posted
My stepfather(85 yrs. old) had lymes disease a few years ago. This past month he has been in the hospital has red swollen joints that started in his feet. went to his wrist and now all of his joints are inflamed. He is diabetic so we first thought that it could be related, with his feet being red and looking infected in his toes. Now he has red raised areas that don't look like bilisters some have a black dot in the middle. One doctor said it could be related to the lymes disease he has about 12 to 18 months ago. Dose this sound like anything anyone has experanced and if so, what was done. He was on IV antibotics but he never ran a fever. He is now home, has had a low grade fever a few days and is very shakey at times. He really is miserable and my Mom (75) is having a hard time taking care of him. I am an RN but have so far had a difficult time getting anyone to listen to me or give me am answer as to what they think is really going on! Papa needs help and I jist don't know what to do!! Posts: 1 | From virginia | Registered: Nov 2008
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
Welcome to lymenet. I'm sorry your family is going through this.
The best way to get help for your stepfather is to find a lyme literate doctor. I would NOT go to an IDSA doctor.
You don't give any specific information about the treatment that was given but I would guess it was the standard IDSA protocol which is typically inadequate.
Ticks carry many infections some of which need anti-protozoal treatment or different antibiotics than borrelia. It's also possible to get a virus from ticks.
It is thought that a huge number of lyme patients get co-infections when they contract lyme. Your stepfather likely has co-infections that need to be treated.
It is very difficult to impossible to get rid of lyme disease with untreated co-infections.
Terry I'm not a doctor
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
quote:Originally posted by annwilkrn:
My stepfather(85 yrs. old) had lymes disease a few years ago.
This past month he has been in the hospital has red swollen joints that started in his feet. went to his wrist and now all of his joints are inflamed.
He is diabetic so we first thought that it could be related, with his feet being red and looking infected in his toes.
Now he has red raised areas that don't look like bilisters some have a black dot in the middle.
One doctor said it could be related to the lymes disease he has about 12 to 18 months ago.
Dose this sound like anything anyone has experanced and if so, what was done.
He was on IV antibotics but he never ran a fever. He is now home, has had a low grade fever a few days and is very shakey at times.
He really is miserable and my Mom (75) is having a hard time taking care of him.
I am an RN but have so far had a difficult time getting anyone to listen to me or give me am answer as to what they think is really going on!
Papa needs help and I jist don't know what to do!!
ann, so glad you found us...and it is LYME, no s, named after lyme, conn.
that sounds so much like my late dad who had UNDIAGNOSED LYME for 80 years!!!
drs. kept saying it was GOUT, CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, FLUID ON THE LUNGS, ETC! then they would remove extra fluids before letting him go to the farm ALONE again.
yes, please copy my broken up version of your story to SEEKING DR. FORUM! go to upper right; click on FORUM HOME, and then seeking dr. forum.
subject: show state he lives in LLMD NEEDED!
show the LARGEST 6-8 cities in his state with CLOSEST being named first, and we'll try to give him names of CLOSEST to him! ok
post my broken up version there.
go to lower left hand corner, mark box to receive all replies; click send! i'll be back in touch with you since i work with llmd names too! betty
*********************
It is sometimes difficult for us to comprehend large blocks of text, and because I wanted you to get more answers, I broke this one up for you. Please do this in the future ok. thanks
Welcome; i'm so glad you found us!! You've come to the right place for education and support!
Dr. Burrascano's most recent "Diagnostic Hints and Treatment Guidelines for Lyme and Other Tick Borne Illnesses" @
Fyi: we have over 1000 viewers daily; 200 - 400 posting/replying; so specific titles get our time/replies. non-specific ones, i sob, scroll on by!
Also, please be very specific in the subject line what you will be discussing so more people will be able to assist you.
***************
please go to my newbie links, copy the entire thing, and then print this off....
financial burdens compiled by melanie reber pages 74 - 92; outstanding info there.
also in my table of contents, for FINANCIAL BURDENS, i believe there are a few more general comments there without links!! print that off too as it's newer info from members thru their own personal, tragic experiences. thoughts and prayers headed your way..
Betty's POSTING GUIDELINES
When you post or reply, please break up your solid, continuous block text welcome to the board! many of us have neuro lyme where we can NOT read long solid block text and be able to comprehend and read it as is.
please edit your post by CLICKING PAPER/PENCIL ICON to right of your name. that opens up BOTH subject line and body text.
now please break up your WORDY SENTENCES into one sentence paragraphs. Then hit ENTER KEY ``THREE`` after each paragraph; we need that space for comprehension.
if you are NOT a wordy person, you can do 2 or 3 total ok. do this for your entire post.
NOTE: you do NOT have to use "", just show the name of person you are responding to, and then type your comment.
IF you need to use "", PLEASE DELETE "BOLD" CODES so it's regular type text we read vs. the DARK, HARSH/PAINFUL BOLDING.
specifically, delete the first 4 characters of 2ND LINE of a ""
[QB] just delete these 4 characters, and BOLDING is GONE! my eyes will really appreciate that; it's one very bad side effect of my having lyme for 38.5 years!! xox
then go to left hand corner and mark box to receive ALL REPLIES, and click EDIT SEND
we thank you for helping us; otherwise, we will SOB, SCROLL ON BY, since we can't read to help you. If I see posts like this, I SOB them; to hard on me.
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Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
Definitely sounds suspicious....I'm glad you found this site.
If he already has other health problems, agressive antibiotics could be really rough on him, i would think, because a lot of people get worse before they get better.
Getting rid of all the dead bacteria that accumulate in your body while on antibiotics can be exhausting, and this process can make a person feel sicker ("herx" reaction) so if he has a hard time with that, slower might be better while administering any antibiotics for lyme.
That said, you don't want to under-treat it either!
There is a lot of good info on this site. Those raised rashes you describe could be Bartonella co-infection (ticks carry bartonella as well).
Best of luck to you, and i hope your stepfather finds some relief.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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posted
My first guess would be that at age 85 perhaps its not lyme, but something worse such as heart problems, liver problems, etc.
The swelling of the joints, is it due to fluid retention?
Is there bruising about the body which would indicate a blood problem?
Its hard to know from an internet forum whats going on. Im not sure if it lyme, and if it is severe lyme, if he could handle the full abx treatment and subsequent herxing.
Im sorry your relative is so sick and hopefully its something that can be treated, and if not, I hope he can at least be pain free as he battles whatever it is...
Posts: 514 | From . | Registered: Apr 2008
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
Is your step father being treated by a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor?
Besides Lyme, ticks can carry a host of other bacteria.
Most of us have co-infections such as babesia, bartonella, etc.
I think it would be in your step father's best interest to see
A doctor who specializes in Tick Borne Illnesses.
Please post in Seeking a Doctor with your city and state.
A LLMD would be your step father's best bet.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
One other thing.
Ann wrote: My stepfather(85 yrs. old) had lymes disease a few years ago,
Ann wrote: He was on IV antibotics but he never ran a fever.
If he was previously diagnosed with lyme and was deemed to have it bad enough to need IV, I think it is VERY likely that it is lyme and/or co-infections.
Lyme has a tendency to be very difficult to get rid of. It can go into cystic form when it needs to in order to survive abx and come out once it is safe thus the relapsing nature of lyme that so many of us suffer with.
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otherwise, we will SOB, SCROLL ON BY, since we can't read to help you. If I see posts like this, I SOB them; to hard on me.
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