My Story

I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease in the summer of 2005, 3rd phase.I was very ill, bedridden for a month and the pain in my knees had me begging my husband to cut off my legs. I was given a prescription of Oral Doxycyline by my family practitioner. After getting very sick from the medication doing its job, I finally began to feel better.

The following spring (2006) I went back to my family practitioner and told him I felt "Lymey" He did not send me for a blood test, instead tried a few alternate therapies. I had already begun studying this disease and found the "Tick Born Disease Center" in Philipsburg, NJ. They did the correct tests and they came back positive along with a several Co-Infections. I was put on intravenous doxy and other medications all at my cost. About 3 weeks into the intravenous treatments, I suffered an aneurism followed by a stroke. The hospital continued my treatments while I lay in an induced coma for a month. My hospital stay in intensive care lasted a month and a half. Due to the Lyme and the Stroke, I lost a very good job and had to apply for Social Security Disability.

On February 16, 2009, I went to my family practioner complaining of extreme knee pain. He sent me for an x-ray and bloodwork. On my return visit on the 24th, the x-ray showed nothing wrong, the bloodwork showed Lyme. I was prescribed 100 MG Doxycyline twice a day for 30 days.

Since that time I have been on oral doxycycline 5 more times. The last time, Spring(2010) I was on doxycyline for 4 months when I just couldn’t stand the yeast anymore and went on an herbal protocol. Within just a few weeks, I was able to walk without the use of my cane, a week later I actually walked 1 mile to the local strawberry patch, picked strawberries and walked home.  I was elated.  Unfortunately this new found energy was short lived, I was re-infected just a few weeks later.

I tend to flare in the Spring but this past winter 2010-2011, has been the worst so far.  The pain has been overwhelming, I spent most of December moving from my bed in the morning to the sofa (heating pad in tow).

To top this off, had a dental appt. with my lyme literate dentist which revealed that the lyme and/or doxycyline has ruined my teeth and gums, I must have them all removed. I went to my appt. with the oral surgeon on March 3^{rd, 2011} to have them all extracted.  Because of my weakened immune system and the risk of infection I was prescribed Doxycycline, good to fight infection but not good when you are in remission for  Chronic Lyme Disease. My doctor and herbalist both told me what I already knew, that taking the antibiotic will bring me out of remission.  So on top of the pain from the surgery I had to endure a herxhiemer.  It was hell, and all these years I thought I was already living it!

I wentf back on my herbals to fight the Lyme.  I’ve gotten used to the daily regimen of cleaning my gums and inserting the dentures. 

On the morning of June 15, 2011, I woke to find a fully engorged tick in my bed, I knew immediately I had been infected again.  Went to docs, transdermal screening detected Lyme and the co-infection bartonella, 21 days of doxy then I began the herbals.  Insurance covers neither the screening or the herbs but the herbs have been the only thing that has gotten me to remission.  I enjoyed remission for nearly 9 months when symptoms began again. 

On Feb. 4, 2012 I once again began feeling “Lymie.”  Unable to walk without the use of my cane.  I  went to my pcp (primary care physician) he sent me for bloodwork.  I waited 2 weeks before going to my herbalist. (It takes up to 4 weeks for test results for lyme disease to come back)  My herbalist did the transdermal screening and not surprisingly found Lyme.  On 3/7/2012,   on doxycyline and a 2 week course of an herbal remedy for Lyme Disease. 

It's important to know that once infected with lyme disease you are more attractive to ticks and risk of re-infection is very high. During this past summer (2012) I was reinfected 3 times, 1st time Lyme and Babesia, 2nd time Lyme and Bartonella and the third and last time (I hope) no lyme (surprisingly) but I had ehrlichiosis.  Just another painful co-infection that I've had to deal with.  

I hope to continue blogging on at least a weekly basis. 

See ya next time