression just hit me one day - and it wasn't because I felt concerned about my condition...as at that time, I only had symptoms of a pinched nerve - shoulder blade area, radiating down my left arm...and I was slowly getting better...no reason for me to have anxiety and depression. Never had any mental health issues in my life...was happy and healthy....and then it hit.

I believe it was from the lyme in my CNS - I was really messed up. I was crying every day...sobbing...hysterical sometimes. I really thought I was losing my mind...and couldn't understand it...holy moly...just thinking about how I was...makes me shudder.

I just tried things like meditation...deep breathing...and telling myself that my body is strong...and it will heal...over and over again (between my crying sessions). I would play loud music to distract me...and prayed like crazy - for the first time in my life. I just did what I could to survive those days.

But, I am much better mentally now...and you will be too.

You have us to help you through this....and you will get through it...one step at a time.

catchscooter, I want to cry every time I hear someone going through what I have gone through...

There is hope and the folks here are a big part of it... my current doc is great, but I have to be on them to repeat, write down, and clarify what they are saying.

I hope your LLD told you to take your supplements AWAY from the antibiotics (especially magnesium, zinc, iron), and any herbal away from both. several hours between. No one told me that. I was taking my thyroid only an hour after supplements.

You are on track... keep asking questions, and be firm.

CNS is Central Nervous System - brain and spinal cord.

When lyme bacteria are in the CNS - it can cause depression, anxiety, memory problems, confusion, sleep issues and lots more.

L'amour - are you currently being treated for Lyme disease?

If so, how is your treatment going so far?

Hi everyone thank you for the replirs and the support my llmd did take a pcr test came back negetive through igenix but through md labs i came back woth bartonella henslea so confusing i thought you had to have lyme to have bartonella or can you just have coinfections and yes the anxiety,depression is the worst for me girlie never felt this way in my life it brings tears to my eyes that we have to go through this i was suppose to do a small job today but my depression is just bad and then i feel guilty oh god please give me back my life hugs to all of you

Thankyou elmesoyna it is just confusing figuring this all out thankyou for exaining a little more if it is just bartonella would i still feel the way i do depression ,fatigue,anxiety ,aches i also have ebv and mycoplasm forgot to mention them.

I agree with Girlie. Any tick borne disease can give you those symptoms. I read that the symptoms are a respnond from the body being overloaded with toxins from the bacteria. This is why everybody experience different symptoms on top of the basic ones.

Catchscooter, I too have experienced how the emotional response to this long term illness can be intense and scary. I have older kids 18-23 whom I've made cry with my loud wailing and sobbing sometimes for hours or more, several days in a row.

Particularly when you throw in the uncertainty about Why you are sick, How/when are you gonna get better!

It all totally sucks and any cns involvement intensifies everything. But I do NOT believe it is irrational to have these moments or periods. Grieving for the life you see passing you by, feeling like no one really gets it. I think we'd be crazy NOT to go through this.

I also choose to believe that letting yourself fully experience all the fear and grief has got to be good for a body. I encourage you to let yourself have this tough time, and give yourself as much compassion as you can!!!

As you can tell from this forum, you are not alone!

I would say about 90% of people with Lyme have EBV. And yes, even PCR tests can be negative for Lyme, and you can still have it.

This is my opinion, but I'm convinced you have Lyme.

You can order all your supplements online, and there are some very good products available.

If she pushes you to buy her supplements, then maybe she is in it for the money.

The Doxy is a good move, but if you're dissatisfied with her as a doctor, you might need to find someone else.

Just because a doctor is an LLMD doesn't mean he or she necessarily makes good decisions (or explains things well).

You have all the symptoms of Lyme.

Margaret

Catch:

Are the products hers or who exactly makes them? My LLMD sells some products but that's because he trusts certain brands eg: probiotics. I did not think what he sells is super expensive and suppliments are much needed in order to get well. Abx are not enough. Some patients are too sick to go out and research and they end up running out which causes more issues. My doc never pushed any products on me.