Testing continues

I see Dr. B again and have now had 14 blood tests, all of which are still negative. In the meantime, I have some very painful headaches during ovulation again, with a swollen, stiff neck and shoulders. This time Dr. B draws about 6 vials of blood to test me yet again for lyme, all of the possible co-infections, as well as checking on my ANA (antinuclear antibodies for lupus) and my white blood cell count. I see him next week and we are to decide, despite what my tests say, whether or not I should go forward with 2 months of iv antibiotics. It is terrifying to sit in front of my doctor, who I am counting on to help me figure out what is wrong with me, and he is basically admitting he doesn't know at this point what the definitive answer is.

I visit with a new gynecologist, Dr. M. My older sister began menopause at age 44 and my younger sister is also having reproductive issues. Even though I had these tests last year and everything was normal, I am now having irregular periods and still experiencing excruciating headaches during ovulation. I am worried that there is something else going on beyond the lyme. My sister has read about women who are actually allergic to their own estrogen, and so now I wonder if this is happening to me. I am also having issues with foods, where I will eat a certain food and then I will feel very unwell all over the next day. Something that is interesting that happens is that during one of my ovulation "episodes," where I have the bad headache and swelling/pain in my neck and shoulder, I take a Sudafed (allergy pill) and all of the pain goes away within an hour. So now I wonder if there is an allergic reaction of some sort happening in my body, or the Sudafed acted as an anti-inflammatory and so that is why I feel better. The new gyno, Dr. M., is not very helpful. I ask him if he does hormone testing weekly for a month, so he can measure where my hormone levels are throughout the month. He says, "no." I say, "no? as in you won't, or you don't?" He says, "well, I'll test you for whatever you ask me to test your for, but I don't really do that." I decide right then that this is the last time I will visit this doctor, but I need him to do an internal and a pap just to make sure there is nothing urgent I need to address. He does them, so I am waiting for those results and hoping that everything is normal.

In the meantime, I will see an allergist and possibly an immunologist. I feel crazy again and almost can't believe it is a year since I started this blog and I am still writing about new doctors I am going to see. My Mom, in her infinite patience, wisdom, and kindness, reminds me that even though it HAS been a year, I have come so far since then. I try to stay in that positive head space, but can't help thinking sometimes that this is how it's going to be for good.

There is a lyme disease hearing in Harrisburg, PA, next week. I plan to go and hope I will feel well enough to do so.