Hi Phillip,
Like you, my sister self-diagnosed with candida about 8 years ago.
She had your symptoms, yet they found nothing.
She now has chronic advanced lyme disease.
Because doctors don't know beans about Lyme disease, Conversion disorder (or being psychosomatic) is often diagnosed. Like someone stated, if something doesn't fit nice and tidy inside their diagnostic box......not a good doctor.
I wonder which is more common, an invasive cause (viral/bacterial) in an otherwise normal health history, or a conversion disorder. It's logic.
Please do not see a rheumotologist, please see a Lyme literate physician---
preferably an ILADS member---
as living on a farm, having dogs easily means Exposure to ticks as a possibility.
As you've researched for yourself, gland, lymph, sinus, gastrointestinal, yeast problems....and many many more....all can be symptoms of lyme.
Sweats can also point to other tick-borne diseases ("co-infections"), so seeing a LLMD would be a prudent course of action.
Please also note that there is no test in existence that can rule lyme out or in, so a lyme literate physician is the only way to go in this regard.
So: Nothing "showing in your blood" doesn't amount to much.
Given your fatigue, I would also suggest:
- being checked for Thyroid antibodies.
Note: hyperthyroid and/or Hashimoto's are very common in the lyme patient population;
- have Adrenal Function checked (saliva test kits are available) as this could be the source of the fatigue. (Adrenal fatigue is found in about 40% of lyme px.);
- take your temperature every day, 2x per day if you can, to show the doctor---could demonstrate a pattern that could reflect adrenal and/or thyroid issues.
If this hasn't been done already(sorry, I may have forgotten everything you wrote)--
a full panel for Vitamin/Mineral levels. With the fatigue, Iodine levels should be looked at considering a potential fatigue source of thyroid dysfunction.
Your fatigue really speaks to me. I have lyme too and it's the biggest obstacle most day.
Best to you on sleuthing this out for healthy recovery.