You ever had a western blot test done for Lyme? Sounds very similar wot what I've had... and I tested negative twice for Lyme with the Elisa test, but positive with the Western Blot. Just something to think about... there is a support group on Daily Strength, called Lyme Disease, jump in there and read around. Do you have anyother symptoms, no matter how odd they are, or how unrelated you might think?

I've actually thought of that and wondered. I've been seeing a slew of specialist lately for a variety of things. I've recently been diagnosed with Meniere's for the ringing and fullness in my ears. Along with this came nausea,dizzy,fatigue. I have bouts of extreme fatigue that I chalked up to 'flare ups'. I"m almost always tired and never feel rested.My joints get worse in the winter. I have pain in ALL joints. It feels like they've been smashed with a hammer. They espec hurt when i lift,turn and reach. I have morning of stiffness-but not every morn is it really bad. Some nights I wake with severe stiffness and sweating. I have headaches all the time. I do also have scoliosis,which makes my back hurt even worse.

The thing that really makes me wonder is the fact I grew up in the hill country as a kid. We had ticks pulled off of us constantly. But I don't ever remember having the bullseye rash...

I was put on seraquil for about 4 days a couple month ago. Stuff was way toooo much for me. I have the crystals in every joint in my body. The dr.'s pass it off as the same ol arthritis I've had since I was in my early 20's.. I have a feeling it along with other symtoms is more related to this HH. I don't know how olds you are but for many years Lyme disease hasn't been as well known as now days. I live in and around the woods and have pulled ticks off my kids .,. We were advised to watch for the bulls eye. You may have had one but no one knew how serious that could have been. We will hope for the best. HH is bad enough.. I too have Meniere's. no fun,,what did you say,, Sometimes I think people next door can hear the ringing in my ears. Maybe I am hearing the ringing in your ears, not mine, yeah thats the ticket.. have a good day.

I'm going to be 41 real soon. Yessssss...the ringing!UGH! At this point I'm opting out of the Psych med route. I've tried them before and really hated them ALL. I am really feeling the pressure from my Dr to take it tho:( I know she's going to be mad when I tell her I don't want to. There has to be other options! I have been altering my diet. I've already made big leaps as far as that goes-but learning different cooking techs and menu's can be overwhelming-esp when you have a big family of all boys! They frown at any diet I try because they end up having to deal with some of it too...My dad has had the ringing in his ears for yrs and yrs and is losing his hearing more and more. I sure hope by some miracle the ringing subsides! All these drugs with all these side effects-SHEESH! I'm heading more and more towards the homeopathic ways as the days go by...I am going to ask my Dr about the Lyme's and hopefully I can get tested. But you know,as it is,they keep trying to put me on psych meds cos i think they think i'm a hypochondriac and maybe the meds will just shut me up cos I keep asking for testing...

Biggest error for people is to think no bullseye = no lyme. 2 of my kids have had Lyme 3 times, and now I have it. 2 of the 4 times someone had the bullseye, the other 2 times nothing. Fatigue is a huge one. My right hand(knuckles), hip and knee hurt terribly, i have eye sight issues now, dizzy, vertigo, neck pain, shoulder tightness, low back pain, in the last 6 months, my symptoms alter, move, etc, and i have had 22 of the list of symptoms. i have a couple of sites that have good info if you are interested. One other HH pt on here has HH, but recently found out she also has had lyme. she was putting all the blame on HH, but once she got that under control she wasn't feeling better. Now she's truly on a road to recovery. Also, as for the psych stuff, that is what my neuro doc told me, she refused to pursue LYme, and referred me to a psych doc and anti depresant meds. I refused both and pursued Lyme on my own, thank god i did!

After years of Vioxx, yuck, Celebrex, yuck, and motrin etc. The third Rheumatologist identified the crystals as pseudo gout. I'd never heard of it. He suggested colchicine, which I almost avoided taking, but when I did take it , my life changed in about a month. The broken glass-nerve type sharp pain in my ankles diminished to a point where I no longer felt crippled. It is a very old medicine, around since the Greeks and Egyptians. Worth trying. It is a small dosage and some folks stomachs may be sensitive, so with food is better. Of course, I am no practitioner, but if something works it may be worth the trial. Give it a few weeks. The relief was not instant.
JS

Thanks to everyone replying...It's solidifies my decisions I'm making. Yes,of course I'd like you to refer me to the sites on lyme. I'd like to see a check list too. I am going to find a way to get tested. My med bills are PILING! I hve a feeling once my RA Dr finds out i'm refusing Cymbalta,she will be mad and won't want to listen. I get that impression from her. I prob will have to find another Dr soon...I just hope things work out because she's a family Dr. I am taking everyone's suggestions into consideration,I appreciate your help.

What about Lyrica? I have a cousin who was just put on it for fibromyalgia and she feels much better. I don't know what it would do for joint pain, but maybe a pharmacist would know.

Milo 1

Celebrex was the only thing that helped me when my pain was at it's worse, right before my joint replacement. I loved it!

Lyrica..... HUH!!!!! I have been on it since late summer/early fall 2010. I have GAINED 26 pounds since then! Needless to say, I can FEEL the weight in my belly & my butt, and I can feel it when I ascend the stairs from my basement (breathing-not legs). I don't have leg pain, my Lyrica is an add-on medication to a seizure med-Lamictal.

On the other hand... my husband takes it (different dosage) for peripheral neuropathy due to diabetes. (we recently found out his ferritin is 653 but not genetic?). Yes, he has gained wt., yes, he breathes differently & not as easily (plus he has sleep apnea & is on CPAP) BUT.... Lyrica works for his leg pain. He is on his feet & walking the entire time for his 8 or 12 hour shifts.

Tccrave is referring to me! Haha... diagnosed with HH, got phelbs done and my levels down and still felt like crap. I just blammed it all my pain on HH until my levels went down but my pain got worse. Turned out I had Lyme! Oh lucky me, im just full of diseases..

Turns out its not uncommon at all to be stuck between the two diseases. I met another person on DS with a tick born illness and HH.

I refused to take pain meds or any type of medicine for years but honestly, I want to punch myself for that. Life is a lot better and easier for me now. All that time wasted in pain not taking any medicines. I don't think you will have withdraws, just don't get addicted to any types of meds. I only take pain killers and such when I truly need them. Im also on depression medicine, mood stabilizers and Adhd meds to help the chronic fatigue. But then again I have Lyme disease and my pain mostly comes from that damn tick bite, not HH

Oh yeah and the bullseye rash, I currently just found out I got bit TWICE. I got the bullseye rash the first time, but not the second time. Man they really need to find a cure for all of this stuff!

Here are the 2 sites on Lymes. The first is writen by my doctor who is a leading researcher on Lyme, he has an extensive list of symptoms. The second is a blog from a lady, wonderfully written, alot of "ahah!" moments went off for me when I read it.
http://www.canlyme.com/donta.html
http://unmixingcolors.typepad.com/along_the_way/2010/01/imagining-lyme-disease.html
yell with any questions!

Hey there,
FINALLY I am getting set up for a Lyme's test. It is called the "Titer". I have been so ill lately that my days feel numbered...At this point-a little over two weeks ago I felt like I had a bad case of the flu. I couldn't eat,was nauseous,fever,couldn't move. Since then,I have not been able to eat or do anything w/o feeling sick/tired/flu like. It's weird,the symptoms get really bad each time I try to eat. I won't lie....I'M SCARED. I'm scared because of a lot of things being: I've tried all these meds for fibromyalgia and they haven't worked,my symptoms are worsening...I'm scared the test might be pos OR neg, I'm scared I won't get treatment I need (after reading and watching discussions on Lyme's)...My Dr recently put me on Prednisone. I have not had a pos to arthritis,but have symtpoms saying i have it and a fam history of it. The Prednisone seems to have relieved some of the stiffness...The ringing in my ears,nausea,confusion,pain,headaches,inability to eat or do anything...difficulty breathing...IS DRIVING ME CRAZY. I'm honestly just really scared and really tired of trying to convince others that I am REALLY sick.

I forgot to mention: I also have been diagnosed with depression,bipolar,Menieres,irritible bowel,Interstitial Cystis and have not been able to sleep but am SO TIRED. I am currently taking ativan,promethazine, and ginger for nausea and sleep. I added benadryl lately as I am so itchy everywhere. In the past two yrs I've had what seemed like the flu. I was also tested by my primary for menopause due to night sweats...the tests said i was fine.

I wonder if there is any link with Lyme and HH? Almost everything you describe LovingAutumn is identical to my experience. I thought I had Lyme 10 years ago but tested negative. Now have tested positive for HH. I also have severe night sweats, but only when I take Ambien. I also have scoliosis and degenerative disk disease and herniated disks. I know I got bit by something. I found it embedded in my arm but did not get the rash. Just a low-grade fever, fatigue and joint pain that lasted about a month. I take Diclofenac for joint pain, it is an arthritis medicine and works excellent with no side effects at all. I hope you find some measure of relief! I know how exhausting constant pain can be.