How long did it take for YOU to notice improvement?

[Ephedra]

I understand that everyone's case is different in every way (coinfections, genetics, health status, ect).  But how long did it take for YOU to notice improvement?  

I'm afraid that I am just not giving the antibiotics a chance to work. Just because I don't notice improvement, does not mean that they are not working. But I keep getting switched every 1-3 months.

[wonko]

For real, lasting improvement it took 9-12 months for me, though I'd have breakthrough days along the way.  

I had a lot of ups and downs and found that comparing how I felt day-to-day was confusing.  But if I looked back in block of 6 months or so, then I could better appreciate my improvement.  So I can relate to the feeling of not being able to tell yet if you are improving.

Even when I was frustrated with Lyme treatment, the lack of any other concrete diagnosis or treatments made it an easy choice to "just keep swimming."  (That quote is from Finding Nemo, but even if you haven't seen that I'm sure you get the idea.)

Best wishes to feel better soon.

[Ephedra]

Thanks everyone!

I don't really anticipate feeling 'normal' at this point Jackie. Just the way I felt prior to the immunosuppressants would be great. And I didn't feel very good even then. But yet I didn't really feel poor enough to realize anything was wrong either. I was somewhat functional. And I was okay with that.

I am on Biaxin now. And I don't really know if I am improving or not. I just got off of Rifampin a few weeks ago, and felt horrible. So anything would be an improvement from what I felt like on that particular med.

That is awesome mojogal!!! I can recall the concern prior to any treatment as I was incredibly off balance, staggering around, bumping into walls. I was seriously afraid I was heading for a wheelchair! Not sure if it was just a phase, or what. But it is not much of an issue anymore, so I think I may be improving in some regard. I am just not real sure.  

The problem is, that I don't know that I have been on the same antibiotic for an entire 3 months straight.

My illness was extremely slowly progressive, so it went unnoticed until the immunosuppressants made it undeniable. That's why I figure, improvement may go unnoticed for a while. I don't expect to wake up one day and suddenly feel 'normal'. I just need to know whether or not I am improving. And I just cannot really tell.

[mojogal]

I was unable to walk until 3 months of Doxy. I am still treating but that was the biggest improvement.

[cave76]

I started feeling better about 3 months after the start of Biaxin. I could drive myself to the grocery, 40 minutes one way through two ranch gates that I had  to open then close again so it wasn't 'just nip down to the store'!

I could do a little shopping there, then back home. Which was a huge improvement, even though at first I had to pull over and rest a bit before continuing.

Then I plateaued at about 6 months and went on to other abx.

[JackieCalifornia]

I didn't feel 'normal' again until at least as long a period of time as I had been ill.  I suspect that the longer one has been ill, then the longer it takes to recover.  

It's like major surgery:  the bad appendix may be taken out, but you're not ready to go dancing the next day.

Give it a while.  Slow and easy does it.  Your body has been fighting a heroic battle, and it needs rest and recuperation time.  Pushing yourself could just make it take even longer.