Can one ever be totally cured from lyme?

I feel like if I had been diagnosed when my symptoms began in 2010 I could have been cured and been ok but now that its been five years, I feel like its chronic and I will have this the rest of my life. I used to have a great life but now I hardly have anything. I used to go out all the time, had a full time job, had a boyfriend, now I hardly go out, don't have my job anymore and am struggling with money, lost my boyfriend although we still keep in touch and lost touch with another great friend I had because of this.
Can one ever be cured fully from this disease? Does anyone have any success stories?

Using the word "cured" usually bring up thoughts of never having to worry about it again - and that's not being realistic with Lyme, unless treatment begins within about a week of being infected - and the right treatment (6 weeks of treatment with the right doses) is given. Otherwise, we say remission, because it can always come back if we forget to take good care of ourselves.

If you are just wanting to know if anyone gets their life back and can carry on again, here are some success stories we have been collecting: www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=3562412&p=1 Most of the links lead to our own members successes, but not everyone that heals wishes to post one, so it's not all the members that have healed and moved on by a long shot!

It DOES feel like it will consume your entire life, but it usually doesn't.

You are chronically ill - you shouldn't be going out all the time - it not only wears you out leaving less energy for your body to put towards your healing, but we are usually tempted to cheat with food and drinks we really shouldn't have. A person's lifestyle needs to change while they are dealing with severe illness - so hang in there and keep putting one foot in front of the other on the "path to healing" so that you don't have to stay on that path for any longer than necessary!

cb - welcome to the community, you've already gotten some great responses, so I won't add to that. I just want to say, don't give up hope! If others can sort this out, so can you. What are your remaining symptoms and what has been the protocol you have been following. If you were diagnosed in 2010, and are still struggling, perhaps taking a look at what is working as well as not, and perhaps consider WHAT ELSE it might be, going as far as thinking outside of the lyme box. Horowtiz's book is really excellent in this regard. At least I found it helpful. Here he is explaining his MSIDS map and chronic illness.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OdP8Jndnyk

Artermix, you seem to be in a rough spot - and I'm so very sorry. I've been in those rough spots too many times to count, but it's not like having a gun without a safety pointed at your head. Living healthily is what we should be doing anyway. Once we heal, it's extra incentive to continue on with a healthy life style so that we really reduce the risk of a relapse - it's only taking charge/control over our own diet and health that is required. We all know that life has consequences - and so do our health choices.

Seriously Traveler? Cuz I have been living healthier than most people all my life and way before lyme too. To that I can only say that it helped me not to get the crippling, physical kind of lyme, and pardon my non political correctness as well as boldness, but that is how I truly feel.

I took charge and control of my body way before this nightmare begun, yet I still got infected (I guess it was my fault that too ya know...that is what mother would say.)

And perhaps I am one of those people just not happy with the status quo....I hear you ....I understand your point of view in this is much different. I am thankful I did not have to fight it for 40 years like you and frankly I could not. You are my hero. Yet I would kill myself to view that projection of my life....and that is not mental illness of mine or depression....or whatever you wanna call it. It is simply a reality I could not conceive in my universe.
I am a grandmother too...as you are....but to me quality of life is about personal fulfillment. I am not happy just spending time with my granddaughter and family...heck no...that to me! It is just the beginning of a death sentence for me. It removes and reduces everything I have worked for all my life. May as well be dead.

Post Edited (artermix) : 9/30/2016 12:08:09 PM (GMT-6)

artermix said...
Seriously Traveler? Cuz I have been living healthier than most people all my life and way before lyme too. To that I can only say that it helped me not to get the crippling, physical kind of lyme, and pardon my non political correctness as well as boldness, but that is how I truly feel.

I took charge and control of my body way before this nightmare begun, yet I still got infected (I guess it was my fault that too ya know...that is what mother would say.)

And perhaps I am one of those people just not happy with the status quo....I hear you ....I understand your point of view in this is much different. I am thankful I did not have to fight it for 40 years like you and frankly I could not. You are my hero. Yet I would kill myself to view that projection of my life....and that is not mental illness of mine or depression....or whatever you wanna call it. It is simply a reality I could not conceive in my universe.
I am a grandmother too...as you are....but to me quality of life is about personal fulfillment. I am not happy just spending time with my granddaughter and family...heck no...that to me! It is just the beginning of a death sentence for me. It removes and reduces everything I have worked for all my life. May as well be dead.

I am so very sorry, Artermix. I do know what you are talking about, and have lived with that all my life - as you note. Has it been easy? No, but I AM still here to see not only my own children grow up (which I wouldn't have had if I had been successful at taking my own life), and to watch my grandchildren grow up. I have also had the time in my life to find one of the most wonderful men in the world that loves me despite my limitations.

Do I have a very simple life? Yep! But I have also come to really enjoy it. And I love being able to help others through this extremely rough time in their lives. Has it been my dream all my life to do this? Nope! I was on track to becoming a head horse trainer with a very well-known barn in Scottsdale, Az at one time. That was my dream - but Lyme took me out of that. At that point, I thought my life was over - what I didnt' realize was that my life - where I was really going to be of the most help to people - hadn't even started yet. That didn't happen until I happened upon this site nearly 10 years ago. I was a regular member, but wanting to help where I could, so when the head mod suddenly started getting worse, I stepped in some, and then a month later, I found myself as the only mod on here. That was nearly 7 years ago.

While I would have much, MUCH preferred living my life the way I had it planned, I surely don't regret anything that I have done since it all changed. I feel like I have been able to still live my life in a very good way, even with my limitations.