Tremors and Lyme disease

Tremor: Involuntary shaking or movement, ranging from slight to severe, and commonly affecting hands, legs, face, head, or vocal cords.

Lyme disease is a multi-system multi-symptom infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb). Many patients receives multiple misdiagnosis before they get properly diagnosed, by then Lyme is already at a chronic phase in their body. Chronic Lyme leads to Chronic Lyme Neuroborreliosis also known as LNB. LBN often causes tremors and seizures in patients (along with many other symptoms). Luckily I do not experience seizures, only tremors.

When the tremors take over your entire body and your body is shaking violently, you absolutely have no control. Tremors are exhausting – physically and mentally. Your muscles are rioting (it is your nervous system in reality), they are in charge and you are trapped. You feel a good mixture of emotions: fear, helplessness, embarrassment, frustration, hopelessness, and anger.

I remember the very first time I’ve had an episode. At first I thought I was having a seizure. It was quite scary. Not to mention I was fighting my own body trying to stop them (as if you have any control). The more you try, the harder you shake. While you are going through this scary experience it is even more uncomfortable to see people’s reaction. You can tell they are scared and do not know what to do or what to say. Sometimes they even try to hold your body still (not advised).

As I had more and more episodes, I’ve gotten “used” to them. Detspite the urge to control the muscle movements I’ve learned if I don’t fight it and take long, deep breaths, at times, it will shorten how long it lasts – trying to stop them aggravates it even more. Even though tremors are neurological, I’ve learned muscle relaxer, Benadryl or heat application (especially moist heat) to your back calms down an ongoing episode. I’ve learned that detoxing with magnesium chloride definitely reduces the frequency.

Once it stops, your body feels this utter exhaustion, muscle weakness. It’s a difficult thing to describe. It’s like your muscles are overcooked noodles and your body becomes mush.

I’ve had a severe one today during my physical therapy. If tremors were an earthquake, today’s episode would register at about 9.3 magnitude.

The exercises were hard to do since I was shaking really hard (imagine a fish out of water), not to mention in between the shakes my muscles would give in and they had no strength to move. All and all you can imagine how difficult it was to get through today’s session. I felt widespread fatigue by the time the hour was up. All I wanted to do was to come home and lay down. My youngest son helped me get upstairs. I got into bed and the tears started to flow (on and off the last 3 hours).

There is no conclusion to this article. Tremors are precisely one more ugly symptom of this debilitating illness and I wanted to share this vulnerable moment with you guys. Thank you for reading.