If you know anything about Lyme Disease or Chronic Lyme Disease, you know there are various thoughts and opinions on how it should be treated.  When I think about my own treatment, boy I wish the doctor that treated me over 10 years ago would have properly diagnosed me, then maybe just maybe I would not be going through this right now.

You see, many doctors believe that when a person is bitten by a deer tick that is infected with Borrelia Burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease if they are treated immediately with antibiotics for 28-30 days they should be ok and for the most part completely recover.  While in some cases this is true, the fact remains that more than 50% of those infected with Lyme Disease are misdiagnosed mostly due to the fact that the current method used to test for Lyme is outdated, therefore Lyme goes “missed” or undetected during routine tests.  As a result, a “clinical” diagnosis is often required which is typically based on a person’s symptoms, medical records and exposure to infected ticks.  I was diagnosed via a blood test for Lyme which by the way was off the chart positive!  The scariest part about Lyme Disease is that it mirrors or looks like so many other illnesses such as ALS, Parkinson’s Disease, MS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Rheumatoid Arthritis to name a few.

Once you’re properly diagnosed, your LLD (Lyme Literate Doctor) will work with you to develop the best treatment plan for you.  There are so many options, each person’s plan is unique to him/her based on the symptoms they are experiencing which can change daily as the Lyme bacteria travels to different parts of the body at will.

So let’s talk about my treatment plan.  Currently, I take a combination of antibiotics along with many other medications to treat the various symptoms I deal with on any given day.  Below is a snapshot of what I take:

Cipro, Bactrim, Minocycline, Cedex, Lyrica (Fibromyalgia), Lunesta (Sleep Aid), Armour Thyroid (helps regulate my thyroid), Diflucan (antifungal), B12 Shots (for energy), Flagyl, Cymbalta, multi vitamin, Zinc, Serrapeptase, Magnesium, Gabapentin, and Metronidazole.  I’m sure I’m missing a few, but I think you get the picture-I take a ton of medicine.  Some I take twice per day and a few only at night. I mentioned in an earlier post that I see my LLD every 3 months, that’s usually the time he will change up my medication so the Lyme in my body doesn’t become immune.

In addition to the medication, I try to detox (in at hot sauna) at a local spa at least once per month and get a massage to help with the muscle pain.  I thank God every day for medical insurance because without it the RX bill would be close to $2000 each month!  That’s why I’m so committed to lending my voice to help find a cure, not only for me but for anyone else suffering.  It’s costly in the area of finances and the body with all the medicine we are consuming each day.

We will find a cure!

XO,

Windy