How long does it take?

[Lali418]

How long does the treament take?  My doctor said that it will be at least 6 months of antibiotics and supliments to
help our ammune systems before we can think of this going away.  Does it every really go away?  My son is tired all the time. And he is hurting so much.  I can't do anything for him.  I just want some kind of an answer and maybe we will see the end of the tunnel.

[SOONERMOM]

I have HEARD of this doctor from a friend of mine who was recently diagnosed.  I am pretty comfortable with my LLMD, but I will send you a PM for info on your Dr. because I know my friend is looking for someone closer to home.

It really is a small world!  I bet he got to see a whole other side to doctors when it came to getting help for his family.  He is probably a changed man/doctor!  I know I was in shock with the responses that I received about lyme disease even with my Western Blot  containing 10  positive bands...it was complete denial.  (I later  found out that a family that lives with in walking distance of my house had all tested positive years before.)  We had just built a house in the country a couple years before I got sick...many tick bites in those years.

[Lali418]

I see a Dr. in Denton.  He has been my  OB/GYN for years.  In December I saw him for a check up and started talking to him about everything that was going on with myself and my son.  He said, you need to be tested for LYME.  I am starting a new practice, because "MY WIFE and daughters have LYME."  He has been Fantastic to talk with.  He learned all this stuff to help his own family, because there was no one in our area to see.  He also said that he was starting to see men, and he would treat my son, which was wonderful, because the next nearest DR's for kids with Lyme are either in Louisianna, and about 12 hour away, or in Joplin, Mo. and I don't know how long that trip would be.

If you want, I will post his name and office number, he may be closer to you than the Dr you now see.

[patsy10]

Welcome.  I hope everyone here can help you.  I know physically we can't but hopefully having others to talk to can.  We all are familiar with that feeling.  That is why we are here.  Fortunately, a diagnosis has been made and treatment has started.  That's one of the biggest parts of the battle.  

How long it takes????? I think that is individual, based on how long before treatment  as wonko and  SOONERMOM said.  I can tell you that for me, I saw no improvement until 4 months into treatment.  This is not necessarily the case for you guys.  Hopefully it will be quicker.

[SOONERMOM]

I am sorry your son is going through all of this.  I completely understand the frustration of  how others expect there will be a "quick fix".  This is usually not the case especially if diagnosis is delayed.  I live about 2&1/2 hours north of you and I know the whole "we don't have lyme here" story....and it gets really old.

It does seem very isolating, I think that is why I have reached out to people online and have found some comfort from their similar experiences.

I have to travel 5-6 hours to MO for a doctor that would  treat me.  Are  you seeing someone in Dallas?  I guess the important thing is not when you will be well, but that you have a doctor that will treat you (or your son in this case) until you are well.

It is very tough to explain, it isn't like any other infection.  I have also heard (like wonko) that children tend to do better with treatment and recovery.

Try not to get too down and just focus on doing everything to get him better.  I think getting a diagnosis is half the battle in our part of the country!  I am really glad that you stuck with it and didn't give up on finding out what was wrong with him!

We are here if you need to vent...which we all do from time to time,

Stacey

[Lali418]

My son is 16 and he has been sick for a bout 2.5 years or more, we didn't see a rash, so we are not sure when he really got it.  The bad part is that in the state of Texas they don't seem to think you can get Lyme.  In fact, we had the tests run for him, and were told he was negative only to find out from another doctor that read the tests that he was positive.  

It has only been about 1.5 months for his treatment so far, adn yesterday was such a bad day for him, he missed school again.  That is the really terrible part, he is missing out on what should be some of the best parts of his life, because he feels so terrible.
Thanks for listening to me.  I haven't really had anyone to talk to about this, because my friends don't seem to understand, and they think that because he is being treated he is getting better.  Like this is a cold or the flu and then it is over.  This is a tough one to explaine.

[wonko]

I think that Lyme and other tick borne infections affect people very differently.  It can depend on how long the person has been sick, what co-infections they have, how strong they were before being infected, and lots more.

I've been in treatment (antibiotics and supplements) for about 2.5 months.  I have made real improvements, but it is not over yet, and it is not always a smooth ride.  I have days where I feel worse than before treatment.  But I also have some better days and overall, I think I deal with less symptoms at a time.

My LLMD told me he thinks it'll take me about a year to fully recover.  I was sick for at least 1.5 years before diagnosis, not really that bad for a Lyme patient.  I was also warned that the treatment would be unpleasant at times, that is a common experience of Lyme patients.  

I don't know how old your son is, but the anecdotal evidence that I've read is that younger people do have a better chance of a successful full recovery.