Lyme Disease? For the past year?

[spookedlady]

I have been suffering from a ton of problems for the past year. I had to quit my job last march because I had unexplained symptoms that did not go away and I had no medical coverage to see about it. My symptoms back then were headaches, diarrhea, constipation, joint pain, itchy rash, canker sores, and I am seemingly gluten intolerant and lactose intolerant.

So in late april, I had cut out gluten and dairy to see what would happen. It helped, but not entirely. When I started my diet, I no longer had most of the symptoms, however, I still had/have the skin problem. I do not remember being bit by any bugs during the time I started getting symptoms. The only thing I was able to link it to was the sexual encounter I had with my ex boyfriend 3 years ago (it was protected btw).

But all this time, i've been worried about possibly having HIV. I've gone to 4 doctors since this past year, and I am about to see one in the beginning of next month. All of the doctors have told me that its possibly a food allergy or acid reflux. One doctor suggested that it might be lyme. I did the gluten free dairy free diet for like 6 months, i've seen improvement, but not much in my skin, which leads me to believe that there me be more to it.

I'm uninsured and most of the doctors at free hospitals/clinics can never seem to be able to help me. So i've basically been trying to figure out a few things on my own. My rash isn't really noticeable to the human eye, except for a few raised bumps on my back, arms and stomach...I also have alot of gas and bloating on some days? Do any of my symptoms indicate lyme disease?

[PlateletGal]

Please remember that the symptoms of lyme disease are very similiar to the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome.  If you keep repeatedly testing negative for lyme disease and can't remember having a bullseye rash after a tick bite... please talk to your physician about CFIDS.

[babsesl]

I'm not a doctor, I've been suffering with lyme and all it's many bizarre symptoms for many, many years though.  Your symptoms could be lyme and yes, it is difficult to find a doctor who knows as much about this disease as he/she should.  I couldn't believe how many doctors I had to see.  It wasn't until an acquaintance told me that she suspected lyme because her daughter was going through the same thing.  And that is what happens so often with lyme.  The lyme patients help others suffering from this disease - sometimes more than the doctors.  Not to be so down on the doctors, I had a wonderful one (finally) but usually you need someone who is an expert in the field or you get lucky and your test comes back positive.  Ask for a western blot, do not let them do an elisa test.  It's a waste of your time and money.

[jaksmom03]

Hi
yes your symptoms sound like lyme, also do you eat sushi or anything like that? if your not insured which with lyme mostly everything is out of pocket anyway for the most part  except like meds and such but doc apt are out of pocket and then you file and hope to get some $ back. I have lyme and get the rash and joint pain and headaches and once a month I get a rash on my chest and back with raised little red bumps. I get gastritis pain but dont get any gas or bloating. but these are symptoms of lyme. If I were you, I would call igenex and order a kit, they are a lab in CA that is the best test for lyme, dont waste your money with the Elisa or other tests that arent always accurate. Then you will know what your dealing with. While you are waiting for the kit, by the way any doc can order for blood to be drawn and this is usually never a problem. I would address any stomach parisites you might have picked up. I would do a colon cleanse and take a product called humaworm, just google that and the website will come up. If this is lyme you will just get worse if you put it off time is of the esence. I was bit last Aug for me my first symptom was twitching and with in 30 days of being bit I developed an automic nervous system disfunction called IST which makes your heart rate go up and not come down. I still didnt know anything about lyme or connect the two together. Then with in 2 months of IST I started getting muscle pain, 1-3 days a month were I couldnt walk, still getting twitching and it got worse, ringing in my ears pain in my face and eyes stabbing pain etc. I got several Neg tests but I knew after having so many things ruled out this was what I had. I pursured an Igenex test and it was pos  I started eating 100% organic and started working out which helped some and is very important as part of any treatment but I couldnt get in with an LLMD which is what you need becuase lyme and if u have any coinfections are hard to treat and most docs dont treat this correctly and its a waste of time.  Also get a good probiotic, start that right now they are not expensive and you need this good bacteria to get you body ready for abx treatment. I would start on some natural antibiotics like allicilln or cats claw for you immune system. Mangosteen juice is a good one. I dont see the LLMD for the first time till Monday so I had to go 4 months without and LLMD and abx which was a big mistake I finally went to the ER and siad I had been bit by a tick and wasnt leaving without a bottle of doxycycline!!! I would try this if you can afford it, a better cycline is myocycline its a smaller molecule and gets into more tissue and whatnot and you can order these online out of the country which I now several of good sites that people use that dont have insurance. But get your body ready and address what you can now without and LLMD. But you need some kind of abx I would get it any way you can. Alof of people dont remeber getting bit also there is a chat room through lymenet we meet every night at 8 you should come there is alot of good iinfo and we can give you more information then Im allowed to type on there. My name is Morgan on there and Id be happy to help you any way I can I even have some Doxy if you cant get some. But please dont wait Its been under a year for me and my memory is so bad at this point Im only 26 and struggling to stay in college. But if its been under a year for you you are better off then alot of people who have gone undiagnoised for 10 years! get started now please dont wait!!! Good luck hope to see you on chat!