swollen lymph nodes - anyone?

I am inclined to think that while a huge PITA, your body is really fighting stuff off. Sometimes the stuff gets stuck in the lymphs and they need some attention.

My lymphs were swollen most of my childhood (which makes me suspicious that I've had lyme much longer than 15 yrs) mostly under my chin and arms and groin area. Recently, I have had success with dry brushing—and it's also calming, soothing. Usually do it right after I shower. Lots of good info online or what to use and how to do it.

-p

I had significant swelling of the lymph nodes under my arms after starting herbal treatment for bartonella.

I think die-off from treatment will increase load on the lymph system and if not properly detoxed the system will start to back up producing swelling.

This swelling has gradually resolved, and didn't reoccur when I started herbal treatment for babesia.

lol girlie… "file them in the lymebrain". good luck with that. ;)

-p

Thanks everyone!
Trav - I will look at those links...I'm thinking of the self lymph massage.

P - lol - Yup - I'll file them...but I think they'll get lost in all the confusion up there. "huh? what's this? new information? sorry, try again, later." haha

Just to be clear about why they swell up like that - the lymph system filters the blood, so as the bacteria die off, the lymphs collect them, and other 'goodies' and the debris - I believe - eventually finds it's way to our liver, where it is filtered out once again. This is why they can get "clogged" for so many of us - it's like the first filter for the blood (that's if my information is correct!!)

LOL!!! I LOVE that explanation, Pirouette!!! I may have to use it!

Bartonella really causes lymph node swelling! That is one of the main clinical signs Doctors use to diagnose bart. Well it is true that many kinds of infections can cause swollen lymph nodes. It is often a sign of bart.

My lymph nodes are totally swollen up too. But I got 2 4 oz bottles of red root tincture on the way so I will be using that to help clear out the debris and build up.

@LP—I did not know that swollen lymphs were a Bart symptom. Thanks—so good to know!

Thanks everyone, I'll be here all night… (just kidding I would never make it as a standup comedian—my bedtime is 8:25pm!)

-p

heh—
actually, I SHOULD go to bed by 8:30. With the adrenal problems my docs have begged me to try to get 10 hrs a night. But I simply cannot stay asleep that long—it's so much better now than before (for nearly two years I literally could not get more than 2 hrs a night, it was horrible).

Plus, I have this weird neurosis—let's see if I can explain it. I get really really tired about 8:30. Then I subconsciously start feeling nervous about going to bed that early—is it because it makes me feel old and closer to doing stuff like eating at 4:30 and arriving to appts 2 hrs early (makes me think of all the things we'd poke fun at my grandparents for)? or is it because I am afraid I'll miss something interesting (I have no idea what… I live alone and my life is uninteresting and don't watch tv so everything I do watch is on video)? or is it yet another strange personality qwerk brought about by the infection? So weird. Anyway, if I stay up just another half hour or so, I get a second wind. Then I can't fall asleep until midnight. But no matter how late I stay up I still wake up at 7am.

Sorry—didn't mean to hijack your thread!

-p

Pirouette said...
heh—
actually, I SHOULD go to bed by 8:30. With the adrenal problems my docs have begged me to try to get 10 hrs a night. But I simply cannot stay asleep that long—it's so much better now than before (for nearly two years I literally could not get more than 2 hrs a night, it was horrible).

Plus, I have this weird neurosis—let's see if I can explain it. I get really really tired about 8:30. Then I subconsciously start feeling nervous about going to bed that early—is it because it makes me feel old and closer to doing stuff like eating at 4:30 and arriving to appts 2 hrs early (makes me think of all the things we'd poke fun at my grandparents for)? or is it because I am afraid I'll miss something interesting (I have no idea what… I live alone and my life is uninteresting and don't watch tv so everything I do watch is on video)? or is it yet another strange personality qwerk brought about by the infection? So weird. Anyway, if I stay up just another half hour or so, I get a second wind. Then I can't fall asleep until midnight. But no matter how late I stay up I still wake up at 7am.
-p

I too have had this problem - although it's finally starting to resolve for me. (Happy dance!!!) It really s*cks to be so tired, then right around the time you should be heading off to bed, to start waking back up!!! I've sat in my chair and cried from this happening just 3- 6 months ago! I was only sleeping 4 - 5 hours a day 6 months ago, but as my adrenals heal - and I get off the prescription sleep meds!! - I'm doing much better now. Yea! Another happy dance!!!

For us 300 mg of magnesium citrate and melatonin just before bed works well. We use melatonin drops so they are easy to adjust. Just don't take too much or you will go to sleep quickly, but then wake up in several hours.

Magnesium puts me out like a light.

Another thing to consider is turning off the electric circuits to your bedroom at night. This stopped me waking at 3:15am every morning. Not sure if that's when the SmartMeter downloads or what, but this has been very effective in helping the panic, heart pounding at bedtime and at 3:00 am.

You get used to the flashlight by the bed and I got a Kindle, so reading is still possible. The dimmable screen allows me to read without and amount of light that would otherwise wake me up.

@ Pirouette - I found that low doses of bioidentical progesterone cream morning and evening also helped my adrenals. http://www.drlam.com/articles/progesterone.asp

"During chronic stress, progesterone production is reduced as the body favors cortisol production to reduce stress"

Progesterone is a precursor to cortisol

Thanks rowingmom—
really great suggestions. The last couple of times I've tried Mg it has given me (expletive) diarrhea. And I'm already battling that w/ the Babs right now… And the BI progesterone cream is interesting—I was prescribed some but haven't used it yet. My recent labs indicated I'm post-menoapusal, causing a stir with my ND and I literally had a meltdown. I'm still cycling very regularly and am having quite an emotionally difficult time with the wreckage of my hormones thanks to the infections. And to be quite honest, I've been immature and nervous about taking the hormones—immature because I am not ready to accept the possibility of irreversible hormone changes, and nervous because I'm really suspicious of the test results based on the conversation I had w/ the hormone pharmacist and I don't want to add more confusion by supplementing. But I know that I might feel better if I use the cream and stop worrying about it.

One more thing—for the first time in 10 yrs, my cortisol level was normal, and the recent test showed progesterone was low… so you're suggesting this might still be causing adrenal fatigue?

-p