Lyme Disease Support Group
Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere. It is now one of the fastest growing infectious diseases in the U.S. Lyme disease is caused by infection with the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, and is primarily transmitted to humans as well as dogs, horses and other domesticated animals by the bite of infected ticks.
I'm 35. For as long as I can remember I have been getting random dizzy spells. Even as a kid.
When I was a teen I started having a lot of foot pain. Then hand pain. Like a dull achy feeling.
I started my period at 16 and they were always terrible. So terrible that I would throw up.
When I was about 19ish I started get heart palpitations and breaking out in hives and developed a sudden fear of heights. The cold also became painful. The hives only lasted about a year.
I had my first child when I was 22.
When I was about 23 I started having a lot of knee pain and started experiencing motion sickness. I also broke out in random itchy rashes that traveled and lasted for months and was thought to be eczema.
I had my second child when I was 25. Then I was diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism. The medication only helped with the palpitations.
When I was 26 I started getting aura migraines and seasonal depression.
My third child was born prematurely and I had a tubaligation when I was 28. I couldn't keep anything down and kept losing weight during that pregnancy.
I started having memory problems when I was 29. Around this same time I was bumping into things a lot. I would always tell people I have a magnetic personality. I also noticed frequent urination around this time and people would always ask if I was pregnant. I also started getting frequent and alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation.
When I was about 30-ish I started having frequent and long lasting headaches that OTC meds wouldn't help. I also got a lot of back pain. I also started getting a numb, tingling sensation in the tips of my pinkies and ring fingers.
Through all this time my joint pain just gradually spread and got worse. The only thing that has ever helped is heat. This pain eventually spread enough to when now it just feels like all my bones (not just the joints) in general are aching.
When I was about 33-ish I started having pronounced pain in my left shoulder. Accompanying this was a numb, tingling sensation all down my arm into my and and fingers. Then I had a true vertigo experience. All of a sudden it just felt like a was falling. It was the craziest thing.
About this time I started seeing a doctor and she mentioned Fibromyalgia. That never felt right, but I'm not a doctor, so...
Then my doctor moved and I didn't get another one for a while. My symptoms just kept getting worse and worse. Fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, easily winded and wore out. Light sensitivity, loss of hand coordination and grip. Dropping things A LOT,Twice the steering wheel slipped out of my hand while turning a corner. Losing my balance when I'm just standing there.
Then last year (2014, age 35) my symptoms started affecting my job. Poor concentration and memory loss with frequent urination makes doing my job difficult. So, I got a new doctor. She went over my array of symptoms, did the regular checkup and said, I think you have MS. She referred me to a neurologist who did nerve tests and an MRI. I get the MRI results on the 27th. (12 days)
I have been doing a lot of MS research and was convinced this was right, until I came across Lyme Disease. The more I learn about it, the more I'm determined to investigate this possibility.
When I was a teen I started having a lot of foot pain. Then hand pain. Like a dull achy feeling.
I started my period at 16 and they were always terrible. So terrible that I would throw up.
When I was about 19ish I started get heart palpitations and breaking out in hives and developed a sudden fear of heights. The cold also became painful. The hives only lasted about a year.
I had my first child when I was 22.
When I was about 23 I started having a lot of knee pain and started experiencing motion sickness. I also broke out in random itchy rashes that traveled and lasted for months and was thought to be eczema.
I had my second child when I was 25. Then I was diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism. The medication only helped with the palpitations.
When I was 26 I started getting aura migraines and seasonal depression.
My third child was born prematurely and I had a tubaligation when I was 28. I couldn't keep anything down and kept losing weight during that pregnancy.
I started having memory problems when I was 29. Around this same time I was bumping into things a lot. I would always tell people I have a magnetic personality. I also noticed frequent urination around this time and people would always ask if I was pregnant. I also started getting frequent and alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation.
When I was about 30-ish I started having frequent and long lasting headaches that OTC meds wouldn't help. I also got a lot of back pain. I also started getting a numb, tingling sensation in the tips of my pinkies and ring fingers.
Through all this time my joint pain just gradually spread and got worse. The only thing that has ever helped is heat. This pain eventually spread enough to when now it just feels like all my bones (not just the joints) in general are aching.
When I was about 33-ish I started having pronounced pain in my left shoulder. Accompanying this was a numb, tingling sensation all down my arm into my and and fingers. Then I had a true vertigo experience. All of a sudden it just felt like a was falling. It was the craziest thing.
About this time I started seeing a doctor and she mentioned Fibromyalgia. That never felt right, but I'm not a doctor, so...
Then my doctor moved and I didn't get another one for a while. My symptoms just kept getting worse and worse. Fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, easily winded and wore out. Light sensitivity, loss of hand coordination and grip. Dropping things A LOT,Twice the steering wheel slipped out of my hand while turning a corner. Losing my balance when I'm just standing there.
Then last year (2014, age 35) my symptoms started affecting my job. Poor concentration and memory loss with frequent urination makes doing my job difficult. So, I got a new doctor. She went over my array of symptoms, did the regular checkup and said, I think you have MS. She referred me to a neurologist who did nerve tests and an MRI. I get the MRI results on the 27th. (12 days)
I have been doing a lot of MS research and was convinced this was right, until I came across Lyme Disease. The more I learn about it, the more I'm determined to investigate this possibility.
I wish you the best in your battles. Hugs to you.
worth checking out to see if you have Lyme. If you go onto the
ILADS.org website and type in your zip code, they will send you
referrals for a Lyme Literate doctor (LLMD) near your area.
There's also helpful information on the site to read.
Then the doctor
can test you and check for Lyme. Most regular doctors
do not know enough about it to diagnose it or treat it.
Lyme doctors are often naturopaths. There should be
some in
the Phoenix area I would imagine.