What are Their Symptoms?

'What are their symptoms?' is the most asked question from those who hear our story.  Well, for the sake of my son's privacy I will not discuss his symptoms.  It is hard to admit, but I never saw my husbands symptoms as Lyme disease until recently, because I thought they should have resembled our son's multitude of symptoms, and they did not.  Unfortunately, Franklin's journey started before 6 months ago with symptoms.  It was only six months ago when  he finally sought out medical advice.

One thing that I had Franklin do immediately after diagnosis was make a list of  symptoms.  I believe this is important to document all the possible ailments experienced, which could be an indicator of how long one has been struggling with the disease.  Also, when antibiotic treatment starts it can make you feel better (eventually), but then symptoms may return.  Having a list will help prove to your doctor your not crazy, and these symptoms were present at some point in your life.  In our son's case that was the problem.  We knew he had chronic Lyme, but the infectious disease specialist said the antibiotics (3 weeks) were enough to kill the bacteria, and his symptoms that returned were just underlying normal kid symptoms.  They gave us horrible advice one of which was to seek psychological help.  We were reminded the disease was gone (even though they never did any co-infection tests, and dismissed the fact that I removed a deer tick from him when he was 11 months old) cured by that miracle drug Doxycycline (right!).

These are most of the symptoms for Frank.  They occurred as early as 1998 and to the present.  Allergies, eye floaters, ear ringing and hearing problems, carpal tunnel, numbness in hands, feet issues, nausea, dizziness, heart racing, sensitive to loud sounds, foggy brain (unable to think clearly, or remember names of things and people), decrease in appetite, migraines, fatigue (only recently), inability to sleep, itchy scalp, hair loss, numbness in cheeks.  He does not ever remember the EM rash. (Just a note less than 50% of people have this rash.). Unfortunately, his numerous list of specialists, expensive tests (every scan in the book it seemed), unnecessary medicines (never cured ANY of his symptoms), everything the doctors did came back NEGATIVE and "You just have a virus, this will run it's course and you will be better soon."  kept plaguing my husband.  I saw my stable husband on the verge of his first ever mental breakdown.  Thank God for little miracles - I thought of Lyme disease.  Can you believe that not one doctor considered to ask, "Where do you live?  Could you have been bite by a tick ever?"  Had they looked into our lives and inquired if we possibly live near tick infested woods, or MN for heaven sakes, maybe they could have found this disease 6 months earlier.  Had I not suggested the possibility of Lyme, how much longer would my husband have questioned his medical health.  I was feeling the burden of fear, and the uncertainty of how to help him, especially when he would say, "I am not sure I can live like this."  Symptoms like these, and many others are one of the reason's why this disease is so hard to diagnose. If you know someone who has a series of undiagnosed symptoms,  don't hesitate to have them be tested for Lyme disease.  Remember, if the doctor dismisses the possibility of Lyme, then find a Lyme intelligent doctor who will test your loved one.