Trish's Story
Hi, my name is Trish. I have chronic Lyme disease; I was finally
diagnosed about two years ago. I got sick about seven years ago with the
flu, or so I thought. When my symptoms wouldn't go away and I kept
getting sicker, I went to the doctor to find out why I wasn't getting
any better. The doctor ran all kinds of tests but they always came back
negative -- we were all stumped. The doctor sent me to other doctors and
even to specialists to run other tests, but still they couldn't find out
what was making me so sick.
Over the course of about five years of this
going to doctors and specialists, and tests after tests, and hospital
visits, I started to give up. The doctors told me that I was suffering
from depression, chronic fatigue, and fibro myalgia. So they prescribed
tranquilizers, and muscle relaxers, and told me that I should go see a
psychologist for my depression. They told me that my symptoms were all
in my head, and that in my state of mind I was making myself sick. Well,
needless to say, I never went back to those doctors. Finally after those five years and countless doctors and
specialists, I was able to find a doctor who knew immediately what was wrong with me.
This doctor ran the tests for Lyme disease and sure enough,
they came back positive. So now here I am with this diagnosis of chronic
Lyme disease, and it only took five years and countless doctors and
tests. But it only took one doctor who knew about Lyme to figure it
out. Unfortunetly, because it took so long to be diagnosed, I now am
suffering from severe migraines, dizziness, short term memory loss, and
severe fatigue. I'm always tired but I can't sleep. I also suffer from severe nausea,
weakness in my arms and legs, bone pain, and muscle and joint pain. I'm always freezing. I have heart problems, and the list goes on.
I just keep
wishing that if only they had found out years ago, then I wouldn't be in
the shape I'm in. I would still have a life, but now I don't, and I don't
know if I ever will again. The doctor can't even give me the treatments
that I need because my insurance company won't cover it. So now even
though I was finally diagnosed two years ago I'm still not on medication
for it. I can only hope that either the doctor can come up with an
alternative, or that my insurance company some how decides to listen to
the doctor, and gives me my medication.
I don't know what else to do or
say at this point except, please don't let this happen to you. Don't
take your doctor's word; not if you know in your heart that you're sick. You
are your best judge, so listen to what your heart and mind are telling you.
Don't take no for an answer, and keep fighting until you find that one
doctor who will listen to you. Thank you for letting me tell my story. I
just hope that more doctors start to listen to us, and do something
about this disease, before it's too late.
Trish
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