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Posted 7/25/2009 12:30 AM (GMT -5)
 

Hi,

It's been a long time since I posted as there came a point where I could add no creative and uplifting news to this beast of a disease which even after 4 years of having it, I still can not come to grips with. On top of that, I have been drinking heavily for a long while now to numb the pain, all the while taking antibiotics to keep this %$#*! at bay. I didn't drink for the first 2 years of having lyme. I am very low right now. I have no clue where to go from here. The thing is, the drinking makes it feel better. There was a time during the first 2 years of being sick, that I would do anything to get better and then I hit a wall and no matter what I do with the next course of antibiotics, it doesn't improve. I came home tonight and drank and dulled out the pain, but have not had a drink in 2 hours now and the pain is right back and now will take something to go to sleep. The thought of it got me crying and hysterical and I just needed a place to put my words to print in hope that somebody can relate. It's been so long and I am so %$#*@ tired. I think even if I cut out the alcohol, that I will be reliant on a sedative to sleep and strong pain meds which I already have, but try to avoid since that brings up another set of issues. I'm 40 and feel like I'm 80 and I am geting bitter and pissed off now. Anyways, just needed to vent. Best to Georgiagirl, JGINKC, Alfers, and the other folks who came along onto this site about 2 years ago and of course to all my lymie compatriots. God bless.           

Posted 7/25/2009 12:39 AM (GMT -5)
Hi Lymebean,

Welcome back to the forum:) Do you currently have an LLMD now? If so, have you told him/her about this? Your doctor may be able to refer you to a pain management facility. If the pain is unbearable, then something needs to be done.
Posted 7/25/2009 1:21 AM (GMT -5)
Hi Cajungirl, thanks for your support. I think I do need to see a pain management specialist. My LLMD who is very good and knows about my pain has not brought it up as something I should look for, so perhaps I'll ask my primary. I want to make sure also that anybody who reads this understands that my addrenal system is up and running again, my blood pressure is regulated now, I've gained back the 30 pounds I lost, my kidneys and liver are funtioning again, I can think straight, I can work, I can play with my kids and I know I am not going to die today. So my LLMD has saved my life. I am just in a lot of pain, very frustrated, want the pain to subside, and of course want to see the end of the road with Lyme. Alas, it may not be, but I won't give up! Ever!
Posted 7/25/2009 1:41 AM (GMT -5)
You may want to check for vitamin deficiencies. I was very low in Vitamin D and I know that that can cause pain. In fact, I've been in alot of pain myself lately. The other Mod for this forum and I got to talking about it and I think I may be deficient again. So, maybe check that and see.

I was also told that Magnesium helps alot with pain.

Btw, it's great hearing that your LLMD got everything else straight for you.
Posted 7/25/2009 2:25 AM (GMT -5)
In fact I am low in vitamin D. I am at 29 and the threshold for good health is 32. I do take 1000 my but 3x a week but will probably step that up to 2000 daily. It's so hard to know what will work. I also take transfer factor from researched nutritionals but can't say that does much after 5 months, but my LLMD thinks I should double the dose as apparently there is me studies which indicate 3 x more white blood cell production with 2 x the dose. Hopefully it is not a marketing bit to have me spend more on supplements. Do you take any additional supplements other than vitamin D?
Posted 7/25/2009 2:43 AM (GMT -5)
I had a prescription of Vitamin D when my levels were low 2 years ago. I need to have my levels checked again. I do take alot of supplements and Vitamin D is one of them but I don't think it is a high enough dose. I was prescribed a high dose from my doctor.

I take too many supplements to list but some of them include Vitamin C, Adrenal Cortex, Thyroid Complex, Probiotics, GI Nutrients, Renotrate....I can't think of the others but there's much more. I take supplements for my hormones too.
Posted 7/25/2009 3:57 AM (GMT -5)
this may sound silly! - I was thinking that maybe the alcohol is stopping or slowing down your bodies 'detoxing' ability - from what I understand with lyme/abx. it is often the 'toxins' that can cause a lot of the pain - I had an experience where after taking 'doxy' for 10 days I was feeling horrible and could only stomach water for 4 days - following what seemed like my body purging its self !! - I can honestly say I had no pain or any symptoms for 5 weeks - I felt 'normal and healthy.

I can only think that whatever my body 'got rid of' was what was causing my symptoms - I am pretty sure 4 days of just water wouldn't be harmful to the body - I am not medically qualified - anyone planning on a 'detox' should ask their docs, advice - I guess.
Posted 7/25/2009 6:52 AM (GMT -5)
Hi LymeBean,

I remember you and it's so good to hear from you.  I'm a recovering alcoholic since 1985 (not one drink since) so if you ever need someone to talk to you can e-mail me.  I'm not saying you are an alcoholic, no way!  I'm just saying that I depended on alcoholic but for different reasons which really don't matter.   The fact remains is that I am an alcoholic and it was rough getting sober!

I remember how sick I felt the "morning after", I guess that will be burned in my memory forever, the shakes, the anxiety, and other things.   And when I became sober I didn't depend on any substance but I didn't have lyme then.

Have you ever tried a product called Green Vibrance?  I buy it at the Vitamin Shoppe and even though it tastes like grass, it's one of the best supplements I ever took.  And I still drink it every day.  It has fantastic ingredients and it's all natural, a fantastic immune booster!  Maybe check it out.

I feel for you,

Denise

Posted 7/25/2009 7:25 AM (GMT -5)
Get Vitamin D3, you can get it over the counter. I take 2000IU daily, and that is at the bottom end. Search Vit. D and you will find they actually recommend much higer doses!

I think alot have considered drinking to "numb the pain". I have a set of friends that drink Gin all day long (you would never know it, they have been doing it for so much of their lives) and they told me to start drinking because all the alcohol would have to kill anything in there, or I would be so numb I would not know the difference.

Needless to say, I do not drink. I agree that this would be causing an issue with detox.

No one here is throwing stones at you. We all have done what we felt we have had to do...

But I strongly encourage you for your HEALTH to seek out a Pain Specialist and work with them. Alcohol will not cure or help anything, although you may think you feel better at the time you are drinking. In fact many meds will not even work properly when using alcohol.

Please try to see a Pain Specialist and work out a plan with them, speak with your LLMD about your Lyme protocol, and maybe you will have to step down the abx for a little bit to get your pain under control.

We are all here to support you.
Posted 7/25/2009 12:47 PM (GMT -5)
so sorry for your pain, i fully understand as i to live with pain every minuet of every day. i had a EMG done a few weeks ago and they said i have neuropathy in both my legs. drinking can be 1 cause of this and so can lyme disease. also one of my best friends who worked at the Rx st the hospital would tell me witch abx you can take and still drink. there wasn't to many. seems the alcohol over rides the axb and cancels them out. as a bartender for many yrs i can relate.

in no way am i saying you have a problem, as i made my living on drinking and drinkers. but if you drink to much it does untold damage to the liver, and so can lyme, in many cases the damage is to far gone by the time it is found.

i am now on enough pain meds to put a horse to sleep, and it doesn't stop the pain but keeps it down enough i am not crying 24/7. this in its self is a God send to me.

if i was you i would go back to the Drs and have a full blood work done and see about getting meds or natural treatment for the pain. that is not so dangerous to you. your way to young.

remember we are here for you, your in my prayers

¤°´¯BIG.¤*¨*¤(¯`´¯)¤*¨*¤.Hugs¯`°¤.
Posted 7/26/2009 1:47 AM (GMT -5)
Alcohol depletes B vitamins, especially B1.  If you drink, make sure you are taking a daily multi-vitamin to replenish what the alcohol removes.

Yes, alcohol can slow down the methylation cycle (major detox pathway in the liver).  Once the cycle is slowed, it may not recover on its own...usually glutathione or glutathione precursors are needed to kick-start the cycle back to normal again.

Good luck,

Posted 7/26/2009 7:04 PM (GMT -5)
I know you probably feel everyone is getting after you about drinking but I hope you can find something else to help ease your pain. Many LLMD's will not treat you if they know you are drinking. It overloads your system with toxins because your liver is overwhelmed especially if you are on abx - and the bacteria thrive on sugar. Alcohol is a sugar. When they give cancer patients a pet scan, they locate the cancer cells with radioactive glucose because cancer metabolizes sugar so rapidly. So does bacteria. I had to give up sugar completely over a year and a half ago when I was diagnosed. I also gave up red meat which is full of toxins. I was given the herb ashwaganda to help with inflammation which causes pain. Lyme depletes B1 and magnesium so you should always supplement that. Vitamin D is connected to several diseases like cancer. Ask you LLMD about vitamins, herbs etc that can help detox your body and reduce inflammation.
Posted 7/26/2009 8:20 PM (GMT -5)
Hi Lymebean!
I know what you are saying about the use of alchol - I still have times where a beer or two will really help to settle my insides. Nothing else that I have tried works for me - & I have tried a whole lot of things!!!

I am at the point where I need to seek out another LLMD, as mine passed away a few months back - Dr. M
I pretty convinced that I need to get into some pretty aggressive tx.

I wish you the best of luck & sending healing thoughts your way.

Trav

Post Edited By Moderator (MMMNAVY) : 7/26/2009 7:41:18 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 7/27/2009 1:20 AM (GMT -5)
Traveler

so sorry for the loss of your Dr. and i hope you find someone else you happy with soon.
Posted 7/27/2009 11:09 AM (GMT -5)
Man,when I was sick, having one drink made me sick for days.
I mean the aftereffects of just a mild drink would make me throw up and get really ill, and for three days.

Alchol kills off abx and so does milk. So don't bother to take your meds with a drink.

Get on cymbala for the pain. If it is good enough for a diabetic losing arms and legs it will work for you too.
You are not going to get better in anyway by drinking and popping pills.
You need to think of building your immune system up..and asap.

I know how you feel. But you cannot give up, and give in to drinking. Not if you want to come out of this.
Posted 7/27/2009 12:59 PM (GMT -5)

Lymebean said...
 

Hi,

It's been a long time since I posted as there came a point where I could add no creative and uplifting news to this beast of a disease which even after 4 years of having it, I still can not come to grips with. On top of that, I have been drinking heavily for a long while now to numb the pain, all the while taking antibiotics to keep this %$#*! at bay. I didn't drink for the first 2 years of having lyme. I am very low right now. I have no clue where to go from here. The thing is, the drinking makes it feel better. There was a time during the first 2 years of being sick, that I would do anything to get better and then I hit a wall and no matter what I do with the next course of antibiotics, it doesn't improve. I came home tonight and drank and dulled out the pain, but have not had a drink in 2 hours now and the pain is right back and now will take something to go to sleep. The thought of it got me crying and hysterical and I just needed a place to put my words to print in hope that somebody can relate. It's been so long and I am so %$#*@ tired. I think even if I cut out the alcohol, that I will be reliant on a sedative to sleep and strong pain meds which I already have, but try to avoid since that brings up another set of issues. I'm 40 and feel like I'm 80 and I am geting bitter and pissed off now. Anyways, just needed to vent. Best to Georgiagirl, JGINKC, Alfers, and the other folks who came along onto this site about 2 years ago and of course to all my lymie compatriots. God bless.           

I read your post above to my husband...... and he said to me, "When did you write that?"..... and of course, I told him "I didn't write it, someone else with Lyme did."  I have turned to alcohol twice during the past 9 years.... I'm also a recovering alcoholic.  It would have been like 22 years without a drink, but when I broke bones in both of my feet... I lost it.  I couldn't take any more pain, injury... whatever.  That was about 5-6 years ago.  I stopped until about 3-4 months ago... and I lost it again.  Alcohol was the only thing I knew that would stop the pain, at least for a little while.  I have since stopped again (embarrassingly busted by my husband, I had a paper bag full of empties under my bathroom sink).

Just wanted to let you know that you are not alone.  This disease seems to have killed off parts of me.  I never thought that anything could make me drink again.  I know that  I made a very concious decision to drink.... I thought a lot about it... and being pain free, even for a few moments won out.  I'm tired of fighting this battle today.... but, tomorrow I have to go to Quest early...then the nurse will come and insert a line for my IV.  Then I will drive an hour to go into a hyperbaric chamber and I will continue the battle.

I don't really have any answers.  I just wanted you to know that you are not alone in this battle.

Posted 8/5/2009 7:51 PM (GMT -5)
Hey Lmebean! I just wanted to pop in and say hello to you. It's been a long time since i've herd from you. How are you doing today? I'm feeling much better these days so I don't post as often anymore. I hope your feeling better. Keep us posted. :-)

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