Am I making progress ?

Hi everyone.
I am new to the forum but I have been viewing for many months ,ever since I suspected lymes,you all have no idea what a comfort you have been.Without this forum I would still be doubting my sanity.
I live in Germany but I'm English maybe that's half the reason why I get the feeling that my doctor is treating me as if I am a child.I tested negative in April ( Western Blot) and was told that it was 100% fool proof,I believed him.My symptoms started in July 2011-random joints pains ,I had been stung by 4 wasps and found a tick on my shoulder so I thought that my fever symptoms were due to the stings.Within 2 months I was transformed from a healthy 58 year old into an old crippled woman.
severe knee pain
swollen wrists and painful hands
unbelievably painful feet
sweats
insomnia
panic attacks--------------the list goes on


Well I have finally persuaded my GP that I am not insane and neurotic and he agreed to start anti-biotic treatment.
It is day 17,I have noticed that the swelling in my hands has got much better and that I seem to be sleeping better,Is this a sign that I am improving? Is this an indication that I really do have Lymes OR am I just a head case?
thank you for your time and good healing to you all.

Hi Tickled Pink,

Glad you've found the forum helpful.

And good for you being persistent in getting treatment. It does sound like the medications are doing you good. If you start to get a herx reaction, that will be a real tell tale sign.

I hope you will pursue further treatment from an experienced practitioner.

Thanks to those who have replied , LLDs in Germany are few and far between and there are none in my area.One not too far away has recently been exposed on TV for manipulating false positives for financial gains but I do know that the one in Ausberg has a fine reputation.Here in Germany Lyme is treated far too casually. it is the same old story world wide.
I am determined to master this horrific disease, no matter what it takes and regardless how long.I am already taking supplements, I am a vegetarian and I don't drink alcohol but I'm pretty ignorant regarding detoxing, although I do drink alot of lemon water.
I will have to give it time,but it gets pretty frustrating when you're not even capable of taking the dogs for a quick walk round the block when 9 months ago 6 miles wasn't a problem.I used to think that stubborness was my greatest character weakness, maybe it will become my new weapon.
Time will tell

Hello,
The first 10 days of doxy were OK; then all my pain exploded out of control, my feet are much worse, it feels as if they are smashed, I cannot walk for more than 10 steps.However my hands are slowly calming down and are not so swollen, also my sleeping problems have become alot less severe.It is all somewhat overwelming but I am not going to stop my treatment no matter how bad the pain gets !

Hi Traveler,
Thank you so much for your advice.it is good to know that many of you have been where I am now and have found solutions to this debilitating illness.You all stress the importance of detoxing,my bowels are fine and I have bought a foot spa which relaxes my feet and eases the pain, painkillers don't touch my foot problems.I do take tumaric and boswellia though but I have no way of telling how much it helps.Regarding dry skin brushing,where can I buy a brush here in Germany, I don't know what to look for. I have tried googling it but sadly to no avail.Advice on this score would be greatly appreciated.
One of the plus points in this horrible experience is that many people over the "POND"as we Brits call it have been so kind and supportive,I am a great fan of American openess and generousity,
Thanks

Thank you from all of us here, 'over the pond - giggle!- for your kind words!!!

I'm glad to hear that you are taking turmeric!! I take 3 grams a day - split into 3 doses - and it helps me tremendously! Although I do have to admit, I probably wouldn't have noticed how much it helped had I started using it at the very beginning of my treatment as I was just sooo miserable.

Deejavu has provided you with a link to a brush for dry skin brushing, but you can use a couple of different things that might be in your house now until you get a brush - a wash cloth that you have wet and allowed to air dry - use a loofah gently on your skin (picture of a loofah; www.amazon.com/Length-Natural-Loofah-Fiber-Sponges/dp/B003XKQ0T4/ref=sr_1_4?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1342527673&sr=1-4) - or any soft, natural bristle brush.

The foot soak that I was speaking of includes the use of Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulfate) and Hydrogen Peroxide in a small tub to soak your feet - or in a bath to soak your entire body. The use of these two things in the water really help to release the toxins in the body from these infections.

Good for you!! Sounds like you are on your way to getting stared detoxing! That is sooo important when healing from these infections!

Are you able to go see a practitioner that understands about these infections or are you going to have to convince your GP on how to treat you? Of course, it would be soo much better if you were seeing someone that already knows how to treat and the possible - and frequent - issues that come with treating these infections, but that doesn't mean you are doomed if you can't get to one!

A word about your sleeping issues - as without good sleep the body has a much more difficult time healing. Have you tried taking melatonin? Lots of us infected with Lyme take melatonin and it helps, although it doesn't help all. Also, magnesium helps with sleep and with leg cramps/spasms. Take the magnesium to bowel tolerance.

Poor puppies!!! Giggle!

Congratulations on opening a bottle!! Yippee!! Happy dance time!!! Giggle!

Something I would suggest you try - leave out the bananas, try using another fruit, as bananas can cause increased inflammation, and that's something you don't need! If you leave them out of your diet for 2 weeks and don't notice any difference, then it doesn't affect you so much and you can have your bananas back!

BTW - I'm jealous that you are a very slender person who has never needed to diet!! Babesia has me packing around some extra weight around my lower abdomen that I can't get rid of no matter how much exercise I get or how I eat!!! UGH!

Do be sure to get plenty of clear water into your routines though! The kidneys and liver need to be flushed well every day to deal with the loads of toxins passing through them and that takes plain ole water.

I would definitely encourage you to talk with the Homeopath!! If when you speak with him/her and if they don't know how to treat for tick-borne infections, would you please email me personally? I know of someone that practices Homeopathic medicine that would probably be willing to guide your Homeopathic doc through your treatment.

**Dancing around the room for you in celebration of you having been able to open that bottle!**

Giggle! Naw, I'm just passing out information! You can do what you want with it!!

"I am willing to do nearly anything if it helps."

Oh, how I know that feeling!! You'll get there though! I was bed bound, then house bound two years ago, and now I'm outside living my life with dairy goats and a decent sized garden for the first time in over 12 years!! You will get back to living life as well. Just concentrate on doing those things you must do to get back to health right now.

As for the bananas, I couldn't believe that leaving them alone would make a difference either...till I tried it! I've been amazed at all the things that I was doing unaware that they were making me feel worse! Of course that in no way means that we won't ever be able to enjoy a banana or any other foods that we react to right now - we just have to get more healing done before we can go back to those things!

Be sure to let us know how things are going!!