Yes, I have Lyme, Babesia and Bartonella and thyroid disorder, as a result. When I was diagnosed in summer of 2012 and began treatment, thyroid checked ok. After a few months, thyroid was low and began Armour thyroid. Doc checks it periodically and had to go up to 3 a day. I can tell when it gets bad because start to lose hair and my scalp gets oily really fast. Also lost the outer ends of my eyebrows. After being on Armour, my hair is "good" again and eyebrows finally back.
I'm on antibiotics now targeting Bartonella, and this has been the worst period of herxing. They're all symptoms I've had on and off over the last 14 years--but now I often have them clustered and in an extreme way. Finally feeling a tad better after 6 weeks of this. The cloying anxiety isn't everpresent and depression much better right now. By late morning or early afternoon, though, the malaise or flu-like feel sets in, along with other symptoms, but that is starting later now. Before, I only had until 10 before the clouds came in. The fact that I'm replying to a post is also something I haven't done in a long time.
I have two daughters, 10 and 13, who are also being treated. They were born with it and after I was diagnosed and became familiar with the tricky way this works, I realized they'd shown various symptoms at times (from birth or infant). Then they started with neuropathy and some bad lyme-specific symptoms and got them in right away. We're all cdc positive. I had another baby girl in between them who had extreme hydrocephalus and only lived for a day. Now I know that the lyme or bart got her in a major way. My girls are responding really well to treatment with tolerable herxing and a lot of improvements. I'm so grateful, because my recovery will take a long time and has been so difficult. We do different antibiotic combinations plus anti-malarials and herbal and supplements, as guided by llmd.
I was able to function enough to work for years, but about two years ago, everything got worse--the fatigue, especially. That's when I got the peripheral neuropathy in hands and feet for the first time, even though there were many brain issues years before. But something just tanked me out and I kept going to docs until found an answer because could not function. I can't work or do any activity besides what I need to do for my girls. When sports start, I panic because it's so hard to get them to practices and games, etc. I was having some better days during treatment (like being able to do major yardwork for hours) and I know I will see better days again once I get through this hurdle.
Treating babesia also was really tough to get through but got better and led to some improvements. I've read enough boards to know that you've got to stick it out. My doc changes doses, etc. when things are intolerable, but this bartonella/babesia stuff requires some "toughing it out". I'd almost reached a point where was ready to quit but finally seeing some light, like others have said will come.
When I feel horrible, I google what I have plus some symptoms and find people who had the same but are better or much improved, and the ones who stuck out the babesia and bartonella treatments seem to be the ones who made progress. Everyone's different, but I look for cases similar to mine, and after many hours of this over the last year, that's a common denominator. There are also many who didn't stay with it and regret it. I certainly understand, though. If I were still able to work and then took something that caused me to not be able to get to my job--or if had really young kids--I don't know what I'd do. Sometimes there's no choice.
Sorry so long! Please try to rest when possible. I pushed and pushed myself through symptoms for years, not asking for help or taking too much on, always thinking I wasn't trying hard enough and beating myself up (since doctors did their usual tests and said nothing was wrong). Because of that, everything reached the breaking point.
So this is my message--don't let this happen to you. As mothers, we put our children before ourselves. I still do-but I also manage that fine line better because by not taking care of myself, there will simply be less of me to give in the future. It's like the analogy of the plane--they tell you to put the oxygen mask on yourself and then the kids.
