Long flights DO make Lyme sx worse

[Ricobord]

So, I left early this morning with my family on a vacation we planned over a year ago, when I was feeling crummy, but not horribly sick yet. (Of course I assumed that my doctors would figure out what was wrong with me and I would certainly be well by this point.)

Getting up early left me feeling a bit tired and I mostly wanted to be left alone on the flight. But irritability is a common symptom for me, so that was nothing new. But when we got off the plane after a five hour flight, I started having trouble filling my lungs (shortness of breath has been a long lasting and especially vexing symptom for me) and I also felt dizzy and nauseous.  I felt a bit better after some blowing some dry, air conditioning in my face and eating something. The dizziness passed, but the bone tired feeling has lingered.

And then, after resting quietly for about :45, I completely stuttered when I went to say something.  I am NOT a person with speech issues when I am welll, so that really irritated me. I did that months ago, but was surprised when it happened again today. Then, my sternum got some sharp pains. Sigh. I was optimistic that I wouldn't notice any ill effects of a long plane flight, but I was wrong. Now maybe I just need to go for a scuba dive and breathe some compressed oxygen into my body for a while to make up for the low oxygen on the plane flight. At least I know to expect it on the way home.

We just did my Bicillin shot, and I am saying "Die, bugs, die!"  Now, time to watch the sunset before I crash completely. Hopefully I'll be able to be up and around tomorrow.

[Ricobord]

Thanks, everybody!  I am doing okay so far, but I have to ration my energy level. I crash in the afternoons and feel sooo tired. I think I have the stamina of an average person 30 years older than me. I am just happy to be here. I couldn't have made this trip as recently as June.

[wonko]

I'm glad you could gut this out to take your trip, hopefully you bounce back from the flight.

Your comment on being irritable stands out.  My spouse can tell when I'm having a bad symptom day by how cranky I get.  I feel awful about it and apologize for it, but on my bad days I'm a real...tough customer.

I occasionally travel for work and while at/near my worst had some US coast-to-coast flights that were awful for me to endure.  I had a lot of "fibro-like" symptoms and would be in a lot of pain from the cramped seats, etc.  The changes in pressure and other variables (crying baby, temperature too high or low) would leave me dizzy and miserable.  I'm less affected now but still always try to fly in a bit earlier before an event than I otherwise would so that I have some recovery time built in, especially since my travel is almost always for work.

I hope your trip back will be a smooth one.  I've read others say that flying has no impact, but I can relate, and the longest flight I've taken is only ~6 hours.  

Oh, and enjoy your trip!
  

[mojogal]

Rico,
I had the same terrible feeling in June when I flew to my daughters wedding. I had to go by wheelchair from the ticket counter to the gate from that overwhelming fatigue...couldn't even stay through the whole wedding.
You are very strong and I hope you get the vacation you deserve!
Have fun. Tell the bugs to go take a nap.:)

[JackieCalifornia]

You're a tough customer, Rico -- I admire your grit in plowing ahead in these situations.  Hope your vay-cay is a good one.  :)