Is Lyme Disease Chronic?

[TWEEZER]

Does Lyme Disease stay in the system after successful treatment and does it reoccur years later?

[thester6474]

I agree with Patsy, if not caught early, there is really no cure.  That was a question I asked my PCP, even though I was fairly sure it was uncurable.  He stated that it had already caused to much irreversible damage.  In other words, yes it is a disease that has remissions and relapses.

[patsy10]

I believe it stays in the system but has periods of remission.  I had a 3 bullseye rashes in 1992.   I became very sick with fevers, severe neurolgic problems etc...Long story short, I ended seeing a lyme specialist 15 months after the symptoms started.  I took antibiotics for a few months.  I improved after about 4 months of treatment.  It took 5 years for me to recover to almost normal.  I had surgery in 2005 and it all came back with a vengeance.  Again, I improved considerably with antibiotic treatment.  I do not think it is curable in the later stages.  This is just my opinion based on my exerience.

[TWEEZER]

Thank you for the information. I will get the book although I dread what I might read.  I haven't had lyme disease since 1991 except the symptoms every now and then.  I haven't had any surgery (thank goodness) so I maybe I can avoid the relapse!

Jo Ann

[speechgeek]

You need to read the book "Cure Unknown"  by Pamela Weintraub. It answers some of these questions. Yes spirochetes have been found  in muscles and tissues of animals after extensive treatment and serological testing has indicated they shouldn't have lyme. I've read in many places where a surgery can trigger a "relapse".

Rebeccah