Dr. Streit Returns My Call

6-22-11

I have had a nightmarish week or two. Night sweats. Period. Migraine. Did take more Imitrex. Flew to WA. Contracted the Plague. The sickest I have been in ten years. Came to help my sister and instead had to go into quarantine in a room across town.

Searching for answers I call the Lyme docs office to see if I can get my three questions answered.


Even if by some stretch of the imagination he were a quack (and i am not saying i think this) I am so grateful for how kind he is. He is quiet and calm and unassuming.

He has run tests and offered treatment. His office staff is so congenial and so professional the care begins when you talk to them.

I had Three Questions for the doctor so I called and said I was out of town and could I please schedule a phone appointment and absolutely I wanted to pay for his time. (He books fairly far out.)

They said No problem they would have him call me.

Within an hour, he called. I said Thank you and that I wanted to pay him for the consult. He said it wasn't necessary, he just wanted to answer any questions I had.

My questions:
1. Should I get a lumbar puncture to better confirm diagnosis? He said No, it only shows up that way about 5% of the time.

2. Was my getting worse on those three weeks of antibotics in Feb a Herx reaction? He said Most likely.

3. If I was concerned about a reaction to Bactrim could we start with another antibiotic? And he said try the Bactrim but at a lower dose for the first three days and see how I tolerate it.

So here is how I feel. I am afraid of getting worse without treatment or intervention, as has happened over the past 3 years.
I am also afraid of getting worse while on the treatment, as is common in Lyme patients and as did happen to me earlier this year.

But look, I have this doctor who has an idea and who wants to help me.
Meanwhile, My two PCP's seem to have just given up, the neurologist has not contacted me in two weeks though I sent a letter and a fax. I had to fight hard for the porphyria test and the results are still not back seven weeks later.
It is two weeks later and for some reason my left arm is still green and sore and bruised from that last series of hormone blood draws.

And it was about a year ago when i was like, I am so sick I think we had better just start treating me with something. Try antibiotics. Try anti virals. Try anything. Because I am not getting better on my own.