Do You Suffer From "What Next" Disease?

 Lyme disease can attack and wreak havoc on any and all systems in your body and the sheer number of symptoms it can cause is staggering. If you don't have the correct diagnosis and new symptoms are popping up left and right, it can be quite terrifying and you may find yourself wondering and waiting for the what next?!

With Lyme disease, it's always something, and chances are, that something is completely and utterly ridiculous. For example:

Me on the telephone to Kathy: Hey, Kathy, I got the weirdest new symptom today! It was the darndest thing. My feet fell off and now I'm starting to grow hooves!
Kathy to me: That happened to me, too--last July! That's why you never see a picture of me on Facebook from the ankles down! Oh, that Lyme disease--what next?!

Kathy to me: Hey, Alyson, I got the weirdest new symptom today! My hair fell out and dandelions grew back in its place!
Me to Kathy: Kathy, that's just weird. We can't be friends any more. Just kidding! Why do you think I always wear a hat? Oh, that Lyme disease--what next?!

All jokes aside, check out this extensive list of symptoms of Lyme disease. The symptoms are broken down to show the different body systems that can be involved with Lyme disease. (So maybe they forgot to include hoof growing and dandelion hair, but other than that, it's pretty accurate.)

Symptoms of Lyme Disease (from the amazing Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation website)

• The Tick Bite (fewer than 50% recall a tick bite or get/see the rash)

1. Rash at site of bite
2. Rashes on other parts of your body
3. Rash basically circular, oval and spreading out (more generalized)
4. Raised rash, disappearing and recurring
• Head, Face, Neck
5. Unexplained hair loss
6. Headache, mild or severe, Seizures
7. Pressure in head, white matter lesions in brain (MRI)
8. Twitching of facial or other muscles
9. Facial paralysis (Bell's Palsy, Horner's syndrome)
10. Tingling of nose, (tip of) tongue, cheek or facial flushing
11. Stiff or painful neck
12. Jaw pain or stiffness
13. Dental problems (unexplained)
14. Sore throat, clearing throat a lot, phlegm ( flem ), hoarseness, runny nose
• Eyes/Vision
15. Double or blurry vision
16. Increased floating spots
17. Pain in eyes, or swelling around eyes
18. Oversensitivity to light
19. Flashing lights/Peripheral waves/phantom images in corner of eyes
• Ears/Hearing
20. Decreased hearing in one or both ears, plugged ears
21. Buzzing in ears
22. Pain in ears, oversensitivity to sounds
23. Ringing in one or both ears
• Digestive and Excretory Systems
24. Diarrhea
25. Constipation
26. Irritable bladder (trouble starting, stopping) or Interstitial cystitis
27. Upset stomach (nausea or pain) or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)
• Musculoskeletal System
28. Bone pain, joint pain or swelling, carpal tunnel syndrome
29. Stiffness of joints, back, neck, tennis elbow
30. Muscle pain or cramps, (Fibromyalgia)
• Respiratory and Circulatory Systems
31. Shortness of breath, can't get full/satisfying breath, cough
32. Chest pain or rib soreness
33. Night sweats or unexplained chills
34. Heart palpitations or extra beats
35. Endocarditis, Heart blockage
• Neurologic System
36. Tremors or unexplained shaking
37. Burning or stabbing sensations in the body
38. Fatigue, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Weakness, peripheral neuropathy or partial paralysis
39. Pressure in the head
40. Numbness in body, tingling, pinpricks
41. Poor balance, dizziness, difficulty walking
42. Increased motion sickness
43. Lightheadedness, wooziness
• Psychological well-being
44. Mood swings, irritability, bi-polar disorder
45. Unusual depression
46. Disorientation (getting or feeling lost)
47. Feeling as if you are losing your mind
48. Over-emotional reactions, crying easily
49. Too much sleep, or insomnia
50. Difficulty falling or staying asleep
51. Narcolepsy, sleep apnea
52. Panic attacks, anxiety
• Mental Capability
53. Memory loss (short or long term)
54. Confusion, difficulty in thinking
55. Difficulty with concentration or reading
56. Going to the wrong place
57. Speech difficulty (slurred or slow)
58. Stammering speech
59. Forgetting how to perform simple tasks
• Reproduction and Sexuality
60. Loss of sex drive
61. Sexual dysfunction
62. Unexplained menstral pain, irregularity
63. Unexplained breast pain, discharge
64. Testicular or pelvic pain
• General Well-being
65. Phantom smells
66. Unexplained weight gain, loss
67. Extreme fatigue
68. Swollen glands/lymph nodes
69. Unexplained fevers (high or low grade)
70. Continual infections (sinus, kidney, eye, etc.)
71. Symptoms seem to change, come and go
72. Pain migrates (moves) to different body parts
73. Early on, experienced a "flu-like" illness, after which you have not since felt well.
74. Low body temperature
    
75. Allergies/Chemical sensitivities
    
76. Increased effect from alcohol and possible worse hangover