Living with Lyme disease-Tips

keep away from tick infested locations and be safe from Lyme disease

Lyme disease being what it is and all the confusions around it, it is important that we get to know how to live with this scourge, and for this reason let us look at a few things that we can do to be comfortable while living in this condition.

Living with Lyme disease-Sun sensitivity

For those people who are taking doxycycline and are strongly affected by the sun using sunscreen would be fine because it is ineffective against the sun sensitivity side effect that you get with doxyclicine, which can quickly lead to painful burns on your skin.

But better still stay indoors during the middle of the day (when there is a high UV index), or wear long sleeve shirts and long pants (with a UV protection in them if you can), as well as a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses.  For those who are very sun sensitive you can also wear light gloves as well.

Probiotics – if you are taking antibiotics for your Lyme disease it is essential that you take a good probiotic at least 2 hours after your antibiotics.  This is because antibiotics kill off the good and bad bacteria in your gut, which means that you are susceptible to a clostrium difficile infection, which can be fatal.  For this reason, taking probiotics is essential for when you are taking antibiotics, and for about 2-4 weeks after you finish your antibiotic treatment.

Blood tests – because some of the medications used to treat Lyme Disease can be very strong, and because when the Lyme Disease bugs die off they produce neurotoxins that can damage your brain and other organs, it is important that you have regular blood tests to check your liver and kidney function.  It is also vital that you regularly check your white cell and neutrophil counts as well, so you can know how your immune system is coping with the side effects of the treatment as well as the disease itself.

Co-infections – studies have shown that almost all people who have Lyme disease have some sort of co-infections that they got at the same time as their Lyme disease.  Co-infections can include Babesia, Bartonella, Clamydia Mycofermentans, Ricksettia etc.  It is vital that you treat the co-infections as well as the Lyme disease infection – this because many of these co-infections depress the immune system making it difficult to fight off other infections.

Living with Lyme disease-Immune System

When your immune system is low, it is vital that you stay away from people who may be sick.  Many people who die from Lyme disease die from infections they have picked up from other people (such as chest infections. If your immune system is very low, consider making people wear masks and use an antiseptic hand-wash each time they enter your house.  If you are in hospital, have a friend with you & get them to insist on medical and general staff washing their hands each time before they touch you (you’d be surprised how many hospitals are full of really dangerous bugs, and even  more surprised at how many medical and general staff don’t wash their hands when they should).  You & your friend will be annoying, but this simple precaution may save your life.

Hot weather – many people with Lyme disease find that they get sicker in hot weather.  For this reason if you live in a hot climate you will need to stay indoors (in air-conditioning if you can) during the day and go outside after the sun has gone down and the temperature have dropped.  Hot humid weather is often more difficult to cope with than hot dry weather.
Hot flushes / Night Sweats – if you are struggling with a Babesia co-infection and are having difficulty getting through the night due to hot flushes and night sweats, I would recommend a small portable fan beside your bed.  When you are hot sleep facing the fan, and when you cool down roll over and sleep facing the opposite direction.  This will help you control your body temperature more easily during the night.

Living with Lyme disease-Diet

Many people with Lyme disease have to be very careful with their diet.  This is because Lyme disease affects the immune system, and because of the side effects of the medications used to treat Lyme disease.  If you are taking oral antibiotics it is vital that you do not eat sugar – this is because oral antibiotics kill all the bacteria in the gut – good and bad bacteria.  If you eat sugar you feed mainly the bad bacteria (they love sugar) and run the risk of getting a clostridium difficile infection, which is potentially fatal.

In order to heal from Lyme disease it is important that your immune system is functioning at its best.  When you eat or drink sugar based food and drink your immune system is temporarily depressed for up to 12 hours.  Many people with Lyme disease have damaged gastrointestinal systems, and so need to avoid foods that place extra stress on the gut such as gluten (wheat) and dairy

Long Haul – get ready for your Lyme disease treatment to be quite lengthy.  The average time spent being treated for Lyme disease is two years.   Some people need less time than this, and some people require much longer treatment.  Treated correctly many people are able to go  into remission, but find that when their immune system is under stress (such as during another severe illness or pregnancy), or when they are in stressful situations (such as high pressure jobs or during high stress family events such as births, deaths and marriages) that their Lyme disease can come back – it is important to keep a close eye on your health, even when you are able to get into remission with Lyme Disease so that you can get on top of any relapse quickly.
Living with Lyme disease-Tips