new, scared, overwhelmed with info

Hi everyone,

I am new to this. I found an engorged tick on my pillow about 4 wks ago. It was smashed. I should have called the doctor but didn't. (I have beat myself up enough over that)

2 wks ago I came down with SEVERE joint pain, temp 102/chills/night sweats. WOW, I couldn't walk/stand/sit.

I am on day 3 of doxy 100mg bid x 14 days. I know this is not sufficient after reading up on lyme. I see a specialist in 1 week. I do not have insurance. Single mom, 3 kids. I am absolutely bewildered.

Is this something I will fight the rest of my life since it went systemic? It hit me pretty hard.

I do not tolerate any meds well, I think I am chemically toxic.

Welcome 3beebuzz! I'm sorry you're going through this, especially with 3 kids you're raising on your own. That's tough to do. It is good it's early in the game for you, so think positive. It is overwhelming when you're first learning about it, but that will came down as you learn more and understand it more. Keep us posted since this is a good place for you to get support. I wish you the best!!

Thank you for your replies. I will look into detoxing.

sorry you're experiencing this!
although a person doesn't want to wait four weeks before treating, the good news is is that it wasn't longer! Unfortunately my son went almost six months probably (not sure exactly about when he was bit) before he started abx. It took a little while to figure out what was going on since we didn't see the tick.
but my point is that he's doing really well on abx after just three months. That may sound like a lot of time, but for lyme I think it's pretty good.

As far as not having insurance, actually not many llmd's accept insurance anyway, so that may not make a difference in appt. costs.
As for medication costs, are you eligible for medicaid, perhaps? They could most likely cover some or maybe most or (all?) of abx, depending on what they are, etc.

If you happen to be IA I do know of one llmd who accepts insurance, medicaid included.

There are also some foundations/organizations that help with costs of treating lyme. I don't know what their qualifications are, but I do have a list of them if you wanted them.

And, like Traveler said, there are those who treat successfully without abx, if the abx aren't tolerated by you.

I feel for you, b/c I remember it is stressful and can be scary in the beginning, but don't worry you can heal from it and I've found that people here and elsewhere who are going through it are so supportive and more than glad to help.

Yes 3beezbuzz, dont stress.

You caught the tick soon enough and you probably got on ABXs soon enough too (Although Traveler's right your dosage seems low to me).

Most of us with the chronic, almost incurable form of Lyme didnt catch it soon enough or were not treated strongly, early enough before the bug took hold of our bodies.

Hi 3beez,

My friend is completely healed and feeling great -- feeling as good she did before being bit back in 1994 ..

The consensus is that the MS diagnosis was actually lyme - when she started on antibiotics back in '94, things just got worse, so MS was the diagnosis ( incorrect diagnosis I should say )

When she began treatment in 2007, she had been confined to a wheelchair for over a decade, and she could not keep her head up without support for more than 15 minutes .... She was treated for lyme and for high mercury ...

She has been doing great for 5 years now - and when I say great, I mean as if she was never sick ... a truly inspiring story ...

3beezbuzz, thank you for thinking of referring your friend to this site.

Call your LLMD's office and ask what treatment they usually recommend as you wish to be a little more informed on what to expect. They will be able to at least tell you if your doctor will use only abx or abx and herbals.

I just made this post in another thread, but feel that you may benefit from reading it as well:
I've had those same feelings of my family being better off without me. Please read on though:

My kids, who I raised while sick and sometimes bed ridden and who are now adults themselves, have told me over and over again that they didn't miss out on having Mom and that's what was most important to them - not that I didn't do 'everything' with them, but that I was there and (emotionally) active in their lives. I supported them in their lives and decisions. They had to help out a lot as they were growing up, and there were times when I had to rely on them to do my 'duties' as well - cooking, cleaning, laundry. My kids did not know me as a healthy person until they were in their late 20's and I in my late 40's - just a little over 2 years ago!!

My current husband - who married me when I was the sickest I had ever been back in 2000 and has seen me through all my treatments and even my treatment failure back in 2007 - doesn't wish for a thing to be changed - other than of course he wishes I hadn't felt so bad. He doesn't feel like he missed out on anything either with me having been so sick for so long. He tells me he fell in love with the person, not the body.

So please, please don't assume your family or children would be better off without you, that you are a burden or any other thing that might be said here. Chances are pretty good that they will take you any way they can get you in their lives! Seriously - you are Mom or his wife (or husband), not the body that is ill. There is sooo much more to us and to life.