HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Needless Post?

Support Forums
>
Lyme Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 6/9/2012 5:02 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone.  I just joined this community and I wanted to say hi.  :) Hi

I just recently, yesterday, reconnected with one of my best friends from my high schoool years after about 5 years.  It turns out he has Lyme Disease which went undiagnosed for at least 10 years he says.  The few things I am reading so far have me very afraid for him and I want to read more and have better knowledge about what my friend is going through and will go through.  I see him having a hard time speaking sometimes like his tongue won't cooperate.  Slowed movement.  He seemed to be in almost constant pain because he would frequently close his eyes and seemingly take a moment to center himself to come back to the moment.  I am very worried that this is only the tip of the iceberg.  This guy is in many ways more of a brother to me than my own brothers and I would like to help him in any way that i can, only I don't know yet if there is anything that anyone can do let alone anything that I can do.  It's my fault that i don't have much time today to do much more browsing, I wonder if there's a link anyone can shoot me for info on what he is going through.  The little reading I have been able to do indicates to me there are 3 stages(?) or types(?) of lyme disease depending on when you are diagnosed.  He is clearly in the most severe category #3.  I'm at work right now and as I'm typing this I am crying for my friend and I feel HORRIBLE for missing the last few years and any sort of small comfort or support I could and should have been there to provide.  Stupid life.  What do I do?  What can I do?  Is it as bad as I fear it is?  Will Lyme Disease shorten his life span?  It isn't curable? Can he ever get back to "normal" or close to it? 

anything at all is GREATLY appreciated.

budsalinger

Posted 6/9/2012 7:17 PM (GMT 0)
I'm sorry to hear about your friend, we all know what he's going through. He's lucky to have a friend like you that cares. One of the hardest parts of Lyme is that no one believes there is anything wrong with you and you go through years of frustration trying to figure out what's going on. Then even after diagnosis, most people have no concept what Lyme is and they dismiss it as not a big deal.

You can learn a lot about Lyme if you read the new to Lyme thread in this forum, it has a lot of good information.

Your friend can get better. He should clean his diet up so as not to feed the bacteria. Gluten free, sugar free and low carb is essential.

He needs a good doctor that will work with him. Many people go with long term antibiotics which can make things worse due to the bacteria die off and then you get better. I could not tolerate the antibiotics so I'm using herbs and diet which is more gentle but a longer road to healing.

Invite your friend over here to the board, there are a lot of nice people that can answer his questions and will understand where he's coming from.

My understanding is that Lyme won't kill you, but the symptoms can make you wish you were dead. One of the biggest concerns with Lyme patients is depression.

By offering your support and understanding you will be a big help to your friend. Just being validated is a huge thing. You can read way too many stories of how many of us were dismissed by doctors, friends and family because people think we're faking or we look healthy.
Posted 6/10/2012 10:32 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for trying to help your friend and supporting him! That will mean a lot to him! I think it could even be the most helpful thing you could do
Posted 6/10/2012 10:52 PM (GMT 0)
I think that, apart from the pain, it's hard for people to understand the fatigue. I've missed a lot of social events from a simple coffee with friends and on, because I just couldn't do it physically - too fatigued.

And you can feel great in the morning, make some plans, then crash and have to cancel. That happens to me regularly. When I feel any energy I go ahead and try to do things...but almost always when I do something I'll pay for it by spending a day or two pretty much bed bound due to the debilitating fatigue.

So don't think your friend doesn't want to spend time with you if he declines invites, but you could call and ask when he needs and fetch it for him. I know I've gone days without something i really needed just because I didn't have it in me to get out to the store.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply