Lyme Disease

Makapakka

I know there have been many posts about this but anyway.. is there anywhere you can go to specifically get blood test for lyme or do you have to go through the trouble of convincing your doc?

I got a bite last year, it developed into bulls eye
I thought it was weird, and it was very itchy at times, but I never did anything about it.

Fast forward to now, I've been having dizzy spells.. not so much I feel actual dizziness.. but just like there's cotton wool in my head. I have found its hard for me to recall words, to remember and I've been having brain fog. I haven't been eating great and I got a lot of water in my ear in Portugal in August so I thought dizziness could have been from that and the sugar in my system.

I get extremely tired several times a week that all I can do is lie on the couch. I do suffer from anxiety a bit and depression. The last time I was in the doc, she didn't really take in my symptoms I was telling her about and just suggested I go see a psychiatrist for health anxiety. But the symptoms are very real. They come and go. I just don't feel "there" sometimes.. it's so hard to explain. I know ye can't give medical advice but I'm afraid the doc will just think I'm panicking again if I go and say I think I have Lyme disease

Thanks in advance

Arbie

Have you discussed this with your GP already? The test for lyme is straight forward and if you have signs/symptoms that could fit lyme disease then your GP will likely have no problem doing the test.

If you are feeling anxious about approaching your GP, I would suggest writing your concerns down in bullet points and bringing the note with you so you can explain very briefly and clearly why you are worried and what you would like your GP to do. For example: "I got an insect bite last year which gave me a bullseye rash. Since then I am feeling generally unwell and sometimes feel exhausted. I know lyme disease is rare but I am very worried that it could be the cause. Do you think I should have the blood test?"

Lyme disease exists in Ireland but it is still rare, so it is often a diagnosis of last resort. GPs have a duty to look after patients holistically and make a clinical judgement based on a bigger health picture, which sometimes means they will disagree with you. If you are not happy with their approach there is no harm in a second opinion.

Hope this helps.

Tropheus

There is an Irish Lyme disease forum on Facebook that's very useful. Lyme disease was thought not to exist in Ireland over 20 years ago, but it's widely accepted that it did and still exists. I've heard of several people with undiagnosed health issues for years that turned out to be Lyme disease.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/44960753282/

surrender monkey

Hi, Lymes disease is especially hard to diagnose. There is a consultant in the matter hospital Dr Lambert who is an infectious disease specialist... perhaps you could try to get a referral to him. My sister is in the process of getting a diagnosis through this doctor. She had blood tests done recently and is waiting on results I think the samples are sent to Germany for testing. Good luck

goat2

Any one one here that has lymes, I am getting tested shortly, due to headaches, tiredness, crampy muscles, dizziness, lots of things ruled out, now I need to rule this out,
what are the side effects of lymes for the person that has it, I would love to know

tad4207

goat2 wrote: »

Any one one here that has lymes, I am getting tested shortly, due to headaches, tiredness, crampy muscles, dizziness, lots of things ruled out, now I need to rule this out,
what are the side effects of lymes for the person that has it, I would love to know

Hello, I am in a very similar position to you - I am waiting on blood results from my gp. I have also been given a low dose of doxy 200mg a week for two weeks - my symptoms have really escalated the last few weeks - Brain fog, extreme muscle weakness , extreme fatigue ,twitching, cold painful feet and heart palpitations . I am 99.9%sure it is lyme and possibly other infections - like yourself I went through a long road of every test under the sun - i have no advice to give really but wish you luck with your outcome , I am in the same boat and know how tough, fustrating and upsetting this process is ...

goat2

tad4207 wrote: »

Hello, I am in a very similar position to you - I am waiting on blood results from my gp. I have also been given a low dose of doxy 200mg a week for two weeks - my symptoms have really escalated the last few weeks - Brain fog, extreme muscle weakness , extreme fatigue ,twitching, cold painful feet and heart palpitations . I am 99.9%sure it is lyme and possibly other infections - like yourself I went through a long road of every test under the sun - i have no advice to give really but wish you luck with your outcome , I am in the same boat and know how tough, fustrating and upsetting this process is ...

At least when we find out what it is, then we can have it taken care of and get on with living, I do not have the results yet,