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1st visit with LLMD, what to expect?

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Lyme Disease
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Posted 10/4/2015 7:36 PM (GMT 0)
I will be having my first appointment with LLMD end of nov. and was just wondering what i can expect. I was told i would be put on 2-3 abx along with probiotics. Is this pretty standard? Also do most usually test for co infections or can they usually tell by symptoms? Also told treatment could be 6 mos to a year. Do symptoms tend to get worse while on treatment before they get better? Trying to mentally prepare!
Posted 10/4/2015 9:06 PM (GMT 0)
Being on more than one antibiotic is pretty much standard now. Some use two, some three, and i think I've even seen 4.

My Dr. does only two at a time...with the exception of sometimes pulsing Tinidazole as a third...but not three all days of the week.

And, yes Probiotics is standard, too.

My Dr. doesn't insist on testing for co-infections, in fact he didn't even suggest it. They are even more inaccurate/unreliable than the lyme testing. If I had lots of money to spend, I would test...as if it's positive, it's Positive...but if it's negative, you could still have the co you tested for.

As far as how long for treatment...it varies. Many people go past one year. I am at 12 months of antibiotics now. ...and I'm not finished.

It depends on how many co's you have, how long you had your infection before treating, how long it takes to figure out the co's you have, how well your body detoxes...etc.

Often symptoms do get worse - ie herxes due to the die-off of bacteria. Or, sometimes treating one infection, another one comes to the forefront with it's own set of symptoms.

Preparation is good! Make sure you develop a lot of good detox habits...

Good luck! Take a list of questions you have to your appt. Maybe another person for a second set of ears?
Posted 10/4/2015 10:25 PM (GMT 0)
Ditto what Girlie said.

It's not that your symptoms get worse but you can feel worse because of the treatment. The goal of treatment is to kill the bacteria. Bacteria loads vary based on how long you have had the disease and if you have any co infections. Therefore die off varies too. It's refereed to as a herx.

www.lymediseaseblog.com/jarisch-herxheimer-reaction-lyme-disease/

The more you detox the better your body handles the herx. Have you adjusted your diet to gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, clean? I know I am missing something else.

Six months is short unless you started on high dose abx's right away.
Posted 10/5/2015 12:54 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the info. Hubby is going with me, he needs to learn about all this as much as i do. He doesnt understand how im feeling most of the time. Trying to work on diet, ive always been a sugar addict, thats going to be one of the hardest things, cutting it out. All those meds scare me to. Hope i can handle it
Posted 10/5/2015 12:59 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, your LLMD will likely put you on antibiotics and do tests, and may recommend herbs and supplements to help. Usually diagnoses are made from both clinical symptoms and tests, some say the tests are very accurate, some say not so much.

From personal experience, I will say this. It really helps to have a very organized and clear timeline prepared, and be specific. Also, ask questions whenever there is the slightest doubt. For example, I would ask the doctor questions such as exactly when to take the medication, if any food or drink interferes with absorption, things like that, and what lifestyle changes may be needed. I have seen people overlook some of these subtleties.

As far as will you get worse, I don't know, and your LLMD may not either. Lyme is a very personalized disease and rarely do two people have the same experience. So that could go either way.
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