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Lyme disease and aplastic anemia?

Hi,
I am having a bone marrow transplant in three weeks time due to severe aplastic anemia.I had quite a severe case of lyme disease three years ago which caused me to become paralysed from my neck down for a year.I am just curious to know if the lyme disease could have triggered the aplastic anemia or if I would have just got it anyway(I had leukemia when I was 14,I'm 19 now)

I just keep thinking if I only didn't go for a walk that day three years ago maybe all of this could have been avoided?I don't know really?I guess I'm just looking for some answers
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Avatar universal
I know last post was long time ago. I hope you are doing well after transplant.
my brother has aplastic anemia and I never thought of a possible lyme disease undiagnosed as a trigger or as its cause...
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Avatar universal
So sorry to hear of your struggle.

I worry, too, that you still have some residual Lyme infection.  Doctors are taught that someone previously treated for Lyme will show antibodies for years afterwards.  They'll dimiss the IgG antibodies as a previous or "old" infection.  That's because the medical establishment was taught that a month of antibiotics for Lyme always cures it, and any residual problems are just immune dysfunction or "something else."

How long were you treated for Lyme?  Did you feel you recovered after that treatment, or do you still have other symptoms besides the anemia?

Given your past leukemia, I have little medical opinion to offer you, but I do have this nagging fear that the Lyme is still there.  

Babesia also causes anemia, sometimes severe anemia.  I just saw an article in PubMed from 1969 that mentions a fatal case of Babesiosis in Ireland in a patient without a spleen (necessary for filtering out the infected red blood cells...without a spleen, Babesia is often fatal).  That means Babesia has been in Ireland for decades.

Please ask your doctor if they're absolutely sure you haven't been reinfected with Lyme (they won't believe you could still have it) or that you don't have Babesia.  Babesia is hard to find in the blood and testing is often false negative. If you have either of these infections, the transplant won't solve the problem.
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1 Comments
Do not forget everyone. Lyme can be present in "body only", as in a person moved to Ireland, or whatever location, that previously acquired Lyme elsewhere. It does not always mean that ticks, or mosquitos,  or certain biting flies have Lyme bacteria in that location where the patient is found. AND... I menton these other "critters" because they all have been mentioned in studies as possible carriers of spirochete bacteria. It has also been stated that Lyme spirochetes, like Syphillis spirochetes, can be transmitted sexually or via body fluids. AND THESE ARE OLDER STUDIES!! Shame on the CDC! for not educating properly!!
1763947 tn?1334055319
Good luck!
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Avatar universal
We all will be thinking of you and look forward to hearing from you when you're feeling up to it.

You sound very strong and that will carry you through.

Bon courage!  
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Avatar universal
You are all very good to reply,thanks, and so fast!

Yes I did get a second opinion from an oncologist and infectious disease specialist(there's no lyme specialists over here).I don't have lyme anymore,the results just show previous infection with b.b.
It's definitely aplastic anemia I have tried everything-blood transfusions...immunosuppressive therapy but nothing is working my blood levels just aren't improving.

These were my latest results.
Neutrophils 0.1 x 10 ^9/L
Platelets 8 x 10^9/L
Reticulocytes 8 x 10^9/L
Bone marrow cellularity 20%
Not entirely sure what all of this means but it's not good.

I just really wish I could know if the a.a. was caused by previous chemo treatments or brought on by lyme.I keep asking my doctors but they can't give me a straight answer.Maybe it's just best not to know.

Thanks again for replying.Hopefully all will go well for me.I'm stuck in an isolation room at the moment I'd say I'll be here for a few months at least.At least this time I have my mobility!!(trying to stay positive!)

Turning off computer now!ZZzzzzzzzzz

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Avatar universal
Ditto what mojogal says.  

In your situation as I understand it, I would seriously consider looking for a second opinion from a good Lyme doc before doing a transplant, in the event a transplant is not needed.  Three weeks isn't much time, and your docs may say you need to go ahead immediately, so there's an issue there.  

I just looked quickly at your previous posts and didn't see whether you have a Lyme specialist looking out for you.  Are there any in Ireland?

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Avatar universal
Lyme disease can mimic many different conditions. I've read that it can also bring on other health problems. Chicken or the egg?
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1763947 tn?1334055319
I just did a quick google search and it said that aplastic anemia could really be a misdiagnoses for Lyme. I was told I had MS and Lupus and other things.
I never heard of it happening on all my many support groups so that is why I did a google search.

I had to have a bone marrow biopsy when my Dr (who didn't believe in Lyme) thought I may have cancer but the biopsy said I didn't.

Perhaps you should retest for Lyme?
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