Full Moon on the way!! For all our new members, Please read!!!

So I just saw this, but as far back as I remember my symptoms have been worse during a full moon.

So I've had a postive test, but haven't started treatment. Too many family issues right now. More on that in a separate thread.

The idea that it could have to do with Babesia (parasites) is very interesting. I didn't notice it being worse this weekend but I was on a short course of abx due to a root canal and I was concerned that it would knock me on my butt. Actually, what happened was that for the first time since I started Plaquenil I had drenching sweats and that was more than 8 months ago. I likely wouldn't have noticed the difference. I just figured the abx stirred things up like when I started the OLE at first.

The thing I wanted to mention is that besides the changes in the phases of the moon, I can also predict the weather. LOL. I've always (or as long as I've been able to distinguish) gotten worse just before the weather becomes bad. A few years ago, I installed an app called Chronic Pain Tracker and besides every medication, food etc the thing I found most interesting was that you could include weather. So after a bit I noticed that when the barometric pressure dropped below a certain point or went above a certain point I had increased symptoms - headaches are the worst, but pain figures in there too. When pain is the worst symptom, comparatively, it's the one you pay attention to the most.

The other things with this is that I live in NC and we have by far the most hurricanes. So from June through the end of October, the barometric pressure jumps up and down. We also get major thunderstorms (with tornados) in April and May. May through September the temperature is a problem. I grew up in CT and two 90 degree days in a row was a heat wave. In NC, it's spring. Might explain why Lyme took hold first in CT. Milder temperature that Bb likes.

So why stay? We've been here 20 years and even though my husband works from home, my 16 yr old (boy am I old) was born here and only has 3 more years of high school. My 23 yr old graduated in December and moved to FL. So I just stay inside from May to September (mostly).

I don't think it's hocus pocus. My Rheumatologist said once that if you feel like your symptoms get worse when the weather is bad, it's NOT all in your head. Science just hasn't figured out why. He treats me for Fibromyalgia and this is a big thing in that community. As always it seems that the patient community is far ahead of the medical community.

As far as the apps that make it easier to track things, the only advantage they have is that they make nice graphs. I'm not sure if the excel spreadsheet that was created by rowingmom (I think, I apologize if it was someone else) does that but it's not hard to add as long as you are graphing numbers vs numbers.

The other thing about the apps is that buried in the service agreement is that any data reported is property of the company and they can sell it. Same with Fitbit and other data collecting apps. They provide neat features but any information you give them is theirs and they sell it to people you don't want to have it. My husband invited me into his circle (or whatever) on Fitbit and I had to explain that his data and my data together would be enough to match with other data available to point to me and my disability benefit. If I have a good day and walked a bit, I don't need SocSec saying "you're cured".

So far off topic, but I do think weather is another thing that we need to be aware of.

Thank you Traveler for sharing all that. Like you I have more things checked than not. Babesia is a definite given what led me to all this was Plaquenil, night sweats and pain in the soles of my feet. It's good to hear that some of the nerve issues are resolving. As always, thank you for all that you do for everyone in this community.

Kim

Kim, Thank you for your kind words!! You know enough of my story (I think) and understand why I stay here.


I too can tell when the weather is about to get bad! I hate it when storms move in at 2 or 4 am!!! I HATE being up at that hour because I hurt too bad to sleep!! Naps are definitely in order on those days! LOL!

And I live in the Midwest, with lots of tornadoes coming close enough to affect our weather pretty drastically, but rarely is my area in the direct path of them, so I can definitely understand.

My 'sensitivities' to the weather lowered when I healed, but because I was left with some damage, and plenty of arthritis , I still feel it when the barometric pressure drops low enough, or a bad storm is moving in as well.

I can handle the small amounts found naturally in most foods, as my diet is fairly diverse, it's the higher concentrations found in supplements that can set me off. My doc had me on Magnesium arginate, and I didn't think much about it, except I wasn't getting very far with my exhaustion from Adrenal fatigue wasn't improving!!!

Once I stopped the Magnesium arginate, things started improving soon!!

For me, the symptoms that I notice most are fatigue, swollen lymph glands, and mouth ulcers - especially the mouth ulers. I start on 9,000 mgs (divided into 3 doses) of L-lysine to help resolve it though.