Lyme disease is much more complicated than its physical symptoms. While they can be debilitating, other areas of your life are also affected, forcing you to make lifestyle changes. Depending on how long you have been dealing with Lyme, the more significant the impact on your whole life.
You may be realizing that you must adapt your way of living. You must learn to live your life with Lyme disease. Doing so means making big changes in your career, personal relationships, and even how you have fun.
Below are suggestions that can help you make changes to adapt to life with a Lyme disease diagnosis.
Work-Life
Because Lyme disease symptoms can be debilitating at times, they will likely interfere with your ability to work on occasion. Unless your boss and coworkers also have Lyme disease, they may not understand.
The most important thing you can do to help manage your work responsibilities is getting an accurate diagnosis. Lyme disease is a recognized disability even by the social security administration. This doesn’t mean you must go on disability. It just means that if the government understands how severe it can be, it may help your employer understand.
Also, when you have a legitimate diagnosis, your employer is required to follow the guidelines of the American Disabilities Act and provide you with accommodations to help you do your job effectively.
A diagnosis may also qualify you for short-term medical leave, like through the Family Medical Leave Act.
Working with a boss who gets it can mean you create a more flexible work schedule that works around your needs.
Education is vital in both your work life and in personal relationships.
Personal Relationships
Your family and friends love you, but they too may not understand what it is like to live with Lyme disease. If your family doctor continually gives you a negative diagnosis based on inaccurate testing, your loved ones may not even believe you have Lyme disease.
When something great happens, yet you still feel depressed, they won’t get it. When they want to go out for a movie and dinner, but you are too exhausted to even get out of bed, they may become frustrated.
Because it is easy to isolate and withdraw from relationships, you must try to do the opposite. Include your family and friends in how you live with Lyme disease. Please don’t make them guess how they can help. Instead, give them specific tasks for when you have a flare.
Work with a Lyme literate doctor to ensure you get an accurate diagnosis. Have your loved ones accompany you to doctor appointments and allow the doctor to explain what they can expect and how they can help.
The more they learn about Lyme disease, the more they can recognize when your symptoms appear and how they can help ease your symptoms so you can get back to enjoying life.
Having Fun
Yes, you can have fun, even with a diagnosis of Lyme disease. The key is to work with a Lyme literate doctor who can offer alternative treatments that have been shown to reduce Lyme disease symptoms.
The more you do to ease your symptoms, the more time you will have fun. Work with your loved ones to prepare for fun activities when you are not having symptoms. Make a list of activities that you both want to do, and when you are feeling great, enjoy them and each other.
One of the best ways to adapt your lifestyle to Lyme disease is to adjust your diet and exercise. This is another excellent chance for you to get your friends and families involved in your treatment. They can provide the support you need.
Diet and Exercise
Parasites and bacteria thrive on the sugar in your bloodstream. The less sugar you put in your body, the better you will feel. Find substitutions for sugar for sweetening your favorite foods and drinks. Avoid junk food. It causes inflammation, making your Lyme disease symptoms worse.
Also, when eating healthy fruits and vegetables, buy organic varieties. The pesticides and chemicals used on most mass-marketed fruits and vegetables can hinder healing in a person with Lyme disease.
Physical activity may seem like a struggle when you have Lyme disease flare-ups. However, even just a little physical activity can keep your joints and muscles from becoming too stiff. Work with a physical therapist who can teach you specific, beneficial exercises.
Drink a lot of water. Think of water as the oil that keeps your joints and muscles greased so they continue to function correctly.
How Family and Friends Can Help
There are so many things your family and friends can do to help you if you allow them. Don’t be afraid to accept help from people who love you. It makes them feel valued and essential.
Together, you can create a health toolkit to manage your symptoms. The kit may include essential oils, pain relievers like CBD, and encouraging notes. Conduct research about Lyme disease. Get couples massages.
Find ways to reduce stress together, take cooking lessons from a chef, practice yoga and meditation, attend support groups, and the list goes on and on.
Finally, allow them to attend doctor appointments with you and even meet with renowned Lyme literate doctors out of the country. Turn your trips into healing vacations.
Make Positive Lifestyle Changes
If you are dealing with Lyme disease symptoms, you are struggling with pain that can be devastating. You need to be willing to do whatever it takes to get better. You deserve to live a life without pain.
Don’t settle for a local doctor who means well but doesn’t have the knowledge or experience to diagnose and treat someone with Lyme. Go to a specialist who has extra training and experience. Go to the specialist who has the advanced, modern equipment and tools to treat your symptoms that go beyond a round of antibiotics.
Go ahead, make positive lifestyle changes a priority, starting today.