We were on our way back to ME, I had an appt. with a doc that specializes in Lyme. All I really wanted was to find out for sure if I had lyme.
I came down severely ill 3 days into the trip. We spent 4 days in MD until we could travel again-and we had to come back to TN.
In the week I lost 14 lbs., ran a low grade fever, every part of me was in pain, but in particular my knees,hips, I wake up with a headache. My leg/foot started swelling.
I finally found a doc here (last Thurs.) that would run the blood tests and placed me on doxcycline-I am still waiting for the results. I did not know that ticks spread more than Lymes, he tested for 3 other diseases. Since I went to the dr., I also found we have brown recluses in our home--(we had the exterminator here Fri.). I have 3 bites from them, but luckily the venom either wasn't that potent, or I am somewhat immune to it.
And then Saturday I found a 'rash' (2 red circles side by side with a pasty white center) and I also found another tick with a white dot next to it. He looked like he had been there for a few days, but he was smaller than the other one.
Where do the symptoms of venom and the symptoms of Lymes end and/or meet? Also I have been on the antibiotics for 5 days now, shouldn't that have killed the recent tick and whatever infection it might have been carrying? And why would I have the rash again? Is it possible to have the Lyme symptoms reappear after 6 weeks? Has anyone else had this same experience?
Thank you for your time and experience.
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
Five days is not nearly enough to get rid of the Lyme....
What dosage are you on?
It needs to be at least 300mg a day.
Unfortunately, the bite of a brown recluse can look like a "bulls-eye" rash.
It is usually a small white blister surrounded by swollen, red tissue.
Symptoms of a brown recluse bite include fever, chills, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting and possibly shock.
Necrosis at the bite site is not uncommon (tissue die off).
This is a hard one as you know you had a tick on you.
According to the literature, spider bites can only be conclusive if you saw the spider bite you.
Hang in there.
I would call my LLMD about the tick and the spider.
The recommended treatment for spider bites includes corticosteroids, which can really make Lyme come out.
I hope that you are doing better soon.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posted by chanson (Member # 11998) on :
Thank you for the info., Geneal. I finally reached the dr. office and have an appt. for tomorrow. He is not a lyme spec. but atleast this one is doing something. (The last time I saw the other dr. he put me on fiorcet--said it would make me feel better--ha!) This dr. I am seeing now had me on 200 mg of doxcycline. Since it is not enough, I guess maybe thats why the symptoms are back. The red circles are about 3" round and about 1/8" thick-the rest is a pasty white.
If a majority of the symptoms are indeed Lyme, I really do not want to make them worse. I am so tired of feeling sick and hurting. I can barely move without hurting. I wish the test results would get back - I think the worst part is NOT knowing what I am dealing with.
Anyways, Geneal, I wanted to say thank you for the info and your time to listen.
Hugs, c.hanson
Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :
There is a huge difference between the symptoms of a brown recluse bite and Lyme. I think that's what you were asking from differences between venom and Lyme.
The brown recluse venom basically eats away at the flesh. It can start as a red circle, but you will develop a sore that continues to grow until treated.
I have heard cases of people becoming very ill from the bite, but I believe it's usually an allergic reaction or a secondary infection from not getting the bite treated.
The Lyme rash is a rash. There is usually no open sore associated with it. Then there are pages of Lyme symptoms that can ensue.