HI Java,
I'm so glad you found us!! We can certainly give you a hand with plenty of info!!!
If you haven't already, it would be beneficial for you to start with reading through the thread at the top of the forum titled,
"New to Lyme?...Start here!!", as it is packed full of relevant information and informative links that have been put together by our members here! Most of those who have read through it have said that it was very helpful!! We also have a pretty good search function on this forum to help you narrow down your search for information from past posts. We must be our own health advocates now and the best thing to arm yourself with is knowledge!
Have you checked into the Iowa Lyme Disease Assoc? Gotta love 'em - they have a link to us for forums!!
www.iowalymedisease.com/links.html You should also check out the Illinois Lyme Disease Network -
www.illinoislyme.com/index.html. Although they don't list us as a support group that you can turn to -
- they do seem to have some good info and could help you in finding a LLMD as well.
Please don't stay away too long though!! To beat on our own chest a bit - we have been told by quite a few people that we are the most active and even the best LD support group online!!
I would say - although I have had no medical training - that you most certainly have more than enough symptoms (including the TMI symptoms! giggle) that you should be seen by a doc that knows a TBI (tick-borne infection) when he sees one! The diagnosis is really supposed to be a clinical one with the tests being used only for tracking data!! The tests are really unreliable, giving many false negatives because they rely on the body's response to the bacteria. This particular bacteria has the unique ability to hide from the immune system though!! As you said, not everyone gets the rash, actually it's only about
40% that ever see any rash! Another thing is that the rash one may get can look like any other rash, not just the bulls eye rash.
We don't encourage any of our members to use ID docs though - they don't treat using ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society) standards - which are based on scientific data. Instead they rely mainly on so-called "expert opinion". Please see this link:
archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/171/1/18 Of course there are always exceptions to every rule! We have had a small handful of members get good treatment from an ID doc, but we don't recommend that anyone try to find an ID doc to get treatment from.
You would do well to start detoxing as well, in my opinion. A lot of the symptoms that you are having are due to toxins built up in your body. Please see this link:
findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_285/ai_n19170382/?tag=content;col1 We have a wonderful, informative post about
detoxing in our "New to Lyme? Start here!" thread. It includes how to dry skin brush (our skin being our biggest detoxing pathway) and you need to be well hydrated - drinking 8 - 8 oz. glasses of lemon water each day.
Pushing yourself hard is not a good thing when you are ill with Tick-borne infections, as your body is already under a lot of stress! With at least two young children in the house and all of the responsibilities that it entails, you are already under enough stress!! Take it easy on yourself - take a nap with your youngest
any time you can, try not to over-do in any given day, and take time to do the detox baths -besides, relaxing in a nice warm tub is wonderful!!
Once again, Welcome!!!