Doxy from what I have read is a good abx for it.
Posted by Looking (Member # 13600) on :
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), a tick-vectored disease that was first described in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States in the late 1800s, is caused by the obligate, intracellular coccobacillus Rickettsia rickettsii.
Rickettsia rickettsii elicits a moderately severe to life-threatening systemic illness in its host by infecting endothelial cells lining small vessels of all major tissues and organ systems.
Lethal and irreversible damage to endothelium in the dermis, lungs, heart, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, brain, skeletal muscle, and other sites results in the protean and often severe clinical manifestations associated with untreated disease.
These pathophysiologic events are responsible for the rash, headache, myalgias, and gastrointestinal symptoms that are commonly associated with RMSF, and can lead to more devastating manifestations, including gangrene, pulmonary hemorrhage and edema, acute respiratory distress syndrome, myocarditis, acute renal failure, meningoencephalitis, and cerebral edema.
This is a serious disease -- Here's the link to the full article (lots of info)
Thank you both, treepatrol and Looking. I really appreciate all the info that you found. My brain just is not functioning very well right now. I spoke with my LLMD on Monday and he said that one reason that I am not all that sick is because my immune system is strong. Ever since my son got sick with Lyme, Bart & Babs, over a year ago, I have been taking a lot of the same supplements that the LLMD has him on.
All this info makes me so glad that I decided to get tested myself. I am on 200mg. of doxy, so I guess it is okay, but I intend to run treatment by my son's LLMD who has been at it a lot longer.
Thanks again for all your help. Karen
Posted by just don (Member # 1129) on :
Dan's Mom, I dont know too much about RMSF either other than ONE fascinating fact.
The tick does NOT have to bite you to get this disease,,,JUST walking across your skin CAN be enough to give it to the victem.
And yes I heard also if you have a 'roaring' case of it you need immediate medical help cause otherwise may NOT survive!!
Dont know about 'mild' cases,,,have you tried out old Mr. Google on this subject??says--just don--
Posted by Dan's Mom (Member # 11347) on :
Hi just don,
Thanks for the info about the tick. But I was bitten about 4 or 5 years ago, had a rash, but was told after testing by the doctor that I didn't have Lyme and should not take abx. I was bitten by a tick again in Nov. of 07. This time I knew enough to take 300mg. of doxy for 3 weeks as per LLMD. Symptoms started in late winter, early spring, so I went back to LLMD for testing.
I have googled RMSF, but have never found anything about a mild case. I feel incredibily lucky, but at the same time, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop, if you know what I mean.