New here...hi!

Hi everyone...I am hoping you can help me. It's a long story, I apologize. I'm going to start from the beginning so you know my whole story. I'm 37 years old. In the past, I was very active. Going to the gym 4-5 times a week. All of a sudden, my lower back started to hurt (I didn't hurt myself at gym), so I took some time off from gym. The pain never went away. It got worse and I haven't been back to the gym in 9 months. It even went to my hips. Occasionally my ankle will hurt too. My neck is sore. I get very dizzy when I go from sitting to standing. I have never had that before. I have been to quite a few dr's. Had an MRI...which I was told was not impressive. Took 5 different anti-inflammatory pills, had facet joint injections in my back (I was desperate) this did not touch the pain either. I also had a cortisone shot in my Rt hip. That did nothing. about a month ago, I started getting this weird feeling in my head. A swaying movement when I was still. I had a VNG test done and it came back with dysfunction in the nervous system. Saw a neuro. I am going for an mri. My blood work came back reactive for only one band. 41. What do you think? I'm frustrated. Do you think it's lymes? Thank you for your help :)

Welcome Dan. This has to be extremely hard for a fit man that works out a lot to suddenly be restricted. I cannot imagine the physical and the mental pain. For this I feel so sorry.

We ask our new members to read the first thread called New To Lyme? .... Start Here!

There is a huge amount of information in that thread. It is a thread that you can go back to over and over again for information.

Now I will tell you my opinion. I am not a doctor, by the way. Just I have been on the doctor roller coaster.

I would get an Igenex Western Blot blood test. That will cost you about $210. You can get a kit from Igenex and have the blood draw from most places and then send them the draw.

This could save you lots of money on MRI's and other tests that those doctors have planned for you, if it shows you have lyme. We can help you read the results here.

I say this because I have had a brain scan, MRI, etc by all the usual doctors. All of them that do not believe that lyme is a real bacteria. Or if they do believe it, they think it is easily gone with a dose of antibiotics. Not True!

This is how I would proceed as far as tests and doctors. If the lyme test comes back negative, then go have the neurologist's MRI. But if you have lyme you have saved thousands that the MRI would cost, or at least the co-pay. Make sense?

What you can do now if you suspect lyme. Start eating healthy. Since you work out, you might already be doing this - that's great. Stay with your vitamins also. Make sure you get enough water. Being an athlete you probably already know this.

You can help yourself and any potential doctor by starting a journal. This will help timelines for your doctor and it also will help you to remember when symptoms started or when you had what procedure done. As time goes on we can lose track. Those 5 anti-inflammatory pills you took should be on the list and how they affected you. Which one worked the best and did one make you nauseous. It is hard to remember when time passes.

I hope this was helpful. As Dave mention, you can start a new thread that says "Looking for LLMD in ______" We can help you in that respect also. You might want to enable your email address so those that have personal experience with a LLMD in your area can give you a personal recommendation.

We do not put our doctors names on this forum. We need to protect them and their privacy.

Good luck and again, I am so very sorry you are hurting. Back pain is so debilitating.

Hi Dans -
Welcome... you're in a good place. We can help guide you toward more answers--whether or not you have lyme and coinfections.

What jrpsf mentioned is known as "provoking an immune response" and OLIVE LEAF EXTRACT is used rather than olive oil ;) and this is a natural antimicrobial that helps your immune response create antibodies to infections in your body. The serology tests mostly used for lyme are looking for antibodies created by a normal immune response, which ironically is what most people who are battling lyme and coinfections have trouble with. Just follow the dosing on the bottle and take for 3-4 weeks before you retest and follow PeteZa's information about testing.

In the interim, there are a couple of supplements that might help relieve some of the joint pain, which could be caused by infection and/or inflammation. A great OTC that you can find in most health food stores is Wobenzyme or Wobenzyme Plus. It isn't cheap but a lot of people have found it effective. For as many areas in your body that are bothering you, might be a good investment.

Another anti-inflammatory is Japanese Knotweed (I buy mine from biopure.com), which is also not on the cheap side but very effective and supportive.

Once you start developing a relationships with a lyme specialist, ask him/her about Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN), and in the interim you can look into this (we have had good discussions about it on this forum - do a search for "LDN"). It's quite helpful to some people for muscle and joint and other neuro issues.

Read up on lyme as much as you can to learn more about the condition and symptoms to see if it is is a sensible diagnosis for you. This will also REALLY help you prepare for your appt with the lyme specialist--these MDs/NDs are not like others and the appts we have with them are not at all like the typical managed healthcare appts. The "New to Lyme?" thread PeteZa referenced has critical info for you - and also links to good symptom lists that you and your lyme specialist will want to learn about your condition to help make a diagnosis.

And - continue asking questions if you have them. The moderators and other posters here have a ton of info to share!

-p

Please do Dan and let us know how you are doing.

All the best.

Hi Dans-

For what it's worth, every once in a while I get severe back pain that sometimes radiates down my hips and even to my thighs. Whenever this happens, I use Frankincense and Myrrh Neuropathy Rubbing oil. Even though what I have isn't neuropathy, this works better than anything else I've tried (including arnica and topricin). Family members have used it and it also worked on them--it seems to work on all sorts of pain. I get it from Amazon. It includes these homeopathic remedies: Aconitum Napellus 3X (pain relief), Byronia Alba 3x (Anti-inflammatory, Hypericum 3x (Topical analgesic). And I don't really follow the directions in terms of how many drops to use. I just use droppers full of the stuff and slather it on all over the painful areas. It really seems to take care of it.

Welcome Dans778!

Sorry for the reason you're here but glad you found us.

You've been given great information already and I have nothing to add but wanted you to know we are here for you.

I truly hope you seek the advice of a LLMD.

Best of luck to you moving forward!!