Lyme Life ~ Relapse

Lyme sucks. It sucks the life out of a person. It sucks the joy from a day. Often, it sucks the strength from a moment. Lyme sucks peace from a trusting heart. Relapse sucks hope.

Relapse happens.

But WHY?!

Was it a change in meds? I dropped one of the antibiotics last week. Was it the diet? I added foods the week before. Was it stress? I did have some emotional stuff come up. Was it hormonal? Maybe it environmental? Was it something I did or something I didn’t do?

I was doing so well. Actually, I was ‘being’ so well. I could do housework and prepare meals, yard work, projects that required my brain, projects that required strength. I was beginning to feel like a whole person again. It had been a couple of months of real progress. It was noticeable by others too.

There was much less overall pain. Less fatigue. Practically no headache. My vision was better. My comprehension and speech had improved. I was less stiff and my gate was nearly normal.

The doctor suggested a super strict diet to try to address certain symptoms, which after seven weeks had not made a difference. This has been a  problem for over nine years. I’ve been on numerous diets to try to fix it without any change. But I did it. Then, we decided that I could make some changes. First, I added a bunch of foods, but remained gluten free, adding very limited grains and mostly green veggies back.

Bad to Worse

Then, after five days, having no change, I stopped Biaxin. Within three days, I had a headache that started with a stiff neck. I’d been under some emotional stress, so I didn’t think much of it. I was a little stuffed up, but I thought, The dog is shedding quite a bit, perhaps that’s the problem. Only, it got increasingly worse.

By day three of the headache, six days after stopping the med, I was a disaster. I was unable to move normally, stiff, achy and had some tremors, which had virtually disappeared in the month prior. My head felt like it would explode. I was unable to push through to get things done. I was relegated to the couch. By the grace of God, I was able to read with breaks and a cold pack on my head. I stayed very still and decided to restart the Biaxin.

Bridge the Relapse Gap

Only 36 house after restarting, I am better. The pain rating went from a 8 or 9 down to a 3 or 4 and my neck is still stiff, but less painful. Could it be that simple? Is this a placebo effect?

So many questions, so little time. I have things to do. I don’t want to waste my dash laying around!

You know, that dash between the time we are born and the time we die? I want mine to count. I want yours to count too. Keep asking questions and keep trying stuff. If you relapse a bit, go back and try to find the key.

Treating Lyme and the numerous co-infections is all trial and error. The errors really suck! Such is life.

No one has it easy all the time. Lymies have it harder than some, but not as bad as others. Keep your chin up. I’m praying for you: Wisdom and resources, help and comforters, peace and security.

Remember a relapse can happen, but some steps forward, one step back and you’re still making progress. You’re still breathing. Keep going. (((hugs)))