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Lyme disease patients with cancer

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Posted 9/17/2018 8:48 PM (GMT -5)
How many of you, just curious, have both Lyme disease and cancer?

my thyroid (as most of us) has a nodule that is getting larger, but my March biopsy came back normal, thankfully. New ultrasound on the October 19, 8 months from last one.

Also, found 3 gravel like spots in my left breast, so I’m getting a diagnostic mammogram with reflex ultrasound on the 3rd. I usually massage my breasts (sorry men on here) when I’m sitting down to get rid of lymph build up. This is the area where it collects the most. Last Friday is when I found the gravely spots, all in a diagonal row, but this time I was laying down while performing the massage. I’m assuming it’s positional, which is scary, because most women have one method to do breast exams, or in my case, lymph massages.

I’ve known people with both, but I’d like to hear your stories of how you found out and how you cope with both? I’m basically asking out of nervous anxiety.
Posted 9/17/2018 10:38 PM (GMT -5)
18years,

Let me start by suggesting you try not to let yourself become a nervous, anxiety ridden mess. It will not help and can end up being detrimental. Much easier said than done, I know. I've been there and wish I had the tools, for me pharmaceuticals, to better deal with it.

Unfortunately, I fall in the category you ask about.

Diagnosed with and tested positive for Lyme, etc about a year and a half ago though I'd been symptomatic for a number of years. Last April I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Fortunately, my Lyme related symptoms have been much better lately, so I don't really feel like I am dealing with both, right now.

Strangely, one of the scariest things for me was having to stop the antibiotics for Lyme when I went in for the cancer surgery. It has been almost 5 months since the antibiotics were stopped, and so far so good.

Coping probably varies greatly from person to person. I was so relieved with the Lyme diagnosis. After being sent from one doctor to another for many months, and being tested for a lot of terrible sounding illnesses, Lyme sounded like a piece of cake. According to what I read online, all that was needed for a cure was a couple of weeks of antibiotics. Little did I know!

With Lyme, Bartonella, and Ehrlichia, I was SICK. So sick. The breast cancer, while to me a much worse diagnosis than Lyme, was not nearly as debilitating. There was recovery from surgery, etc to deal with, but physically it has been much less painful and life altering on a day to day basis.

What you have found with your massages is not necessarily cancer. It is likely something else. Hopefully, it will be like your thyroid experience ... testing that shows everything is okay.

Do what you can to not let your mind go to dark places. Hang in there!
Posted 9/18/2018 4:19 AM (GMT -5)
I've been through the scare myself a few times. Most convincingly when they pulled a tumor. The first pathologist was like "this might be a sarcoma but I'm not totally sure". I had every reason to think it was because it was my first symptom and I developed systemic disease following it's appearance. But it turned out coincidence. Totally benign by the second pathologists workup (who was a world expert in this area).

I shadow in family medicine and many docs recommend against self examination for women because it just contributes unnecessary anxiety. Women get all kinds of lumps and bumps that aren't necessarily cancer. I would relax and schedule with your doc. Expect it to be nothing, but follow through for the sake of being cautious. That's what I've had to learn with this disease. Feeling like I'm having heart attacks, or strokes, or kidney pains. There's always something scary and so far it has always turned out to be nothing fatal, or even detectable
Posted 9/18/2018 5:08 AM (GMT -5)

mareish said...
18years,

Let me start by suggesting you try not to let yourself become a nervous, anxiety ridden mess. It will not help and can end up being detrimental. Much easier said than done, I know. I've been there and wish I had the tools, for me pharmaceuticals, to better deal with it.

Unfortunately, I fall in the category you ask about.

Diagnosed with and tested positive for Lyme, etc about a year and a half ago though I'd been symptomatic for a number of years. Last April I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Fortunately, my Lyme related symptoms have been much better lately, so I don't really feel like I am dealing with both, right now.

Strangely, one of the scariest things for me was having to stop the antibiotics for Lyme when I went in for the cancer surgery. It has been almost 5 months since the antibiotics were stopped, and so far so good.

Coping probably varies greatly from person to person. I was so relieved with the Lyme diagnosis. After being sent from one doctor to another for many months, and being tested for a lot of terrible sounding illnesses, Lyme sounded like a piece of cake. According to what I read online, all that was needed for a cure was a couple of weeks of antibiotics. Little did I know!

With Lyme, Bartonella, and Ehrlichia, I was SICK. So sick. The breast cancer, while to me a much worse diagnosis than Lyme, was not nearly as debilitating. There was recovery from surgery, etc to deal with, but physically it has been much less painful and life altering on a day to day basis.

What you have found with your massages is not necessarily cancer. It is likely something else. Hopefully, it will be like your thyroid experience ... testing that shows everything is okay.

Do what you can to not let your mind go to dark places. Hang in there!

Thank you for telling your story, mereish. I had an opposite reaction to the Lyme diagnosis. I knew it was going to be a battle. Cancer, on the other hand is a very hard diagnosis to swallow, but there have been so many advancement in treatment. To have both? It could be almost too much. It sounds like you came through your cancer like a champion. ☺️
The only thing that made me anxious (other than doing the lymph massage over my breasts; boy do I hate doing it), was making the two appointments yesterday, so close together. It was like a double whammy, but I’m religious and I put my worries in the Lord’s hands.

My Dad is more worried than I am. He is already talking about cancer treatment, thanks to a very long relationship with a woman who’s son is a groundbreaking oncologist. I had to tell him to hold the horses.

The thyroid biopsy earlier this year was awful. I wasn’t prepared for no local anesthesia. The only thing that is worse for me than that is dealing with the craziness of Bartonella and neurodegeneration of all of my diseases; which is a much bigger deal.

Thank you for centering me.
Posted 9/18/2018 5:25 AM (GMT -5)

Psilociraptor said...
I've been through the scare myself a few times. Most convincingly when they pulled a tumor. The first pathologist was like "this might be a sarcoma but I'm not totally sure". I had every reason to think it was because it was my first symptom and I developed systemic disease following it's appearance. But it turned out coincidence. Totally benign by the second pathologists workup (who was a world expert in this area).

I shadow in family medicine and many docs recommend against self examination for women because it just contributes unnecessary anxiety. Women get all kinds of lumps and bumps that aren't necessarily cancer. I would relax and schedule with your doc. Expect it to be nothing, but follow through for the sake of being cautious. That's what I've had to learn with this disease. Feeling like I'm having heart attacks, or strokes, or kidney pains. There's always something scary and so far it has always turned out to be nothing fatal, or even detectable

Psilociraptor,

I’m glad you got through that scare. Before these diseases took me down about five years ago, I worked as a medical Lab scientist along with a pathologist. I don’t believe there was ever a time he got anything wrong as to scare a patient like that. I’m sorry you went through that.

I wasn’t doing a breast exam, but a lymph massage of my breasts. I don’t particularly believe in doing breast exams, because of the reason you stated. So much lymph, even though I drink purified water like a horse, dry brush my skin, and do daily epsom salt foot soaks or baths, gets caught in my breast tissue and armpits, so I need to massage it out because it’s extremely toxic to leave it there. It will negate any treatment I do each day if I don’t get it out.

My breast tissue is very dense and I know a lump, which I have all over both breasts, is different from feeling a gravel-like spot, or spots in my case. It’s usually not what you want to find. It’s just something different I’ve never felt before. The diagnostic mammogram is scheduled. Along with a thyroid ultrasound a few weeks later.

I’m heading to a new LLMD far from me early next week, so I think all of this in concert with each other is too much. Thank you for sharing your story. 🙂
Posted 9/18/2018 5:43 AM (GMT -5)
My pathologist was not incompetent. My case was very rare. The kind of tumor I had is frequently confused with sarcomas and he did the right thing by suggesting a second opinion. It's not much consolation when you're a patient who suddenly developed systemic disease after this "might be cancer" tumor. My point is, it might be cancer. It might not. Things that seem very serious with this disease can turn out to be nothing of concern. I used to have chest pains that felt like heart attacks, head pains that felt like strokes, etc. You're on the right path by scheduling your mammogram and ultrasound. Just take a breather and take it one step at a time. It's difficult to get through this illness when we keep worrying about the "could be's" of our continuously changing health.

And hey, if it is cancer you'll fight it the same way you fight this illness. One step at a time. Review your options. Know that you have conventional therapies and if those fail you there's no shortage of herbs to experiment with. Literally endless possibilities. It's just about finding what works for each person.
Posted 9/18/2018 5:53 AM (GMT -5)

Psilociraptor said...
My pathologist was not incompetent. My case was very rare. The kind of tumor I had is frequently confused with sarcomas and he did the right thing by suggesting a second opinion. It's not much consolation when you're a patient who suddenly developed systemic disease after this "might be cancer" tumor. My point is, it might be cancer. It might not. Things that seem very serious with this disease can turn out to be nothing of concern. I used to have chest pains that felt like heart attacks, head pains that felt like strokes, etc. You're on the right path by scheduling your mammogram and ultrasound. Just take a breather and take it one step at a time. It's difficult to get through this illness when we keep worrying about the "could be's" of our continuously changing health.

And hey, if it is cancer you'll fight it the same way you fight this illness. One step at a time. Review your options. Know that you have conventional therapies and if those fail you there's no shortage of herbs to experiment with. Literally endless possibilities. It's just about finding what works for each person.

I wish I had a breather. Everything is running into each other for the next two weeks. Herbs are my friends now. My Dad’s fiancée’s son is also an option if need be. He’s always developing new techniques to treat cancer. Thanks!
Posted 9/18/2018 6:26 AM (GMT -5)
"Herbs are my friends now. "

I know that feeling! Not going to lie... the Cryptolepis and Sida acuta kick my diseases butt harder than doxycycline.
Posted 9/18/2018 12:18 PM (GMT -5)
I know a few women who have caught their breast cancer earlier because they did self-exams.
These three were two sisters and their mother.

(and no they didn't have the BRCA gene)

I prefer that to the mammogram....which squishes the 'girls' and radiates them.
Ive always had dense breasts and it does hurt (not just uncomfortable) to have the mammogram.
i have to admit I do not do them regularly.... my Dr. also does the exam once a year.


I'm thinking of having an MRI next time....as I don't like the idea of the mammogram...the radiation while they're being squished/flattened between two plates....too much trauma.

Hang in there 18yearsandcounting! Wishing you the best outcome and it's not cancer.
Posted 9/18/2018 12:36 PM (GMT -5)
Two time cancer survivor
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