Back on lyme board and Doxy...

[trigal]

Well it has been three years since I had my IV treatment and maybe 1.5-2 years since I have had any sort of lyme issue. But of course as the east coast would have I suppose one is never "safe". I found a female deer tick on me a week ago and immediatly took 200mg. of doxy, called my LLMD, and sent the blood sucker into a lab for testing.

Has anyone sent their ticks into a lab for testing? Two days after I took the 200mg of Doxy I felt not quite right and then three days post tick bite I woke up feeling like I had the flu so off to my Doc I went. Plan is to continue on Doxy 100mg x2 day till we get the results in. I am finding that I feel crappy about 2 hours after I take the doxy and not sure whether it might be the die off or a side effect of the meds. This feeling reminds me of that old "lymie" feeling but then again I always felt terrible on doxy like many people. I am wondering if maybe I may be herxing from an old infection or a recent one or not at all???My mind is going all over the place because of the nightmare of three years ago and neurological lyme. I am scared to have my life and health taken away again so I am holding on to everything I can to help normalize this and anything that keeps me connected to my "healthy" self. I do not want to become defined or consumed by Lyme - I may become someone who has lyme but do not want to become devoured by it- too much life to live..

Not sure that I really had a specific question, but just needed to reach out to others out there who have been on and off the lyme train.........Be well.....TG

[Finest1104]

I've been on Doxycycline for about 2 wks now and do feel crappy for 1-4 hours after taking the meds. Thought it was all in my head though. I just found out I've had this Lyme Disease in my system for years (maybe upto 8yrs)! Have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 5 yrs ago...it was probably just the Lyme. Still going to Doctors to figure out what's really up with all these symptoms that have been limiting my quality of life for years. I feel your pain.

[trigal]

Okay well it seems as if we are having the same experience with the dreaded Doxy.... sorry you are going through it as well... I try to time it before and after I need to feel like an actual human being and get things done. It gives me the worst headache and gastro issues as well as just feeling very sort of flu like and tired......After about 8-9 hours later I feel better - just in time for the next dose!

For what its worth.....Prior to my being diagnosed with Lyme and Neurological lyme, I too had many Fibro. symptoms (I understand this is very common). I would not say they all went away after my lyme tx but did get much better - I had/have CFS from many many years ago- prior to any lyme. I also have something called Chiari Malformation which has a lot of symptoms of neurological Lyme and I did not find this out till about a year ago.

There is a really great book called Fatigued to Fantastic by a Dr. called Teitelbaum. He is a Fibro./CFS specialist who also addresses Lyme in a small section of his book. He talks about antibiotics and the candida/yeast overgrowth and many other very on point issues. It has been very helpful for me and for the past year or two I have felt much stronger in terms of my immune system rebuilding etc. Since 2003 I have been treated probably 6-7 times for lyme including IV. I don't know if all those times were actually lyme or CFS or Fibro.or this Chiari thing but I do know that what I did between treatments really helped to clear out my system of any lingering effects of the antibiotics.

I think we have to do so much of the research ourselves because most doctors out there are not going to care more about us then we do ourselves. It is hit or miss trial and error and I know that so many times I wondered if I really had lyme or not and questioned the treatment but in the end stuck it out. But then I found out that there was something else - something structural causing my symptoms - either in addition to or instead of lyme. Really such a test of patience and endurance those who have struggles with lyme and diagnosis and treatement. I wish you the best....

[Finest1104]

Thanks for the reply and information. Wish you well.