Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit with my Lyme doctor once more. The visit was mostly positive, and we both feel that I am still on track with recovery.
Upon visual examination, my doctor was concerned that my left eyelids were contracting more than my right. After asking me several questions, she became concerned that I may be experiencing a touch of Bell’s palsy–facial paralysis on one side of the face. She was not overly concerned, however; as I am continuing to progress with recovery and Bell’s palsy typically clears up on its own.
She was more concerned about the debilitating menstrual cramps I’ve been suffering, and the fact that I still miss school and work even on Tylenol and Advil due to these pains. So she decided to run some tests to determine a cause. As odd as it sounds, I’m hoping I have one of those things, because they can account for joint pain too, and they’re curable. So if I have it, maybe I don’t have arthritis and I can get rid of ALL my symptoms. But we’ll see.
As for my joint pain, it’s been pretty consistently there; always much worse when it’s about to rain. We’re still puzzling out what that could be. It’s possible it’s arthritis, sparked by but not related to Lyme; or it could be Lyme arthritis, which would mean I still have Lyme; or it could be one of those other things we’re testing for. We shall see. We are running the Lyme tests again to determine if I still show signs of an active infection, along with tests for arthritis and other conditions that may cause these problems.
In the end, we decided to move forward with changing up my pill regimen. She took me off three different medicines, put me back on one, and now I take 19 less individual pills each week. Currently I’m on Famciclovir, Doxycycline, Fluconazole, Acyclovir, and Cefdinir.
For supplements I’m taking Vitamin C, E, D3, and K; garlic oil, evening primrose oil, selenium, manganese, zinc piccolinate, bromelain, Kaprycidin-A, Methyl Guard, Co-enzyme B Complex, SamE, Omega 3 Fatty acids, veggie capsules, loratadine, milk thistle, Metagenics Ultraclear Plus, Grapefruit seed extract, colostrum and probiotics. And to help me sleep I take melatonin, Tylenol PM, and L-Theanine. That may seem like a long list, but I’m taking a little less than I used to, and where I used to take some of these things three times a day I now only take them once or twice.
As for life in general, everything continues to increase in wonderfulness. I am in my last semester of college. I will be graduating next month with an Associate’s in Communications and a Certificate in Medical Office Reception. I have a whopping class load of 21 units! Yes, you read that right.
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’ll know that it wasn’t that long ago that I struggled with 6 units of online classes. Well, I’ve come a long way! 🙂 My brain is working again, and I find myself excelling like I used to do. I’m known as the smart student in all but my math class (which was never my strong subject anyways), and am frequently entreated for help by the other students. Three different professors have told me how impressed they are with my intelligence, self-confidence, and work ethic, and have stated that I will “go far in life.” I cannot tell you how much hearing those words means to me. I went from struggling to string together one on-topic, coherent paragraph in less than three hours, to being able to write essays and speeches galore without a hitch. I can drive to and from school, and event he longer distances to my doctor’s appointments. I remember things, can think with clarity, and can communicate coherently. I am enjoying life! I look forward to tomorrows, I’m excited for a new day. I have dreams and goals, and I am working to achieve them! I tell you, long-term antibiotics work and I am living proof of that.
So hang in there, Lymies! There is a light at the end of the tunnel. And if you need anything; prayer, advice, encouragement–shoot me an email or comment below. I’d love to help you out on your journey, just as so many of you helped me on mine. (lymelightfight@gmail.com)
Love you all,
~LymeDiseaseWarrior
lymelightfight@gmail.com
Lyme Light Fight 
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