Vent about recent LLMD appointment - High Sed Rate

Hi Everyone,
I'm sorry if this is long. I'm just so frustrated.

I saw my LLMD today. After a year and a half he finally tested my sed rate which was 24. My blood sugar was 116 which puts me in the insulin resistant state. He tested my blood sugar before and it was in the normal range. I have hypothyroidism which hasn't been checked in over 6 months.

Of course, his first response was that I needed to lose 20 lbs. to decrease my blood sugar. When I'm in there, it takes me time to process the information so I didn't even think to ask why my sed rate would be so high (do I have an active infection or is it from Lyme/coinfections?) I did tell him that I had been sick with some crud for about two weeks. Could that have made my sed rate high and increased my blood sugar? I have been on the AIP Protocol for about a month before the blood test and before that, I was on the Keto diet - with no cheating. So why would my blood sugar be so high? I was the one that put myself on the diets, he just said the usual - no gluten, sugar, dairy, alcohol. In two months I've lost about 10 lbs. In the last ten years, I have lost and gained the same 30 lbs and I just can't keep it off.

I think I was infected with Lyme/co-infections about 16 years ago. Doctors since then have mentioned that I had some inflammation but nothing was ever done about it.

A little backstory: I gained 50lbs about ten years ago when I was administered high doses of prednisone and abx. due to my uncontrolled asthma. Before that, I was always on the thin side. Unfortunately, at the same time, I was hitting menopause. I didn't know it at the time but my thyroid was not functioning correctly either. It took three years and three doctors before someone actually tested my thyroid correctly. I was the one that sought out a doctor that specialized in thyroids. I'm now on Nature-Throid.

So after my doctor's appointment, I am freaking out. After everything else now I have to deal with diabetes? (It does run in my family). I come home and immediately starting googling insulin resistance. I found out that high inflammation, autoimmune disease, and Lyme Disease can raise your blood sugar.

I know I need to lose weight and this give me more motivation, but I' so tired of doctors blaming the patient for their weight when there are many variables that may prevent them from losing weight.

I'm going to email him and ask what would cause my sed rate to be so high and ask him for a script to get my thyroid tested again. I'm not on abx and I don't want to go back on them, after a year and a half my stomach couldn't handle it. I do use a rife machine and supplements and will stick with that.

Does anyone have any other suggestions for me?

Thanks for listening. It always helps writing it out. Sorry about the emoticons, I tried to delete them but just kept adding them.

I haven't had them done in over six months. I'm calling him tomorrow to ask for the lab scripts. He looked at my labs and said "oh they haven't been done in awhile".

Agreed, these things can all be caused by these infections.

I had an uneducated doctor try to put me on diabetes medication once a few years back - and when I refused (even though I was surprised my numbers were high enough to trigger that response), she asked why and I explained that I would do what I could to control my blood sugar, but it's not "true" diabetes, it's the Lyme disease I was infected with.

Sed rate shows the amount of inflammation in your body - and it's been proven that Lyme increases our inflammation.

Thanks, everyone. I needed to hear the validation.

I'm just not sure what to do. He does do lab testing that other doctors probably wouldn't do, but then I have to try and figure out what they mean. I was having horrible anxiety (felt like I was being tasered) and he is very happy to prescribe as much valium, klonopin and xanix as I want and I don't have to sign a form like a criminal that I will submit to a urine test anytime they want. (Previous doctor did that) I really don't need to use the antianxiety meds all that much anymore.

He also prescribes me Gabapentin and continues to blame that on my exhaustion even when I tell him I dont feel any different if I forget to take them. Which happens when my neuropathy isn't bad. I thought exhaustion was also a symptom of Lyme.

For those of you who have struck it out on your own what problems have you encountered? Have you reached intermission?

He blames my reoccurring horrible itching that happens around every 5 to 7 days on allergies and not Bartonella.

I have a rife machine and am using lots of supplements, but I have an infrared sauna and do a pretty stringent detox program. Even tho some days it seems like nothing helps.

I'm trying not to freak out about my blood sugar. I'm waiting for a glucose test monitor and see how that goes.

So frustrating --"Why do I have to be the doctor?" It's just like when I was raising my kids, "Trust but verify". Oh well thanks so much. I really appreciate it.

24 is not high for an Erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Mine tested at 25 Monday. The range is 0-30 and it was not flagged.

My Dr. looked at it this afternoon and said "it shows you don't have any inflammations". He told me there is a difference between an inflammation and an infection.

I disagree, personally, but he's the dr.

Quick search online - found these ranges for ESR


For men above 50 yrs the normal ESR value is below 20
For men under 50 yrs the normal ESR value is below 15
For women over 50 yrs the normal ESR value is below 30
For women below 50 yrs the normal ESR value is below 20
For newborns the normal ESR value ranges from 0 to 2
For neonatal till puberty the normal ESR value ranges from 3 to 13


symptomstreatment.org/esr-normal-range-low-high/

Girlie said...
Quick search online - found these ranges for ESR


For men above 50 yrs the normal ESR value is below 20
For men under 50 yrs the normal ESR value is below 15
For women over 50 yrs the normal ESR value is below 30
For women below 50 yrs the normal ESR value is below 20
For newborns the normal ESR value ranges from 0 to 2
For neonatal till puberty the normal ESR value ranges from 3 to 13

Oh...ok. I wasn't aware different ages and sexes had different ranges. I wonder why? Especially the different sex same age group?

Thanks so much everyone.

Girlie, I really appreciate all the time you took to research this topic and reply. I was freaking out big time because Type 2 Diabetes runs in my family - my dad, grandma, and two sisters have it. I just felt like great now I have to worry about Diabetes too. It's such a relief to know that it will probably be okay.

Julymorning, I don't eat sugar either so I was shocked that it went up so high. So it's comforting to know that it can bounce around.

I'm not sure why he told me that my inflammation was so high and was very concerned about my sugar levels. He wants me to track everything I eat down to the crumb and check my sugar. I'll do it but just to show it that it might bounce around.

I decided I'm going to continue seeing him. He is a very nice man and he gives me all the valium I need for my Bartonella anxiety, possibly too much. I have two scripts that I haven't even filled yet. Plus, I'm not sure who I can get to run my labs and as well as know how to properly check my thyroid. I'll just have to ask to get my thyroid checked every four months.

From now I'll just trust but verify.

Thanks all, you're the best.

I know what you mean about not wanting one more layer of stuff to deal with.. We already have to be so vigilent in our lives and just adding one more thing can just seem overwhelming.......! IT is crazy making!

If you google Isabella Wentz, she has a lot of info on thyroid issues. I know that she says get the TSH FT3, FT4 tested along with Anti thyroid antibodies tested. TPO.......

So many thyroid problems are missed because you can have the right amount of one hormone but it might not be being converted to a useful form.....

Also, as I understand an improperly functioning thyroid can effect Blood Glucose..... so maybe there is something in your thyroid that is effecting your sugar.

As an aside, many years ago when I was taking a supplement to help with GABA receptors my blood sugar sky rocketed. This happened to a friend of mine too.... Would the gabapentin be a player? Don't know, was just throwing that out....