Marz
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3446
posted
My sister showed me what looks like a bulls-eye rash today on the back of her leg. The outer part is not a complete circle, but a little less than a half circle around the center.
She said it's itchy. I thought I heard that lyme rashes don't itch.
I noticed another red spot she wasn't aware of on her arm that had no surrounding circle.
I had an atypical rash when I got sick. It wasn't a bulls-eye and it didn't itch so I can't speak from experience.
I advised her to get in right away and get it checked. If her MD says it's not a lyme rash should she accept that? I think she should at least ask for 4 weeks doxy just in case.
Posts: 1297 | From USA | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
My rash was also on the back of my leg and was small compared to many I have read about and seen photos of - but it did itch a little and was somewhat scaled in appearance, also not a complete circle with a small clear ring in the middle and a pink center. I was more worried about ringworm than Lyme at the time as I was completely ignorant of Lyme then. But in hindsight a year later, I realize what it has cost me. I'd push for abx. Much better imo to take a month's worth of abx you don't really need than to wind up with all this trouble later. Would an IgM turn up postive this soon? Hope it all ends well for her!
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TF
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posted
Here's what the Burrascano guidelines say about the rash itching:
"ERYTHEMA MIGRANS Erythema migrans (EM) is diagnostic of Bb infection, but is present in fewer than half. Even if present, it may go unnoticed by the patient. It is an erythematous, centrifugally expanding lesion that is raised and may be warm. Rarely there is mild stinging or pruritus." (p. 7 of the Guidelines)
The word "pruritus" means itching. So, Burrascano is saying there can be itching, but it happens rarely.
My rash itched at first. At first it presented like a hive and itched. Then, it turned into the bulls eye and then it stopped itching.
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Marz
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posted
The outer edge of the half circle that's around the center was about 3 inches above the knee crease as i remember. It's directly on the back of her thigh.
Seemed odd the whole circle didn't develop or maybe it's just starting to (?)
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Marz
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Thanks TF! Guess we were posting at the same time. That answers my question
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Marz
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posted
This evenng she discovered 4 more red spots on various places inclucing 2 on her butt. So far they're not bullseyes. They weren't there this morning.
She never felt a a bite so if it's some other insect, it's nothing we're used to around here.
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TF
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In my first encounter with lyme disease (I have had 2) the only rash I ever got was a number of small (size of a dime) rashes appearing over a few days on my legs--a total of 13 appeared. None were bulls eyes. They all itched horribly for weeks and nothing really helped at all.
You really need to read what Burrascano says about this. Read all of p. 7 of the Guidelines. Here is a little more from that page:
The EM rash will begin four days to several weeks after the bite, and may be associated with constitutional symptoms. Multiple lesions are present less than 10% of the time, but do represent disseminated disease. Some lesions have an atypical appearance and skin biopsy specimens may be helpful. When an ulcerated or vesicular center is seen, this may represent a mixed infection, involving other organisms besides B. burgdorferi.
After a tick bite, serologic tests (ELISA. IFA, western blots, etc.) are not expected to become positive until several weeks have passed. Therefore, if EM is present, treatment must begin immediately, and one should not wait for results of Borrelia tests. You should not miss the chance to treat early disease, for this is when the success rate is the highest. Indeed, many knowledgeable clinicians will not even order a Borrelia test in this circumstance." (p. 7)
The best thing anybody can do who suspects lyme disease is to STUDY this document to get an education on the disease you are dealing with. It is like none other. This education is essential to make sure you make good decisions that lead to health and not ill-advised decisions that just keep you sick and getting sicker.
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TF
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Member # 14183
posted
Also, no one EVER feels the bite of a tick. They secrete something in their saliva that anesthetizes you so that you will not feel it.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
My general practitioner had lyme. He told me his rash hurt quite a bit.
My brother's GF had a nymph tick on her back, she only noticed it because it was irritated and itchy.
The shape of the rash is irrelevant. If it's the typical bulls-eye great, but they can manifest in almost any shape and size. There are lots of photos online of rashes. The variety is surprising.
You don't say where you live. If you live in Antarctica it may not be a tick bite. Anywhere else, assume it's lyme.
I agree with TF to study what you're dealing with.
If her MD says it's NOT a lyme rash DO NOT accept it. How would he know? The rash can take on all kinds of atypical shapes and sizes. That would mean that he does not understand lyme.
If that is the case, go to an ILADS LLMD. This is not something to take lightly, as you know.
Good luck
James
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
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posted
mine was almost a perfect bulls eye but the top was oiley and slick. it had like pimples on it and it itched like crazy.
i couldn't help but scratch it and the pus would ooze out.. grosss
umm, i would say blisters on top.
does this sound about right?
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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