Posted 1/5/2016 6:08 PM (GMT 0)
Hey, fellow Iowan! Cool. Sucks you've found yourself here. Though, being in your situation, it's also a good thing. edit: sorry, if I talk too much. :/
It definitely sounds like it, yes. Honestly, I feel like, when people get to this point, I don't see how it could be anything but Lyme.
A lot of us have that kind of history - just get sicker, physically and mentally, over the months, years, seeing doctor after doctor, going "what's wrong with me?"
Like you said, it does make sense, with all of that potential exposure. Though, you don't necessarily have to be the outdoorsy type to get it either. As far as nature, Earth, animals and all that, this is their world, not ours, despite what some of us like to think. You just have to live here.
For example, my grandfather LOVES the outdoors, hunting, spent a lot of his free time outside, right? Within the past year, I guess he got curious about where I've been - my health has created a distance between most of my family and I. I tell him about Lyme.
He says he's pulled off tons of ticks over the years, tons. He's fine. It could be there, dormant, but it didn't take his life, like it did so many of ours.
Me, I was the nerdy, pale kid, playing video games in my room. Then, one summer day, had the window open, took a nap, and woke to find some strange, little bugs in my hair - years later realized they were ticks. I don't know how I felt them, but I did. It's like I sensed them. My subconscious or something tried to save me, but I brushed it off. Lol.
Anyway, yeah.
What can you do from here? Firstly, check out the "New to Lyme?" section. Might find some useful information there. Then, you need to take steps to see an Lyme literate physician. The vast majority of other doctors will be next to worthless, at least that's been my experience.
The one here in town, at Mercy, scoffed when I suggested Lyme. The ones in Iowa City seemed to care, looked into it, but there was only so much they could do, with the tests being inaccurate, there being treatment guidelines that restrict just what and how much antibiotics they can give, etc.
"Well, we checked you, and your tests came back negative, so.. bye." Basically. You might be lucky enough to get some antibiotics, but it won't be enough, not for someone who's been infected for years.
Other than that, I don't know what to tell you. It's tough, it really is. But, what can you do, except try? Hopefully you guys can manage to see a good doctor, and she responds well to the treatment.
~<3