posted
I have the ever so ugly bart "stretch marks" on the inner part of my thigh all the way down to my knee. I am a college-aged, slender girl, and I am appalled at the way it looks. Will it go away when I am completely free of Bartonella?
I know that I have bigger fish to fry with the whole fighting for my life bit, but it would be nice! Is there anything to put on topically?
-------------------- You name it, I've got it. Full-time medical anomaly. Posts: 432 | From Southeast | Registered: Aug 2011
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steve1906
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16206
posted
Life+Lyme, I found these post for you, I think it will help ans. or question...
-------------------- Everything I say is just my opinion! Posts: 3529 | From Massachusetts Boston Area | Registered: Jul 2008
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canefan17
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 22149
posted
Bart streaks/marks come and go. Usually only appearing for 5-10 minutes on parts of the body then vanishing until later.
Is this a permanent stretch mark?
Posts: 5394 | From Houston, Tx | Registered: Aug 2009
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
I don't have any of the ugly purple marks that I had from bart. Mine did not come and go. Mine showed up right after I started Doxy and left after a long time on levaquin. They always got a lot darker after a shower.
I watched a video from a doc who specialized is bart and he said that the marks do not come and go but go when the infection is gone. That was my experience.
That said, I seem to be having a relapse of bart and will start the deseret nosode for bart after the first of the year.
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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canefan17
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 22149
posted
Terry,
I didn't know Bart streaks could remain - I always thought the streaks were a sign of a temporary flareup.
I usually get cat scratch marks after eating grains or simple carbs. And if I put magnesium Oil on the cat scratch marks and all the other fun Bart symptoms come flaring out (irritable, constipation, frontal headaches)
I think to beat Bart you have to bounce your immune system back enough to suppress it and/or send it dormant.
Posts: 5394 | From Houston, Tx | Registered: Aug 2009
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
Cane, I've read comments from a number of ppl here at lymenet that have said theirs comes and goes.
Here are some of the notes from the video I watched.
_____________________________________________
RASHES rash - deep purple - hard - they are a result of new red blood vessels being made. You get the rash from inflammation. They don't fade without treatment.
Has been described as any of these: Rashes are maculaopapular (they are flat) urticarial (means itching) erythema nodosum - hard firm nodule granuloma annulaire ring worm appears round - elevated thrombocytopenic purpura - pinpoint rashes
___________________________________________
There is more than one strain and also something called a Bartonella like organism. It's entirely possible that those who get the marks that come and go are dealing with a different organism than I have.
One of my non-llmd doctors said you can get the streaks from an Addison's disease.
Terry I'm not a doctor
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
My marks have been there for 5 years+. There are times that they are worse, but you can always see them. Sometimes they are a deep purple, and other times they are white.
I just hope they go away once I am done with treatment. Thanks for the input!
-------------------- You name it, I've got it. Full-time medical anomaly. Posts: 432 | From Southeast | Registered: Aug 2011
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ktkdommer
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 29020
posted
My youngest with bart stretch marks, is noticing that they are fading and much improved. I saw alot of change while on IV antibiotics.
Sure wish a doctor somewhere would have noticed a skinny boy with purple stretch marks and found it perplexing enough to look into it!
-------------------- Things are never dull. After 3 fighting Lyme, 2 are in remission. Youngest is still sick, age 22. He has new diagnosed Chiari Malformation and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. Posts: 1366 | From Perrysburg, Ohio | Registered: Nov 2010
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posted
Mine did.
Posts: 366 | From Louisville KY. | Registered: Nov 2003
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jackie51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14233
posted
Mine came out last week after too many drops of A-bart. They faded within hours. I have BLO.
Posts: 1374 | From Crazy Town | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
As a child (in the 1950's) I had purplish stretch marks on my flanks. No doctor ever said anything about them, altho my gym teacher once expressed concern. I think they faded when I was in my twenties.
Now 63, I have put together all the pieces of the puzzle. My whole family has Lyme and co., my mother died of it. Except for a sister, the rest of the family is in denial. This sister was born with purple streaks on her arm, had them throughout childhood.
I keep telling my family: RULE No. 1: Get over your love affair with your doctor. I don't care how nice he is, attentive, "esteemed", etc. If he doesn't know Lyme and co. he is killing you.
-------------------- Sick since at least age 6, now 67. Decades of misdiagnosis. Numerous arthritic, neuro, psych, vision, cardiac symptoms. Been treating for 7 years, incl 8 mos on IV. Bart was missed so now treating that. Posts: 765 | From nw ct | Registered: Sep 2008
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posted
I was 13 or 14 when they first appeared and only 95-100 pounds. I thought it was strange, and my doctors all dismissed it. I wish these doctors knew the physical signs. It would save so many people from a lot of pain. I am amazed by how many regular doctors ask me about Lyme when they find out I have it. You don't expect to go to a doctor and have them asking you the questions! Thank goodness for LLMDs. Too bad they don't have them in every specialty.
-------------------- You name it, I've got it. Full-time medical anomaly. Posts: 432 | From Southeast | Registered: Aug 2011
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I have two distinct types of markings from Bartonella. 1) The classic stretch marks on my upper thigh (one side) that remain quite purple/red, but seem to have faded a little over the last several months, and 2) The newly occuring scratch-mark markings that are 'felt' before being 'seen.' It will feel as if someone is literally taking their nails and scratching me...and voila, within a few minutes distinctive scracth marks will manifest on my skin in those areas (usually on my shoulders, back, and stomach). They can last anywhere from a few minutes to about one hour. The latter is just like something out of a science fiction novel. Disgustingly weird, for sure!
Posts: 315 | From Negative (-) to positive (+) | Registered: Nov 2011
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posted
Lymebulldog, that is very interesting! Have you ever been lightly touched by someone, and it feels like you are being repeatedly punched for several minutes? It can also happen when I lightly scratch my skin. I guess it is hyperactive nerves or something.
-------------------- You name it, I've got it. Full-time medical anomaly. Posts: 432 | From Southeast | Registered: Aug 2011
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posted
Interesting about these scratch marks. I know a few people who get these but are not sick. They seem to notice them after waking in the morning, with soreness. There is no way you can get a scratch without scratching something or something scratching you. Try and notice if these scratches show up when you wake in the morning. I have heard that some spiders and bed bugs can leave these marks. I am no expert, but I think they are some type of bite. There are certain bugs that leave a bite pattern of a scratch. Do they look like a dashed scratch? What I mean is, are there tiny spaces in the middle of the scratch?
Posts: 319 | From Mass | Registered: Feb 2010
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lightfoot
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2536
posted
My 16 year old niece has Bart as diagnosed by the purple strips ('stretch marks'). Hers have been very extensive....trunk, arms and thighs...very unsightly esp if one is 16!!!
She was undiagnosed for at least two years. With treatment for about 8 to 9 months, they are fading to lighter and white. It's a miracle IMHO.
She is being treated with Bactrim DS and Zith. We anticipate the marks fading completely although we've been told it may take long term treatment.
-------------------- Healing Smiles.....lightfoot Posts: 7228 | From CO | Registered: May 2002
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posted
My son has permanent streaks on his low back. They actually look like scars from a lashing. He tested negative for bart and lyme, but positive to babesia. He has no babesia symptoms, except for dark urine. He has been treated for a couple of months with zithromax/mepron. If anything, his streaks have increased. Shouldn't zith be hitting the bart?
I don't want to think about levaquin, and not even sure he can take it at his age (14yrs). Plus, he has no symptoms except for the streaks, so I'm reluctant to treat.
My doctor is learning about lyme, partially from me, and I need to let her know what she can/should add to treat the bart, so she can look into it further. Should we be adding Rifampin to the zith/mepron?
Any advice would be appreciated! Posts: 418 | From NJ | Registered: Sep 2007
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posted
Mine did
Posts: 366 | From Louisville KY. | Registered: Nov 2003
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AuntyLynn
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 35938
posted
If they are stretch marks, you could try topical Vitamin E. Get a "natural" D-Alpha Tocopherol (Solgar makes one), break open the capsule and spread it on the stretch mark.
It works really well with scars, but you have to be persistent - may take 2 or 3 months for them to fade - or less, depending on how fresh the wound is.
Let me know if you try it? And Good Luck!
Posts: 1432 | From New Jersey | Registered: Jan 2012
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posted
This is an interesting topic. A while ago I got stretch marks in my biseps. Althought I have been overweight, my arm never get "fat" so I was suprice when I my stretch mark showed up. They use to be red and then the color clear but they where still there...
I dont care much about them so I never paid much attention but I have notice they are almost invisible now. I can still see them because I know where they are almost gone.
Not sure if they where bart related.
Posts: 324 | From Philly | Registered: Jun 2010
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
They may look like stretch marks but they aren't.
From the M.D. specialist presentation I watched on bart rash - deep purple - hard - they are a result of new red blood vessels being made. You get the rash from inflammation. They don't fade without treatment.
I tested negative for bartonella and did not know I had it until I started doxy. That caused the marks to come out.
There are many strains of bartonella and more being discovered all the time. Most are not tested for which is why bartonella is often clinically diagnosed.
My bartonella still seems to be bothering me although I no longer have the marks.
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
try cocoa butter.
my mom had untreated lyme for all her life, so the bart marks never went away.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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