My Symptoms
Here is a list of the symptoms I've had from 10 days after the tick bite to present. Most of them have occurred over the last 10 years of my life. I went through a Master Lyme Symptoms list, which you can find here, and pulled off the ones that I have had/do have. The list is a little longer.
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM/ENDOCRINE/IMMUNE/HORMONE
Abnormal sensitivity to hot or cold
Allergies (nasal, other; new, increased or worsening)
Canker sores (frequent)
Cold hands and feet
Extreme fatigue after minimal exertion
Feeling hot or cold often
Flu-like symptoms, on-going or recurrent after initial gradual or acute onset; includes mild fever (99.5-101.5 F / 37.5-38.6 C), chills
Hair loss (alopecia)
Low-grade fevers
Low blood pressure (below 110/70)
Low body temperature (below 97.5)
Night sweats (not related to menopause or fever)
Reactive hypoglycemia and insulin resistance
Temperature irregularities; often feeling hot or cold irrespective of actual ambient temperature and body temperature; low body temperature (below 97.6 F / 36.4 C)
CARDIOPULMONARY/RESPIRATORY/CIRCULATORY
Cardiac abnormalities (mitral valve prolapse; myocarditis; tachycardia; palpitations; dysrhythmia)
Cough
Dyspnea (out of breath) or shortness of breath (air hunger) after minimal or no exertion
Heart palpitations
Heart pounds so hard it shakes body, bed
Pulse skips
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM/NEUROLOGIAL/NEUROPATHIC/OTOLOGIC
"Brainfog"; inability to think clearly
Fainting or blackouts; feeling like you might faint
Headaches (frequent, severe, recurring)
Hearing changes, often from day to day (need to turn up, then down, volume of radio, TV)
Joint or arthritic pain not relieved by NSAIDs (ie, ibuprofen)
Libido (decreased)
Light-headedness, feeling spaced-out
Migraine headaches
Muscle twitching
Noise intolerance
Paralysis or severe weakness of limb
Parasthesias (numbness, tingling, crawling, itching sensations) in face, head, torso, extremities
Photosensitivity
Sensory alterations (hyper- or hyposensitivity) - smell, taste, hearing (noise intolerance)
Severe muscle weakness
Tinnitus (ringing/noises in one or both ears)
Tremors, trembling
COGNITIVE FUNCTION
Becoming lost in familiar locations when driving
Difficulty with simple calculations (e.g., balancing checkbook)
Difficulty expressing ideas in words
Difficulty making decisions
Difficulty following directions while driving
Difficulty remembering names of objects
Difficulty remembering names of people
Difficulty recognizing faces
Difficulty following simple written instructions
Difficulty following complicated written instructions
Difficulty following simple oral (spoken) instructions
Difficulty following complicated oral (spoken) instructions
Difficulty integrating information (putting ideas together to form a complete picture or concept)
Difficulty putting tasks or things in proper sequence
Difficulty paying attention
Difficulty following a conversation when background noise is present
Difficulty making and/or retrieving memories (long/short-term memory deficits)
Difficulty understanding what you read
Easily distracted during a task
Feeling too disoriented to drive
Forgetting how to do routine things
Forgetting the use of common objects (such as, what to do with the shampoo when you are standing in the shower)
Forgetting how to get to familiar places
Impaired ability to concentrate
Losing your train of thought in the middle of a sentence
Losing track in the middle of a task (remembering what to do next)
Transposition (reversal) of numbers, words and/or letters when you speak and/or speak
Word-finding difficulty
Using the wrong word
DIGESTIVE/HEPATIC
Bloating; intestinal gas
Digestive chemicals (acid, enzymes) reduced or absent
Esophageal reflux; heartburn
Food cravings (especially carbohydrates, sweets)
IBS
Increased appetite
Nausea
Stomach ache, cramps
Weight gain or loss
EQUILIBRIUM/PERCEPTION
Bite your cheeks or tongue frequently
Bump into things frequently
Difficulty discriminating printed matter despite proper vision correction
Dizziness or vertigo
Dropping things frequently
Dysequilibrium (balance problems)
Impaired coordination
Loss of balance when standing with eyes closed
Perception (not quite seeing what you are looking at)
Some patterns (stripes, checks) cause dizziness
Spatial disorientation
Staggering gait (clumsy walking)
Words on printed page appear to jump off page or disappear when staring at them
EYES/VISION
Acuity changes not related to prescription changes
Blind spots
Blurred vision
Diminished visual acuity in absence of actual vision change
Drooping eyelid
Double vision
Eye pain
Flashes of light perceived peripherally
Oscillopsia (image jiggles)
Pressure sensation behind eyes
Slowed accommodation (switching focus from far to near, near to far)
Spots or floaters not related to migraines
HEAD/NECK/MOUTH
Bruxism (grinding/clenching teeth)
Canker sores
Dizziness when you turn your head or move
Dry chronic cough
Dry eyes, nose and mouth (sicca syndrome)
Pain in ears, palate, gums
Temperomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ)
MUSCULOSKELETAL
Arthritic pain that migrates from joint to joint
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Joint aches (arthralgia)
Joint pain, without redness or swelling
Loss of tone
"Lumpy, bumpy" long muscles
Morning stiffness
Muscle aches (myalgia)
Muscle pain, stiffness, weakness
Stiff neck
Writing causes pain in hand, arm shoulder
PAIN SYMPTOMS
Abdominal pain
Chest pain
Generalized pain
Shooting or stabbing pains
Painful tender points (FMS: 11 out of 18 tender points)
PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS/MOOD/EMOTIONS
Abrupt/Unpredictable mood swings
Anxiety or fear for no obvious reason
Appetite increase/decrease
Frequent crying for no reason
Inability to enjoy previously enjoyed activities
Irritability; over-reaction
Panic attacks
Personality changes (labile, irritable, anxious, confused, forgetful)
Rage attacks; anger outbursts for little or no reason
SENSITIVITIES
Acute or abnormal reactions to medications
Alteration in taste, smell, and/or hearing
Chemicals (alcohol, medications; lower tolerance for)
Increased perception of and sensitivity to noise
Light sensitivity
Sensitivity to odors (able to detect and/or react in concentrations far lower than before and that healthy people cannot smell)
SKIN/NAILS
Abnormal scarring
Blotchy or mottled skin
Bruise easily
Bruises may take longer to appear, and/or longer to fade
Dermographia (minor scratch pressure on skin leaves vivid red welts)
Dry, itchy skin
Easily scar
Eczema or psoriasis
Fragile nails
Frequent skin irritations
Overgrowing connective tissue (ingrown hair, adhesions, thickened/split cuticles, cysts, fibroids)
Painful skin (abnormal/excessive pain when scratched or rubbed)
Rashes on body, face
Vertical ridges or beads in nails
SLEEP SYMPTOMS
Altered sleep/wake patterns (alert/energetic late at night, sleepy during day
Difficulty falling asleep
Difficulty staying asleep (frequent and/or prolonged awakenings)
Hypersomnia (excessive sleeping)
Myclonus (restless leg syndrome; occasional jerking of entire body)
Unrefreshing/Non-restorative sleep
UROGENITAL/REPRODUCTIVE
Decreased libido
Endometriosis
Frequent urination
Incontinence
Interstitial cystitis
Painful urination or bladder
Pelvic and/or rectal pain
OTHER
Abnormal or other changes in sweating
Activity level reduced to less than 50% of pre-onset level
Burning sensation (internal and/or external)
Changes in sweat odor/body odor
Delayed reaction to overactivity/exertion (onset 24-48 hours after exertion)
Electromagnetic (EM) sensitivity (electrical storms, full moon, affect function of electrical devices)
Fatigue, prolonged, disabling, made worse by exertion or stress
Hair loss (not related to age, hormones, diet, medication)
Hands hurt excessively when put in cold water
Handwriting changes, altering signature and/or other writing
Painful, weak grasp that gives way/lets go
Periods of concentrated thinking causes physical and mental exhaustion, increases pain
Symptoms worsened by extremes of temperature (hot, cold), stress, and/or air travel
Symptoms change focus from time to time, like infection is moving through the body
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM/ENDOCRINE/IMMUNE/HORMONE
Abnormal sensitivity to hot or cold
Allergies (nasal, other; new, increased or worsening)
Canker sores (frequent)
Cold hands and feet
Extreme fatigue after minimal exertion
Feeling hot or cold often
Flu-like symptoms, on-going or recurrent after initial gradual or acute onset; includes mild fever (99.5-101.5 F / 37.5-38.6 C), chills
Hair loss (alopecia)
Low-grade fevers
Low blood pressure (below 110/70)
Low body temperature (below 97.5)
Night sweats (not related to menopause or fever)
Reactive hypoglycemia and insulin resistance
Temperature irregularities; often feeling hot or cold irrespective of actual ambient temperature and body temperature; low body temperature (below 97.6 F / 36.4 C)
CARDIOPULMONARY/RESPIRATORY/CIRCULATORY
Cardiac abnormalities (mitral valve prolapse; myocarditis; tachycardia; palpitations; dysrhythmia)
Cough
Dyspnea (out of breath) or shortness of breath (air hunger) after minimal or no exertion
Heart palpitations
Heart pounds so hard it shakes body, bed
Pulse skips
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM/NEUROLOGIAL/NEUROPATHIC/OTOLOGIC
"Brainfog"; inability to think clearly
Fainting or blackouts; feeling like you might faint
Headaches (frequent, severe, recurring)
Hearing changes, often from day to day (need to turn up, then down, volume of radio, TV)
Joint or arthritic pain not relieved by NSAIDs (ie, ibuprofen)
Libido (decreased)
Light-headedness, feeling spaced-out
Migraine headaches
Muscle twitching
Noise intolerance
Paralysis or severe weakness of limb
Parasthesias (numbness, tingling, crawling, itching sensations) in face, head, torso, extremities
Photosensitivity
Sensory alterations (hyper- or hyposensitivity) - smell, taste, hearing (noise intolerance)
Severe muscle weakness
Tinnitus (ringing/noises in one or both ears)
Tremors, trembling
COGNITIVE FUNCTION
Becoming lost in familiar locations when driving
Difficulty with simple calculations (e.g., balancing checkbook)
Difficulty expressing ideas in words
Difficulty making decisions
Difficulty following directions while driving
Difficulty remembering names of objects
Difficulty remembering names of people
Difficulty recognizing faces
Difficulty following simple written instructions
Difficulty following complicated written instructions
Difficulty following simple oral (spoken) instructions
Difficulty following complicated oral (spoken) instructions
Difficulty integrating information (putting ideas together to form a complete picture or concept)
Difficulty putting tasks or things in proper sequence
Difficulty paying attention
Difficulty following a conversation when background noise is present
Difficulty making and/or retrieving memories (long/short-term memory deficits)
Difficulty understanding what you read
Easily distracted during a task
Feeling too disoriented to drive
Forgetting how to do routine things
Forgetting the use of common objects (such as, what to do with the shampoo when you are standing in the shower)
Forgetting how to get to familiar places
Impaired ability to concentrate
Losing your train of thought in the middle of a sentence
Losing track in the middle of a task (remembering what to do next)
Transposition (reversal) of numbers, words and/or letters when you speak and/or speak
Word-finding difficulty
Using the wrong word
DIGESTIVE/HEPATIC
Bloating; intestinal gas
Digestive chemicals (acid, enzymes) reduced or absent
Esophageal reflux; heartburn
Food cravings (especially carbohydrates, sweets)
IBS
Increased appetite
Nausea
Stomach ache, cramps
Weight gain or loss
EQUILIBRIUM/PERCEPTION
Bite your cheeks or tongue frequently
Bump into things frequently
Difficulty discriminating printed matter despite proper vision correction
Dizziness or vertigo
Dropping things frequently
Dysequilibrium (balance problems)
Impaired coordination
Loss of balance when standing with eyes closed
Perception (not quite seeing what you are looking at)
Some patterns (stripes, checks) cause dizziness
Spatial disorientation
Staggering gait (clumsy walking)
Words on printed page appear to jump off page or disappear when staring at them
EYES/VISION
Acuity changes not related to prescription changes
Blind spots
Blurred vision
Diminished visual acuity in absence of actual vision change
Drooping eyelid
Double vision
Eye pain
Flashes of light perceived peripherally
Oscillopsia (image jiggles)
Pressure sensation behind eyes
Slowed accommodation (switching focus from far to near, near to far)
Spots or floaters not related to migraines
HEAD/NECK/MOUTH
Bruxism (grinding/clenching teeth)
Canker sores
Dizziness when you turn your head or move
Dry chronic cough
Dry eyes, nose and mouth (sicca syndrome)
Pain in ears, palate, gums
Temperomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ)
MUSCULOSKELETAL
Arthritic pain that migrates from joint to joint
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Joint aches (arthralgia)
Joint pain, without redness or swelling
Loss of tone
"Lumpy, bumpy" long muscles
Morning stiffness
Muscle aches (myalgia)
Muscle pain, stiffness, weakness
Stiff neck
Writing causes pain in hand, arm shoulder
PAIN SYMPTOMS
Abdominal pain
Chest pain
Generalized pain
Shooting or stabbing pains
Painful tender points (FMS: 11 out of 18 tender points)
PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS/MOOD/EMOTIONS
Abrupt/Unpredictable mood swings
Anxiety or fear for no obvious reason
Appetite increase/decrease
Frequent crying for no reason
Inability to enjoy previously enjoyed activities
Irritability; over-reaction
Panic attacks
Personality changes (labile, irritable, anxious, confused, forgetful)
Rage attacks; anger outbursts for little or no reason
SENSITIVITIES
Acute or abnormal reactions to medications
Alteration in taste, smell, and/or hearing
Chemicals (alcohol, medications; lower tolerance for)
Increased perception of and sensitivity to noise
Light sensitivity
Sensitivity to odors (able to detect and/or react in concentrations far lower than before and that healthy people cannot smell)
SKIN/NAILS
Abnormal scarring
Blotchy or mottled skin
Bruise easily
Bruises may take longer to appear, and/or longer to fade
Dermographia (minor scratch pressure on skin leaves vivid red welts)
Dry, itchy skin
Easily scar
Eczema or psoriasis
Fragile nails
Frequent skin irritations
Overgrowing connective tissue (ingrown hair, adhesions, thickened/split cuticles, cysts, fibroids)
Painful skin (abnormal/excessive pain when scratched or rubbed)
Rashes on body, face
Vertical ridges or beads in nails
SLEEP SYMPTOMS
Altered sleep/wake patterns (alert/energetic late at night, sleepy during day
Difficulty falling asleep
Difficulty staying asleep (frequent and/or prolonged awakenings)
Hypersomnia (excessive sleeping)
Myclonus (restless leg syndrome; occasional jerking of entire body)
Unrefreshing/Non-restorative sleep
UROGENITAL/REPRODUCTIVE
Decreased libido
Endometriosis
Frequent urination
Incontinence
Interstitial cystitis
Painful urination or bladder
Pelvic and/or rectal pain
OTHER
Abnormal or other changes in sweating
Activity level reduced to less than 50% of pre-onset level
Burning sensation (internal and/or external)
Changes in sweat odor/body odor
Delayed reaction to overactivity/exertion (onset 24-48 hours after exertion)
Electromagnetic (EM) sensitivity (electrical storms, full moon, affect function of electrical devices)
Fatigue, prolonged, disabling, made worse by exertion or stress
Hair loss (not related to age, hormones, diet, medication)
Hands hurt excessively when put in cold water
Handwriting changes, altering signature and/or other writing
Painful, weak grasp that gives way/lets go
Periods of concentrated thinking causes physical and mental exhaustion, increases pain
Symptoms worsened by extremes of temperature (hot, cold), stress, and/or air travel
Symptoms change focus from time to time, like infection is moving through the body