Ten Tips to Understanding the Struggles of a “Lymie”, Part Two

6. Please stop saying: “Well, you look pretty good to me”, “You seem healthy…” or any variation thereof.

Just so we’re clear, this goes for how we treat ALL people with “invisible illnesses”: Unless you have both microscopic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) capabilities in your eyes, all you can see is the individual’s exterior perfectly concealing the destruction that is currently in effect under the skin, particularly for a person fighting Chronic Lyme Disease. A person doesn't need a visible wound to identify a debilitating physical and mental state of existence. You'll never find a person with Chronic Lyme Disease whose eyes constantly fall out of their socket because of their condition. Almost 100% of all the evidence needed to determine how severe or ill a person with Chronic Lyme Disease is resides within their interior. The debilitation can only be felt and truly understood by them or others like them. And even then, CLD is “case by case” for its victims, and each Lymie fights a different fight.

7.  Yes, they’ve been enduring it for many months or even years.

Hopefully by now, you've made the rational decision to forget the ignorant notion that 3 weeks of antibiotics are all that is needed to remove Chronic Lyme Disease from the body. That’s like shaking your bathing suit around vigorously and claiming that every single minute grain of sand is now gone. If not, you're going to have trouble understanding this one. From when the first symptom starts, until the day a person with Chronic Lyme Disease is in remission, many years may pass. Why is this you ask? Well, between a combination of doctors who abide by outdated medical standards, ambiguous symptoms, inaccurate and deceptive testing, and when finally a diagnosis is clinically agreed upon because testing failed time and time again, treatment alone for Chronic Lyme Disease will take a minimum of a year because of the highly evolved complexities of the bacteria and possible co-infections. The entire endeavor is no over night fix. It is the ultimate test of patience. I’m over a year now on treating this and I 100% guarantee you that I’ll be fighting this for another few years to come. 

8. Treatment makes them feel worse.

The idea that treatment for Chronic Lyme Disease causes a person to feel worse is almost counter intuitive, but it’s true. You see, every Lyme Disease treatment protocol must contain either a non bacteria-resisted antibiotic or a supplement of some kind that boosts the immune system in order to effectively eradicate the bacteria. Got it? Ok. ​Now when the Lyme Disease bacteria is killed by either the immune system or an antibiotic, toxins are released from the outer member of the bacteria, causing a person with the infection to feel 100x worse than your worst hangover; or worst flu if you don't drink. I like to use the idea of a water balloon to explain this to people: right now a single bacterium is leaking out its toxin through a small hole. Killing the bacterium would be like popping that water balloon.

These endotoxins flood their internal organs and cause what is known as a herxheimer reaction within the body. If a person with Chronic Lyme Disease kills off too many of the Lyme bacteria in their body at once, “herxing” can become so severe that it can actually kill them.

9.  They don’t have all the answers.

It's human nature to inquire about a friend or family member whom you know is not feeling well. You yourself want to understand what is currently disrupting their health and, if possible, help them along and expedite the healing process even if it's just by a few good words. When confronting a person with Chronic Lyme Disease for answers, you will find yourself leaving the confrontation with less knowledge than you had expected to leave with. The reason it that they don't have all the answers, nor do they remember the few answers they might have due to their faulty memory. This also includes a timely explanation of why their life is not adhering to the exceptions you may have had for them. They're currently struggling for truth and answers as they're not easy to find. It’s best not to make them feel like they owe you more than the truth of their experience with the disease rather than an explanation of why they have what they have or how they’ll recover.

5.  They’re not Bipolar. They’re navigating a VERY rocky road with mental and cognitive health.

If you find yourself around a person with Chronic Lyme Disease often, you'll notice that their mood or condition changes quite frequently. One day they're happy, feeling great or coming off quite intelligent, and the next day they're sad, depressed, irritable, or feeling physically horrible. Though these continuous fluctuations in a person with Chronic Lyme Disease may lead you to believe there is something else wrong. There isn't. This is actually quite normal because their bodies have been biologically hijacked by a highly evolved bacteria with the intent to kill and cease their biological function.