February 10, 2012

Lyme Disease...It's Baaaaaaaaaaaack.

I had been feeling pretty good and seemed to be making some strides and then it happened.  I awoke with pain in my elbow.  What in the world could I have done? I thought maybe I just pulled a muscle. As the days went by, the pain began to creep. It moved to my back and then leg muscles, and then my knee and ankle joints started to hurt. The fatigue started to take hold. It was getting more difficult to get out of bed in the morning. That all too familiar stiffness snuck it's way back into my life. I tried to ignore it, but it persisted. After two weeks of not feeling any better, I drove to my Doc.  Yup....The Lyme was raring it's ugly head again. I had been symptom free for 3 years. I asked the phyician, "could my stomach problem possibly be caused by Lyme also"? To my surprize, he asnswered "yes".  He explained that there was a co-infection called Bartonella and that they are just beginning to explore this tricky little bacterium.  He said it can hide out in the mid-spinal region and reek havoc in the stomach.  I wonder if this is part of my problem.  I just had a bout of constant stomach pain and needed to have my esophagus dilated again.  It seems to be feeling better since the procedure.  I wasn't interested in taking antibiotics again. Been there, done that. Plus, antibiotics are so tough on my already cranky stomach. So, my Doctor put me on some Chinese herbs that are known to kill Lyme.  One of which I took years ago.  Today I started  taking the herbs again in hopes that the Lyme will leave me alone!  For those who are curious as to what I am taking....Houttuynia Cordata, Artemesia and Magnesium Malate.  Let's hope it works.....