Wondering if I have Lymes...

[ablesa]

I have been healthy all my life...no health problems except colds and maybe strep a few times in the past.  This past May, I came crashing down.  I had excruciating headaches, couldn't touch my chin to my chest because of the neck pain, achy muscles, some dizziness when I got up, chills/fever.  NEVER had anything like this.  Some time before that (I don't remember how long, but it was between days up to two weeks before), I noticed a tick on me, but it was not attached to me.  I never saw a "bull's eye".  But, after getting this attack and knowing I had had a tick on me, I went to an Urgent Care and they did a Lymes Disease Evaluation for Rocky Mtn. Spotted Fever.  The test came back negative.  They gave me a shot of Medrol (steroid), Vibra-Tabs (antibiotic) and a muscle relaxer.  After a week or so, I got better.  

I have been doing pretty well since May, however, this past Monday I got pretty much the same symptoms again:  chills, stiff neck, aching muscles, horrible headaches, some spots in my vision on two occasions and aching in my upper body (hurts when I cough or sneeze or jar myself).  I have not really had any joint issues that seem to be prevalent with Lymes, but all the other symptoms are pretty severe.  This time, I went back to an Urgent Care (different one) and they tested me for Flu, which was negative.  They gave me pain meds to treat my symptoms and said that I had a virus and that they could give me nothing to treat that.  So, here I am with no resolve.  Its now 5 days later since I went to the doctor and I do have some relief from the symptoms, but I have developed a bad cold now.

I have been scouring the internet for info on Lymes and the symptoms are right on with what I have (other than the joint pain).  It sounds like many tests with Lymes are not reliable and the treatment sounds fairly simple (antibiotics).  I have searched out doctors with lymes experience, but there are none close to where I live and all of them use alternative medicine.  I want to just go to my normal doctor and ask him to treat me for lymes regardless of the negative test in May (perhaps the antibiotic given me in May was not the right kind or the right dose), but I'm not sure he will do that....my experience is that many doctors will not prescribe antibiotics unless they know for sure what they are treating;  I fully understand the predicament we are in with over-prescribing of antibiotics and the danger of making them non-effective.  But, if the tests aren't reliable, I'm not sure how to get help.  So, I have a couple of questions:
1) Can you provide any comments on whether you think I have Lymes based on my description above?
2) Does Lymes subside and re-occur or do you just have the symptoms all the time until it is cured?
3) Does anyone have any suggestions for how I might proceed, medically?

Thank you for any information you can provide!

[ablesa]

Cindy,

Thanks so much for your post.  I considered meningitis, but some of the symptoms didn't really seem to match up with my condition...  I do know that something is wrong, tho and I read so many stories about people who weren't diagnosed early and have debilating effects.  

I have sent email to turnthecorner.  

It sounds like you were fortunate to have yours diagnosed and treated.  I hope you are doing well.

Thanks so much!

[cindy903]

Hi - I was just down in Shallote.Wonderful place.

1. Yes, it could be - that stiff neck sounds too familiar and is cause for a lot of concern. Some people get meningitis w/ Lyme or it could be just that meningitis.

2. Lyme can go into remission and then reappear...just like chicken pox resurfaces later as the dreaded shingles ugh.

3. I would see go to this web site turnthecorner.org . Click contact, and send an email requesting all the LLMDs in the states of NC and SC (since your close). Find an LLMD and make an appointment. Ask to be evaluated for suspected Lyme Disease. You don't want them to just assume you have it. You want a clinical diagnosis with the serology to support it. These blood tests can be unreliable though. But you haven't had it that long, so you could have an antibody (I did).

Get in as soon as you can. You need some peace of mind.

These people are also helpful in your great state of NC

http://www.nclyme.org/

Best of luck. Wishing you a speedy recovery from this.