Hi, all!
I wanted to sit down and check with you all. It has been a long time since I have been on the boards. Last time I wrote I had mentioned that I thought I had lymes disease. Well, several months ago I went to a lymes specialist and had the western blot test done and came up 97% sure that I do have lymes. What is really frustrating is that along with lymes, there are probably other diseases that I have contracted and it is a hard and long road to recovery. I am definitely better and especially if I compare to where I was last year at this time.
As far as the dizziness goes, I still have a sense of dizziness, and some off-balance off and on. Some days are worse and some days I don't have very much dizziness. But it is definitely still hanging around. My major symptoms at this time are the off-balance feeling in my head, heavy head, stiff neck, minor tinnitus. I also am unable to exercise because any over-exertion of my muscles really makes me feel bad. I don't hurt most of the time, that comes and goes which I am very thankful for, because alot of lymes patients hurt alot! I still have a rocking dizzy sense when I lay down at night to go to bed. I haven't had any actual vertigo since a real short spurt last January! Praise the Lord for that!!!! Of all the hurting and symptoms that I have suffered (106 symptoms out of 111!) the dizziness is the worse. Being in pain is easier to cope with then the imbalance and being out of control with dizziness. Another symptom that I have strong right now is in my eyes. I have alot of pressure build up in my head and at times my eyes feel like they are being shoved out of my head. Also, I can be in real bright places for long periods of time. My eyes get plain fatigued!
Anyway, that is where I am right now. I am doing everything I want to do. Alot of the time I can do things without thinking about how I am feeling which is a blessing. I don't really know if it is because I am that much better or because I have learned to cope. But I am thankful for the better days. Still haven't had a "normal" day of feeling perfectly good since July 11, 2003.
Let me know how you all are! Subs I see you are still hanging in there and helping everyone! Are you still 100%??
Julianne, Belle, Diane and Penny, you are still in my prayers!!!
Julianne! We have been fervently looking for a home in the Springs. Will probably be moving there soon!!!
Hope you all are doing better and look forward to hearing from you!
Vicki :wave:

Hi Vicki

I wondered were you went assumed(hoped)---it was over---& you were better---There were many times I wondered---if I had---Lyme's disease---but never followed through on it---since the symptoms---were "classic BPPV" right out of the medical "cook book"---course---it is still pretty much a guess---just a higher probability--that it is true---sorry to hear----about the Lyme's---97% ---that pretty conclusive

----what is the treatment???---&---how did the other stuff come about---from the Lyme's----did not realize---there was that much pain---involved---with it.

Yep still at 100%---ever since the Univ of Penn---caught the vision problem---and I fixed it---proceeded to full compensation---knock on wood---however---the older you are the more chance there is---it will return---so continue to do some VRT's/MEP's----which/hope will keep it at bay.

:cool:

Hi,Subs!!!
I am so glad that you are still doing 100%! That is great! And you know, you may never have to deal with this again! I pray you don't!
There seems to be alot of joint pain with lymes. I have some but it is very minor and for that I am thankful. I feel like I got diagnosed early enough that alot of other symptoms besides the ear, neck and head stuff didn't have a chance to get worse.
I am on the third antibiotic. Right now I am taking 500 MG a day of Zithromax. And I also take Nystatin which is for yeast 4 times a day because yeast is a problem when you have to take antibiotics long term. I know I am getting better, but it is very slow. Also as I take the antibiotics I can have a reaction called a HERX as the bacteria dies in my system and leaves toxins.
My lymes doctor gave me a TON of information. He stays on top of lymes internationally and tries to stay with up-to-date info. I have learned so much about eating healthy and the effects the American diet has on the body. What my lymes doctor and others like him are discovering is that alot of the illnesses that are so common actually are coming from possible lymes disease, or other bacteria. Our bodies are overloaded with toxins from the kinds of foods we eat. Everything is loaded with preservatives, chemicals. And for some who are dealing with any kind of illness the body is not able to fight the way it needs to because it is constantly trying to deal with toxins. The information is endless. So, as a result, I am eating more healthy, pure foods and drinking pure water. I do my shopping now at an organic store. And I take supplements now that just a few months ago I didn't even know exist.
One of the ways I have improved is my energy level. And I sleep solid most nights. So, I can say things are better just SLOW!!! The doctor I am seeing stresses it is a slow recovery and to take it slow. If you try to fight the disease too fast, then the HERX reactions are worse and that in itself can set you back. Alot of trying to figure out what is working and what is not. I wish that there was a cut and dried cure, but...
Anyway, so nice to hear from you!!
My heart goes out to all the new dizzy people! It's no fun! But like you always, have said SUBS, MOST get better!!!
Blessings!
Vicki

Hi Vicki,

I'm sorry to hear about the lyme disease diagnosis, but I'll be it's at least a relief to know what you have! Didn't you say in the past your husband was suffering too? How's he doing?

Hang in there; we're thinking about ya.

T

Hi, Vicki! I'm just checking in, too, haven't been to the boards in some time. I've been trying to keep marching on and keep my mind off of the vertigo in between dr. visits (easier said than done), but I do pretty good in between episodes. After tracking this for 3 years, I've found that Sept/Oct are the worst months for me -- I don't know if it's something in the weather? I was in Missouri last weekend (St Louis) for the Joyce Meyer Women's Conference. She had TD Jakes and Darlene Zschech as guest speakers/singer. It was really awesome! I did get a vertigo episode while there -- seems like all that activity brings it on for me but I try not to let it stop me. Hope that the treatments for the Lymes make you feel better, and that this is your answer! God Bless! Penny

Hi Vicki, praise God the ear monster is leaving you! Do they think the lymes caused the inner ear crap? Vicki, you have came a long ways fighting this. I was so ahppy to read--"most days. i do what I want without thinking about my symptoms!!!! Did you ever think you would be able to say that????
I have to tell you, i was praying and AGAIN asking the Lord--WHEN will this quit--WHEN?????? This time He told me"its almost over". well, for 3 days after that I felt so awful, it felt like I was going to die. I kept praying and knew that He had not brought me this far for me to die now.Then Paula White was preaching and she said--I have a word from God to someone--this affliction is almost over!! I was crying and happy at the same time. then she said--you know when you hear from the Lord that the testing begins---THEN I knew what all the horrible symptoms had been about.
Am praying for you. Keep the faith. yes, i know its hard but keep it!!! Prayers, Belle

Hi Vicki,

I'm sorry to hear about the lyme disease diagnosis, but I'll be it's at least a relief to know what you have! Didn't you say in the past your husband was suffering too? How's he doing?

Hang in there; we're thinking about ya.

T

Hi! It is helpful to know at least what alot of my problem is. The hard part is that there are several diseases that you usually get with lymes and since I have been researching lymes and with the info my lymes doctor has given me there are alot of other things I have to be concerned about. It doesn't seem like the antibiotics help me that much so I am having to consider what else could be keeping me sick, like yeast overgrowth (candida, lots of symptoms with this!), mercury toxicity from my fillings, etc. I am praying for guidance and wisdom to go in the direction I need to go.
Thanks for asking about my husband. He still deals with some dizziness. It isn't as intense as mine is or has been but definitely a problem. We have been away from our home for over 3 weeks at a time and didn't really notice any difference. So, we are still really not sure at all where his dizziness is coming from. We have NO clue where we would even start and have NO idea what doctor we would go to at this point. But he has said that he has been feeling better lately. He is an auto body man and has stopped painting cars as much and thinks that may be making a difference. We are looking to move and get out of the body business and hopefully getting out of painting all together will make a big difference.
How are you doing??
I haven't read through alot of the postings, you probably have mentioned your condition recently. Too many to catch up on!
Vicki

Hi, Vicki! I'm just checking in, too, haven't been to the boards in some time. I've been trying to keep marching on and keep my mind off of the vertigo in between dr. visits (easier said than done), but I do pretty good in between episodes. After tracking this for 3 years, I've found that Sept/Oct are the worst months for me -- I don't know if it's something in the weather? I was in Missouri last weekend (St Louis) for the Joyce Meyer Women's Conference. She had TD Jakes and Darlene Zschech as guest speakers/singer. It was really awesome! I did get a vertigo episode while there -- seems like all that activity brings it on for me but I try not to let it stop me. Hope that the treatments for the Lymes make you feel better, and that this is your answer! God Bless! Penny

Hi! Penny!
It is good to hear from you tho' not hearing from you would have probably meant you were passed all this! Do you have a more precise diagnosis by now? and who are you seeing? I hope that once you get past these fall months you can feel better. Once you recognize when the worst times are there tends to be anxiety also at those times. I can look back last year at this time and was definitely in much worse shape. But my symptoms for the most part are alot different. There is still a part of me that has to try not to think about the vertigo I have had cause I really don't know what ever made me do that. I am sure it was from the lymes, menopause and the Lord knows what else, but I have no guarantee it won't happen again. Of all my symptoms, the dizzy symptoms are the hardest to cope with. Pain is easier, at least what pain I have had so far. Today I am having some increased pain in my joints and that is unsettling. Don't like new symptoms!! :(
Anyway, I know it has to be hard but it is good you continue to keep active. I know that is so important. I am amazed with what I have done when I look back. We also are in the process of trying to sell our home so we can move to Colorado and sometimes I wonder about my sanity! :) But it really does help for me to stay busy cause otherwise I spend too much time thinking about how I am feeling!
Well, Penny, I will continue to pray for you! Take care and thanks for getting back with me!
Vicki