I put this in my diary, too, but since I've been MIA for awhile, just putting up with pain and waiting for my first LLMD appointment, I wanted to post my positive experience my Lyme doc.
I'm blown away. I was nearly an hour late, but he spent an hour with me anyway. He was "big-girl friendly." He understood that docs have been mean to me in the past, and went out of his way to make me and my husband comfortable. When I told him about my light sensitivity, he TURNED OFF THE LIGHTS IN HIS OFFICE. No joke. This man is an angel. We talked about the politics of Lyme. He looked at my symptoms and examined me, and told me it was obvious that I was a very sick young lady, and agreed on a treatment plan that we both came up with together. Awesome.
We're going to alternate my current Cat's Claw (which will turn into Samento when I finally get a job and can afford it) with long-term antibiotics at first, to see if the antibiotics are effective. We're going to try different "cyclines" and do some experimentation. We both agree that since I've had this for so long, it may help and it may not, but I'm willing to give it a go.
He is keeping me on low-dose Xanax for pain and rage/panic attack support. Thank Goddess, because it's the only thing that keeps it down to a dull roar, and my other doc calls pain meds "band-aids" and refuses refills or long-term pain management. Of course, my other doc thought that I was just fat and depressed and not really sick. He wanted to give me Zoloft without delay. Go figure.
I am taking Benicar, which is helpful for my blood pressure and may keep the rages down. He says the angio-receptor-jargon I don't remember has been helpful with some of his other patients in reducing some of their uglier Lyme symptoms, as well.
We talked about off-the-chart cortisol levels, and suspects mine are crazy. When my finances improve, I'm going to have my blood tested and see if we can get that under control. I told him about my crazy weight fluctuations and my many stressors (including the attacks and pain, where we live, the $$ issues, etc.), and he's willing to work with me until my situation improves. I also got free samples. Woohoo!
He noticed a heart murmur, which no other doctors have mentioned to me. My blood pressure cuff senses irregular heartbeat as well, and it's never beeped at me. I understand that stress can cause these, and I am certainly quite strung out right now, so we'll keep an eye on that, too.
I'm keeping all of my supplements, but adding some Omega-3s and Vitamin-D, as well as some protease enzymes. I guess it's a good thing. I've been shut up in the house since August, for the most part, and me and the sunshine haven't been friends lately, what with the light sensitivity and being bedridden on some days. And the enzymes? Well, I don't completely understand about that, but I think it's to help aid digestion and help my body absorb the nutrients and supplements. My liver and kidney detox supplements and probiotic regimen are right on the money - see? Not all patients are screwballs! I'm being proactive about my health. You ever see that look on a doc's face when he thinks that you think you're smarter than him? I'm so, so glad he's not that egotistical that he ignored what I've been trying to do to keep myself healthy.
I'm getting kind of mixed up, so I think I'll stop for now, but my next appointment is on February 18, and I'm very hopeful about my treatment plan. I've finally found a health professional who will work with me to get better. I feel very hopeful and happy today.
Valerie
