In 2012 I noticed a lot of abnormal symptoms. The more that I think about it, things were slowly creeping up on me over the last 10 years. I had been dealing with chronic headaches for about 10 years, but doctors always told me it was hereditary. After 8-9 months of being sick constantly, multiple antibiotics & doctors, chiropractor, blood tests, tests for autoimmune disease & diabetes, and a trip to the Mayo- I still had no answers.
At my worst, I had over 70 symptoms daily. I couldn’t walk up my stairs, empty the dishwasher without being winded, read a sentence without coughing so hard I gagged, or breathe normally while sitting.
As a teacher you are talking and on your feet all day. So by 5 pm every night for years, I was ready for bed. I used to come home & nap for an hour so I could make dinner, then was back in bed by 8, while still waking up exhausted. Imagine the worst flu and hangover you have ever had combined 24/7.
At the time, I was so sick that I couldn’t cognitively process or describe how I felt other than saying- everything hurts ALL the time. At my worst, I would say that I was functioning at a 2nd-3rd grade level. There were times that I forgot my own name, how to subtract or even what simple objects are called.
I had sinus surgery in June of 2016 because the ENT said it would get rid of my sinus infections & migraines. It did for about 2 months post surgery but then everything came back. The sinus infections were caused from the Candida, and the migraines were caused from the Lyme & coinfections, so surgery was not needed.
It took me 6 years of searching to get diagnosed. I had a few doctors tell me it was in my head because my blood tests were “perfect.” They all blamed it on stress from being a new teacher, planning a wedding, & buying a house. Even after telling them I fall asleep DAILY to and from work, they said it was stress.
I have never gotten a positive blood test for Lyme. I remember when I got my Western Blot results & it said negative. I cried in my car because I thought for sure I had it.
I was diagnosed with muscle testing & found Lyme, SIBO, Toxoplasmosis, Epstein Barr, Protozoa, Candida, Borrelia, Lyme Cysts, Powassan, Babesia, Bartonella, Mycoplasmas, Protomyxzoa, Chlamydia Pneumonia, Ehrlichia, Tick-borne Encephalitis, MTHFR, multiple viruses, and multiple bacterias.
I was treated from 2017-2021 with LymeStop which saved my life. I am currently treating lingering migraines with Desbio caused by Bartonella, Borrelia, Babesia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Candida, Epstein Barr, Mycoplasma and Strep. Desbio has been a game changer for my migraines and lingering symptoms!
I know it is hard when you are in the dark tunnel of Lyme. I hope you know that YOU are worth remission. YOU deserve remission!
Follow Ashley on Instagram: @ashley_belanger_