Perspective

I still have headaches daily...and I still have some joint pain, neck stiffness & body aches...but talking with my doctor yesterday helped me put things in perspective.

I had a scheduled phone conference with Dr. Bernui just to follow up and to see where I am...b/c getting Lyme disease under control is definitely a process. Before the call I was contemplating leaving my doctor. It's really a crazy thought b/c he's the only one the will/can help me. It's just so expensive, and not covered by insurance. He's helped me, but I feel like I've hit a plateau and not getting any better. Here's where the perspective comes in.

I started having headaches, along with other symptoms, September of 2009. They were excruciating. There were times I left work in tears b/c I couldn't stand the pain. Other times, I could barely get off the couch or out of bed. And, the fatigue was overwhelming. So overwhelming that I was often nervous that I wouldn't have enough energy to get the things done that I needed to. During those times, I took prescription pain pills daily...lots of them....and they rarely worked.

I was diagnosed with Lyme disease December 28, 2010...five months ago. The first month of treatment was really hard. Then...somewhere along the way I started to feel a little better. This process has been a constant source of frustration b/c I always want to feel better, faster. During this stage, all my symptoms seemed to improve, but I still had all of them. I was still taking pain pills daily, usually more than once a day. The prescription pain pills started to alleviate my symptoms, even if only for a little while.

I've just finished with two more months of treatment. As I said earlier, I still have headaches daily, but when I stop to think how far I've come, it really puts things in perspective. Every now and then I'll have a really bad day (usually when it's raining) and all the symptoms will set in, but I'm having more good days than bad. The fatigue and night sweats are pretty much gone. The headaches, neck stiffness, and joint pain are manageable with pain pills, some prescription, some over the counter. I'm down to taking pain pills around five days a week, and only once a day.

I had a great talk with my doctor yesterday. We discussed my concerns about reaching a plateau, whether I should switch from homeopathic treatment to antibiotics, and even finances. I'm definitely staying with him. It was a crazy thought to think about leaving now. We have a plan that calls for another ten weeks of strong treatment (still homeopathic). I'm excited that we are getting more aggressive with the treatment. People with Lyme disease suffer for years before and after a diagnosis. Even though five months seems like an eternity to me, it really isn't. I am energized and have renewed faith for the next step in this process.