I know this has been asked before but I am posing the question again...
If you found a new tick bite on you (tiny deer tick) would you treat ASAP or would you wait to see if you develop symptoms? I found a deer tick attached to my arm this morning.
I see both sides of the argument; don't want to risk getting sick but have been soaked in abx.'s for so long do not want to take them unless completely necessary.
I have a call into my LLMD so he will make the final decision, just curious what you all think! Thanks, DW
Posted by jkmom (Member # 14004) on :
I would treat. I would rather deal with some more abx than risk more Lyme symptoms. My daughter was very ill for many years so I have a glaring example of how bad it can be right in front of me. I do not want to risk that.
Posted by desertwind (Member # 25256) on :
Thanks for your thoughts and so very sorry your daughter is very ill. I got sick in 2004 and only over the past 3 years have I gotten better with aggressive treatment.
I already started on Doxy...
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I would probably take the meds even though abx wreck my gut unmercifully.
Don't forget to watch the diet, take probiotics and take doxy in the middle of a full meal (and don't lie down for 30-60 min. after taking it.)
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
I have evolved over time in how I handle a new tick bite.
Shortly after I was cured of lyme, each time my husband had an attached tick on him, I called his very understanding internist and got 2 weeks of doxy for the bite.
Husband never had lyme, never got any bulls eyes, never got sick.
He would get about 3 tick bites per year.
I have had about 2-3 attached ticks since I got rid of lyme 10 years ago. The first one was 2 weeks after finishing lyme treatment. I sent that tick to Igenex for testing. It was negative and I never got sick.
3 years later, I got a tick bite and never saw it, but I got a bulls eye rash on my arm 3 days after laying some weeds there for 1-2 minutes. I got to my old lyme doctor within a week of the bite, treated it for 30 days (including treatment for babs and bart also), and because I never got any other symptoms, I was finished in 30 days. (I had a very mild herx from the treatment.)
Now, 3 weeks ago, I found an attached tick. I have decided to wait and see what happens. So far, nothing has happened.
Also, a few days ago, my husband found an attached tick on his groin. I removed it. We are keeping these 2 ticks and waiting to see what happens.
So, the moral of the story is: Do what you need to do to handle it emotionally. I have seen myself calm down so much since all of this time has passed since I was sick with lyme.
Now, I am very content to watch and wait for signs of lyme. If course, if a bite ever causes a rash, I would be off to the lyme doctor ASAP.
Hope this helps you decide what YOU should do in this case.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- If I were to take an antibiotic, though I'd also be sure to have something that would absolutely prevent the spirochetes from going into cyst form as they do with just an antibiotic.
I'd put that anti-cyst measure (flagyl, tindamax, etc.) in place at least a little bit prior to any antibiotic.
I'd also be sure to have an anti-candida herb on board, first, too, just timed away from Rx. Probiotics are vital, of course, but may not be enough. -
Posted by steve1906 (Member # 16206) on :
Yes I would treat, it's better to do 21/30 days, than 21/30 years of pain...
Steve
Posted by surprise (Member # 34987) on :
I am glad that I don't have to face this dilemma,
since I live in non-endemic area, don't own a pet, do not ever hike/ take walks on anything but paved residential street/sidewalk,
and will never camp again. I don't post this to gloat, but as someone w/ real PTSD from unknown Lyme and tick borne infections
carrying for years doing me in, passed congenital to one of my children who just may be permanently affected despite all my money and efforts,
and the sheer hel! of going thru my own treatment.
I don't want to take antibiotics ever again, scares the day lights out of me that I'd wake the beasts.
I'd rather take strict precaution.
Posted by lymenotlite (Member # 33166) on :
What I'm wondering is whether it is certain or not that a bullseye rash or some kind of rash will occur at the site of a lyme tick bite. Does this usually happen, always happen, sometimes happen. Anyone know?
Spirochetes spreading out, apparently.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- lymenotlite,
You asked Q: Is it "certain or not that a bullseye rash or some kind of rash will occur at the site of a lyme tick bite." (end quote)
No. It is not certain that any kind of rash will appear. It may. It may not. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
Let's Not Be Rash About Erythema Migrans - May 24, 2012
In comment section, see posts by: Pam Weintraub (author of "Cure Unknown") - May 26, 2012 -
Posted by desertwind (Member # 25256) on :
Great to get the feedback. I am split 50/50 but have decided to just take the meds.
It was attached for up to 12 hours. Before I knew it was on me I was feeling a bit chill/sweaty this morning with a headache. I thought that was odd until I saw the deer tick.
LLMD thinks a new bite (even if it is not infected) can awaken dormant ketes so to take the meds. Recommended 4 weeks of Doxy w/ pulse of Tindamax. I'm forever on a candida diet and antifungals so got that covered.
Back in 2004 when I first got ill I never got a rash at the site of the bite but did get a disseminated rash all over my legs about 4 months later after not being treated. It was a large darkish like bruise. In 2012 when I treated aggressively the bruise rash on my legs appeared once again.
Posted by Andromeda (Member # 45866) on :
quote:Originally posted by desertwind: Hello All;
I know this has been asked before but I am posing the question again...
If you found a new tick bite on you (tiny deer tick) would you treat ASAP or would you wait to see if you develop symptoms? I found a deer tick attached to my arm this morning.
Did you save the tick? A family member of mine just pulled an engorged Deer tick off her leg, and we sent it in for testing.
They accept ticks from all over as well. But you could search your state's testing services as well.
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
Hard to imagine anyone who has dealt with Lyme would be wondering if they should treat if they get another tick bite.
If you were roller skating and fell, broke your leg and got a cast on it, then once it was healed you fell again and broke your leg, would you not put a cast on it?
Would you wait and see if your leg would become useless and deformed first? Would you not want a cast because it itched some the last time?
Most of those with Lyme disease who got well did so by following Dr. B's guidelines for treating Lyme. In the guidelines he gives specific treatment recommendations for treating a tick bite. He never says wait and see.
The IDSA/CDC on the other hand do say to just wait and see. Nobody likes them.
My personal opinion... testing the tick is a waste of time and money and chances are you won't get a positive result if the ticks are carrying the diseases.
1. Tick testing misses the infections much of the time. You can not trust the tests when they say negative.
2. If the tick tests positive it does not mean the organisms were passed on to you.
3. The tick can only be tested for a few diseases. How many does it have that there is no tick test for, or how many potential diseases might the tick have that no one has discovered yet?
4. It is expensive to run all the known TBD tests on the tick. IGeneX costs for testing would be about $415.00.
5. Many people mistakenly wait for the tick test results to come back before deciding to treat. It can take 6 weeks to get results when the labs are busy. BIG mistake to wait, you are just allowing the organism(s) to disseminate, making them harder and more expensive to kill, IF you can.
6. Save your money that you'd spend on testing the tick and go directly to a doctor, get a prescription and hope that you are one of the lucky ones.
Posted by triathlongal (Member # 31684) on :
quote:Originally posted by Tincup: Hard to imagine anyone who has dealt with Lyme would be wondering if they should treat if they get another tick bite.
If you were roller skating and fell, broke your leg and got a cast on it, then once it was healed you fell again and broke your leg, would you not put a cast on it?
Would you wait and see if your leg would become useless and deformed first? Would you not want a cast because it itched some the last time?
Most of those with Lyme disease who got well did so by following Dr. B's guidelines for treating Lyme. In the guidelines he gives specific treatment recommendations for treating a tick bite. He never says wait and see.
The IDSA/CDC on the other hand do say to just wait and see. Nobody likes them.
Then I should be on abx all year long - I live in NJ and do go outside. I understand what you are saying however. Dr. H. always recommends treatment and just curious what other people have done.
My last llmd believed in tick testing as a diagnostic criteria for treating. I was denied treatment because ticks would test negative yet I had symptoms. So much for her being an llmd. That was 10 yrs ago. Dr H. does not recommend testing ticks - not with me anyway.
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
"My last llmd believed in tick testing as a diagnostic criteria for treating. I was denied treatment because ticks would test negative yet I had symptoms. So much for her being an llmd."
That is crazy! Not even the CDC/IDSA would accept that as proof of a diagnosis if it were positive.
Me thinks that doctor should pay for the tick testing for each patient. That would probably stop her from costing sick patients even more money.
Posted by WPinVA (Member # 33581) on :
I am glad you are taking the meds. That's absolutely what I would do.
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