I have just returned from the hospital where I have finally got my test results back. I went to see the disease specialist there as I suspected - and my mother has been certain for months! - that I have late stage Lymes.
I have had a constant succession of viral/flu 'infections and flare-ups for the last three years. But as Lymes mimics these I did not have the change in symptoms which enabled me to differentiate Lymes from why I practically had a new 'virus' infection' every 2 months - if it ever disappeared at all.
From 10th Janurary until 16th of March circumstances occurred whereby I was sole carer for a patient who had an acute psychotic suicidal episode. It is absolutely true that this is a case of obsession/possession as the 'voices' are very real. Thus vigilance for the patient’s life has to be 24/7!! I saw a repeat of my son’s passing, so my focus had to be by each second, for a an unnecessary period of time, due to a psychopathic head psychiatrist at the only mental hospital. I wish to give further details at some juncture, but to protect the patient I need to send this info to a moderator.
The other recent stressor – that may also have contributed to my immune system failure is the knowledge for the last year that my mother could pass at any moment. She has heart arrhythmia however will not survive even a local anaesthetic to insert a pace maker. Apart from this she is as fit as a fiddle, but I was back in the UK more often than planned as well as took over all xmas preparations for what may be our last xmas together – including planning with family all eventualities as my mum shares the care of my autistic niece with a sister who has serious anxiety issues etc.
So with the flare-ups and the constant pain – I take all this emotional stress into consideration on top of normal daily ups and downs. Such as a new tenant problem who I have just given statutory notice to!!
I actually scored 99 on the Horowitz questionnaire. So have being doing as much research as I can in the interim.
I had 9 phials of blood taken and a urine test. I think the heavy metals I requested tests for were sent to the Mayo Clinic and the two Borrelia burgdorferi IgM tests sent either to Istanbul or Mayo – not sure.
The disease specialist was happy with all my results (which I shall post here once I can get to a scanner – as he was in a hurry and I could not take all of it in).
He said it came back negative at 2.8.
When I insisted that I was not imagining the symptoms and pains he said I most likely had Fibromyalgia and that he would refer me to his colleague who could give me dry needle treatment, whatever that is, but it is not acupuncture. Plus he said there wa no cure.
Of course the first thing I realized was that the symptoms for Lymes and Fibro are very similar – except with Lymes they are also migratory – including the crawling skin I get sometimes and psoriasis on my forehead, boils, styes etc.
I can list my ‘Lymes’ symptoms later. As well as Fibromyalgia so that others can benefit from the comparisons.
For now I am studying the similarities such as LymeSci: Is it fibromyalgia – or Lyme disease citing Lady Gaga and Chris Kristofferson’s mis-diagnoses. I know that tests come back negative 40+ % of the time so didn’t hold out much hope on the results anyway. Mis-diagnoses are all too common!!
(
www.lymedisease.org).
So which way to go? I am feeling although my HM’s are not too bad it may be a good idea to do a true detox and chelation for anything they may have missed? I did request a ferritin test but it seems to have been omitted – but I watch my intake anyway.
Furthermore, I am following Mikhaela Peterson and the Carnivore thread, I also notice that she is also about to podcast about Lymes, as she suspects Lymes and C-Difficile may be culprits for herself too. So interesting times.
From an environmental perspective, my sole companion is my dearest dog Sienna, who also sleeps on my bed. I see ticks this season practically daily despite her having the drops. They have definitely increased here IMO – as have the perfect seasons for them. I suspect I was bitten about 3 years ago – again mum remembers better than me – as I spot them on me or in the flat quite often and also get many mosquito bites!
Plus I enjoy walking in the fields and mountains a lot, so hard to cover up in the heat. 4 years ago Sienna ran off into a sheep field and came back to my friend’s house infested with over 250 ticks. They were even crawling up the walls, which took me 4 hours to de-tick. So yes I am a prime candidate!
Plus I intend to eventually raise our own animals!
Even the German army are taking ticks very seriously and now supply all their troops with a new tick repellent uniform. So it IS very likely that this will become a worldwide epidemic – which ‘types’ of Borrelia I am not sure of. But I have researched them all.
If anyone has prior knowledge of the best protocol to follow – please let me know. I am just completing helpful notes from ‘When the body says No’, then back on to the autoimmune threads etc. I was also wondering whether the autohemotherapy or high dose vitamin C treatments may be helpful?
Apart from the pain and chronic ME fatigue, the worse effects are the total huge decline in useful productivity, and brain fog/memory clarity, – which I was blaming myself for all this time!!