Are my symptoms lyme disease?

Please help me. I am not getting any answers from any doctor. My symptoms started in September 2008 with a taste in that comes into my mouth. The taste sometimes changes, it started as a distinct mint taste now it will change to sometimes a burning sensation and sometimes just a tingling feeling inside my mouth. After a few weeks my throat felt like I had strep......was tested came back neg. Burning started in my neck and went to my throat and across into my shoulders and arms. Doctors thought it was acid reflux, the med's made my stomach and chest burn.  The burning continues and my skin will turn red in those places. My arms seem to burn more in cold weather and when I have clothing against the skin. I have been tested for just about everything and all comes back normal. I have had two endoscopes, two visits to ENT with scopings, mri of my stomach and heart, chest x-ray, ct of head because of vertigo. I have had two tests for lymes they came back negative so my doctor said I don't have lymes. I have gone to several specialist for gastric, heart, ENT, nerurologist and gland specialist...no one can find anything wrong but the burning and irritated throat and the taste in my mouth continue. I also have a redness to my cheeks and forehead that stays pretty much all the time. It is effecting my nerves..most days I push myself to do the simplest things. I do work full time, during the winter all I did was work, go home and lay on the couch and hope no one came over or called. Thanks for any and all information.

Carly18, I'm so sorry you are going through so much and can't seem to get an answer or help. Not everyone experiences the same set of symptoms. Lyme and coinfections definitely can affect the central nervous system so yes it can be Lyme Disease. Also, Lyme is made by a clinical diagnosis and not necessarily through blood tests. Blood tests can back-up a diagnosis but definitely do not preclude those who test negative. When I first started on oral antibiotics and herxed I experienced many of the symptoms you're describing. If the doctors can't figure out what's wrong it might be worth it to see a llmd. You can get a referral in your area through www.turnthecorner.org or you might want to possibly try one of the alternative protocols mentioned on the forum (Zhang or Cowden). Good luck and let us know what happens.

have you researched 'burning mouth syndrome' ? - just a thought.

Some Lyme doctors do except insurance. Mine did. The only thing I paid out of pocket was for the Western Blot test with Igenex. It was $200.00, plus my $20.00 copay.

Carly, from everything I have read so far, ANY undiagnosable (is that a word?) illness should be tested for Lyme. That's how weird, sneaky and copycat Lyme can be. And as everyone says, many people w/ Lyme test negative. Have you looked at the test results yourself? Many labs' guidelines are too tight, missing a lot of ill people.

I'm not saying you probably have Lyme, of course, we don't know. But sounds like it should be at least considered. As they've said, everyone reacts differently, AND everyone describes the way that they feel differently -- maybe some use words you don't relate to and vice versa.

Obviously something is going on, and you and your Dr must get down to the bottom of it!

Take care and keep on truckin.....

I am new to this having just found this link....however, I am convinced that I have Lyme disease. Got the bull's eye rash in 2001....after two biopsies, demotologist diagnosed it as some kind of feline fungal infection.....since then I have experienced a menagerie of medical problems....loss of smell, joint aches & pains, chest pains, chronic cough/bronchial infections, chronic fatigue, memory loss, vertigo and the list goes on and on! Tested twice for Lyme....only one was with the recommended Western Blot & Eliza....both were negative...yet not one doc, specialist or otherwise, has come up with a reason for any of my symptoms......!

HELP!