AWARENESS Archives - A - Z on Lyme Disease

LYME DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH

Awareness Month for Lyme Disease

May is one of the most important months of the year for Lymies, as it is the awareness month for Lyme disease. Although we do our best throughout the year to inform and educate people about this life-threatening illness, in May we do it in a more alert pace. That’s because the awareness campaigns move from the virtual world into the streets.

Share the awareness message!

You can do it at your own pace, on your own terms. There are many ways you can help raise awareness. You can distribute green ribbons and flyers, talk to people about what it entails to be a Lymie. You can tell your story to others or write a blog post about it. Or choose to wear a Lyme awareness tee; you will certainly get more than couple of people asking you about it.

If your health allows it, join a 5K march or simply display some green light bulbs on your porch or balcony. Throughout these small little steps that we all take, a message is sent. It might not seem much, but when you look at it at a bigger scale, it does. More people become aware of the dangers of contracting Lyme and learn how to avoid getting bitten by ticks.

Educate people using humour!

Throughout the years I noticed that the most effective way to attract people’s attention was to crack a joke about those nasty ticks that started all. Humour has always been an important tool for establishing a connection with someone. People tend to listen more to someone who makes them laugh then to one who complains.

Though when you use dark humour as part of the remission, chances are that people won’t get where you’re heading at and they might not like you. Luckily, some do! I am grateful to those who spare a few minutes of their time to listen to me.

As chronic illness sufferer, when you understand that your chance to recover depends on how strong your mind, you learn to cope with pain. You accept it and start working on the healing process. Thus your perspective changes. You slowly shift from complaining towards making fun of the situation. You develop a dark sense of humour that could be interpreted as cruel or inappropriate by others.

The fact that you dare to look at the ugly truth with your eyes wide open and make fun of it denotes strength. Humour can facilitate a more pleasurable approach to problems, as it enables you to reduce the somatic stress. Battling chronic illness with humour is one of the best weapons one can get! It’s a win-win as it is helping both body and mind. Laughter is a good medicine after all!

How can you celebrate the Lyme awareness month?

You can start by educating yourself about this infamous illness. The Lyme Disease Awareness campaigns are open to everyone! Pass on your knowledge to your loved ones. Teach them how to prevent getting bitten by ticks, how to look for tick bites and what to watch out for as an early-stage symptoms. Remember that prevention is key, as there is no cure for Lyme, only remission!

Share more information about Lyme on your social media accounts. More and more people will learn about the dangers of getting infected with Borrelia Burgdorferi via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Medium, Reddit, etc.

Participate at a Lymewalk in your area to raise awareness and funds for Lyme research. All funds raised by the event will help Lyme Ontario continue research and education.

A Walk For Hope is the 4th annual 5km walk organized by Lyme Ontario. The event is taking place on May 25th in Beachway Park, Burlington ON. The registration fee is only $15! If you are living close by the area you should give it a try!

LYME DISEASE AWARENESS

For those of you who have been following my online awareness campaign for Lyme Disease here at A-ZLYME.COM, you will be pleased to learn that I finally added some products on my website.

Now you can help me raise awareness by purchasing t-shirts or ceramic mugs displaying Lyme awareness messages. You can find them under the SHOP tab on the main menu.

Thanks to your support I can afford to go on, maintain this website where I post valuable and researched information about this infamous invisible illness!

For t-shirts, click HERE 👉 https://bit.ly/2I4UXNd
For mugs, click HERE 👉 https://bit.ly/2U4tRaB

LYME DISEASE & YEAST OVERGROWTH

HOW TO FIGHT AN YEAST INFECTION?

Not only Lyme patients struggle with yeast overgrowth! Most of those who suffer from a chronic illness have a weakened immunity system. The yeast infection usually starts in the mouth and slowly makes its way down, spreading to the intestinal tract.

Thus the oral hygiene plays a crucial role as it is the first line of defense against yeast. Antibiotic treatment, a diet high on sugar and highly processed foods are a sure a recipe for yeast overgrowth and other abnormal bacteria. If you are on antibiotic treatment, you are already familiar with the devastating effects of meds on your intestinal flora.

HOW TO PREVENT YEAST OVERGROWTH?

There are many factors that you need to keep in mind when addressing this problem. Oral hygiene and diet are two of the main things you will need to tackle.

If you follow a gluten-free, sugar-free and yeast-free diet, chances of developing an yeast overgrowth are considerably smaller. Also avoiding alcohol intake can improve your chances of keeping yeast under control. You should avoid consuming excessive carbohydrates.

In addition, after each meal, you will need to have probiotics such as Kefir or yogurt as they help replenishing the beneficial bacterias. Try to drink 4 oz of kefir per day or have two capsules of acidophilus probiotic after each meal.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE THRUSH?

What are the indicators of oral thrush (oral yeast)?

Sticky coating on your tongue (white or beige colour)
Bad bread
Bad taste in the mouth

ORAL HYGIENE RECOMMENDATIONS

Use an alcohol-free mouthwash, especially if you are prescribed medicine such as Flagyl as it can lead to a reaction or a side-effect.
Brush your teeth after each meal or snack using a fluoride!
Use a sodium laureth sulfate-free toothpaste !
You should also brush the gums, inner cheeks, the palate!
After you clean your mouth, use an antiseptic mouthwash. Keep it in the mouth for thirty seconds and move it around to ensure the gums, roof of your mouth, teeth and tongue, they all get cleansed. Rinse with water two or three times to remove it completely.
After the antiseptic mouthwash, have a bit of yogurt or take a small tablet of acidophilus and chew it to ensure to have a normal oral flora.
Don’t drink or eat anything on empty stomach in the morning before cleaning your mouth!
Use a tongue-scraper to remove the yeast-coat from your tongue!

A thorough daily routine will help you follow all the steps religiously and stay yeast free or at least decrease it to a minimum.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF YEAST OVERGROWTH IN THE INTESTINAL TRACT?

Gas
Bloating
Heartburn
Abdominal pain
Headaches
Dizziness
Lightheadedness
Woozziness
Post-meal fatigue.

Why is it important to be on the Lyme diet? Because the yeast germs feed on sugars and starches, turning them into acids, gas and alcohol, causing the above mentioned symptoms.

That means you will to stay away from simple carbohydrates and fruits. If your diet includes a lot of fruits, maybe you should stick to grapefruit, lemons, limes and avocado as they are low on sugar.

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO TO HELP COMBAT YEAST?

Include fermented foods in your diet! By consuming regularly sauerkraut, kombucha, pickles and kefir, you can nourish, support and rebalance the intestinal health.
Don’t drink alcohol! Besides the fact that it can interact with your medication, it can increase your symptoms.
Check the quality of your water! If you are used to drink water from the tap, have it tested or ad a filter.
Drink decaffeinated green tea! Have 2 o 4 cups per day as green tea is a very potent antioxidant. If you don’t see yourself sipping tea, then you could try having the green tea capsules which are a nice alternative. You should take one to three capsules per day.

MEDICAL CANNABIS – AN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT FOR LYME DISEASE?

Nowadays numerous online sources praise the benefits of CBD oil (cannabidiol) as an alternative treatment for symptoms varying from chronic pain, anxiety, inflammation, to nausea and epilepsy.

As a result more and more specialists and Lyme sufferers decide to give it a try since it seems to help all kinds of conditions. In fact, there has been an increase of people coming forward and asking to legitimize hemp and CBD as medicine.

In the Chinese medicine, CBD oil is a known method of pain management.

CBD (OIL) AS AN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT FOR LYME DISEASE

Some patients are still reluctant to give it a try because of the social stigma attached to it. The lack of information on the topic and the cloud of negativity surrounding it prevent sufferers from taking advantage of its beneficial effects.

Other ones, who considered they had nothing left to lose, moved across the country after they have learnt about the healing powers of cannabis. Couple of years down the rode, they stated they were feeling much better.

“When you tried several treatment options without seeing some serious improvement, you find yourself asking what do I have to lose? I have been a lab rat on antibiotics for couple of years. I doubt that cannabis can do the same liver damage as all the chemicals in those pills that I took so far.” -Anonymous Lyme sufferer from Colorado

Back in 2008, a study revealed that cannabis was effective against an “antibiotic-resistant” strain of MRSA. The researchers disclosed the strong antibacterial properties of numerous cannabinoids (CBC, THC and CBD).

Another online publication talks about the anti-inflammatory and anticonvulsant mechanisms of CBD, emphasizing on the benefits of replacing the inflammatory medication with high-CBD strains.

CBD Oil is the most common form of herbal medication as it has less adverse side effects than the smokable forms.

Dr. Ernie Murakami has been preaching the benefits of CBD oil as form of treatment for quite some time.

Not everyone knows that marijuana has 483 phytocannabinoids, that effectively treat different symptoms. Most of people only heard about the THC – the psychotic component that gets one experience a psychoactive giddiness.

According to dr. Daniel A. Kinderlehrer, M.D., the THC is quite beneficial for pain, sleep, nausea, appetite, and PTSD. He claims that the two strains of cannabis: Indica and Sativa are both beneficial for Lyme patients. He adds that cannabis is not a treatment for Lyme, but a way to control symptoms.

Cannabis and hemp products help to alleviate some of the symptoms associated with Lyme disease. Read here the story of an athlete whose condition improved considerably after using cannabis products.

Marty Ross, M.D. explains in depth the benefits of using medical benefits for Lyme (see table below) and other illnesses.

HOW TO TAKE CBD FOR LYME DISEASE?

First step would be to talk with your doctor and ask him to prescribe you medical cannabis. Once you have your prescription, you can either order it online or purchase it directly from different shops.

Though a quick visit to CBD shop can leave one confused as the sight of wide range of products available: oils, tinctures, creams, mints, gums, chocolate, teas and so on! From edibles to vaping and smoking or injections for those who find themselves in severe pain.

Dr. Bill Rawls, a Lyme-sufferer himself, states that: “The best way to take CBD oil mixed with a carrier oil to a specific concentration is to place a few drops or dropperfuls under your tongue for 15 seconds to access the sublingual gland.” For a more in depth reading on the topic, click the link above.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CBD OIL WHEN USED FOR LYME?

Note that it takes up to two or three weeks for one to experience the full effect of the treatment.
Never take it on your own without medical supervision. Ask your Lyme specialist or physician to prescribe you medical marijuana. Ensure you purchase only pure strains. Organic grown CBD without any pesticides.
Never buy it from the street as it won`t help your condition and you might end up in some serious legal issues if marijuana consumption is not legalized in your state or country of origin.
Always respect the dose prescribed by your physician. If necessary, have him adjust it during your next consultation.
You may experience a Herxheimer reaction when you just start the CBD treatment.
Cannabinoids naturally detox your system, thus take it slowly.
Just because cannabis is not considerate addictive as heroin or other drugs, there are some possible side-effects.

IS CBD OIL BETTER AT TREATING LYME THAN OTHER HERBS?

There is no doubt CBD oil offers some relief to those affected by Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and other chronic illnesses!The research has shown that cannabis has analgesic, anti-inflammatory and neuro-protective properties. Used in combination with other herbal remedies such as antimicrobial herbs like Japanese knotweed, cat’s claw, andrographis, garlic, sarsaparilla, and berberine it could have a more beneficial effect on patients.

CONCLUSION

Maybe it’s about time to cease treating everything with synthetic drugs and use nature to our advantage. Cannabis` potent antibiotic properties are not fully exploited yet, although they would be beneficial in the healing process.

No one knows for sure if cannabis is the cure for Lyme disease, as there is no research showing concrete data. Though on the bright side, physicians are more open to try experimenting with CBD-rich products which was totally unheard of until recently!

When you are looking for an all-natural way to decrease the intensity of certain symptoms caused by Lye, CBD oil can offer the needed relief.

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Did you ever used cannabis for Lyme? Did you find it helpful? I would love to hear about your experience! Drop me a line in comments section below!

LYME HAIR LOSS IS REAL!

Lyme never comes alone. Besides the co-infections, the people infected with Borrelia Burgdorferi may experience a myriad of symptoms, from those specific to the illness to some unexpected ones.

Each day brings a new struggle. The Lyme journey is anything but boring! In fact, it is a learning experience, as the Lymies have to learn on their own how to navigate their path towards their recovery.

As if dealing with a multitude of symptoms on a daily basis was not challenging enough, Lyme sufferers have to overcome other disheartening problems such as hair loss or nailbreaking. Many of the patients complain about losing close to 50% of their hair. Men and women equally are affected by this undesired and stressful experience.

Since the bacteria has the ability to evade the immune system, would you be surprised to learn that Lyme is the culprit for the hair loss? More than thirty years ago, research shown that Lyme had the ability to cause a hair loss similar to a telogen effluvium.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN CAUSES CONTRIBUTING TO HAIR LOSS?

Stress (physical and mental)- all Lymies have it skyrocketing!
Mineral Deficiencies – iron, zinc and magnesium
Vitamin Deficiency – vitamin B and vitamin D
Hormone Disruption – low hormonal levels
Autoimmunity – The inflammation from Lyme and autoimmune conditions can attack the hair follicles and lead to hair loss.
Drugs -prescribed medicine, antibiotics
Toxicity build up – difficulty to flush out toxins due to an overload

HOW TO SUPPORT HAIR REGROWTH?

Switch to an anti-inflammatory diet
Ensure you have sufficient levels of iron and vitamin D as Lyme depletes your iron levels. Vitamin D stimulates hair follicles, so a deficiency may lead to hair loss.
Take supplements ( biotin, gelatine, collagen as well as primrose oil)
Inquire the doctor or the pharmacist about the side effects of your medication.
Choose a natural shampoo without any of the following ingredients: Sodium Lauryl Sulfates, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Myreth Sulfate, Siloxanes Derivatives of Lauryl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol (Antifreeze), Olefin Sulfonate (Deodorized Kerosene). You may want to look for one in a natural products store. If not you can try out Nizoral for couple of months.
Do not blow dry your hair!
Do not bleach or dye your hair. If you do, ensure you use natural products!
Use less hair products!

HOW TO BOOST THE GROWTH OF YOUR HAIR?

Try some of the following:

Do a hair treatment with organic coconut oil at least once in two weeks!
Apply olive oil, organic primrose oil, almond oil, argan oil or jojoba oil as they hydrate and stimulate the growth. You can apply a small amount (the size of a quarter) on damp hair and work it through your ends.
Rinse with colder water in order to protect the inner layer of your hair and retain hydrating oils.
Once in a way try rinsing with apple cider vinegar to restore the pH balance in your hair. You can mix 2-3 spoons of apple cider vinegar with water and pour the mixture after you had applied the shampoo and conditioner. Let it sit for a few minutes then rinse again.
Apply herbal tinctures or simply fresh plants such as aloe, rosemary, sage, witch hazel or parsley to the hair, as they are known to help with hair grow back.
Create a daily detox routine and stick to it! It can be a bath, a sauna session, oil pulling, massage, a smoothie, anything!
Love yourself and keep an eye on your energy levels.
Laugh and make room for healing!

FULL MOON AND LYME DISEASE

There is no doubt that the moon’s gravitational pull is strong enough to control the tides.

Thus why are we surprised to find out that it can affect our bodies which are just sacks of tissue and water? Everything under the sun is affected by the lunar cycles. Why should humans be different?

Some people may be more aware of its effect on them while others would not have a clue about it as the effects would go unnoticed.

WORSENING SYMPTOMS NEAR THE FULL MOON

How does the moon (full or new) affects each individual is hard to say as it is an unique experience. Not all Lyme disease patients will feel the same way or have the same symptoms. Some may experience widespread pain, body buzzing, tearfulness, insomnia, shortness of breath, while others will suffer from joint pain or headaches.

Full moon seems to exacerbate some of the symptoms experienced by Lyme sufferers or even add new ones to their ordeal. Apparently their emotions and state of mind tend to be affected by this phase of the moon.

Many patients complain about struggling with sleep disturbances and anxiety at night and feeling shaky inside. The best description of this symptom would be to imagine how it feels to have a TGV train passing inside you while you are in bed.

Headaches, dehydration and body aches are other symptoms noted by the Lyme sufferers during the super-moon. They all experience a flare-up.

Those infected with Babesia tend to have a longer flare-up. Usually symptoms occur somewhere 8-10 days before the full moon. Women tend to suffer even more, especially if the full moon occurs close to their monthly cycle.

WHAT CAUSES THE FLARE-UP?

Parasites. They are the main culprits for the flare-up. We may not like to think about it, but inside of our bodies, most of us have worms, unwanted parasites that we are not even aware of. If not addressed properly, a parasite infection can hinder the healing and it can even lead to other serious health problems.

Around a full moon, not only the Lyme patients will feel worse, but also those who have parasites, because during this time, the parasites’ activity peaks, causing us, the host, to feel unwell.

The parasites are active during the full moon too as it is their mating season. Every couple of weeks, the parasites and bacterias hatch and form new babies. To be more precise, the spirochetes have a reproductive cycle each 28-30 days, which coincides with the full moon cycle.

The flare up is due to the fact that during this period of time the spirochetes are far more active. As for the co-infections, they have a 3 to 5 days cycle, which explains the ups and downs on the symptoms experienced by patients.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO FEEL BETTER?

Detox. Try detoxing before and after the full moon in order to get rid of more toxins. Detox baths, far infrared saunas, coffee enemas, etc. More toxins you will flush out, better you will feel.

Exercise. Try yoga, pilate or a bit of exercise! Remember to follow your own pace. Killing yourself over the machines at the gym, won’t do you any good!

Essential oils. Experiment with some of these essential oils and see what works better for you: Lavender, Thyme, Oregano, Cinnamon Bark, Tea tree, Frankincense and Myrrh, Clove, Marjoram or Vetiver.

Medication. Ideally would be to avoid adding more chemicals to your body while fighting Lyme or any co-infection, though sometimes taking an Ibuprofen may offer some relief.

NOTE

Track your symptoms! Having a small health journal would help you notice how you feel, if there is any pattern repeating around the full moon.

6 Ways To Beat Holidays Blues

We need to keep in mind that not everyone shares the Holiday spirit and there are some people who find this period of the year extremely difficult. While most of us look forward to reunite with our loved ones, others try to isolate themselves and stay away from the holiday madness which acts as a trigger for their depression.

As a chronic illness sufferer, I know how challenging and daunting it can be to see others parading their good cheer and merriment while you’re all under the blue. It doesn’t make you a Grinch nor a Merkel, but it certainly gets on your nerves to see everyone around you enjoying a life of happiness that you have been deprived off.

This is when the Why me? question reappears and wreaks havoc through your mind, making it more tough to pull yourself together and move forward. You’ve done with it before and thought of having it sorted. Though, somehow it pops out again and puts you on the wrong path again.

Fortunately there are ways to chase away the holidays blue. All you need to do is to be willing to change something and step out from under the black clouds of doom. Here are some ideas that may help you improve your spirit and pack away the Grinch:

Avoid self-isolation as much as possible, join a gathering or a party! Try not to roll alone into your own misery. It will only make things worse. Attend that party at work or cocktail and engage in conversation with someone you never talked to before. You may find it easier to talk to someone new who is not aware of your condition. You can even enjoy having a proper conversation non-relevant to your illness. If you were trying to avoid feeling pity for or having shallow greetings, now it’s your chance to socialize!

Engage in conversation, be honest about how you feel. When asked about your health, be blunt and offer honest answers. This enables you to bring more awareness about your condition and allows you to see who are those really interested in what’s going on with you.
Shop online for your Xmas presents. If you know that crowds tend to get you overwhelmed, why not avoid them? There are plenty of websites where you can buy your gifts! Save your energy for some other activity that you would enjoy more!
Travel to a new destination, if you can afford it and if your health allows it. Go explore your surroundings as much as you can. Nothing beats the excitement of revelling in anonymity while being away from home. Don’t think of it as a way to escape reality, but as a reward, a ticket to pamper yourself.

Create new traditions. Sometimes it is much easier to try something new or step out of your comfort zone instead of doing the same old thing that doesn’t bring you much joy. Who says you need to have a fir tree or thousands of lights shimmering on your house? If you don’t feel like doing it, ditch it and don’t feel guilty about it! Step out of the patterns and celebrate the holidays on your own pace, following your own rules. Even Santa changes the rules once in a way!

Cultivate gratitude for all the positive aspects of your life. Although it might not seem there is not much left for you to be thankful for, you will be surprised to see how many other things you are taking for granted. Try to make a list of the things that are still going okay in your life and focus on those. Happiness doesn’t come in bulk, it’s all made out of little moments of joy that sprinkle our life here and there.

Wishing you all Happy Holidays and a wonderful time filled with love and peace!

When A-Z Lyme meets The Mighty

Over an year ago I became a contributor to THE MIGHTY, meaning they accepted to publish on their website some of my Lyme related articles. They offered me the exposure I needed to voice my story and raise more awareness for Lyme disease.

Thanks to them, some of my articles were featured on Yahoo and Huffington Post. I couldn’t have reached a wider audience on my own. In addition, they added a direct link to my A-ZLYME.COM on each of my stories that they published. That little link they added, helped me increase the traffic to my website and have it rank higher on the Google search, which made it more accessible to other people.

What did I get from joining The Mighty community? More than I could have ever asked for. I got an incredible exposure for my Lyme disease awareness campaign and a supportive community that helped me move forward with my struggles. They made me see that I was not alone. I also got a lovely t-shirt that I proudly wear. It’s the one in the photo below.

On The Mighty’s platform, I connected with contributors and readers. Some of them were touched by different illnesses while others were simply looking for answers. What they had in common was the need for support. The Migthy offered just that: a digital health community that aimed to empower and connect people struggling with health challenges and disabilities.

Among the replies I got for my articles, I remember one from a Lyme-sufferer, a women from the states. She wrote to me, thanking me for voicing her cause and giving her hope for better days. Until that moment, I hadn’t fully grasped the impact my articles had on other Lyme sufferers, as I was more focused on preaching how to prevent Lyme or explaining others what it entailed to live with Lyme.

Her message made me understand that I needed it to open up and talk more about my personal experience with Lyme, which I did and continue to do. Otherwise how can one expect the rest of the world to know how it feels to live with an invisible illness, if he doesn’t talk about it? How can others know what he feels if he doesn’t share his struggle? Not everyone has the ability to read minds!

One year down the road and I still get asked why do I write for free about Lyme, or why do I refuse to put adds or monetize the website. My answer will always be the same: “Not everything is about the money!” When I created A-ZLYME I wanted it to address all possible questions related to Lyme, from A to Z, hence A-ZLYME.

It was designed to help those looking for information about Lyme disease and make their search easier by having all the data in one place. I know by experience it ain’t easy nor pleasant to spend long hours looking for information online while fighting brain fog and experiencing neurological symptoms of Lyme.

I might not have an answer for how to get rid of Lyme, but I learnt how to cope with it. I know that building mental strength helps the body perform at its peak which is key for living a happier life.

If you are struggling with a chronic illness or you have any health issues that you’d like to talk about with someone, you may want to have a look at THE MIGHTY and consider joining them.

THE WORST 40 MINUTES IN MY WHOLE LIFE

Years back, while I was still struggling to get a diagnosis for my mysterious invisible illness, I reached the limit of my patience. I still remember this incident as if it took place yesterday. It was my first visit to a neurologist’s office.

I really had high hopes for this appointment. After seeing many other specialists before him, all unable to offer me an explanation for my multitude of symptoms, I was hoping he would be the one that would have a breakthrough. I was kind of at the end of the line, facing a dead end.

To my surprise, this prestigious neurologist told me that I was perfectly healthy, that nothing was wrong with me and that I should return to work. I remember clearly his annoyed face when he said to me: “Miss, everything is in your head! You are fine to go back to work!”

In that second, I was shocked. I couldn’t tell exactly what was more painful: the physical pain I was enduring or the frustration accumulated within all those months of useless medical investigations. Or maybe it was the arrogance of this doctor who was insinuating I was a pretender.

My mind was telling me, that at least he could have had the decency to buffer it, and tell me I may suffer of a psycho-somatic disease, meaning basically almost the same thing. I wasn’t aiming for compassion or empathy from him. All I wanted was an explanation for my symptoms. It’s hard to move on when you don’t know what you are fighting.

But him, in his mind, he had taken a decision. He had labelled me as a lazy person trying to exploit the benefits offered by the workplace’s insurance company and avoiding to return to work. Within less than an hour, he turned me from a sufferer into a scammer.

Those 40 minutes spent in his cabinet seemed like hours. While I was there I experienced such mixed emotions. I felt powerless, angry, ashamed and miserable at so many levels.

Frustrated because the doctors couldn’t help me again. That I was tired to be treated like an interesting case and be passed over from one specialist to another.
Aching. I was physically aching. Running around from one hospital to another, waiting long hours until the actual consultation in the cold weather with temperatures way below zero were just some of the factors contributing to my chronic fatigue, exacerbating some of my Lyme symptoms.
Angst because I thought I was getting closer to my death since my whole body was in pain.
Ashamed because suddenly I had become someone who needed help. My pride dissolved into my anger.
Hurt because my genuine suffering was left unheard.
Angered because someone was thinking I was acting. Also for not being taken seriously and not being treated with the respect and care I was deserving, that any human being actually deserves.
Scared because I did not know what was making me feel that way.
Worried because I did not know if whatever I had was curable or not.
Petrified by the idea I will loose my independence completely and I will end up in a wheel chair or even die.
Lonely because I was an emotional mess and my partner was also sick at the time. I spared him the details of my days, thinking that dumping all my problems in his hands will not help him recover from whatever he was fighting at the time. Therefore, I had only myself to share all of this colossal burden of thoughts.

What about you? What were you worst two minutes? Would you like to talk about it?

EXPLAIN MY PAIN: LYME

A journey of pain and suffering

Being a Lyme sufferer prevented me from getting back to working full-time and made me jump through a lot of hoops. In a nutshell, I was one of the lucky ones who managed to see the light at the end of the tunnel, meaning that I managed to find a way to live a normal life after becoming a Lymie.

I won’t lie to you, this was a long journey with ups and downs and many dead ends. It was a journey that I did all alone cause most of my friends vanished on the way. I moved on and I learnt to enjoy my solitude. I saw it as in investment in my own person, not a waste of time for social formalities.

Throughout this journey I gained a lot of knowledge and I feel I grew like a person. Maybe I finally grew up?! I learnt about suffering, compassion, sharing and love. And I now see the slight differences among all of their levels. I learnt how to talk to myself and more precisely how to listen to myself. The most important thing was that I finally understood that the power to heal laid in me.

Self-pity and fear of loosing control

At a certain point the self-pity took control and I was unable to see the way out of this sickness. I experienced lots of episodes of anger, self-pity and frustration.

Suffering from a mysterious illness and experiecing a wide array of strange symptoms are more than enough to make one question his sanity. Especially when no doctor can offer a medical explanation for it! Not to mention when they imply everything is not real!

When my health went down the hill to the point where I needed assistance to walk or take care of myself, these were the most frightening moments in my life. Loosing my independence hurt even more than the physical pain. The day I had to accept I was no longer independent and I needed help was a crucial point in my journey. I was lucky that one of my friends insisted on moving in with me in order to help me.

I couldn’t even hold a coffee mug in my hand, or walk straight for 10 minutes without sitting down or feeling exhausted. Then the sleepless nights started – the pain levels were so high that I was falling asleep only when my body was exhausted by pain.

Since my health continued to deteriorate and none of the specialists I had seen couldn’t help me, I decided to take this issue into my hands. I felt I had no time left for fighting doctors, an incredibly stupid and unfriendly medical system or an insurance company who was treating me just like a number, insinuating I was faking my symptoms.

Lyme Disease awareness

Lyme is a serious threat for everyone. It is a shame that so many people have to suffer just because the doctors are not properly trained to diagnose it. It is hard to believe that a tick bite can do so much damage!

My story echoes the voices of many other Lyme sufferers who underwent the same experience of getting infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, one of the smartest bacterias on Earth, capable of evading the host’s immune system and spread throughout the body wracking havoc.

Thanks to the Internet, more and more people learn about it and discover that it exists in their countries as well!