posted
I am in Tallahassee, Florida, and good chance I have lyme disease.
Briefly, I traveled to upstate New York this summer during June and while up there all of a sudden I noticed on my leg a bright red cirlce probably slightly larger than a quarter, it did not burn, itch or anything just BRIGHT RED.
I have allergies and am overly sensitive to things, so I thought I must have brushed up against something and just had a reaction over the next couple of weeks, it went away.
I spent the month of August in upstate NY again and when I got back on September 4th, after getting out of the shower I broke out in a rash on my chest and back, while drying off my legs I noticed the red mark was back as bright as before.
I went to my doctor and one nurse practioner looked at me and said classic case of lyme disease, another came in and said no it is not, no bulls eye, I asked to get the blood test and the blood test says I have lyme disease.
I went to an infectious disease specialist who looked at the blood work and said he doesn't think I am as infected as I thought.
He mentioned Western Blot, IGG and IGM etc.... I walked out totally confused.
From about when I went to the doctor to now, my only symptoms are archy joints, one day my knee will be sore, next day ankles, even my toes. Yesterday I felt great no soreness at all, today my ankles are midly achy again.
I am attaching a copy of the picture of the red mark:
Also here is a link to a pdf of my blood work results:
I found an article online tonight about the area I was in while in NY. I walked around the lake they mentioned in the article multiple times with my dad too:
I have been on antibiotics for two weeks, 100mg doxycycline twice a day for the past two weeks. Is this a good treatment?
Posts: 9 | From Tallahassee, Florida | Registered: Oct 2008
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feelfit
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12770
posted
Hi Steve,
You are positve for lyme. Especially with your band 23. Band 41 can sometimes be cross-reactive.
200 mg per day of doxy is not enough 300-600 mg is what LLMD's recommend. 400 mg daily is usually the starting dose.
I would highly recommend seeing a Lyme Literate medical doctor. Post in seeking a doctor for help in finding one.
Your rash certainly could be a result of Lyme, all rashes are not bullseyes.
Best, Feelfit
Posts: 3975 | From usa | Registered: Aug 2007
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gemofnj
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15551
posted
Steve,
I had the same results as you from Labcorp, bands 23, 41, and this is considered CDC positive. However, infectious disease doctors say that if your IGG is negative, it is a false positive.
That is BULL. I found my way to an LLMD and was treated based on SYMPTOMS not test results.
My labcorp test was in May, and I am still on treatment. My rash appeared in Dec. of 2007, and it looked like a bruise, not a bullseye.
I became symptomatic in January and progressed with symptoms until May when I was diagnosed.
The symptoms started with fatigue (sleeping longer), stiff neck, muscular/skeletal soreness in all my joints, especially my groin, heart irregularites, etc.
Look for anything that seems unusual to you in the way of symptoms. It can be very slight in the beginning.
I am STILL on antibiotics. So my advice to you is to get your doxy dose upped to at least 400 a day for a minimum of one month or until you can get to an LLMD.
Then you can be retested by Igenex, (wait 2 weeks until you are off the antibiotics because this can alter the results).
If you cant find an LLMD right away, you can google Igenex and get the test forms directly from them and have them drawn at a local lab.
Do it early in the week, as you dont want your sample to sit around. Remember to try and be off abx for about 2 weeks before retesting.
I cannot stress the importance of getting treatment asap or you will get MUCH worse and it takes longer to get to remission.
After I was diagnosed by labcorp, I never thought I would have to be on abx (antibiotics) for this long, but evidently thats what it takes because I am still having symptoms.
There is also alot of good information at the top of this board, or do a search for specific information.
Posts: 1127 | From atlantic city, nj | Registered: May 2008
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SForsgren
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7686
posted
Agree, postive. Get to a Lyme doctor that is a member of ILADS and get to treating.
-------------------- Be well, Scott Posts: 4617 | From San Jose, CA | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
I was reading thru the link posted above and don't understand the following part:
ORAL THERAPY: Always check blood levels when using agents marked with an *, and adjust dose to achieve a peak level above ten and a trough greater than three. Because of this, the doses listed below may have to be raised. Consider Doxycycline first in early Lyme due to concern for Ehrlichia co-infections.
*Doxycycline- Adults: 200 mg bid with food; doses of up to 600 mg daily are often needed, as doxycycline is only effective at high blood levels. Not for children or in pregnancy.
Posts: 9 | From Tallahassee, Florida | Registered: Oct 2008
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posted
That is saying you need to be sure your blood concentrations of the medicine are high enough.
Doxy 200 mg BID means 200 mg twice daily.
I agree with everyone else, your test shows positive, with symptoms, you have Lyme. Please see an LLMD to get proper treatment. If you want to understand why you can't get proper treatment from an infectious disease doc, watch this in its entirety (30 min.) - http://www.lymerights.org/Pallone_v3.wmv
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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