Primary hyperoxaluria is a rare inherited disorder characterized by excessive production and urinary excretion of oxalate, leading to recurrent kidney stones, nephrocalcinosis, and potentially end-stage renal disease. Oxalate crystals can cause various systemic effects, including neuropathy and potentially pain and bleeding, especially in advanced cases of oxalosis.
This article compares symptoms that may be associated with Late Stage (incuding neurologic) Lyme Disease or Primary Oxaluria. Many of the symptoms considered can be associated with various conditions, and a proper diagnosis should always be made by a healthcare professional.
Note that primary oxaluria is typically associated with recurrent kidney stones, bladder stones, blood in the urine (hematuria), Urinary tract infections, and kidney failure, which I do not have. In advanced cases there are deposits of calcium oxalate in various tissues (systemic oxalosis). In other words, after looking into this more, Lyme disease is far more likely given my symptoms.
Wishing to have something less dire than neuro Lyme disease, I got tested for oxylate crystals since I have two genetic variants which predispose me to primary oxaluria. Perhaps, I reasoned, one could have this condition and get the symptoms I am having before any kidney disease symptoms show up?
Note that in the table title below I just say Lyme, but some of these symptoms may be more linked to co-infections like Bartonella (Bt), Babesia (Bb), and Ehrlichia.
| Symptom [ Common diagnosis to rule out ] | ζ More Likely Lyme | ⊗ More Likely Oxaluria | ⇔ Could Be Either/Neither |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micro blood bleed in eyeball near the fovea [ Diabetic retinopathy ] |
⇔ | ||
| Stiff neck that is sore with movement [ Meningitis ] |
ζ Bt | ||
| Flu-like muscle aches without flu [ Fibromyalgia ] |
ζ Bt Bb | ||
| Tender parotid glands behind jaw | ζ Bt | ||
| Cherry angiomas [ Aging ] |
⇔ | ||
| Floaters in eyes [ Posterior vitreous detachment ] |
⇔ | ||
| Tinnitus [ Ménière’s disease ] |
ζ Bt | ||
| Vibrations at night in head [ Exploding head syndrome ] |
ζ | ||
| Electric pulsing feeling in palms and feet with each heartbeat | ζ Bt | ||
| Muscle cramps [ Electrolyte imbalance ] |
ζ Bt Bb | ||
| Very dry eyes [ Sjögren’s syndrome ] |
⇔ | ||
| Stabbing pains [ Neuralgia ] |
ζ Bt | ||
| Waking with numb fingers, palm, or entire arm [ Carpal tunnel syndrome ] |
ζ Bt | ||
| Slow creeping numbness from toes to foot pads [ Peripheral neuropathy ] |
ζ Bt | ||
| Non-red, non-itchy raised bumps with curled hairs in them [ Keratosis pilaris ] |
⇔ | ||
| Tick bite scars | ζ | ||
| Folliculitis with whiteheads [ Acne ] |
⇔ | ||
| Burning feeling in feet | ζ Bt | ||
| Chest pains [ Angina ] |
ζ Bt | ||
| Inflamed joints in hands [ Rheumatoid arthritis ] |
ζ | ||
| Headache in back of head [ Tension headache ] |
ζ Bt Bb | ||
| Ischemia on MRI in white matter | ⇔ | ||
| Visual migraine [ Migraine with aura ] |
ζ Bt | ||
| Red rash (not bullseye type) [ Allergic reaction ] |
ζ Bt | ||
| Tooth pain | ζ Bt | ||
| Liver spots [ Sun damage ] |
⇔ | ||
| Body hairs cut off at skin level intermittently with normal hairs [ Trichotillomania.] |
⇔ | ||
| U wave on ECG [ Hypokalemia ] |
⇔ | ||
| High-end hearing loss [ Age-related hearing loss ] |
⇔ | ||
| Oxygen desaturation without apnea at night | ⇔ | ||
| Kidney pain that improves with deep breaths | ⊗ | ||
| Normal heart enzymes | ⇔ | ||
| Normal CBC | ⇔ | ||
| IgG subclass deficiencies | ⇔ |
This is a start. Remember that these are just rumors until you follow a link and read a real published paper which supports the claim of symptom association to the condition. Consulting with specialists in infectious diseases for Lyme disease and nephrologists or urologists for primary oxaluria is recommended for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
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Why does this page auto scroll up when I get to the comment box? Happening in Firefox. If I grab the bar and pull it down slowly can get here to be able to enter a comment, but it fights me. If I go to far down the page, even while pulling the scroll bar, it jumps back up the page. May be a problem with a plug-in.