How much do you want to bet it's lyme?? That was my first symptom but my doc and I caught it in time so it didn't turn into a "full blown" bell's palsy. Got started on antibiotics right away.
My sister is on medicaid, how open to testing for lyme are doctors that take medicaid? does anyone know? She goes to a clinic.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
You don't say what state your sister is in. In Maryland, anyone who gets bells palsy is required to be tested for lyme by any medical practitioner they see.
So, at least in Maryland, she will get a lyme test based on the bells diagnosis.
If she is in Virginia, I may be able to give you a name of a lyme friendly doctor who will see her and treat her long-term for lyme.
Posted by BuffyFan (Member # 34679) on :
Sorry, she is in IL.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Not good. Any chance she can get a DR to order a test for her?
Posted by BuffyFan (Member # 34679) on :
I don't know. see, I found out by creeping on her facebook page. She has not called to tell me so I have to figure out a way to bring it up. I"m just afraid that she won't listen to me.
She wrote that the doctor in the ER said it'd take a few weeks to go away so sounds like she was not given any meds. Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
Or else given steroids... Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Oh gawd.
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
That's not good
My bells palsy was for 2 months. No abx. Was told it was from migraines.
Ha! Yeah a 44 day migraine... Right.
Got better with combo abx.
But the loss of muscle tone from not using one side of my face for two months has left me with an asymmetrical face. And it's been over a year now and my face is still crooked.
If your sis is at all worried about appearances, you could use my story to inspire her to try some abx sooner rather than later.
Posted by BuffyFan (Member # 34679) on :
Thanks, I'll talk to her and see if I can convince her to get tested.
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
From what i know of medicaid they will do very little or nothing
Posted by Redhead1108 (Member # 43116) on :
Is bells palsy a high indicator of Lyme Disease? I was diagnosed 5 years ago with Lyme but suffered through several years before that without a diagnosis. My son had bells palsy when he was only 10 years old and his doctor said that is very rare in a child so young even though he didn't seem at all concerned. Could I have passed my Lyme Disease on to him inutero? Should I have him tested? He doesn't seem to be showing any symptoms and has had a full checkup in the last six months. He is 16 now.
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
Does he still have the bells?
Lyme can be passed to the baby ftom the mother both when in the utetus and from breastfeeding
Some ppl are unaware they have lyme for a long time-they think certain sx are just the way they are
My dil didnt think she had lyme until my son noticed herbullseye rash. She ws treated . Before tx she didnt believe she was smartenough for college. After tx she got a masters in teaching.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Redhead, the foremost pediatric lyme specialist in the U.S. and the world will not treat a child for lyme if the child doesn't have symptoms.
He says to leave well enough alone.
So, if he has no symptoms, why test?
Did you have lyme disease symptoms 17 years ago when you were carrying him?
"If a patient is from the Northeast United States, Lyme disease should be considered as a cause of facial paralysis, and serologic testing should be performed. Approximately 5-10% of untreated Lyme patients may have a peripheral facial nerve palsy."
If he was born in LA and was not tested for lyme when he had bells palsy, your location is the likely reason. Chances are that 16 years ago doctors were not used to seeing lyme disease in that state.
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