Do not Give up

Getting well from Lyme is probably one of the hardest things you will ever have to do in your Life.
It is so worth it though. I would rather go through the herx's than the illness any day.
At times you may feel like giving up DON'T. Whether you take antibiotics or an alternative treatment you will herx or rather there will be a reaction and yes sometimes the reaction can seem real bad.
Just remember the intense reactions are the toxins from the dying bacteria.
There is the page on this blog all about Herx reactions.
I will repeat again some of the symptoms again:
Physical can be pain, swelling,tremors,numbness, tingling, burning sensations.
If the internal organs are affected you may have symptoms here as well.
The Mind: Insomnia, confusion,disorientation,depression, anxiety and panic attacks and anger.
All these symptoms do go away as you get better.
You may find it gets worse before it gets better.
The mind is the last part of your body that will eventually return to fully functioning. this will be when just about all the bacteria are actually dead.
 The bacteria reproduces and grows very slowly certain treatments are only able to kill the bacteria at different stages of the bacteria life cycle.
Do not give up yes it can take months to get better even years but the progress you make although small is so worth it.
Try to tough it out 
Sometimes it may feel like you have no short term memory anymore like the short term memory has gone AWOL.
You may feel completely disorientated and you may get bouts of amnesia all of this is the toxins the die off of the bacteria.
The numbness can happen anywhere in the body, This will stop eventually do not panic.
Diffrent parts of your body may be affected parts that were never affected before but that's because the bacteria have always been there and now the treatment is working seeking them out.
The pain is from the die off and that is good you do not want these critters in your body anymore.

You will get ops as well as downs but eventually the downs will become less and less.
Yes some days you may feel horrible down right awful hold in there.
You may find you get extremely weak and you cannot get your limbs to work you have to be patient and kind to yourself.
Your body is having a battle and you must do all you can do to help it along. Do not overdo it if your muscles are weak your body is talking to you.
You may find you have irrational mood swings anger rage or tears try to keep as calm as possiable.
I have been treating the Lyme for a year now and yes it was a very long hard road but as I get parts of my body back as i get my mind back I know it was all worth it.

Do not give up!


**Always consult a LLMD (Lyme Literate Doctor) or your own health care professional.**


Copyright 2012-2013  LymeGirl all rights reserved.

Fixation and Lyme

Hello all,

Lyme is a difficult critter to dela with at the best of times depending on which part of the brain is being
 affected at any one time it can be especially difficult to deal with.

One of the most difficult things to deal with is what I call the "Fixation Syndrome".

Living in a house with two other people who are also infected the Fixation syndrome can become quite tiresome to say the least.  Yes I also get frustrated with myself and my fixation syndrome and i have to stop myself.

The two other people differ in their fixations, The trouble with the fixation syndrome is not being able to let go of say a time when perhaps one has been wronged by another.

Or a fixation on having things done to a standard that really can never be reached by anyone or anything.

I have noticed  that t if a certain food must be prepared in a certain way lets say a sandwich . one day and then prepared diffrently the next day this can cause so much strife and upset.

One may say this is Autistic or OCD and i would say yes it is but you see that is what Lyme is like.

in our house we do a lot of counting to ten and breathing to help with letting go of whatever the fixation is because whatever the fixation is does not mean it is right.

**Always consult a LLMD (Lyme Literate Doctor) or your own health care professional.**

Sex and Lyme Disease

By Robert C Bransfield, M.D.

How does chronic Lyme disease affect sexual functioning, and how can it be treated? Lyme can affect sexual functioning by its effect upon the cen­tral nervous system, the endocrine system, the auto­nomic nervous system, the peripheral nervous system, and/or the body.

It is well recognized that Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) causes depression, obsessiveness, panic disor­der, and phobias that are functions of the emotional aversive pathways of the brain. However, we can also see dysfunction of the reward pathways as well, which affect capacity for pleasure, feeding, bonding and sex. Since Lyme disease alters the aversive pathways which affect what and who we are repelled from, it is understandable that Lyme can also alter sexual at­traction and behavioral patterns as well. With this in mind, I shall begin with some patient accounts and observations.

Sexual arousal:

            Most patients report a decline in both libido and overall sexual functioning. Some state that their interest in sex and sexual functioning remain normal while a few report increased libido. One such patient described a greatly increased libido, but was frustrated because the multitudes of chronic Lyme disease symptom made it painful to be touched and/or hugged. Others describe increased libido associ­ated with hypnagogic hallucinations. A patient with this symptom was described in the medical literature two years ago. She displayed sexual obsessions, sexual hallucinations, and a tendency to compulsively masturbate in a dream-like state eighteen hours per day if left undisturbed.*

Some patients develop an obsessive compul­sive disorder with sexual obsessions, compulsions, intrusive images, and vivid dreams following the on­set of chronic Lyme disease. Of particular interest, a few patients report a change in the content of sexual imagery. A change to more violent sexual themes is sometimes noted. This, in turn, sometimes altars sexual behavior.

Could Borrelia burgdorferi or other infectious diseases sometimes alter sexual orientation or contribute gen­der dysphoria, or altered patterns of sexual arousal? There is evidence that sexual functioning is altered by a number of other parasites, including Wolbachia, Spiroplasma, Rickettsia and Microsporidia. When Bb infections begin in childhood, are there some cases where it may have an effect upon sexual development? Is infectious disease one of the many factors that may affect sexual development? When changes in sexual imagery occur in adults, most are upset by the changes, which result in a decline of sexual interest. However, there are times when some individuals act out these fantasies.

*Stein Sara L., MD. Et al, American Journal of Psychiatry 153:4, April 1996, Clinical Case Conference “A 25- Year-Old Woman With Hallucinations, Hyper sexuality, Nightmares, and a Rash.”

Fertility:

         Patients complain of infertility with surprising fre­quency. Is infertility more common in chronic Lyme disease patients?

Atrophy of genitalia:

         A few patients who have been infected for over ten years report atrophy of the genitalia. Males have reported atrophy of

the penis and testicles, a change that is reversed by IV antibiotics. Females report lack of vaginal lubrication, painful intercourse, and anorgasmia. One female patient reported atrophy of one breast.

Anesthesia of genitalia:

On occasion, some patients complain of a loss or sensation of the genitalia. I have also seen this symptom in a few chronic fatigue patients.

Orgasm induced migraine headaches:

Although uncommon, this is seen in chronic Lyme disease patients.

Lymphocytoma of the nipple:

This has been reported In Europe, but I have never seen such a case in my practice.

Menstrual irregularity:

A common symptom in about 50% of men­struating patients.

Breast swelling, tenderness, and lactation:

Some patients complain of this symptom.

Premenstrual Syndrome:

There is a significant tendency towards wors­ening of the chronic Lyme disease symptoms in the premenstrual period.

Besides these symptoms associated with Lyme disease, there are many other symptoms which indirectly affect sexual functioning, i.e. - fatigue, chronic pain, depression, paranoid, hyper vigilance, mood swings, low frustration tolerance, temper outbursts, apathy, etc. These mood symptoms often alienate their partners. It is no surprise that many chronic Lyme dis­ease patients report marital discord.

Treatment

A well-planned treatment approach for chronic Lyme disease can help the overall prognosis, thereby possibly helping any of these symptoms. The treat­ment of sexual dysfunction is one of the last frontiers in medicine. Three new drugs for male erectile dys­function are approaching approval for marketing. The first will be Viagra, developed by Pfizer. Loss of li­bido and a loss of sexual functioning are treated by a number of methods Testosterone treatments are sometimes effective for loss of libido in both men and women. Dopamine agonists such as Wellbutrin and Parlodel are also used as treatment modalities.

More interesting than the treatment of sexual dysfunction is the question - can some individuals with abnormal patterns of sexual arousal be treated with antibiotics?

http://www.mentalhealthandillness.com/Articles/SexAndLymeDisease.htm 

Dehydration and Lyme

Hello all,

I never thought much about this not until I heard Tom Grier speaking about his experiences with Lyme and how he would forget to drink. Now since he has been diagnosed with Lyme and taken antibiotics for it he has to take sips of water every 10 mins or so.

When i heard this i thought about myself "Do I have this problem too?"
Now being completely honest with myself I have to say yes i used to forget to drink, I would not touch water very much and it was as though my body was actually rejecting fluids.

Now why would a human reject fluids to sustain their exsistance?

There has been many times in the past where i have actually suffered Dehydration and had to be given medical help.

Lyme seems to have this ability to affect the mechanism in the body that triggers the response to actually drink. it seems this response is shut down completely

Now i make sure i have a bottle of water beside me at all times and make sure i sip water every 2 mins or so.

So yes Lyme may want to stop me from drinking water but i am onto this now.

1point to me 0 to Lyme..
 **Always consult a LLMD (Lyme Literate Doctor) or your own health care professional.**
 Copyright 2012-2013  LymeGirl all rights reserved.

Lyme and Motivation

Hello all,

Since I was bitten at age 9 or so motivation has always been a problem for me i will say a huge problem for me.

I know that motivation can be a problem at the best of times for many anyway but the only way I can describe motivation and Lyme is it's like i am a clockwork toy and have got rusted.

I suppose it is connected to the fatigue and brain fog.

Before I took MMS I could not motivate myself to do anything I would be more than happy to just not do anything because if I did try I would start to get fear and then deppression and then I would give up.

Now having been on MMS for nearly a year my energy levels are up and i can actually do things without the fear and without depression.

I have also noticed my brain is more clear thinking and I can now plan ahead, something i could not of dreamed of in the past because of the fear and depression.

So yes I have combated the lack of motivation that you get with Lyme at long last and i feel this is a cause for celebration whoopee!

The Lyme Autism Connection Book

AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORT — The Lyme-Autism Connection, a book written in collaboration with the Lyme-Induced Autism (LIA) Foundation, provides critical new research on the emerging science supporting a link between Lyme disease and childhood developmental disorders. 

Awareness of the Lyme-autism connection is spreading rapidly, among both parents and practitioners. Medical Hypothesis, a scientific, peer-reviewed journal published by Elsevier, recently released an influential study entitled "The Association Between Tick-Borne Infections, Lyme Borreliosis and Autism Spectrum Disorders." Here is an excerpt from the study:

“C hronic infectious diseases, including tick-borne infections such as Borrelia burgdorferi, may have direct effects, promote other infections, and create a weakened, sensitized and immunologically vulnerable state during fetal development and infancy, leading to increased vulnerability for developing autism spectrum disorders.  An association between Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections and autistic symptoms has been noted by numerous clinicians and parents." —Medical Hypothesis Journal. Article Authors: Robert C. Bransfield, M.D., Jeffrey S. Wulfman, M.D., William T. Harvey, M.D., Anju I. Usman, M.D. Read the full article (PDF)

From the Book's Introduction: The Twin Epidemics

Over the last decade, two disease epidemics have gone from mild ripples in the water to roaring, ravenous, all-consuming tidal waves, destroying thousands of lives and tearing apart countless families.

These two diseases are Lyme disease and autism. Until recently, these afflictions were believed to be unrelated. Actually, that is an understatement. They were believed to have absolutely nothing in common, occupying distinct and opposite positions in the medical field. Whereas bronchitis and Strep throat have some relationship in that they are both infections, Lyme disease and autism were thought to have nothing in common at all—one is a tick-borne infection which healthy people contract while camping, and the other is a prenatal brain development disorder. Recently, however, science has found similarities between Lyme disease and autism that cannot be ignored. When one looks beneath the surface of these seemingly diverse disorders, the underlying discoveries are shocking.  

http://www.lymebook.com/lyme-autism-connection

The Lyme-Autism Connection

1 out of 150 children are diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Many of these children have also been diagnosed with Lyme Disease/borrelia related complex,  but most remain undiagnosed.  It is estimated that up to 90% of children with autism may be also infected with Lyme Disease/Borrelia however, since testing is difficult, current research shows that 20-30% of these children harbor this bacteria.  This number would represent over 150,000 children in the United States alone.  Most of these children have never even been bitten by a tick.  Parents have no idea how their child would have contracted this bacteria.

However, it is important to note that borrelia is not the only infection that autistic children have.  Many children also have Mycoplasma, Herpes, Chlamydia, Babesia, Bartonella and many more.  

In addition, this is a family disease.   We intend to educate parents on their own health and how this is not just "autism" we are looking at, we are looking at a multi-faceted disorder which affects both the young, the old and all of us in-between.  Although our goal started out to look at just Lyme disease and autism...we have evolved to include other such infections, therefore looking at an infection based cause to autism.

The goal of this organization is to provide education, awareness and research into an infectious based cause of autism.  Yes..Lyme/borrelia is our PRIME suspect, but we realize that this is multiple infections happening on a disabled immune system and these infections can be triggered by many factors including but not limited to vaccines, chemicals/pesticides, electromagnetic frequency and a whole host of environmental factors.   When we consider all options, only then will our kids be able to begin improving.

 http://www.lymeinducedautism.com/lymeautismconnection.html