Well, it's been a VERY long time between posts! I must admit I'd kind of forgotten about the blog, until I received a message today from someone on an IBS forum asking for an update.
Let's make a long story short:
Lyme Disease is an infection that is usually transmitted by a tick, and can impact any part of your body. Because I've always had a fairly weak stomach, even as a child, it looks like Lyme has zero-ed in on my gut.
I have, of course, had symptoms not related to the gut, but many of these have been in my brain (brain fog, mood swings, lack of co-ordination), and it is well known that the gut and brain have a very strong connection; so much so that the gut is often called "the second brain".
For this reason, I continued to see the overall problem as purely a gastro-intestinal one, and didn't investigate the possibility of a systemic disease. In fact, the only reason I started looking into Lyme Disease at all, is that my sister's step-daughter (who lives in an area with lots of ticks) was diagnosed with it, and had quite similar symptoms to my own.
I was feeling pretty sceptical about it, as the Australian government claim that we are the only continent on Earth(other than Antartica)that doesn't have locally acquired Lyme Disease, and also our media characterise Lyme by people having seizures, which I don't have and have never had. But when I saw the list of possible symptoms, I had to admit I had at least 50% of them.
A 'Lyme literate' doctor sent my blood off to IgeneX, an American pathology which specialises in tick-bourne infections, and whattayaknow, it came back positive not only for Lyme, but also a co-infection called Bartonella.
Treatment is tough; it involves huge amounts of antibiotics, so I've actually taken 6 months off work. I'm about 6 weeks into my leave, and alas, it's been very stop/start - one of the problems with Lyme sufferers with primary symptoms in the gastro-intestinal area ('GI Lymies') is that it's hard to know how much of the antibiotics and supporting supplements are being absorbed, and how much are just going straight through your system, or worse, leaking out of your gut.
Interestingly, though, one of the antibiotics I'd been given in the lead up to the first transplants was Vancomycin, which actually has some limited success in treating Lyme Disease - that could partially explain the short term improvements I felt, and I'm sure having some fresh, happy bacteria !
So, a decade after first becoming ill, I have a diagnosis that makes sense to me, and a way forward. Although Lyme can't be 'cured', I think getting it under control is as close as I can get to a 'happy ending', and that's OK with me. I encourage anyone reading this blog to PLEASE investigate Lyme Disease as a possible reason for your illness, and wish you all the best in getting back to good health