Little Luck

[chevyelcam79]

I just went this morning for blood draw to retest after 2 rounds of antibiotics.  Need some prayers please...............

I did 30 days of doxy and 14 days of Biaxin (clarithromycin).  Doc wanted me to wait 30 days between last bloodwork and this one.  

Still feeling fatigued with joint pain.

Thanks
Shari

[pally10101]

Hey Chevy.

I'm from Maryland too. Small world. I suspect I got bit during my last visit home well over a year ago.

Your good news uplifts me on an otherwise pretty crappy day. Cognitive function took a pretty serious dive this week and as I'm still waiting for my LLMD appointment, it's nice to read about the possibility of recovery.

[mojogal]

I spent most of my adult life in Northern Va which is where I was bit. Apparently, Romney vowed to put a lot of effort into the Lyme epidemic in Northern Va. If you live in a DC suburb too, then you are included in this. At least this will bring more awareness to the disease.

[chevyelcam79]

Thanks for your response and your well wishes.  I will have to look at my other test results but I am positive that she tested for other infections the Lyme ticks often carry.

I will certainly not ignore further symptoms if they do not disappear.  Keeping fingers crossed and saying alot of prayers.  

I will certainly visit in a few weeks for an update!  I appreciate everyones response in this "tough" point concerning my health.  

Yes, it is Lymes Country here in Maryland and I am doing everything I can do besides becoming a house mouse to make sure I do not get bit again.

Thanks again for your reaching out to those you do not know.  I have learned through previous experience that these forums are an EXCELLENT source of knowledge and compassion when it is needed.  It is nice to know that there are others to talk to, others who have the same issues when one feels like no one can understand how you feel.

Talk to you soon!

Shari

[JackieCalifornia]

and PS, there are good Lyme specialists in or near Maryland, and if you are not completely well very soon, I would find one without further delay.  You live in Lyme country, and this is the time of year when a lot of new Lyme infections show up ..... just sayin'.

[JackieCalifornia]

I hope you are fine going forward.

If however your symptoms are not gone pretty quickly (including the joint aches), then please consider that the treatment you had was not long enough, and if you weren't tested for other infections the Lyme ticks often carry, there could be other infection(s) that need different testing and treatment from Lyme.

Would you visit with us in a few weeks and let us know how you are doing?  The 'standard' approach in Lyme is a few weeks of antibiotics, and any continuing pain or problems are called 'post Lyme syndrome', meaning your immune system is still reacting to bacteria that are no longer there.  A Lyme specialist would instead consider that your initial infection(s) were NOT cleared by the earlier treatment, and likely treat you further, with additional tests for possible co-infections.

I hope you are entirely well, but please do not ignore any continuing or new symptoms as unimportant.  The longer Lyme and its coinfections are allowed to persist, the harder it is to get rid of them, never mind the misery in the meantime.

Best wishes to you --

[chevyelcam79]

Just wanted to give an update on status.  Went to Doc yesterday and I am happy to say my lymes has cleared!  

Doc has prescribed Mobic for 2 weeks to hopefully take care of the joint aches that I am still having.  


Thanks so much for everyones support!

Shari

[mojogal]

You are right Jackie, once at an ER in Texas I only brought my MRI report of the brain since I had a partial seizure. The doctor looked at it, which said lesions in the brain (at the time I was told it was MS) and said, that's not bad. I said "it shows lesions in my brain, what do you mean it doesn't look bad".
Par for the course for San Antonio, Tx.

[JackieCalifornia]

I find that expecting any doc to actually read the binder is a loser of an approach.  I take the binder with me to refer to if a specific question comes up.  Docs are not set up to review mass quantities of other doc's tests in the 15 minutes of fame you get in an appointment.  Nothing personal, it's just the way they operate.  

My binder is for my reference, rather than the doc's.

[gibsongal]

good luck!

and yeah i have my binder all set up now too. i even took it to the ER!

they didn't look at it. well one nurse did a little..

[chevyelcam79]

I have already started my binder....  I always get copies of my results.  I di that with my previous illness.  Thanks for reminding me though.

Have a great weekend!
Shari

[JackieCalifornia]

Suggestion:  get paper copies of ALL test results, because they might be of interest to your future LLMD.  It's very easy for test results to get scattered and forgotten over time, because sometimes many different docs get involved, and there is no one single place that has copies of ALL your tests.  Sometimes having a historical view of test results can give a thoughtful doc insight into trends, because tests are not perfect and sometimes only give hints of what is hiding.

This is so different from the yes/no, up/down test results that we usually get and are easy to replicate later .... with Lyme, trends and hints are SO important.  I kept a three ring binder of all my test results, and it truly came in handy.  Another thing was that my memory was spotty, and having all the stuff in writing has been helpful to me in looking back at things I had totally forgotten.

I know you're on overload already, and wouldn't suggest this if it weren't possibly important for reasons you can't right now imagine.  (I learned the hard way that asking later for copies of "all" test results usually doesn't produce everything, bec. docs don't like spending money on paper and toner for the copy machine.  Trees grow back.)

[chevyelcam79]

Thank you!  No, she is my primary care.  I havent gone to a LLMD as of yet.  WIll wait this test result out and see.

[Ricobord]

I hope you get clear results, too!  Let us know!
Is your doc an LLMD?

[JackieCalifornia]

We're here!  Will wait to hear from you.

[chevyelcam79]

Thanks!  Sure will!  The doc said she will check the results even if over the weekend and post on my account so I can see and not have to wait until my appt next week.  I told her that I was very anxious to see the results.

I think she called for the western blot again but did not see the lab slip.  

Will keep in touch and thanks for the response.

[JackieCalifornia]

Let us know what the test results are, okay?  I'm not medically trained, but that length of treatment in an established infection sounds more like a challenge test to stir up your immune system before testing again, to see if the test results are positive (the tests measure your immune system response, not the number of Lyme bacteria present).

Some docs only treat for a few weeks, but it sounds like maybe your doc did a short course of treatment to get more accurate test results.  Let us know what you hear back, okay?  Hang on!