Trying to keep working...

I herxed bad the first 2 months of mepron/zith. Then it got a lot easier. I cycled every 4 weeks and had a bad few days but not bad. Try to hang in. These meds are tough!

I work very part time and my schedule is so flexible I can play around with it if I am feeling bad.

I went 15 months from the time I got the rash until the time I was diagnosed correctly and on treatment. Ignored the rash. Thought it was a weird poison ivy. Didn't get symptoms(they were vague) until about 3 months after the bite. about 5 months in came down with the flu. Recovered from that and 2 weeks later collapsed on the kitchen floor. Was in bed for 8 days. Thought it was the flu again. Recovered...then the pain started. Got misdiagnosed by 2 quacks. Finally got into my LLMD 15 months into the nightmare.

Not better yet. Slow road. Completely thankful for my wonderful doctor. That is my story.

Hi PSR1

I also had lyme for about two years before being diagnosed. Throughout the last two years, I have been either working or in school the whole time. However, it wasn't until January of this year that things got really bad for me- and at that time, I was working a very easy job. Even still, I would work, and then go home and sleep, sometimes right through supper.

I'm back in school now, and I can completely sympathize with what you say. It is absolutely exhausting some days just to remember all the medications I have to take. I dropped down to a reduced course load this year, something I would never have considered even two years ago. In fact, the first year I had lyme (but didn't know it), I forced myself to do a full course load at school, and ran myself into the ground and had a breakdown at the end of the year. Now- well, I'm taking a reduced course load, and to be honest, I often feel like I just want to quit altogether. Instead of daydreaming about normal things, I dream about being able to stay in bed and sleep all day...and just stay there for ever...haha

Just don't commit yourself to anything you cannot keep up. I almost signed up for a full course load, because I was hoping I would get better- but the problem is, Lyme has so many ups and downs, and herxes from new antibiotics, and you have to plan for the worst days, not the best. However, the few people I've talked to who had the same time between infection and treatment, all generally started to feel improvement by (or before) the six month mark. So while you have to accept that you may not feel better in the next month or two, you will see improvement eventually.

If you are running yourself into the ground with your work, maybe you need to consider cutting back somehow. Could you switch to part time? Or reduced hours? Does your work have someway to work from home? Even if your company just lets your do it as a short-term thing, (say for a month, or 6 months, or whatever they will agree to), it could help you a lot.

I'm not trying to be depressing- I do believe you will see improvement, and it could happen as soon as in the next month, but I know what happens when you push yourself too hard. Treating Lyme is more like a marathon than a spring- so you have to pace yourself.

Hugs,

Nicky

Aww lovelabs-when you talk about getting in your car and the sun shine making you want to curl up and go to sleep- that's me exactly! For a while, it was so bad, I had to quit driving because I'd fall asleep while driving (at like 4 in the afternoon).