Because Lyme disease can manifest itself different in each person it infects, there is no hard and fast rule for a set of symptoms being cause for a blood test.
In fact, Lyme disease throws out the rule book for modern medicine.
There is only one thing for certain - that nothing is certain.
Each person is affected uniquely by the illness and the treatment is specific to each patient as well.
That being said, there is one thing I know, you do not have to have a bulls eye rash, a visible tick bite or flu like symptoms to have Lyme disease.
It can be passed to children in the womb and they are researching whether it is sexually transmitted.
Lyme disease can also "co-infect" the patient with other tick borne illnesses simultaneously making the symptoms even more varied and wide.
First, if you are chasing a mystery illness that seems to continue progressing in intensity and increasing in variety of symptoms as doctors try to treat it, that is a strong indicator for Lyme.
Second, if you are a relatively healthy person but seem to continue getting diagnosis for autoimmune disorders - even just one, could also be indicative of Lyme.
Third, multiple unrelated symptoms that occur simultaneouly can point to Lyme.
Doctors would tell me my list of indicators were "impossible" to happen concurrently and from one cause, but they were.
Keep after it and trust your body and your instincts.
Finally, take your body temperature every morning when you wake up for a week.
Low body temperature is a huge indicator of a disease environment in your body, especially pathogenic.
Lyme thrives in a low temperature body.
The following chart contains a symptom list for Lyme and its co-infections.
The first time I read through it, I was shocked by the list and that it could all be caused by Lyme disease.
We are all grossly uneducated about this disease and what it is capable of and what it takes to recover.
Don't brush 6-10 of these symptoms under the rug as old age, or hereditary.
Do your own research and chase it down.
Head, Face, Neck:
- Headaches/Migraines
- Facial paralysis (like Bell's palsy)
- Tingling of nose, cheek, or face
- Stiff neck
- Sore throat, swollen glands
- Heightened allergic sensitivities
- Twitching of facial/other muscles
- Jaw pain/stiffness (like TMJ)
- Change in smell, taste
- Digestive/excretory System:
- Upset stomach (nausea, vomiting)
- Irritable bladder
- Unexplained weight loss or gain
- Loss of appetite, anorexia
- Double or blurry vision, vision changes
- Wandering or lazy eye
- Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
- Oversensitivity to light
- Eye pain or swelling around eyes
- Floaters/spots in the line of sight
- Red eyes
- Vertigo
- Decreased hearing
- Ringing or buzzing in ears
- Sound sensitivity
- Pain in ears
- Joint pain, swelling, or stiffness
- Shifting joint pains
- Muscle pain or cramps
- Poor muscle coordination, loss of reflexes
- Loss of muscle tone, muscle weakness
- Difficulty breathing.
Night sweats or unexplained chills - Heart palpitations
- Diminished exercise tolerance
- Heart block, murmur
- Chest pain or rib soreness
- Mood swings, irritability, agitation
- Depression and anxiety
- Personality changes
- Malaise
- Aggressive behavior / impulsiveness
- Suicidal thoughts (rare cases of suicide)
- Overemotional reactions, crying easily
- Disturbed sleep: too much, too little, difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Suspiciousness, paranoia, hallucinations
- Feeling as though you are losing your mind
- Obsessive-compulsive behavior
- Bipolar disorder/manic behavior
- Schizophrenic-like state, including hallucinations
- Numbness in body, tingling, pinpricks
- Burning/stabbing sensations in the body
- Burning in feet
- Weakness or paralysis of limbs
- Tremors or unexplained shaking
- Seizures, stroke
- Poor balance, dizziness, difficulty walking
- Increased motion sickness, wooziness
- Lightheadedness, fainting Encephalopathy (cognitive impairment)
- Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain)
- Meningitis (inflammation of the protective membrane around the brain)
- Encephalomyelitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord)
- Academic or vocational decline
- Difficulty with multitasking
- Difficulty with organization and planning
- Auditory processing problems
- Word finding problems
- Slowed speed of processing
- Dementia
- Forgetfulness, memory loss (short or long term)
- Poor school or work performance
- Attention deficit problems, distractibility
- Confusion, difficulty thinking
- Difficulty with concentration, reading, spelling
- Disorientation: getting or feeling lost
- Benign tumor-like nodules
- Erethyma Migrans (rash)
- Eczema
- Odd odors or higher perspiration than normal (ammonia)
- Decreased interest in play (children)
- Extreme fatigue, tiredness, exhaustion
- Unexplained fevers (high or low grade)
- Flu-like symptoms (early in the illness)
- Symptoms seem to change, come and go
- Low body temperature
- Dysfunction of the thyroid (under or over active thyroid glands)
- Liver inflammation
- Bladder & Kidney problems (including bed wetting)
- Reproduction and Sexuality
- Unexplained menstrual pain, irregularity
- Reproduction - miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, neonatal
- Death, congenital Lyme disease
- Extreme PMS symptoms
- Testicular or pelvic pain
- Acute Coronary Syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism
- Graves' Disease/Hyperthyroidism
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Krohns Disease
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Sjogren's Syndrome
- Parkinsons'
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Alzheimer's
- Dementia
- Lupus
- Depression
- Autism
- ADHD
- Aspergers
- Dyslexia
- Psychological Disorders - Obsessive Compulsive, Etc.
- Meniere's
- TMJ
- Celiac
- Addison's Disease
- Diabetes
- Cushing's Disease
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Restless Leg Syndrome
- Schizophrenia