Chronic Lyme – NANCY WITH THE LAUGHING FACE

There’s so much more to walking than just exercise! Today, I’ll share some insights into how regular walking can help us along the way through life’s many bumps and keep us moving toward wellness.

Phillips Field — A peaceful field within walking distance of my home (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

UNPLUG FIRST

If I had to choose one word to describe modern life today, it would be “busy.” We are all so busy, all the time, rushing from one task to the next! Even on our off hours, when we’re not commuting, working, chauffeuring, housekeeping or running errands, it’s normal for us to spend many more hours plugged into our electronic devices or sitting in front of a big screen. For our physical and mental wellbeing, it’s so important to take a daily break outdoors and unplug from all the incessant activity. Walking provides the perfect space for this to happen and there are many therapeutic ways for us to walk.

Old Mill Howe's Pond — Meditate on the beauty around you (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

WALK IN SILENCE

If you are fortunate to be able to walk in a beautiful and peaceful setting, you might want to try a walking meditation. This type of walk is perfect along a beach or country road where you can take in the sounds of nature. Simply put, you walk in silence, breathing and observing all the beauty around you. When distracting thoughts appear, acknowledge them, put them aside for later, and return your focus again to breathing, walking, and relaxing in your peaceful surroundings. Walking in this manner is particularly beneficial for people dealing with stress and anxiety since it brings about a naturally calming and soothing effect.

Barn with Maple Tree 1 — Find beauty in the simple things (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

WALK AND TALK

Maybe you just want to talk and share something with a special person in your life. Grab a friend, partner or spouse and walk a while together. This provides the perfect alone time for just the two of you. Let the conversation flow naturally and don’t force it. It’s so easy to relax and talk without the constant distractions of everyday life, and you may find you’re better able to work out a problem while walking and sharing in this private space. Go ahead and talk it all out but savor the inevitable quiet spaces in between without awkwardness; they’re just as important to your overall well-being.

Wood Asters — Take a moment to enjoy the flowers along the way (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

WALK THROUGH GRIEF

All of us, at one time or another, suffer a life-changing loss. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one or the loss of a home or job, the resulting grief can be overwhelming and frightening. Whenever I’ve suffered a loss or life-altering event, I’ve turned to walking to help me cope. The simple act of walking creates the space we need to experience our grief while at the same time finding acceptance in the knowledge that life goes on. All around us, there’s the constant reminder of the cycle of life and death and we are just another part of that natural course. It may not be very comforting to think about this, but it helps us put our grief in perspective and alleviates the isolation that grief and depression can cause. If you are in the midst of grieving, try to incorporate a daily walk as part of your healing process and remember to be gentle with yourself during this time.

Pumpkin — Celebrate the unexpected in your walks (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

WALK AFTER ILLNESS

I’ve been dealing with chronic Lyme disease for several years and there have been times when any exercise has been just too painful. During the worst times, when I was first diagnosed and recovering, I began taking short walks to build up my strength and stamina. It was a challenge for me to walk just a short five-minute distance from my home; but, over time and with walking a little more each day, I could feel my health slowly returning. Walking brought me back to wellness.

WALK AT ANY AGE

I believe that walking is one of the safest means for us to get back on the road to wellness and stay there. Walking outdoors is free, wholesome, available to most at any point in our lives, and clearly therapeutic for whatever ails us.

michael-podger-41325-unsplash — Walking is good therapy for all ages (Photo by Michael Podger on Unsplash)

Here are some tips to incorporate walking into your life:

Make the choice to get outside and walk every day you can. Yes, it’s a choice you have to make, just like you choose to do any countless other activities each day.
Keep it simple and bring along only what you absolutely need. You can take your cell phone for security but leave it turned off so you won’t be distracted.
Wear comfortable clothing and dress for the weather. This seems obvious but wearing soft, comfy clothing and well-fitting walking shoes will make all the difference in the enjoyment of your walks.
Be consistent. Walk often and make it a regular part of your routine. Don’t worry about how long or how fast you walk, and don’t get bogged down with how many steps you’ve taken, the benefits are still there. Just do it and you’ll feel better for it!

timothy-eberly-389190-unsplash — Photo by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash

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On a warm August night in 2004, my husband and I went to a local AMVETS hall to celebrate a friend’s birthday. While we enjoyed the music and food, I knew something was wrong as I began to feel increasing pain in my legs. I suddenly felt unwell and we left early for home. The next morning found me so sick I was unable to get out of bed. I had a high fever of over 103, severe joint pain and shaking chills. Alarmed, my husband bundled me in a blanket and we drove to the nearest emergency room.

At the hospital they did some blood tests, a chest X-ray and urinalysis. Although I never found a tick or had the classic “bull’s eye” rash associated with Lyme, I specifically asked to be tested since our home was in a known tick-ridden area. All tests came back negative; I was diagnosed with an unspecified viral illness and sent home with no treatment other than fluids and Tylenol. Unknown to me at the time, I was suffering from a tick-borne illness that would change my life forever.

For a couple of weeks I remained profoundly fatigued, had little appetite and quickly lost 12 lbs. Emaciated and still feeling weak I crawled back to work as soon as I could. I worked as an office manager in a busy medical office and asked my physician boss if we could get a second Lyme test just to be sure. The test came back positive, was confirmed by Western blot and I was placed on Doxycycline for three weeks. Slowly I got back to my usual health and thought my worries were over. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

In January of 2012, I came down with yet another mysterious flu-like illness. This time I had joint and muscle pain, especially of my upper body, accompanied by a low-grade fever and extreme fatigue. After a week I was again tested for Lyme. A sedimentation rate which is a test for inflammation was also ordered. My boss suspected polymyalgia rheumatica, an inflammatory disease common in elderly women, although at age 59 I was on the young side. The Lyme test showed only old disease but the sedimentation rate was high suggesting that I had PMR. I was immediately placed on the steroid drug Prednisone to counter the inflammation but although it alleviated the pain, the inflammation continued in the background. There were also many side effects associated with the drug. Over a period of five years, every time I tried to taper off the Prednisone, the pain and fatigue came back. It was only masking my symptoms and I was not getting better.

I began to question why an otherwise healthy 59 year old woman would suddenly be stricken by an inflammatory disease. Was it possible that the delayed treatment I received for Lyme was ineffective? Was the standard treatment of Doxycycline for tick borne illnesses “one size fits all?” Could my polymyalgia symptoms be the result of chronic Lyme disease that had been hiding in my system for 8 years? I saw an infectious disease specialist and a rheumatologist for their opinions. They had nothing more to offer and suggested I continue on the Prednisone.

A couple of years ago my husband and I stumbled upon the documentary film, Under Our Skin, about the silent Lyme epidemic in this country. Not only did this film confirm my fears that I could be suffering from an ongoing tick-borne illness, it showed how the medical community has largely abandoned people suffering with chronic Lyme symptoms. Few physicians consider chronic Lyme a valid diagnosis and those who do may use antibiotic treatment that can go on for years. Most physicians are quick to call it something else – fibromyalgia, polymyalgia, chronic pain syndrome or even depression – and it’s true that Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses vary in symptoms and can easily masquerade as something else. That is what makes it so difficult to diagnose.

In the spring of 2017 I consulted a naturopathic doctor to see what other options were available. She stated that a tincture of a special type of Cat’s Claw known as Una de Gato had shown promise in treating Lyme spirochetes, the spirally twisted bacteria that remain in the body after contracting the disease. She gave me hope. However, I had to get off the Prednisone before any treatment could begin and would very likely feel a lot worse before I felt any better. In the meantime she started me on some high-potency vitamins and minerals to help boost my immune system.

Within a couple of weeks of stopping the Prednisone, my pain and stiffness came back with a vengeance. I had to take arthritis-strength Tylenol along with ibuprofen several times a day. Even with that my sleep became compromised because I couldn’t find a comfortable position. It was too painful for me to exercise and I had to curtail the gentle Yoga classes I had been enjoying previously. It was a difficult time but I was determined to tough it out and give this new treatment a try.

After three months off Prednisone, the naturopath started me on the Una de Gato. I continued with the supplements, walking as much as possible and eating a healthy diet. Over the course of a year I’ve had slow but steady improvement. I now take Tylenol only at night, the pain is diminished and I’m exercising more. Although I’m not out of the woods yet, I seem to be moving in the right direction.

Cases of Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses are steadily rising in the U.S. The once silent epidemic is screaming for attention. We need to take a closer look at Lyme and similar illnesses and find a more effective treatment so that these diseases don’t come back to haunt us. We need more health care professionals who can offer hope.

For more information on Lyme disease click here: https://www.lymedisease.org/

For more information on ticks click here: http://www.tickencounter.org/

Tag: Chronic Lyme

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