My Symptoms

Most people (apparently doctors included) have no idea what the symptoms are of Lyme's Disease. I also dont talk much about my symptoms and i have my reasons for doing that, but the main reason is because y'all cant do anything to help. So why bring it up? (I will try to add to this list if i experience any other symptoms.)

One of the few doctors who knows what they are talking about, Dr James Schaller, MD says in his paper titled "Western Blots Made Easy" that Bartonella has about 200 different symptoms and 30 ways of destroying the body.

I am only going to focus on the symptoms i have, and am going to assume all my symptoms are from the Lyme Disease and that i have no coinfectants. (30% of all people with Lymes disease also have one or more coinfectants) I do not know if i have coinfectants, so i cant talk to those at the moment.

Major Symptoms:

Muscular pain - The best way i can describe the type of muscular pain is: that feeling you feel right before a muscle cramps, and/or the ache you feel when you have the flu. I also have pressure point type pain. That pain is more like the type of pain you feel if you get a Charley Horse. The achy/flu like pain is generally located in my jaw, neck, back, and hips. The charley horse pain is typically always in the muscle between my thumb and pointer fingers, arms, neck and calves. The cramp like pain is located in my hips, butt, and calves.

Headache - I have a headache every single day! My headaches stem from my neck most days, but my jaw pain also contributes to my headaches. 1 out of 10 days i wake up and go to bed with a headache. 4 out of 10 days i have a headache within 3 hours of waking up. 9 out of 10 days i have a headache within 6 hours of waking up. On a "good" day i wont get my headache until around 7pm, but that is rare! (**Note all of my headaches could be a result of concussions and head trauma, and totally independent of Lyme's, but headaches are a symptom of Lyme's.)

Fatigue - I dont even remember what energy is! What may be simple to you, can be impossible to me. For example, washing my car would be very challenging. A 1 mile flat walk would be extremely painful. A 1/2 mile walk with a grade wont happen 99 out of 100 days. Fatigue also leads to lack of motivation to do simple tasks. Making a phone call, going to the store to get meds, etc all take a lot of mental effort. **(So if you have ever called and i didnt answer i probably ignored you! Live with it.)

Sleeplessness - I get in bed most nights by 9pm but i can never fall asleep until after midnight. Even if i am sleep deprived it will take me a minimum of 45 minuets to fall asleep. I could get home from travels at 4am and i wont be able to sleep until i shower, and lay in bed for +45 mins. I can lay in bed "relaxing" from 9pm to 2pm and it will still take +45 mins to fall asleep.

Can't Wake-up-ness - I dont know the official term for this, but the only way i can wake up in the morning is by setting an alarm for 30 minuets before i need to be up. When that first alarm goes off i take a 200mg caffein pill then fall back asleep. Then 30 minuets later i MIGHT be able to wake up, but many mornings I cannot even wake up after i take my pill. Keep in mind i never set my alarm to wake me up sooner than after 8 hr 30 min of sleep. So many nights i can sleep for 9 or more hours and 200mg of caffein still wont wake me up.


Moderate Symptoms:

Memory Loss - I have this under moderate because it doesnt really hurt my quality of life. I have VERY few memories prior to my 16th birthday. Most of the memories i do have prior to that time are probably from revisiting memories and people telling me of past memories. (**NOTE: Much/all of my memory loss could be attributed to concussions, but there is no way to tell)

Irritability - Some days everything irritates me! The pain doesnt help that either.

Loss/Lack of Appetite - I can be hungry but not feel like eating anything.


Mild Symptoms:

Nobody cares about mild symptoms when you have so many other symptoms.


To learn about other symptoms that people with Lyme's may face visit lymedisease.org