Complete List of Symptoms

I have also had LOTS of people ask me what ALL of my symptoms are so I've copied a master symptom list and then erased the ones I do not experience. What you see here is a list of symptoms that I have experienced at some time in the last several years. I often experience several at once or per day, but never all at the same time. I'm really happy I don't have the really bad and scary ones, like loosing sight or the ability to speak.

AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM/ENDOCRINE/IMMUNE/HORMONE
Abnormal sensitivity to cold
Allergies (nasal, other; new, increased or worsening)
Canker sores
Chills when hungry (may occur instead of feeling hungry)
Cold hands and feet
Extreme fatigue after minimal exertion
Feeling hot or cold often
Flu-like symptoms, on-going or recurrent after initial gradual or acute onset; includes mild fever
(99.5-101.5 F / 37.5-38.6 C), chills
Increased susceptibility to infections
Low-grade fevers
Low blood pressure (below 110/70)
Low body temperature (below 97.5)
Lymph nodes painful, swollen (in neck; under arms)
Night sweats (not related to menopause or fever)
Thirst, increased
Temperature irregularities; often feeling hot or cold irrespective of actual ambient temperature
and body temperature; low body temperature (below 97.6 F / 36.4 C)

CARDIOPULMONARY/RESPIRATORY/CIRCULATORY
Cough
Dyspnea (out of breath) or shortness of breath (air hunger) after minimal or no exertion
Heart pounds so hard it shakes body, bed
Sighing, frequent, not related to mental/emotional state

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM/NEUROLOGIAL/NEUROPATHIC/OTOLOGIC
Alcohol intolerance
"Brainfog"; inability to think clearly
Diminished reflexes
Fainting or blackouts; feeling like you might faint
Headaches (frequent, severe, recurring)
Hearing fluctuations (sounds fade then return)
Joint or arthritic pain not relieved by NSAIDs (ie, ibuprofen)
Libido (decreased)
Light-headedness, feeling spaced-out
Migraine headaches
Muscle twitching
Noise intolerance
Paralysis or severe weakness of limb
Parasthesias (numbness, tingling, crawling, itching sensations) in face, head, torso, extremities
Photosensitivity

Sensory alterations (hyper- or hyposensitivity) - smell, taste, hearing (noise intolerance)
Severe muscle weakness
Syncope (fainting)
Touch or weight of clothing on or against body causes discomfort or pain

COGNITIVE FUNCTION
Becoming lost in familiar locations when driving
Difficulty with simple calculations (e.g., balancing checkbook)
Difficulty expressing ideas in words
Difficulty moving your mouth to speak
Difficulty making decisions
Difficulty following directions while driving
Difficulty remembering names of objects
Difficulty remembering names of people
Difficulty recognizing faces
Difficulty following simple written instructions
Difficulty following complicated written instructions
Difficulty following simple oral (spoken) instructions
Difficulty following complicated oral (spoken) instructions
Difficulty integrating information (putting ideas together to form a complete picture or concept)
Difficulty putting tasks or things in proper sequence
Difficulty paying attention
Difficulty following a conversation when background noise is present
Difficulty making and/or retrieving memories (long/short-term memory deficits)
Difficulty understanding what you read
Easily distracted during a task
Feeling too disoriented to drive
Forgetting how to do routine things
Forgetting the use of common objects (such as, what to do with the shampoo when you arestanding in the shower)
Forgetting how to get to familiar places
Impaired ability to concentrate
Losing your train of thought in the middle of a sentence
Losing track in the middle of a task (remembering what to do next)
Poor judgment
Switching left and right
Slowed speech
Transposition (reversal) of numbers, words and/or letters when you speak and/or speak
Word-finding difficulty
Using the wrong word

DIGESTIVE/HEPATIC
Bloating; intestinal gas
Decreased appetite
Digestive chemicals (acid, enzymes) reduced or absent
Esophageal reflux
Frequent diarrhea
Food cravings (especially carbohydrates, sweets)
Food intolerance
IBS
Increased appetite
Nausea
Stomach ache, cramps
Vomiting
Weight gain or loss

EQUILIBRIUM/PERCEPTION
Bump into things frequently
Difficulty discriminating printed matter despite proper vision correction
Distances (difficulty judging when driving; when putting things down on surfaces)
Dizziness or vertigo
Dropping things frequently
Dysequilibrium (balance problems)
Impaired coordination
Loss of balance when standing with eyes closed
Perception (not quite seeing what you are looking at)
Some patterns (stripes, checks) cause dizziness
Spatial disorientation
Staggering gait (clumsy walking)
Words on printed page appear to jump off page or disappear when staring at them

EYES/VISION
Blurred vision
Drooping eyelid
Eye pain
Flashes of light perceived peripherally
Oscillopsia (image jiggles)
Pressure sensation behind eyes
Red and/or tearing eyes
Slowed accommodation (switching focus from far to near, near to far)
Spots or floaters not related to migraines
Swelling around eyes

HEAD/NECK/MOUTH
Bruxism (grinding/clenching teeth)
Canker sores
Dizziness when you turn your head or move
Dry chronic cough
Dry eyes
Pain in ears, palate, gums
Problems swallowing, chewing
Runny nose in absence of cold, allergies
Sinus infections
Sore spot on the top of your head
Temperomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ)
Unexplained toothaches

MUSCULOSKELETAL
Arthritic pain that migrates from joint to joint
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Joint aches (arthralgia)
Joint pain, without redness or swelling
Loss of tone
"Lumpy, bumpy" long muscles
Morning stiffness
Muscle aches (myalgia)
Muscle pain, stiffness, weakness
Reduced range of motion
Stiff neck
Writing causes pain in hand, arm shoulder

PAIN SYMPTOMS
Abdominal pain
Chest pain
Generalized pain
Shooting or stabbing pains
Painful tender points

PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS/MOOD/EMOTIONS
Abrupt/Unpredictable mood swings
Anxiety or fear for no obvious reason
Appetite increase/decrease
Depressed mood
Feeling helpless
Crying for no reason
Inability to enjoy previously enjoyed activities
Irritability; over-reaction
New phobias/irrational fears
Panic attacks
Personality changes (labile, irritable, anxious, confused, forgetful)
Phobias (irrational fears)


SENSITIVITIES
Acute or abnormal reactions to medications
Alteration in taste, smell, and/or hearing
Chemicals (alcohol, medications; lower tolerance for)
Food sensitivities
Increased perception of and sensitivity to noise
Light sensitivity
Sensitivity to odors (able to detect and/or react in concentrations far lower than before and that healthy people cannot smell)

SKIN/NAILS
Bruise easily
Bruises may take longer to appear, and/or longer to fade
Bull's-eye (Erythema migrans) on light skin (resembles a bruise on dark skin)
Dry, itchy skin
Easily scar
Vertical ridges or beads in nails

SLEEP SYMPTOMS
Abnormal brain activity in stage 4 sleep ? ? ?
Altered sleep/wake patterns (alert/energetic late at night, sleepy during day
Difficulty falling asleep
Difficulty staying asleep (frequent and/or prolonged awakenings)
Hypersomnia (excessive sleeping)
Myclonus (restless leg syndrome; occasional jerking of entire body)
Nightmares (frequent, extremely vivid and/or disturbing)
Unrefreshing/Non-restorative sleep

UROGENITAL/REPRODUCTIVE
Decreased libido
Frequent urination
Painful intercourse
Painful urination or bladder
Pelvic and/or rectal pain
Other symptoms worsen before start of menstruation
Worsening of PMS

OTHER
Activity level reduced to less than 50% of pre-onset level
Delayed reaction to overactivity/exertion (onset 24-48 hours after exertion)
Fatigue, prolonged, disabling, made worse by exertion or stress
Hands hurt excessively when put in cold water
Handwriting changes, altering signature and/or other writing
Painful, weak grasp that gives way/lets go
Periods of concentrated thinking causes physical and mental exhaustion, increases pain
Sore throat
Symptoms worsened by extremes of temperature (hot, cold), stress, and/or air travel
Symptoms change focus from time to time, like infection is moving through the body
Weight changes (usually gain)


COMMON CO-INFECTIONS AND DISORDERS
Babesiosis
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
Ehrlichiosis
HHV6
Mercury or other metal toxicity
Mycoplasma
Systemic mold and/or mold sensitivities

Medications and Supplements

Many people have been asking me what I'm taking to treat my Lyme and the variety of symptoms it brings. I often can't remember and so I've decided I'd write them all down here to share with people.

For supplements I regularly take the following:

Magnesium Malate
Curcumin
Interfase Plus Enzymes
Oregano
Probiotics
Azo Yeast
Detox Kit
Wellness Formula
Ginger root
Zyflamend
Uva Ursi
NAC
Serotone Active
Quercetin + Nettle + Bromelain
Grapefruit seed extract w/ echinacea and artemisia
B-Complex 50

I just started on:
Hymalian salt + Vit. C
Liquid Oxygen

For Prescriptions I take:
Meletonin
Naltrexone
Mycelex Troches
Diflucan

For antibiotics I have taken:
Doxycycline
Ceftin (Cefuroxime)
Bactrim
Levaquin
Rifampin

I LOVE OXYGEN!

I know I only just started the Oxygen treatment yesterday, but I'm already in love with it. All day long yesterday I was full of energy. I cleaned up around the house, had eaten/taken meds/showered/and dressed all before 11:00. I even took myself for a lil drive around town and had fun at the craft store getting supplies for some jewelry special orders I need to make.

The best part however, yes even better then increased energy, was that I only took 2 ounces yesterday and my oral thrush is SOOOO MUCH BETTER. The direct contact with the oxygen must be killing it. I'm gonna try to see if I can get all 3 doses in today and maybe it'll be gone in the next few days. This is great!

So far, so good

Well I've been off of the antibiotics for 10 days now and that yucky chemical feeling is gone. I started today with one ounce of suspended liquid oxygen and one gram each of salt and vitamin C. So far, so good.
The liquid oxygen is strange. It kinda smells and it tastes weird, sorta like water and vodka and swimming pool water with a non-bubbly bursts of effervescence. It's really hard to describe it. The bottle plays up the energy boosting equalities and I can see why. I feel like I've had coffee or something, I'm on fire and so productive! It's almost too much, I feel kinda shaky and jittery.
My appetite is back and I'm eating as much as I can get my hands on. I'm sleeping well and getting up earlier these days. I really love these beautiful days and have been getting out for walks.
So as I said...so far, so good.

Ticks-Brad Paisley

When I first Met my husband I was working as a naturalist and I happened to be very interested in creepy crawly things. I heard this song and loved it instantly. It appeals to my love of the woods and funny music. He downloaded it to his phone and for about 2 years whenever I call him this song plays. Now, I have Lyme Disease which I got from a tick bite or two. The song still plays when I call. There's something sorta funny about that. It's our lil song.

PS. Always get a friend to check you for ticks!

Systemic Yeast

Since realizing that I have an oral thrush infection I've been researching about it and how to get rid of it. It's really gross having a furry tongue and I want it to go away. I also have to figure out how to manage this yeast so that I can take the antibiotics I need to get rid of the Lyme. I was surprised when I read the list of symptoms at how much it can affect your quality of life. Maybe many of my symptoms are more about this the the Lyme exactly. I think this problem is more common then many of us know about and might be the underlying cause of many other unexplainable health conditions. I've included the list of symptoms because I suspect I'm not the only person I know who is suffering from this. I'll update when I figure out what to do about it.


incapacitating fatigue
concentration/focus problems
short term memory
painful joints
muscle aches
extreme tightness in the neck and shoulders
acid reflux
brown colored mucus in the back of the throat
white or blood blisters in the mouth/tongue/throat
unrefreshing sleep
sore throat
white coated tongue
aversion to be touched - "crawling" skin
chronic sinusitis
frequent urination
diarrhea
chronic constipation
headaches including migraines
visual blurring
sensitivity to light
eye pain
depression
irritability
anxiety
panic attacks
personality changes
mood swings
chills
night sweats
canker sores
shortness of breath
hypertension/high blood pressure
dizziness and balance problems
sensitivity to heat/cold
alcohol intolerance
gluten intolerance
irregular heartbeat
irritable bowel
constipation and/or diarrhea
painful gas/abdominal bloating
low grade fever or low body temperature
numbness/tingling in the face or extremities
dryness of mouth and eyes
difficulty swallowing
projectile vomiting
menstrual problems (PMS/endometriosis)
recurrent yeast infections
recurrent ear infections
skin rashes
dry/flaking skin
eczema
dermatitis
acne
skin discoloration/blotchiness
dandruff
jock and rectal itching
chronic athlete's foot
chronic toenail and fingernail fungus
ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
allergies
sensitivity to noise/sounds
sensitivity to foods
sensitivity to chemicals
sensitivity to odors
anemia
weight changes without changes in diet
lightheadedness
feeling in a fog
fainting
muscle twitching
muscle weakness
jerky-leg syndrome
low sex drive

Funk

Okay, so I've been off of the antibiotics since Monday Afternoon and now it's Friday afternoon and I'm not feeling so great. I've been having ear pain and it feels like there is a lot of pressure inside my ear and the cold air really hurts. My knees and lower legs are hurting again, and I'm feeling spacey. I keep forgetting what I'm doing in the middle of doing it and I have a headache. I can always tell how I'd doing based on my typing and today it has been bad. I'm typing letters that don't come close to making the words I want to say. Horray for spell check! I think I better get going on the salt/vit. C thing pretty soon.
One of the most frustrating things is that I feel bad so I take meds to help. Then, the meds. make me feel bad so I stop taking them or I take a new med to counter the effects of the first ones. I feel better at first then, I feel bad again so I go back on the meds. AUGH!
I'm frustrated because I feel like I'm not getting anywhere and I can't eat anything because it'll make either the Lyme, yeast, or my allergies get worse. I wish this treatment was more clear cut.

Change of Plans

After I made my last post I realized that going straight into a new treatment that will likely cause me to herx was not a good idea. Instead, I'm going to take a week off and consume only the most important meds and supplements and focus on detox, then I'm going to work into the new salt/C regimen. Yesterday I felt yucky until about 3:00 and then my energy peaked and I ended up going for a short walk and went to the clothing exchange with Janine. Today I'm feeling decent. Will up date as things progress.

Alternative Approarch

I had another visit with my Lyme Literate Dr. yesterday. I received another score from the CD-57 test. This test measures the strength and functioning of my immune system. My score has gone from 60 to 69 and now is back down at 57. The goal is to get me into the 200 range. She has said that any given person's score can range up to 30 points in a given day, but what we see here so far is that I'm not getting any better. This matches up with how I feel, which is pretty much the same as I have for the last year. Some days good, others not so good. I've developed a nasty oral thrush infection, which likely means that I have systemic yeast. This is mostly from the antibiotics I've been taking for the last 6 months with help from my diet. I didn't realize that I eat so many foods that are hi glycemic. Carbs + sugar = YEAST.

The new plan for now is for me to take 2 weeks off from the antibiotics. This should help me have time to detox and get rid of the oral thrush. While taking 2 weeks off I will only take my probiotics, sleep aids, an immune booster, antifungal pills and antifungal lozenges. I am also going to be trying a natural protocol for killing Lyme and related co-infections. The protocol calls for consuming continuous quantities of pure salt and vitamin C. It sounds weird, but bacteria can't live in a saline environment and the vit. C helps with detox and supports the immune system. If this works i should have a herx reaction from this treatment as well.

Right now I feel tired and light headed and am having a hard time maintaining my train of thought. I'll check in regularly. In the meantime if you want more information about yeast infections or the salt/C protocol check out these links.
PS. Thanks for your support, it really helps.

http://www.sheilashea.com/candida.html

http://www.fettnet.com/lymestrategies/groupnew.htm

The debt plan is working!

So about 2 months ago we paid off my car WOOOHOOO! Now I've got the pink slip and can really say it's mine. That feels great. We took the money we were already paying and applied it to the last bit of my old Mervyn's card I had from way back. Two payments later that is all paid off as well. Now we'll take the money for the car and the Mervyn's payment and add it to what we already pay on a Citi Health card and get that payed off soon. We're also going to be using almost our entire tax refund to pay down debt. We decided that my car really did require some new tires and an oil change and so we'll use a bit for that and the rest goes off to debt.

We're broke as heck with me out of work, my medical bills, and putting every spare dollar into debt reduction, but it feels really good to be making progress and know that finally our money is doing something for us. It's hard not being able to do fun things with our friends and family whenever we want, or being able to buy things just because we like them. We're learning how to be creative with our money and resources, learning what we really NEED and what is important, and we know that soon we will have all of our debt payed off and will have money in our pockets.