In 1981, a red spot appeared on Ilona’s thigh, and she is still struggling with its consequences today.
In 1981, a red spot appeared on my right thigh. I don’t remember when I got the bite, I only remember that the spot appeared in Hungary after a trip abroad. I went to a dermatologist, who gave me a cream, and the spot slowly faded until it disappeared completely, but later I noticed that a pinkish border had appeared on my lower leg and at the base of my thigh. It grew until it finally disappeared completely at my ankle. Two years later, in 1983, I developed a strange skin condition that caused significant changes and great sensitivity. I was diagnosed with a metal allergy, so all my metal fillings had to be replaced. But I had other problems too: in 1984, when I went abroad again, to the Middle East, I contracted a rare infection, then in 1989 I developed irritable bowel syndrome, and in recent years I have been suffering from migratory joint pain. From 2010, we regularly visited the Tisza, but I couldn’t stand the sunshine and developed light sensitivity.
How did they suspect Lyme borreliosis?
A few years ago, I was referred to a Lyme disease specialist who listened to my story and took a blood sample, from which they concluded that I had never had Lyme disease and did not have it now. However, I would say that my experiences and problems over the last year, including constant headaches, indicate the opposite. During my working life, I worked as a laboratory technician, so I always rely on laboratory results. Following the blood test, my laboratory results showed a slightly positive result for Borrelia, and the follow-up test gave the same result. My decade-long symptoms show that if a person has many illnesses, it is worth reading up on them, consulting a specialist, and suspecting Lyme borreliosis.
What advice would you give to others in the same situation?
Take the symptoms seriously – pay attention to the signs your body is showing you. What to look for: the spot. Don’t just rub it and think that’s enough; take it seriously. Especially if it’s related to a bite! Take the trouble to have a serious immunological lab test done. I had my first such immunological lab test done in 2016. But that spot appeared 35 years earlier, in 1981.
Source: weborvos.hu
