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Positive Lyme...AGAIN!

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Lyme Disease
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Posted 3/7/2012 8:23 PM (GMT -5)
Hello,
I need some guidance and info. 7 years ago I was diagnosed with Lyme after having 3 Lyme positive bands on my WB test but had several other symptoms and one co-infection. I was on antibiotics for 2 years. I have been somewhat healthy for 4 years until last Thanksgiving I had some issues pop up-especially optic neuritis. I just had another WB test last week and got the results today. My llmd told me I now have an active Lyme titer and now have 5 active bands!?! Does this mean I have been bit again? Someone mentioned that my Lyme my have colonized?..what does that mean? Anyone have a similar experience? So confused and frustrated right now :(.
Thanks for listening and please provide your thoughts or experience!
Posted 3/7/2012 9:12 PM (GMT -5)
I don't know exactly what it means. It could all be from the same infection- the Lyme bacteria changes a lot, and so your body reacts differently to it. Or it could be from a new infection. Either way, I don't think it is time to panic. If it is from the original infection and you felt healthy for 4 years then it is probably a relapse. According to my LLMD relapses are MUCH easier to treat than the original infection. If it is a new infection, you probably haven't had it for too long, so it shouldn't be as difficult to treat as the first.

Sorry you're feeling worse! But at least you still have an LLMD!
Posted 3/7/2012 9:19 PM (GMT -5)
It's hard to say whether it's a new infection or the old one back again. No one seems to know for certain whether we ever fully eradicate the infection, and stress and other factors seem to be able to bring it back out!

I'm sorry you have to deal with this again, but at least you know what you're up against and how to deal with it! Don't forget that we're here for whatever you need!
Posted 3/8/2012 7:06 AM (GMT -5)
Hi MWgirl,

Sorry to hear that you are having this trouble.

I can pretty safely say that I know what you are going through. I was treated for two years for a long-held infection. After 4 months off antibiotics I found I was going downhill very quickly. Turns out I had been bitten again (this time on the scalp where I couldn't see the rash).

It is both an advantage and a disadvantage to know what you are facing. You know that you have it in you to beat this disease, and you know how much work it is going to be.

Personally, I found that this re-infection behaved differently than my previous one. Perhaps it was a different strain of the Lyme bacteria.

While you may be experiencing a relapse where some of the Lyme bacteria was left behind and came out of its hiding place to wreak havoc on your body, the treatment is the same as for a new infection.

Keep us posted on your progress!
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