Ticks…secret little monster’s
I am sure that you have at some point been bit by a tick, or someone you know has been bit. You remove it, no rash or bull’s eye appear so you figure your all good. That may not always be the case. Many people are walking around with symptoms of Lyme and coinfections, and they have no idea why they feel the way they do because their doctor says their blood work is fine.
Only 70% of people who are bit by ticks get a bull’s eye rash. So there are 30% of people that do not get a rash and do not realize they may be infected until much later after getting bit when they start developing slight or maybe severe symptoms.
There is more than just Lyme that you can get from a tick bite. There are many co infections that are overlooked. There is very limited testing for co infections. Many conventional doctors are not well versed on these co infections, so many co infections get misdiagnosed as things like chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and depression.
The conventional world will do a test called ELISA and then a western blot. These are not always the most reliable, and many times people will be told they are negative and are actually positive or have co infections. There are other tests out there for Lyme and co infections that are very expensive and not always covered by your insurance. This makes it very tough to diagnose and treat!
Some of the most common symptoms of Lyme…rashes, fatigue, painful or swollen joints, headaches, dizzy, fever, sleep disturbances, night sweats, cognitive issues, poor concentration, inability to focus, sensitivities to light, skin outbreaks, mood changes and overall pain.
There are many co infections…Babesia, Bartonella, Mycoplasma, Ehrlichia, and RMSF. These are often missed when you are being tested for Lyme after being bit by a tick. These co infections when untreated can be debilitating.
When seeing a conventional doctor, if you come up positive for Lyme, you will get a course of antibiotics. If you take these antibiotics right after being bit, it can help. If you take antibiotics later in the progression of Lyme and co infections, you may feel better for a short time, the antibiotics stop, then you start feeling bad again. Some people take the antibiotics early, then feel great and never have any further issues. But for another high percent of people, they suffer for years!
The fatigue experienced with this disease is awful! Some are labeled as lazy, but what people do not understand is that these little bacteria of Lyme and the co infections hide within the body causing fatigue, brain fog and pain.
If you have a known tick bite, early intervention is best. Antibiotics early can help.
If you are not sure when you were bit, finding a Lyme literate doctor is very important. There are many treatments that can help chronic Lyme and co infections. These treatments take time and are sometimes trial and error to see what works for you. Each person is an individual in how treatments work for them. Patience is key at this point, which is not always easy.
Other things you can do when you know you have these diseases are to eat anti-inflammatory foods, cut all sugar, take a good probiotic, digestive enzymes and other supplements. B vitamins, vitamin C, zinc, Vitamin D are all crucial in healing. Your gut health is important to keep well with this because such a huge amount of your immune cells are in your gut. If your gut is unhealthy, you will have a harder time healing.
This can be a long road to healing. Sadly, you have to have to be your own advocate to be heard and heal. The good news is that it is possible to heal from Lyme and coinfections. It is not easy, but it is possible. Finding a Lyme literate doctor is very important to your healing.
This is a healing process, it is not easy, and at times is extremely hard. Have faith that healing from this is possible with the right people and tools!