Lyme or?

[kittatt]

Thank you to anyone who reads this. It's kind of complicated, but I've been really stressed over this for so long and wanted to know others' opinions.

Prior to all of this, I was looking for a job and stressing over the fact I was (still am) unemployed. Though that made me feel stressed, I was quite optimistic and happy.

About two months ago I was listening to music with earbuds and noticed shortly after that I had slight ringing in my ears. I panicked after reading about tinnitus and how there is no cure. Went to a wedding later on and realized everything sounded way too loud. My ears hurt when people talked too loud and the music seemed terrible! I stayed out of the room a lot that night, feeling isolated and scared.
Thinking I damaged my ears even more from the wedding, I got even more stressed, anxious, and depressed. My hearing sensitivity remained for over a week. Things like pots and pans hitting eachother and people talking at normal levels made my ears feel weird.
I found out magnesium may help so I started taking that for a week--more than recommended dosage. A week later I noticed my wrists were clicking a lot. Randomly, but a lot more than I noticed before. A couple days later I noticed my knees were sore.
I had been holding my iphone a lot more than usual--researching tinnitus, so when I think about my wrists clicking and occasionally hurting, I wonder if it was caused by repetitive use, but still worry.

There are a lot of possible reasons for my knees. I've gone for long walks for years and around this time I had gotten new shoes that didn't fit right. Wore them a couple days and stopped because they hurt my feet. My old shoes were really worn out, but seemed more comfortable than the new ones, so I kept wearing them for about another week. My knees continued to ache, so I went to buy new shoes. While I was stressing about my ears, I didn't walk quite as much and sat around a lot. This could have contributed as well--(when I started walking again, I started out with too much too quickly maybe?)

I then noticed my knees would pop when I bent them backwards--so I freaked out, thinking maybe the magnesium I took weakened my muscles or something, causing all these symptoms. I felt like a hypochondriac, but I had already been really stressed over the ear ringing for weeks prior to this.
When I went to the doctor, he did some tests for magnesium, calcium, thyroid, and phosphorus--all normal, and diagnosed me with patellofemoral pain syndrome (pain in the knees). I started reading about that syndrome online a lot, finding out it could be chronic, which then fed my stress and anxiety. I started going to physical therapy and my knees haven't hurt like before. I am wondering if it really was just my shoes. My PT also said I had hypermobile joints--I can bend my knees back farther than normal.

What worries me still, however, is that all of this started around the same time and for many of these weeks I have been getting random muscle twitches throughout my body (legs, arms, back) and have been getting dull back aches as well. A couple days ago I even noticed my arms and hands were tingling. These could be the result of using the computer a lot, but I always use the computer and never had all of this happen before.

I was tested for lyme disease last week and it was negative, so it made me feel better. Last year I was bitten by two ticks--which I am pretty sure I pulled off right away. I'm still concerned about LD because I am always outside and like to hike on nature trails. This year I spotted two ticks sitting on blades of grass, but haven't noticed anymore on my body.

I would just like to know what anyone here thinks about my story. Could I just be overreacting? Could all of my recent symptoms be caused by constant stress and the contributing factors like bad shoes, posture, and overuse (of my phone and computer)?

I have had more energy lately--before I was so stressed I could hardly think about anything except the possibility I permanently damaged my knees and the ear ringing. I cried a lot, felt really exhausted and depressed.
I've always been an anxious person, stressing about a lot of little things. Depression isn't knew. I was fine before the past couple of months, however.

My knees don't hurt like they did. Went for a longer walk yesterday, but my wrists continue to act up--tingling and clicking with some pain and my muscles continue to twitch randomly throughout the day.
My ears still ring, but I'm getting used to it--it isn't loud, just scary and stressful at first.
I had no flu-like symptoms except headaches--possibly from stress...

Am I just being oversensitive? Is this stress or could this be something like lyme disease? I know LD can cause a lot of these things, but so can stress! I keep reading LD tests aren't always reliable and that starts to raise my stress level a lot. I really don't have terrible joint aches like a lot of LD symptom lists describe.

I know stress causes bad physical symptoms sometimes--muscle twitching included.

Thank you again for reading. Sorry if it is a little confusing! Just needed to talk to others about it.

[JackieCalifornia]

You're very welcome -- we'll look forward to hearing from you further.  Best to you!

(Sorry for the typos above .. I got interrupted a few times!)

[kittatt]

Thank you!
I will bring a list of my symptoms next time.

I'm glad I have a place to go where people understand. You're very helpful. :)

[JackieCalifornia]

The symptoms like sore or clicking knees usually come and go.  It's pretty common, and annoying of course -- but try not to worry about it.  From now until your appointment (!!!) make a running list of your symptoms ... just keep a pencil and pad nearby and jot down a symptom when it pops up, if it's one you haven't noticed before.  

I was always so wound up when I saw the doc that I couldn't remember anything ... and notes saved me.

A lot of Lyme symptoms come and go, and knees can do that too -- try not to worry -- treatment works miracles.  You'll get there!  

.... and remember, it's also part of Lyme to feel worried and anxious about what's going on, because of the way Lyme messes with your endocrine system.  I felt anxious, worried, and nervous until I was treated.  It's not you:  it's the bugz.  

It helped me to keep a running calendar of my symptoms on what days and how bad or good I felt -- how well I slept, etc..  Some docs like to review those -- my doc did, so I'd take the list with me.  I kept it on computer, but handwritten works too.  

Even if your doc doesn't like to review your list, it is useful to review just before your appointment so you can report accurately on how your symptoms have been, how often, what trends, etc.

I felt calmer after I had written it down, because I knew it wasn't my imagination:  it was real, and it was in writing.

Hang on!  Two weeks will go faster than it seems.  Keep us posted, ok?  

For docs who don't want to read the whole thing

[kittatt]

Thank you for all of the information! I will talk to my doctor about this.

I went to see the doctor on Wednesday and he ordered some tests. I'll get them back in two weeks.
I have another question about my symptoms. My knees haven't been hurting for the past 4 days or so, but yesterday they started grinding and popping a lot more.
I've been really scared because the damage seemed to progress pretty quickly. I'm almost afraid to walk.
Do any of you have a grinding/crackling sound when you bend and straighten your knees?

[LazyMoose]

Or sometimes BrainFogMoose.............

My correction in decimal placement.  2003 guidelines for TSH are .3 to 3.0

LM

[JackieCalifornia]

Gotta change your name to KnowledgeableMoose.  :)