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Cat scratch fever .... Could this be a culprit?
Hi everyone... I am new here. I have been on the ms forum,, a lot of people seem to be showing up as positive for Lyme disease. I am curious if my neuro symptoms are caused by this. I also would like to know if having cat scratch fever could have anything to do with it? I had it at 17 yrs. Old ... I am 39.
My list and timeline of symptoms are in my journal, it's confusing because the format kept changing on it's own.
Thanks,
Pam
My list and timeline of symptoms are in my journal, it's confusing because the format kept changing on it's own.
Thanks,
Pam
Best Answer
I don't understand docs who will only view anxiety as the CAUSE of feeling lousy instead of the EFFECT of being sick. They get it backwards a lot.
I take magnesium supplements (any kind ending in -ate, like malate, citrate, etc.) to help with relaxation and sleep. Epsom salts baths have the same effect, because Epsom salts are magnesium. Lyme bacteria use up magnesium in the body.
Neurologists are not known for thinking broadly about Lyme disease and its co-infections, so it doesn't surprise me that you are having trouble getting him to understand that anxiety can be a symptom of a physical illness.
Not able to read to your journal ... too much going on here, sorry.
I take magnesium supplements (any kind ending in -ate, like malate, citrate, etc.) to help with relaxation and sleep. Epsom salts baths have the same effect, because Epsom salts are magnesium. Lyme bacteria use up magnesium in the body.
Neurologists are not known for thinking broadly about Lyme disease and its co-infections, so it doesn't surprise me that you are having trouble getting him to understand that anxiety can be a symptom of a physical illness.
Not able to read to your journal ... too much going on here, sorry.
Jackie, Thank you soooo much, very informative!! I will definately keep everyone updated. I have been ready to just give up and just deal with it, but my body tells me otherwise.
I must say.. lol.. I am usually a very calm person, and at this time in my life, I no longer work and I keep myself stress free. Anxiety and stress do bring on more issues for me, so I avoid stress like the plague!! But for some reason, my neuro's always try to blame everything on stress or that I am anxious. I was wondering if you were able to check out my journal. It is my timeline of symptoms, its confusing .
Could all of my symptoms and "flares" be caused from lyme?
Thank you thank you thank you,
Pam
I must say.. lol.. I am usually a very calm person, and at this time in my life, I no longer work and I keep myself stress free. Anxiety and stress do bring on more issues for me, so I avoid stress like the plague!! But for some reason, my neuro's always try to blame everything on stress or that I am anxious. I was wondering if you were able to check out my journal. It is my timeline of symptoms, its confusing .
Could all of my symptoms and "flares" be caused from lyme?
Thank you thank you thank you,
Pam
Ok, I did some more research, and apparently, there could be some correlation between cat scratch fever and lyme disease.. I am freaked out a bit right now because if this has been in my system for close to 20 yrs, can this be treated properly? Could I have passed this onto my children? Would something like this cause my immune system to go haywire like it did and that could have caused my Graves disease, graves eye disease and all of my God For Saken ailments.
I am sooooooo tired of being told its anxiety! I know its something, and if its not MS than this seems to be the most logical explanation considering all that I have read.
Thanks for any advice!
Pam
I am sooooooo tired of being told its anxiety! I know its something, and if its not MS than this seems to be the most logical explanation considering all that I have read.
Thanks for any advice!
Pam
Carrie and Wonko,
I thank you both so much.. This whole process is so crazy!! I am not sure if any of my drs. even know about my cat scratch fever. It was sooo long ago, and the dr. that removed my lymph node behind my left ear, has since passed on. I am definately going to bring this up to my family dr. I definately need some answers. I am sooo tired everyday, and my hand tremor is horrible especially when i have to do things ( movement) Any information anyone can give me is greatly appreciated!
Hugs,
Pam
I thank you both so much.. This whole process is so crazy!! I am not sure if any of my drs. even know about my cat scratch fever. It was sooo long ago, and the dr. that removed my lymph node behind my left ear, has since passed on. I am definately going to bring this up to my family dr. I definately need some answers. I am sooo tired everyday, and my hand tremor is horrible especially when i have to do things ( movement) Any information anyone can give me is greatly appreciated!
Hugs,
Pam
Hi,
Those who are the most sick from Lyme and other tick borne illness are the ones dealing with multiple infections; there is apparently a synergistic effect when more than one bug gets into your system.
One of the so-called Lyme co-infections is Bartonella, which is related to cat scratch. However, the strain carried by ticks (which is still not well understood) causes more severe symptoms than cat scratch.
It is also possible, as happened to me, to have a dormant or quiet infection that is brought to the surface after a traumatic or particularly stressful event. So for example if your cat scratch was never fully eradicated, it could have been smoldering and then activated more recently.
Chronic infections can cause very severe and disabling symptoms, and it can be difficult both to obtain and tolerate treatment, but people come back from very bad states to return to productive and happy lives. I think that makes it very worthwhile to pursue this as a possible diagnosis, particularly if standard medical testing has failed to come up with a solid diagnosis.
Those who are the most sick from Lyme and other tick borne illness are the ones dealing with multiple infections; there is apparently a synergistic effect when more than one bug gets into your system.
One of the so-called Lyme co-infections is Bartonella, which is related to cat scratch. However, the strain carried by ticks (which is still not well understood) causes more severe symptoms than cat scratch.
It is also possible, as happened to me, to have a dormant or quiet infection that is brought to the surface after a traumatic or particularly stressful event. So for example if your cat scratch was never fully eradicated, it could have been smoldering and then activated more recently.
Chronic infections can cause very severe and disabling symptoms, and it can be difficult both to obtain and tolerate treatment, but people come back from very bad states to return to productive and happy lives. I think that makes it very worthwhile to pursue this as a possible diagnosis, particularly if standard medical testing has failed to come up with a solid diagnosis.
Hi Pam,
I am one of the ones you have probably seen on the MS forum who have been since dx with Lyme.
I read through your journal and I have had a lot of the symptoms you describe. In fact, I have listed my various symptoms in different posts, but never in a timeline like you did. I think that would be much easier. One thing I'd actually forgotten about was my left hand itching too. I have two fingers on my left hand that would itch constantly off and on for a few months. I drove me crazy. I can't believe I forgot about that. Haven't had that symptom in quite a while.
I too have had the numb arch, the twitching, etc. If you look at my previous posts, you will see all my symptoms somewhere or another. I will try to put a timeline together tomorrow and post it.
Anyhow, you also have symptoms that I have not experienced but then I have had symptoms that are not on your list. It seems like (from my brief time spent looking at lyme disease stuff) that everyone's symptoms are different. I just received a couple of books in the mail today by Bryan Rosner. I've been reading and came in here to turn off my computer when I saw your post,
In addition to Lyme, there are many different diseases which are co-infections. For people with Lyme, any co-infections cloud the picture. Also, if there are other health issues besides Lyme, the picture is clouded even further. Everyone's body is different and will react and respond to these different diseases in different ways. So, point is, everyone will present in different ways.
I would suggest that if you are still searching for answers, to go ahead and get tested for Lyme. It sure seems like you've been through a lot so why not take the plunge and just check into the possibility of lyme. I had gallbladder disease and my LLMD is sure that lyme was the culprit as it attacks and attaches to the organs. I am far from a poster child for Lyme as I have always excercised and eaten healthy. In fact, when I started having digestive issues, my doctor didn't even test my gallbladder for five months but instead diagnosed me with Gastroparesis! That was the beginning of my anxiety H E - -.... and the beginning of my not trusting the opinion of doctors. I was put on high doses of Reglan which is a horrible drug that can cause tardive dyskinesia. In fact after I finally consented to having my gallbladder removed, and then developed all these weird neuro symtpoms, I thought I had tardive dyskiinesia from the Reglan. I went from Neuro to neuro thinking I had it. It was awful. Then, off to be looked at for MS.
It's a horrible road that we all have to travel. I posted earlier today that I still worry about MS....
Well, enough about my story....based on what I've said about everyone presenting differently, I think you should definitely look into the possiblity of lyme. Be sure to look for an LLMD though. Don't go through anyone else. I tested for lyme through a regular lab and the test came back negative. What a waste of precious time and a whole year of health anxiety until I finally got tested through Igenex Labs.
I'm not sure, but I went to a conference on Lyme and it seems like one of the co-infections is like Cat Scratch Fever....I am not sure, so don't take my word for that...I would be interested in doing a little more research on that.
YES LYME can cause neuro symptoms. I only seem to have neuro symptoms whereas others seem to have more of joint type pains. Everyone is different.
Keep us updated please and if you have any other questions, let us know.
Carrie
I am one of the ones you have probably seen on the MS forum who have been since dx with Lyme.
I read through your journal and I have had a lot of the symptoms you describe. In fact, I have listed my various symptoms in different posts, but never in a timeline like you did. I think that would be much easier. One thing I'd actually forgotten about was my left hand itching too. I have two fingers on my left hand that would itch constantly off and on for a few months. I drove me crazy. I can't believe I forgot about that. Haven't had that symptom in quite a while.
I too have had the numb arch, the twitching, etc. If you look at my previous posts, you will see all my symptoms somewhere or another. I will try to put a timeline together tomorrow and post it.
Anyhow, you also have symptoms that I have not experienced but then I have had symptoms that are not on your list. It seems like (from my brief time spent looking at lyme disease stuff) that everyone's symptoms are different. I just received a couple of books in the mail today by Bryan Rosner. I've been reading and came in here to turn off my computer when I saw your post,
In addition to Lyme, there are many different diseases which are co-infections. For people with Lyme, any co-infections cloud the picture. Also, if there are other health issues besides Lyme, the picture is clouded even further. Everyone's body is different and will react and respond to these different diseases in different ways. So, point is, everyone will present in different ways.
I would suggest that if you are still searching for answers, to go ahead and get tested for Lyme. It sure seems like you've been through a lot so why not take the plunge and just check into the possibility of lyme. I had gallbladder disease and my LLMD is sure that lyme was the culprit as it attacks and attaches to the organs. I am far from a poster child for Lyme as I have always excercised and eaten healthy. In fact, when I started having digestive issues, my doctor didn't even test my gallbladder for five months but instead diagnosed me with Gastroparesis! That was the beginning of my anxiety H E - -.... and the beginning of my not trusting the opinion of doctors. I was put on high doses of Reglan which is a horrible drug that can cause tardive dyskinesia. In fact after I finally consented to having my gallbladder removed, and then developed all these weird neuro symtpoms, I thought I had tardive dyskiinesia from the Reglan. I went from Neuro to neuro thinking I had it. It was awful. Then, off to be looked at for MS.
It's a horrible road that we all have to travel. I posted earlier today that I still worry about MS....
Well, enough about my story....based on what I've said about everyone presenting differently, I think you should definitely look into the possiblity of lyme. Be sure to look for an LLMD though. Don't go through anyone else. I tested for lyme through a regular lab and the test came back negative. What a waste of precious time and a whole year of health anxiety until I finally got tested through Igenex Labs.
I'm not sure, but I went to a conference on Lyme and it seems like one of the co-infections is like Cat Scratch Fever....I am not sure, so don't take my word for that...I would be interested in doing a little more research on that.
YES LYME can cause neuro symptoms. I only seem to have neuro symptoms whereas others seem to have more of joint type pains. Everyone is different.
Keep us updated please and if you have any other questions, let us know.
Carrie
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Not having had bartonella myself, I haven't done much reading on it, so can't answer your questions about Graves or how it may be related to bartonella. I know Lyme messes with endocrine function (including thyroid), so all this may be connected in your case.
In your situation, I would try to find a doc who can see the big picture instead of treating isolated aspects of your condition. There are docs like that, and they are not always GPs, but often specialists who see beyond their own specialties.
Lyme specialists, sometimes referred to by patients as "LLMDs" or Lyme-Literate MDs, are often this way -- they see how seemingly different ailments are all related, because Lyme itself and its coinfections touch every part of the body, it seems.
I just searched/googled "upstate ny llmd" and found a bunch of links. I would find one of those docs and go get a work up to see what he/she thinks the big picture is for you, rather than focus on a specific symptom or possible disease/diagnosis.
And PS, anxiety is a common symptom with Lyme: it irritates the brain and affects hormone levels of all kinds (including thyroid), and all this affects mood and thinking. Thus anxiety.
Good luck! Let us know how you do. I'd go find a big-thinking doc -- it may take a couple of tries, but it's worth it.