Do I have Lyme?

I have been feeling awful for months. I have been to doctor after doctor. Originally I was thought to have a thyroid problem and was put on levothyroixine by my GP. All my thyroid numbers were always in the normal range but I did have slightly high thyroid autoimmune antibodies. The endo did an ultra sound and found an 8mm nodule but didn't seem concerned and said we would just monitor it. I suffer from chronic fatigue, dizziness, angina, high blood pressure, pressure headaches, abdominal pressure and bloating, heat sensitivity and swelling my thyroid, lymph nodes in my throat and under my arms slightly. I was low on b12 and vitamin D in my latest bloodwork. My heart rate is usually in the 60's. I also did a sleep study and it showed apnea and I will be getting a CPAP device soon. I am also going to have a glucose tolerance test this week because my insulin was high but still in the normal threshold. When I initially started feeling sick my fasting blood sugar was in the mid 90's my latest fasting blood sugar was 110. Before I got sick was a big hiker. I did like 350 miles last year. I now struggle to do a couple miles. I was tested for lyme but my general practitioner said i didn't have it. I didnt see the actual paperwork to a few months later and thought lyme could be a possibility because i had reactions for IGG bands 23, 41 and 45. From what I read the cdc requirement is 5 of 10 bands so i am below this. I went to an infectious disease doctor last week and he said he couldn't rule out lyme. I am waiting on the results of a new test. Click the link to see my original test for lyme. VIEW IMAGE

Post Edited (blokcar) : 10/31/2016 9:37:14 AM (GMT-6)

Thanks for your reply. The last few months have been awful and it so frustrating not knowing why I feel sick all the time. The more I read on Lyme the more I think it might be my diagnosis. I don't want to have Lyme but it would be a relief to finally know something so i can start treatment.

Hi Blokcar,
Welcome to our community. I'm so glad you found us.

If you haven't ​yet​, it would be helpful for you to start with reading through the thread at the top of the forum titled,"New to Lyme?...Start here!!", as it is packed full of important information, symptom lists, helpful links and pdf's, how to detox when one has these infections, information on probiotics and much more. And this is another good list of possible detoxing routines: www.tiredoflyme.com/detox-methods.html


You have Lyme, according to your test and according to your symptoms, even if those doctors don't recognize it.

Band 23 is Lyme specific.  A "Lyme specific band" means specific for Borrelia Burgdorferi, sensu stricto - Lyme disease in the strictest sense. There are only two on the over 300 known strains of Lyme that is considered Bb, ss. Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia mayonii. Nothing else will turn a Lyme specific band positive other than Lyme disease - - even though there are over 100 different strains of Borrelia in the US that cause human illness.

If, on this next test, you have any "IND" or indeterminate bands, you need to count them as positive as well. IND means indeterminate - not negative, but not quite strong enough to be "fully positive". But it means that you reacted on those bands and should be considered, especially when they are Lyme specific bands.

You will want to find a well trained doctor, not one that has self proclaimed themselves as a LLMD or an ID Doc (Infectious Disease Doctor), as ID docs believe Lyme is hard to catch and easy to treat, and don't believe in the reality of chronic Lyme.

For information on finding a​n ILADS ​(International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society)​ trained​ Lyme Literate Medical Doctor(LLMD) in your area, you will need to enable your email option in your profile in order to receive any recommendations, as we don't allow doctor's names and contact info to be posted on the forum for several reasons. You can enable your email option in your profile, under 'edit profile'. Be sure to click the submit button to actually save your preference.


​You can send me an email by clicking on my screen name or the small blue envelope under my screen name. I may have contact information for some LLMD's in your area as well.​ ​Please include your state (or province) and area that you would like to find a LLMD in and I will be happy to share the names I have.​


You can email the Tick-Borne Disease Alliance at [email protected]​ for LLMD referrals.


You can go to The Lyme Disease Association and search for LLMD's 3 times in a month. You have to register first. Here is the link:
www.lymediseaseassociation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=277&Itemid=74​​


ILADS has their own referral system as well:
ilads.org/ilads_media/physician-referral/

And www.LymeDoc.org

Go to the ILADS site to read the new (2014) Treatment guidelines to get you started on your healing journey:
www.lymenet.org/BurrGuide200810.pdf

Thanks so much for the responses. I will check out the links and the new to lyme post. I don't seem to have a LLMD in my town. Would I be better off driving out of town to go see one or will the infectious disease doctor know how to treat it? He mentioned that he might put me on a month of antibiotics based on the test results. Is that the right treatment?