To you and future readers:
I hope you have found answers and are doing well.
Is it easy to spot Lyme disease? Yes, if you have the "classic"
symptoms and notice them within a day or so of the infection.
However, according to the Center for Disease Control, you could become
infected with Lyme and never exhibit any symptoms. Of course, your
issue is to explain the source of the symptoms you do have. Please
look at this symptom list.
Note that when the body begins loosing its natural immunity fight with
the disease, any or all of these symptoms may come and go for days at
a time. This is not a comprehensive list of Lyme symptoms. When
seeing many of these symptoms without obvious other cause, one should
suspect Lyme. I talk about testing below.
Unexplained low-grade fevers (especially repeatedly)
Constant low body temperature
Headaches (especially frequent or recurring)
Trouble concentrating
Difficulty with speech or writing; word or name block
Forgetfulness, poor short term memory, poor attention, problem
absorbing new information
Mood swings, irritability, depression
Disturbed sleep (too much or too little), fractionated, early
awakening, difficulty falling asleep.
Increased dreams and/or nightmares
Joint pain or swelling or stiffness (the joints, neck, or back) / Fibromyalgia
Muscle pain or cramps (in combination with joint pain, an indicator)
Neck creeks and cracks (noises in neck when moving head)
Upset stomach or abdominal pain
Change in bowel function (constipation or diarrhea) / Irritable Bowel
Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable bladder or bladder dysfunction
Chest pain or rib soreness
Heart palpitations, pulse skips, heart block
Unexplained hair loss - hair coming off in the shower
Unexplained weight change--loss or gain
Tremors in the fingers or toes
Twitching of the face or other muscles
Unusual recent clumsiness (walking, climbing stairs)
Tingling, numbness, burning or stabbing sensations, shooting pains,
skin hypersensitivity
Eyes/Vision: double, blurry, increased floaters, light sensitivity
Ears/Hearing: buzzing, ringing, ear pain, sound sensitivity
Painful teeth
Unusual tastes or smells
Fatigue, tiredness, poor stamina
Sore throat
Swollen glands
Increased motion sickness, vertigo, poor balance
Lightheadedness, wooziness, unavoidable need to sit or lie down
Shortness of breath, cough - mild asthma
Lightheadedness, wooziness, unavoidable need to sit or lie down
Medicine is a business. Every business will take you as a customer.
Sometimes you change your car's oil at the dealer and sometimes at
Wal-Mart. Qualifications for changing oil are not the same as for
repairing a transmission. Do not expect a family doctor or
pediatrician to be able to diagnose Lyme. Only a Lyme Literate
Medical Doctor (LLMD) may be qualified to help you determine if you do
or do not have Lyme Disease.
Search for
"Links common to Lyme disease misdiagnosed".
Western Blot is a screening test. False positives are rare. False
negatives are common. The following tests are INDIRECT tests that
look for something that might be there (or not) in combination with
the disease:
ELISA
Western Blot
IFA
Borreliacidal Antibody Assay (Gunderson test)
T-cell Activation Test
PCR tests when done properly take weeks, NEVER overnight. They look
at DNA in the blood. They seem to be fairly effective but are not
part of the CDC standard protocol. The following tests DIRECTLY test
for the disease:
PCR (DNA amplification)
Lyme Urine Antigen Test (LUAT)
Antigen Capture Test
culturing of skin, blood, CSF, urine, or tissue
immune complex / antigen-antibody test
EVERY laboratory and clinic is likely to tell you their test is the
best. "Caveat Emptor" or "Let the buyer beware."
I hope this information is useful to you or a future reader.
Arpagenx |
