Paul ~ Lyme Disease

My battle with Lyme Disease began 7 years ago when I was rushed to the Emergency room with symptoms of a heart attack. I was diagnosed with Pericarditis which is inflammation of the sack around the heart generally caused by a viral or bacterial infection. They could not tell me the cause.
The chest pains continued over the next 3 months and I saw several doctors and cardiologist's none of whom could pinpoint the cause.

Thankfully the chest pains diminished and finally were gone. Months later the chest pains returned and at times lasted for a week to a couple months. This continued over the course of 7 years.
New symptoms began to appear muscle weakness , sensitivity to light , pain throughout the rib cage and sternum. Numbness and tingling in the fingers , loss of balance and many more.

The strange thing was none of these symptoms were constant I might have them for a day or a week or a month and I might feel fine for a week to a month confusing the doctors.

I visited my Primary doctor over the course of 5 years with all these symptoms and was tested for Lyme disease twice which came back negative both times. I was sent to numerous specialist none of whom could tell me the cause of my mystery illness.

Finally after 5 years the Chest pain and fatigue became so bad I could no longer work and had to leave my job as an automotive technician. At this time I also switched doctors. Thankfully my new doctor understood that the current testing for Lyme disease is only up to 50 percent accurate and recognized my symptoms were consistent with Late stage infection with Lyme disease. He ordered a more detailed test that finally proved I had the disease.

I was so relieved to finally know what was causing my disabling symptoms now I could treat this Disease and get well. After 2 years of treating I realized this was not going to happen easily. My infection with Lyme disease persisted along with the symptoms and even more new ones began to appear.

I did much research online about the Disease and joined a support group with many other people infected with the Late Stage form of this disease. What I began to realize is only 5-10 percent of Patients were ever getting 100 percent well and many patients were dying.

My hope is that the public and doctors will better understand that there are 2 types of Lyme Disease , the acute form which is often easy to treat if caught early. And the Chronic late stage form of the infection that is much more difficult to treat and often a lifelong battle. Once we can accept the Late stage persistent form of this infection we can began to do real research in finding a cure. This would also help patients from not only suffering the disabling physical symptoms of the disease but also the emotional stress caused by Doctors and Family members who do not understand the Chronic Late Stage form of the infection.

Paul Mall