My Story Victoria Meyer
I acquired Lyme-like illness at: I’m not sure exactly how the symptoms presented while living in Australia. Then, I left Australia. I was sick for 14 years before I was diagnosed. I have positive Mycoplasma tests from Immunosciences Lab., Inc., Los Angeles, California. Then I tested positive for Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia afzelii, Ehrlichia, Babesia, Bartonella, Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma spp., Mycoplasma pneumonia and C. pneumonia. I have seen at least 13 doctors and medical practitioners in my journey of STD tests. But I have not been admitted to the hospital for my illness. I have also been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Depression, Anxiety, Insomnia, Pyroles and Estrogen dominance. I have been able to get the disability pension from Centrelink based on the above conditions diagnosed by my doctor.
My life
Before my illness, I was a very energetic and active teenager. I was involved in nearly every sport in school, singing and playing instruments. I regularly topped my class academically and had a rich social life. Also, I experienced the usual ups and downs of teenage hormones but was generally a positive and motivated person with a bright future ahead. When I became sick at 16, I had to drop out of school and became very isolated and mostly bedridden. I experienced severe fatigue, incredible pain, debilitating depression and a huge range of other symptoms.
Originally, I was diagnosed with CFS, but there was very little treatment available through the pharmaceutical medical system. I was lucky even to have an STD Lab test diagnosis of something. But that did not save me from being attacked by peers and other medical professionals as “it being all in my head” or “lazy”, etc. I was feeling abused by Doctors who refused to accept my Mycoplasma test results. The most common treatment prescribed by Doctors were sleeping pills and anti-depressants. Which I knew was Growing evidence of an emerging tick-borne disease that causes a Lyme-like illness for many Australian patients.
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It was not the answer, and it would only suppress symptoms rather than cure the root cause of the problem.
How it began
Over the last 14 years, I have seen many different health professionals try to figure out why I was still sick after doing all the “right” things to recover. I changed my diet to include only organic food and saw naturopaths, who supported my system with additional vitamins, minerals, and herbal remedies, and I was able to improve my health. Since then, I have had fluctuations with more and less energy. Other symptoms include where I can work and study for periods.
However, many of my symptoms never left, but I just learnt to cope with them, such as fatigue, brain fog, headaches, joint pain, blurred vision, and fainting. After studying or working regularly for longer than a few weeks, I usually have a crash and cannot do anything again for weeks or months. I don’t know what it’s like to wake up and not feel exhausted and in pain, even after a good night’s sleep.
Lyme’s disease
Having what I now know is Lyme has impacted my life more than is possible to comprehend fully. I could not finish school, so I went to uni through a bridging program. However, the stress and effort required by the university completely drained me. And, despite getting to the top of my degree and winning multiple prizes, I could not accept any of the job and further study offers. Since then, I have only been able to manage casual, part-time work when I was able to work at all. Which also means I have no supper. I have very little savings or assets. Any extra money I have had has always gone into appointments and health-related expenses so that I wasn’t constantly bedridden. It has prevented me from planning for my future or having a family as I don’t have the health or assets.
Endless treatments
They diagnosed me with Lyme just over a week ago by my naturopath and my GP. I have started STD Panel tests and treatment with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, Rife machine therapy, Infrared sauna, IV VitC + zinc + BVits + glutathione. Various supplements and liquid herbal mixtures, with a strict diet and a very restricted lifestyle. It is too early to know if it works, but I am hopeful. After all these year, and my Mycoplasma diagnosis,s it’s such a relief to finally have an answer about why I have felt so awful. And why, despite doing everything I could, I was still unwell.
However, I need a lot more money than I have to get all the treatment I need. So I will run a fundraising campaign to raise it. I hope that in the future, people like me won’t have to wait 14 years to get an accurate Mycoplasma testing and diagnosis. Doctors and other health professionals are educated about Lyme so they know to look for it. I also hope there is financial support for Home STD Kit tests and treatments other than antibiotics to allow people to fully recover without further compromising their health. Growing evidence of an emerging tick-borne disease that causes a Lyme-like illness for many Australian patients.
I want my story to be public.