Heard it through the Grapevine

So I read that the medical community is getting discouraged from diagnosing Lyme disease because it could affect tourism for that particular state. Isn't that awful and a tragedy for those that are suffering and don't know why.

I've also read that some people that have a diagnosis for Lyme get harassed by the CDC to admit that they did NOT get Lyme disease from that state. Which is false. Such politics...I hate it.

Thinking back

Now that I have been properly diagnosed, I can think back to my past health issues and understand some things. My whole adventure with vertigo now makes sense. Vertigo is very common with this disease. Normal healthy people don't get vertigo at the age I did. First I got it at age 28, then after the birth of Monea. I went to six different specialist, none could tell me anything, and none tested me for Lyme.

I believe our miscarriage was also caused by lyme. I've read many articles where they have found this disease in miscarriages and still-births. My prayer is that our children will be spared from this horrific disease. I also pray for a cure.

without internet

Ill be without internet for a few days.....but should have it back within a week.

Lyme disease symptoms

*******************

Head & face

Headache, migraine
Pressure in the head
Tingling of nose, cheek, face
Flushing
Twitching of facial or other muscles (motor tics)
Jaw pain or stiffness (TMJ-like problems)
Difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking
Facial paralysis (Bell's palsy)
Sore throat, swollen glands, phlegm
Runny nose
Sinusitis
Hoarseness or vocal cord problems
Increase in allergy symptoms
Change in smell, taste; smell or taste hallucinations
Unexplained hair loss


Eyes

Double or blurry vision
Oversensitivity to light
Floaters, spots, flashing lights
Phantom images in corner of eyes
Decreased perception of light or color
Vision changes incl. blindness, retinal damage, optic atrophy
Eye pain
Wandering or lazy eye
Drooping eyelid
Swelling around eyes
Red eyes
Conjunctivitis or "pink eye"


Ears

Decreased hearing
Plugged ears
Pain in ears
Ringing, buzzing, tinnitus
Oversensitivity to sounds


Digestive & excretory systems

Diarrhea or constipation
Upset stomach (nausea, vomiting, pain)
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease/acid reflux)
Irritable bladder (trouble starting or stopping)
Unexplained weight gain or loss
Loss of appetite


Musculoskeletal system

Bone pain, joint pain, joint swelling, or stiffness
Shifting joint pains
Carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow
Neck is stiff, painful, creaks or cracks
Muscle pain or cramps (fibromyalgia)
Burning sensation in feet
Shin splints
Plantar fasciitis
Drooping shoulders
Poor muscle coordination
Muscle weakness
Loss of muscle tone


Respiratory & circulatory systems

Shortness of breath, can't get full/satisfying breath
Cough
Bronchitis
Chest pain or rib soreness
Night sweats, unexplained chills
Heart palpitations, extra beats or pulse skips (arrhythmia)
Heart blockage, murmur, valve prolapsed, heart attack
Stroke
Swelling or enlargement of heart
Diminished exercise tolerance


Neurologic system

Burning or stabbing sensations in the body
Peripheral neuropathy or partial paralysis
Weakness or paralysis of limbs
Tremors or unexplained shaking
Loss of reflexes
Seizures
White matter lesions
Numbness, tingling, pinpricks
Poor balance, dizziness, difficulty walking
Light-headedness, wooziness, brain fog, fainting
Meningitis (inflammation of the protective membrane around the brain)
Encephalopathy (cognitive impairment from brain involvement)
Encephalomyelitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord)


Psychological well-being

Mood swings, irritability
Agitation
Anxiety, panic attacks
Depression
Overemotional reactions, crying easily
Disorientation: getting lost or going to the wrong place
Aggressive behaviour or impulse violence
Obsessive-compulsive behaviour
Bipolar disorder, manic episodes
Schizophrenic-like states
Personality changes
Depersonalization
Increased suspiciousness, paranoia
Hallucinations
Suicidal thoughts
Feeling as if you are losing your mind
Eating disorders, anorexia
Difficulty falling or staying asleep, too much sleep, or insomnia


Cognitive symptoms

Forgetfulness, memory loss (short or long term)
Confusion, difficulty in thinking
Difficulty with concentration, reading, or spelling
Word retrieval problems (can't remember words, stop at mid-sentence)
Dyslexia-type reversals, difficulty with writing
Problems with numbers
Difficulty with speech (slowed, slurred or stammering)
Forgetting how to perform simple task
Attention deficit problems, distractibility
Difficulty with organization and planning
Difficulty with multitasking
Slowed speed of processing
Poor school or work performance


Reproduction & sexuality

Loss of sex drive
Sexual dysfunction
Unexplained menstrual pain, irregularity
Unexplained breast pain, discharge
Extreme PMS symptoms
Endometriosis
Miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, neonatal death, congenital Lyme disease (passes from mother to foetus)
Testicular or pelvic pain


General well-being

Extreme fatigue, tiredness, exhaustion, poor stamina (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)
Unexplained fevers (high or low grade)
Low body temperature
Narcolepsy, sleep apnea
Swollen glands, swollen/painful lymph nodes
Continual infections (sinus, kidney, bladder, eye, ear, etc.)
Chemical sensitivities
Symptoms seem to change, come and go; pain migrates to different body parts
Early on, experienced a "flu-like" illness, possibly not feeling well since
Exaggerated symptoms or worse hangover from alcohol
Increased motion sickness
Decreased interest in play (children)

a funny for today

Anytime Monae toots...she laughs and shouts "I BURPED out of my BUTT!"

a giving heart

I just want to thank everyone that has donated money or time or services towards me and my family. I can't begin to express how much we have been blessed by family and friends. I won't name any names, but you know who you are! Even those that are praying for us...I know we need it!

I'm not sure why God has me carry this cross, but I hope I can help others in all of this. I pray that he protects my children and husband and help them through this also.

not so bad

Besides a headache, spine nerve pain, and insomnia...Im doing ok on the new medicine. So far it hasn't been too bad. After today I take a week off all meds. (except supplements).

Praying for tomorrow

Tomorrow (Thursday) is when I start my new medicine, Flagyl. This is the end of the first cycle, and the doc always adds flagyl at the end of the cycle. I take it Thursday and Friday, then a week off all meds. Then the cycle starts over. So far I've tolerated the meds well, but this new one scares me a bit. It is a cyst breaker...meaning it goes after the spirochetes in the cyst form. The other meds Im on target the cell wall spirochetes. The doctor says that when you are symptom free, that means your not killing any spirochetes, and you need to add a cyst buster to the protocol. So, it should bring back some of my symptoms. The scary part is that I don't know which ones...so we wait and see. The good news is that if you have symptoms, that means your killing the little buggers. And I want to kill as many as possible with the least amount of pain.

So, please pray that its not too harsh.

thanks!

Wild Condor

http://www.wildcondor.com/lyme.html

If you want a good read, click above to read her story with Lyme disease and co-infections.

update

I realized that I mis-counted what week Im on with my meds...so I don't start the new med till next thursday and friday. Until then, its just the same old same old.

Our household is recovering from the stomach bug, so I was out of commission for the past few days. Lyme symptoms are minimal right now, which is good!

Happy New Year

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year! Although this last year was literally from hell, there was a lot of blessings also...like the birth of Matea, and all her first milestones. She sits up on her own now, yet demands to be held all the time. :)

Mazzie is 4 now, and such a little lady. She demands to wear clothes of "the holiday". She started by wearing Halloween clothes every day, then it was a Christmas Dress every day (she skipped Thanksgiving) and now its New Year clothes. Soon it will be Valentines day clothes.

Monae is our strong, stubborn, almost three year old. She is also my helper...always looking for ways to assist me in cooking or whatever.

I've been seeing better days also. Im on my second week of changed meds, with no new symptoms. The third week is when I add the new one, Flagyl. Its supposed to be a cyst breaker, so we will see.