Eh...I don't really know. That's the honest answer. If it is Lyme, that means I have had it active in some way for 25 years now, and it is possible i will always have it, even if i try and treat it with antibiotics (and for that length of infection...we'd be talking a looooong time on dangerous antibiotics, often combos of them). I have been in several long term rounds of antibiotics since for various ailments as a last ditch effort by doctors (none of the neuro toxic antibiotics though...just doxycline and biaxin)...I was on them for a few months back in September to see if they helped the PN. I found no change.

I am also not certain that long term antibiotics would even be the right way to go for me or chronic Lyme in general. I have a lot going on...autoimmune disease, history of Lyme, PN with unknown cause...for me, it seems if I treat one of those, I could make the other worse. So I am going conservative for now, and focusing on diet, exercise, and supplements. Really, I am taking each day as it comes. I have a really good team of doctors, so I know on top of my own research, we're pretty on top of things. My routine labs are good, which means even with this attack on my nerves, my organs are functioning well. I know that seems weird, but with my history, i breathe a sigh of relief everytime i get back a nice round of bloods with nothing abnormal (usually a CBC, CMP, lipid panel, CRP, ESR, adrenal hormone markers, TSH, T4, and some other stuff usually diabetic related). Unfortunately, science just doesn't know everything yet, so we can only know what current research states... And even some current research clashes. Also, every body is different, which adds even more factors.

I'm also doing the healthy diet and supplements. I'm not sure if exercise aggravates my symptoms, but I do feel better afterwards. BUT, I did notice an electric zap a couple times and they both occurred on the days I exercised. I think it's because lifting weights stimulates the CNS. Are you currently on any pain meds? I want to hold off for as long as possible.

I'm not on any meds...I plan to hold off on that for a long as I can, because I am only 35, and my husband and I still hope to have a baby.

Exercise makes some of my symptoms worse, and others better-but the way I understand it, is the exercise certainly isn't hurting the neuropathy so much as its just irritating the nerves. By that I mean it isn't doing damage to the nerves. I'll get those electric shock feelings when exercising also-kind of like a shooting pain.

Keep in mind your nerves exist to tell you something.

If what you are doing, is setting them off ( certain foods eaten, physical activities, stretching them, lifting heavy objects, getting lots of vaccines, various infections, drugs taken, etc) you need to pay attention and moderate or eliminate the trigger(s).

Keeping a journal of day to day events may be very helpful in revealing a trigger.

You want your immune system working properly, not to be suppressed. The immune system is what kills the cancer cells, that we all have in our bodies, before they have a chance to take hold. The question you and your doctor should be asking is "why is my immune system attacking my body?" Your body is adapting to some "poor" condition in the best way it knows know. But asking this question is much more difficult than prescribing a drug, so it isn't often done. Suppressing it is like sweeping dust under the rug.

I invite you to look at John Bergman's videos about the immune system, on youtube. He knows more about the human body than anyone else I have heard. One reason for autoimmune conditions is leaky gut, causing excess proteins to leak into the blood. Another is excess gluten, found in much higher concentrations in modern wheat than what our ancestors would have been exposed to.

The bottom line, eat whole unprocessed plant foods.
Ron

My neuro said exercise is important, and I can expect an uptick in symptoms, but that it would level out-and if I go really slow, I could keep the uptick to a bare minimum. So my plan is to get a fitbit, and slowly each week add more walking steps. The weight training stuff really does irritate my nerves-so I am going very slowly with that as well. Very light weights, and often only my own body weight. Taking it back a notch definitely helped.

I really do need to be better about my journal, though. I know its important. I've figured out a couple of triggers, but I know I'd probably know more of them if I was tracking better.

This is related, very interesting. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that responds dramatically to a plant diet.
Why Do Plant-Based Diets Help Rheumatoid Arthritis?
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/why-...toid-arthritis
May 13th 2015 · Michael Greger, M.D.

Yeah me too. I have always been weary of meds, even otc pain killers. Some of these stories floating around about side effects and withdrawals are downright scary. I feel so much better after exercise. My feet might hurt a little, but overall I feel better. I'm gonna start ramping up the weights soon.